1,900,000 Shares
The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc.
Common Stock
December 14, 2017
XXXXXXXXX LLC
As Representative of the several Underwriters
c/o Jefferies LLC
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Introductory. The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “
Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in
Schedule A (the “
Underwriters”) an aggregate of 1,900,000 shares (the “
Shares”) of the common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“
Common Stock”) of the Company. Xxxxxxxxx LLC (“
Jefferies”) has agreed to act as representative of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the “
Representative”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares. To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on
Schedule A other than Jefferies, the terms “
Representative” and “
Underwriters” as used herein shall mean Jefferies.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “
Commission”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-211827, including a base prospectus (the “
Base Prospectus”) to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form in which it was declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “
Securities Act”), including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein and any information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or 430B under the Securities Act, is called the “
Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares is called the “
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,” and from and after the date and time of filing of any such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The preliminary prospectus supplement dated December 14, 2017 describing the Shares and the offering thereof (the “
Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”), together with the Base Prospectus, is called the “
Preliminary Prospectus,” and the Preliminary Prospectus and any other prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus in preliminary form that describes the Shares and the offering thereof and is used prior to the filing of the Prospectus (as defined below), together with the Base Prospectus, is called a “
preliminary prospectus.” As used herein, the term “
Prospectus” shall mean the final prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus that describes the Shares and the offering thereof (the “
Final Prospectus Supplement”), together with the Base Prospectus, in the form first used by the Underwriters to confirm sales of the Shares
or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act. References herein to the Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus shall refer to both the prospectus supplement and the Base Prospectus components of such prospectus. As used herein, “
Applicable Time” is 4:00 p.m. (
New York City time) on December 14, 2017.
As used herein, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the Preliminary Prospectus, as amended or supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time, together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B. As used herein, “Road Show” means a “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) relating to the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby that is a “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act).
All references in this
underwriting agreement (this “
Agreement”) to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Base Prospectus and the Prospectus shall include the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that are “
contained in,” “
included in,” “
filed with,” “
stated in” or “
part of” the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, and all other references of like import, shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. All references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “
Exchange Act”) that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, or the Prospectus, as the case may be. All references in this Agreement to (i) the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus, any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, or any free writing prospectus, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“
XXXXX”) and (ii) the Prospectus shall be deemed to include any “electronic Prospectus” provided for use in connection with the offering of the Shares as contemplated by Section 3(n) of this Agreement.
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the Underwriters as follows:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission effective under the Securities Act. The Company has complied, to the Commission’s satisfaction, with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information, if any. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission. At the time the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2016 (the “Annual Report”) was filed with the Commission, or, if later, at the time the Registration Statement was originally filed with the Commission, the Company met the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act specified in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) Conduct Rule 5110(B)(7)(C)(i). The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, or became effective under the Exchange Act, as the case may be, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act.
The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus at the time of filing with the Commission complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to XXXXX (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, as of the applicable effective date, complied and, until such time as the Underwriters are no longer required to deliver a Prospectus in order to confirm sales of the Shares, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, the Time of Sale Prospectus, together with each Road Show, if any, did not, and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 2), will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its applicable filing date and until such time as the Underwriters are no longer required to deliver a Prospectus to confirm sales of the Shares, did not, and at the Closing Date, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto or any free writing prospectus, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representative expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Representative to the Company consists of the information described in Section 9(c) below. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required.
The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) as of the eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act with respect to the offering of the Shares. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such free writing prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts with or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B hereto, and any Road Show, if any, furnished to the Representative before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Representative’s prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.
(d) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered to the Representative by the Company.
(g) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus (the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus each an “Applicable Prospectus” and collectively, the “Applicable Prospectuses”), subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement or each Applicable Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, results of operations or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity (any such change being referred to herein as a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, by any of its subsidiaries on any class of capital stock or, except for the repurchase by the Company of shares of Common Stock in connection with the payment of withholding taxes related to the vesting of equity-based awards issued to the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ employees, any repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.
(i) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in each Applicable Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods specified. The supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. Such financial statements and supporting schedules have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto and except for normal year-end adjustments that have not been made in the case of interim financial statements. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement or any Applicable Prospectus. The (i) audited and unaudited consolidated financial statements of Fells Point Wholesale Meats, Inc. and the related notes thereto included in Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed with the Commission on November 7, 2017 and (ii) the unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries and the related notes thereto included in Exhibit 99.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed with the Commission on November 7, 2017, reflecting the acquisition of Fells Point Wholesale Meats, Inc., fairly present the information contained therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly presented on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are believed by the Company’s management to be reasonable and the adjustments used therein are believed by the Company’s management to be appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. To the Company’s knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in any Applicable Prospectus.
(k) Incorporation or Organization and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has the power and authority (corporate or other) to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and each Applicable Prospectus, except to the extent that the failure to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change, and, in the case of the Company, to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement.
Each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and, except as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus, are owned by the Company, directly or indirectly through its subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or adverse claim, except to the extent that any such security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien encumbrance or adverse claim would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity other than (i) the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2016; and (ii) such other entities identified on Schedule C which, when such omitted entities are considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, would not constitute a “significant subsidiary” within the meaning of Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X.
(l) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and each Applicable Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” as of the dates set forth therein (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans, or upon the exercise of outstanding options described in the Registration Statement and each Applicable Prospectus). The shares of Common Stock (including the Shares) conform in all material respects to the description thereof in the Time of Sale Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws or applicable exemptions from the requirements thereof. None of the outstanding shares of Common Stock was issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those accurately described in all material respects in the Registration Statement and each Applicable Prospectus. The description of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Registration Statement and each Applicable Prospectus accurately and fairly present in all material respects the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.
(n) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement or similar organizational document, as applicable, or is in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, contract, franchise, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound (including, without limitation, any credit agreement, indenture, pledge agreement, security agreement or other instrument or agreement evidencing, guaranteeing, securing or relating to indebtedness of the Company or any of its subsidiaries ), or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”), except for such Defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.
The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement and each Applicable Prospectus and the issuance and sale of the Shares (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement or other similar organizational document of the Company or any subsidiary, as applicable, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of or Default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to (except for any such consent that has already been obtained), any Existing Instrument and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to the Company or any subsidiary, except for such conflicts, breaches, Defaults or violations specified in subsections (ii) and (iii) immediately above that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change or as would not materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement and each Applicable Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act, applicable state securities or blue sky laws. As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(o) No Material Actions or Proceedings. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or each Applicable Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened (i) against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) which name as party thereto any officer or director of, or which have as the subject thereof any property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) relating to environmental or discrimination matters, where in any such case (A) there is a reasonable possibility that such action, suit or proceeding would be determined adversely to the Company, such subsidiary or such officer or director, and which, if so determined adversely, would result in a Material Adverse Change or materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or (B) any such action, suit or proceeding is or would be material in the context of the sale of the Shares. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened or imminent.
(p) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and each of its subsidiaries own or possess sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, domain names, licenses, approvals, trade secrets and other similar rights (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) reasonably necessary to conduct their businesses as now conducted; and the expected expiration of any of such Intellectual Property Rights would not result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice of infringement or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) singly or in the aggregate would result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Prospectus and are not described therein.
None of the Intellectual Property Rights employed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries has been obtained or is being used by the Company or any of its subsidiaries in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its or its subsidiaries’ officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons, except for such violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.
(q) All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company and each of its subsidiaries possess such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary for and material to the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement or each Applicable Prospectus, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or material non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Change.
(r) Title to Properties. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of the real and personal property and other assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 1(i) above (or elsewhere in the Registration Statement or each Applicable Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, adverse claims and other defects, except for such security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, adverse claims and other defects described in the Registration Statement and the Applicable Prospectuses, or that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable leases, subject to (1) applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and (2) to general principles of equity and public policy and the discretion of the court or other body before which any proceeding may be brought, including without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, in each case, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (clauses (1) and (2), collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”) and except for such invalid and unenforceable leases that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.
(s) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have filed all material federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed by the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries or have properly requested extensions thereof and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them except as may be contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and except for such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties, the non-payment of which would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(i) above in respect of all material federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries has not been finally determined.
(bb) Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement and each Applicable Prospectus and except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”),
(ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance in all material respects with their requirements, (iii) there are no pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no events or circumstances that might reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
(cc) ERISA Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or a subsidiary, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company or such subsidiary is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each employee benefit plan established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(hh) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries nor (to the knowledge of the Company) any non-officer employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (i) used any 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 domestic government official, “foreign official” (as defined in the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”) or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Xxxxxxx Xxx 0000 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable non-US anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any domestic government official, such foreign official or employee. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, and maintain and enforce, policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with the FCPA.
(jj) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental or regulatory agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(kk) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers or employees, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, or affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”),
nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or the target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past 5 years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
The Company has a reasonable basis for making each of the representations set forth in this Section 1. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 6 hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Underwriters, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of each foregoing representation, but only to the extent of the content of each such representation, and hereby consents to such reliance.
(b) The Closing Date. Delivery of certificates for the Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx (or such other place as may reasonably be agreed to by the Company and the Representative) at 9:00 a.m. New York time, on December 19, 2017, or such other time and date not later than 1:30 p.m. New York time, on December 19, 2017 as the Representative shall designate by written notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the “Closing Date”). The Company hereby acknowledges that circumstances under which the Representative may provide written notice to postpone the Closing Date as originally scheduled include, but are in no way limited to, any determination by the Company or the Representative to recirculate to the public copies of an amended or supplemented Prospectus or a delay as contemplated by the provisions of Section 11.
It is understood that the Representative has been authorized, for their own accounts and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. The Representative, individually and not as Representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for the Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representative by the Closing Date for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.
without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m.
New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with sales of the Shares, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as the Representative may reasonably request.
(c) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish to the Representative for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto without the Representative’ consent which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company shall furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by or referred to by the Company, as such Underwriter may reasonably request. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with sales of the Shares (but in any event if at any time through and including the Closing Date) there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly amend or supplement such free writing prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict so that the statements in such free writing prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an 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 prevailing at such subsequent time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such free writing prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representative for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented free writing prospectus, and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented free writing prospectus without the Representative’ consent which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(e) Amendments and Supplements to Time of Sale Prospectus. If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the Time of Sale Prospectus does not include an 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 when delivered to a prospective purchaser, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, or if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply in all material respects with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company shall (subject to Sections 3(b) and 3(c) hereof) promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an 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 delivered to a prospective purchaser, not misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply in all material respects with applicable law, including the Securities Act.
(f) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement and until such time as the Underwriters are no longer required to deliver a Prospectus in order to confirm sale of the Shares, the Company shall promptly advise the Representative in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus or the Prospectus, (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, or the Prospectus or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening in writing or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible time. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rule 424(b), Rule 433 and Rule 430A, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission.
or if in the reasonable opinion of the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply in all material respects with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company agrees (subject to Section 3(b) and 3(c) hereof) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to dealers, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an 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 or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act. Neither the Representative’ consent to, nor delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the Company’s obligations under Sections 3(b) or 3(c).
(o) Company to Provide Copy of the Prospectus in Form That May be Downloaded from the Internet. The Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered, at its expense, within one business day from the effective date of this Agreement, to the Representative an “electronic Prospectus” to be used by the Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares. As used herein, the term “electronic Prospectus” means a form of Time of Sale Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, that meets each of the following conditions: (i) it shall be encoded in an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representative, that may be transmitted electronically by the Representative and the other Underwriters to offerees and purchasers of the Shares; (ii) it shall disclose the same information as the paper Time of Sale Prospectus, except to the extent that graphic and image material cannot be disseminated electronically, in which case such graphic and image material shall be replaced in the electronic Prospectus with a fair and accurate narrative description or tabular representation of such material, as appropriate; and (iii) it shall be in or convertible into a paper format or an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representative, that will allow investors to store and have continuously ready access to the Time of Sale Prospectus at any future time, without charge to investors (other than any fee charged for subscription to the Internet as a whole and for on-line time). The Company hereby confirms that it has included or will include in the Prospectus filed pursuant to XXXXX or otherwise with the Commission and in the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective an undertaking that, upon receipt of a request by an investor or his or her representative, the Company shall transmit or cause to be transmitted promptly, without charge, a paper copy of the Time of Sale Prospectus.
(p) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Shares. During the period commencing on and including the date hereof and ending on the 60th day following the date of the Prospectus (as the same may be extended as described below, the “Lock-up Period”), the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Jefferies (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of Jefferies), directly or indirectly: (i) sell, offer to sell, contract to sell or lend any Common Stock or Related Securities (as defined below); (ii) effect any short sale, or establish or increase any “put equivalent position” (as defined in Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act) or liquidate or decrease any “call equivalent position” (as defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) of any Common Stock or Related Securities; (iii) pledge, hypothecate or grant any security interest in any Common Stock or Related Securities; (iv) in any other way transfer or dispose of any Common Stock or Related Securities; (v) enter into any swap, hedge or similar arrangement or agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of any Common Stock or Related Securities, regardless of whether any such transaction is to be settled in securities, in cash or otherwise; (vi) announce the offering of any Common Stock or Related Securities; (vii) file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of any Common Stock or Related Securities (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Shares); or (viii) publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing; provided, however, that the preceding sentence shall not apply to (A) the Shares, (B) the issuance by the Company of Common Stock or options to purchase Common Stock, or the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of options, pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Registration Statements and each Applicable Prospectus, (C) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period; (D) the issuance of Common Stock in connection with the acquisition of warehouse and/or distribution facilities or land suitable for development as a warehouse and/or distribution facility, provided, further, that any recipients of such Common Stock shall execute and deliver to the Representative an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C and which agreement shall be applicable through the 60th day following the date of this Agreement,
(E) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date of this Agreement of which Jefferies has been advised in writing and (F) the issuance by the Company of, or the entering into by the Company or any subsidiary thereof of an agreement to issue, up to 250,000 shares of Common Stock to acquire other businesses so long as those shares are issued directly to the businesses to be acquired or the stockholders or other owners thereof, and prior to the issuance of such shares, each recipient of any such shares executes and delivers to the Representative an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C and which agreement shall be applicable through the 60th day following the date of this Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “Related Securities” shall mean any options or warrants or other rights to acquire Common Stock or any securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Common Stock, or to acquire other securities or rights ultimately exchangeable or exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock.
(q) Future Reports to the Representative. During the period of three years hereafter, the Company will furnish to the Representative: (i) as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company’s independent public or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the Company with the Commission, FINRA or any securities exchange; and (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report or communication of the Company furnished or made available generally to holders of its capital stock; provided, however, that the requirements of this Section 3(q) shall be satisfied to the extent that such reports, statement, communications, financial statements or other documents are available on the Company’s website or on XXXXX.
(r) No Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its controlled affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M. If the limitations of Rule 102 of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Shares or any other reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from the Representative (or, if later, at the time stated in the notice), the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply.
Section 4. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares, (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares to the Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, each free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and each preliminary prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing fees, reasonable and properly documented attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Representative, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum and a “Canadian wrapper,” and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (vii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with determining their compliance with the rules and regulations of FINRA related to the Underwriters’ participation in the offering and distribution of the Shares, including any related filing fees and the legal fees of, and disbursements by, counsel to the Underwriters, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, reasonable and properly documented travel and lodging expenses of the representatives, employees and officers of the Company and of the Representative, and one-half (1/2) of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, provided, however, that the prior written approval of the Company was obtained prior to the chartering of any such aircraft, and (ix) all other fees, costs and expenses of the nature referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement; provided, however, that the fees and expenses payable by the Company to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to clause (vi) and (vii) immediately above shall not exceed $25,000 in the aggregate. Except as provided in this Section 4 or in Section 7, Section 9 or Section 10 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.
(a) Accountants’ Comfort Letters. On the date hereof, the Representative shall have received from BDO USA, LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company, (i) letters with respect to the Company and of Fells Point Wholesale Meats, Inc., dated the date hereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters, delivered according to AU-C 920 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, and each free writing prospectus, if any (and the Representative shall have received an additional conformed copy of such accountants’ letter for each of the several Underwriters), and (ii) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and by the rules and regulations of the PCAOB.
(i) the Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information required by Rule 430A under the Securities Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; or the Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing the information required by such Rule 430A, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; and
(iii) if a filing has been made with FINRA, FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(i) for the period from and including the date of this Agreement through and including the Closing Date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change;
(ii) the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of the Closing Date; and
(iii) the Company has complied in all material respects with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date.
If any condition specified in this Section 6, except for subsection (m) of this Section 6, is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by written notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 4, Section 7, Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
Section 7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative pursuant to Section 6, Section 11, or Section 12(iv), or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares on the Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representative and the other Underwriters (or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves), to the extent that such Underwriters are not defaulting Underwriters pursuant to Section 11, severally, upon demand for all properly documented out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been actually and reasonably incurred by the Representative and the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Shares, including, but not limited to, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees, the affiliates of each Underwriter who have, or who are alleged to have, participated in the distribution of the Shares as underwriters, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such officer, employee, affiliate or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected in accordance with Section 9(d)), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus, any Road Show, that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (iii) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i) or (ii) immediately above, provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (iii) to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined in a final, non-appealable judgment, that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted primarily and directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by such Underwriter through its bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct;
and to reimburse each Underwriter and each such officer, employee, affiliate and controlling person for any and all properly documented and reasonable expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representative as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such officer, employee, affiliate or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any Road Show, any such free writing prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Representative to the Company consists of the information described in subsection (c) of this Section 9 below. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
(c) Indemnification of the Company and its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director, officer (including each of their respective directors, officers, managers, members and partners, if any) or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any Road Show, any free writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement thereto), or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, such Road Show, such free writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Representative expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Representative and the Underwriters have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any Road Show, any free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth in (i) the first sentence of the third paragraph and the third sentence of the fourth paragraph under the caption “—Underwriting,” (ii) the first three sentences of the first paragraph under the caption “—Underwriting—Commission and Expenses,” (iii) the statements concerning stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M of the Exchange Act under the caption “—Underwriting—Stabilization” and (iv) the statements concerning electronic prospectus distribution under the caption “—Underwriting—Electronic Distribution” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the Final Prospectus Supplement. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(c) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.
(d) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 9, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 9, except to the extent the indemnifying party is prejudiced as a result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded based upon the advice of outside counsel that representation of both parties would be inappropriate due to an actual or potential conflict of interest or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of such counsel, not to be unreasonably withheld, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 9 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representative (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 9(a) above) or by the Company (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 9(c) above)) (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after written notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.
No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and does not include an admission of fault or culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of such indemnified party.
Section 10. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 9 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total proceeds from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Shares as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9(d), any reasonable and properly documented legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 9(d) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 10; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 9(d) for purposes of indemnification.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 10.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public. 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 10 are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 10, each officer and employee of an Underwriter, the affiliates of each Underwriter who have, or who are alleged to have, participated in the distribution of the Shares as underwriters, and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
Section 11. Default of One or More of the Underwriters. If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the Representative may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Shares by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such Closing Date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, in the proportions that the number of Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the Representative with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date. If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representative and the Company for the purchase of such Shares are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 4, Section 7, Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case either the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section 11. Any action taken under this Section 11 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
in the reasonable judgment of the Representative, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; or (iv) in the reasonable judgment of the Representative, there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change. Any termination pursuant to this Section 12 shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representative and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 4 and 7 hereof, (b) any Underwriter to the Company, or (c) of any party hereto to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
Section 13. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Shares and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
Section 14. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors, the affiliates of each Underwriter who have, or who are alleged to have, participated in the distribution of the Shares as underwriters, or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
If to the Representative:
Jefferies LLC
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, General Counsel and Secretary
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the other parties hereto.
Section 16. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant to Section 11 hereof, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors, the affiliates of each Underwriter who have, or who are alleged to have, participated in the distribution of the Shares as underwriters, and controlling persons referred to in Section 9 and Section 10, and in each case their respective successors, and personal representatives, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.
Section 18. Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 9 and the contribution provisions of Section 10, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Section 9 and Section 10 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, each Road Show, each free writing prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
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Very truly yours,
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THE CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE, INC.
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By:
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/s/ Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
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Title:
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Chief Executive Officer
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The foregoing
Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Representative in New York, New York as of the date first above written.
XXXXXXXXX LLC
Acting as Representative
of the several Underwriters named in
the attached Schedule X.
XXXXXXXXX LLC
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By:
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/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Title:
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Managing Director
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Schedule A
Underwriters
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Number of
Shares
to be Purchased
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Xxxxxxxxx LLC
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1,900,000
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Total
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1,900,000
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Schedule B
Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Time of Sale Prospectus
None.
Schedule C
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The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division, Inc.
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Delaware
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The Chefs’ Warehouse Pastry Division Canada ULC
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British Columbia (Canada)
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Exhibit A
To be provided.
A-1
Exhibit B
Directors:
Executive Officers:
B-1
Exhibit C
Form of Lock-up Agreement
[Date], 2017
Xxxxxxxxx LLC
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
RE: The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc.
Ladies & Gentlemen:
The undersigned is an owner of record or beneficially of certain shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Shares”), of The Chef’s Warehouse, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereto (the “Company”), or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Shares. The Company proposes to carry out a public offering of Shares (the “Offering”) for which you will act as the representative (the “Representative”) of the several underwriters named in Schedule A thereto (the “Underwriters”). The undersigned recognizes that the Offering will be of benefit to the undersigned and will benefit the Company by, among other things, raising additional capital for its operations. The undersigned acknowledges that you and the other underwriters are relying on the representations and agreements of the undersigned contained in this letter agreement (in carrying out the Offering and in entering into underwriting arrangements with the Company with respect to the Offering).
Annex A sets forth definitions for capitalized terms used in this letter agreement that are not defined in the body of this agreement. Those definitions are a part of this agreement.
In consideration of the foregoing, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, during the Lock-up Period, the undersigned will not (and will cause any spouse or immediate family member of the spouse or the undersigned living in the undersigned’s household not to), without the prior written consent of the Representative (which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion):
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Sell or Offer to Sell any Shares or Related Securities currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by the undersigned (or such spouse or immediate family member),
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make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of any Shares or Related Securities, or cause to be filed a registration statement, prospectus or prospectus supplement (or an amendment or supplement thereto) with respect to any such registration, or
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publicly announce any intention to do any of the foregoing.
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provided, that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to the transfer of any or all of the Shares owned by the undersigned, either during his lifetime or on death, made (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, (ii) to any trust, corporation, partnership and/or limited liability company the beneficiaries, stockholders, partners or members of which are exclusively the undersigned and/or a member or members of the undersigned’s immediate family; (iii) in case of the death of the undersigned, by will or by the laws of intestate succession, to his or her executors, administrators, testamentary trustees, legatees or beneficiaries;
or (iv) in connection with the exercise of options to purchase Shares or the receipt of Shares upon the vesting of restricted stock awards, in each case pursuant to employee benefit plans of the Company disclosed in public filings relating to the Offering, and the related transfer of Shares to the Company (a) deemed to occur upon the cashless exercise of such options or (b) for the primary purpose of paying the exercise price of such options or for paying taxes (including estimated taxes) due as a result of the exercise of such options or as a result of the vesting of such Shares under such restricted stock awards; provided, further, that in the case of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph, it shall be a condition to such transfer that:
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each transferee executes and delivers to the Representative an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative stating that such transferee is receiving and holding such Shares and/or Related Securities subject to the provisions of this letter agreement and agrees not to Sell or Offer to Sell such Shares and/or Related Securities, engage in any Swap or engage in any other activities restricted under this letter agreement except in accordance with this letter agreement (as if such transferee had been an original signatory hereto), and
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prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period, no public disclosure or filing under the Exchange Act by any party to the transfer (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) shall be required, or made voluntarily, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Shares in connection with such transfer.
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For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, the term “immediate family member” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that written notice by the Representative to the Company of any extension of the 60-day initial lock-up period will be deemed to have been given to, and received by, the undersigned. The undersigned further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this letter agreement during the period from the date of this letter agreement through the close of trading on the date that is the 34th day following the expiration of the 60-day initial lock-up period, the undersigned will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate any such transaction or take any such action unless the undersigned has received written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period has expired.
Nothing in this agreement shall prevent (a) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 (a “Rule 10b5-1 Plan”) under the Exchange Act for the transfer of the undersigned’s Shares, provided that such plan (1) does not provide for any transfer of the undersigned’s Shares during the Lock-Up Period and (2) is not required to be reported and is not voluntarily disclosed in any public report or filing with the SEC other than general disclosure in the Company’s periodic reports to the effect that directors and officers may enter into such trading plans from time to time, or (b) any transactions effectuated pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Plan established prior to the date of this agreement, provided that if a filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act is required by, or voluntarily made with respect to, such transaction, the undersigned shall disclose in such filing that the transaction was effectuated pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Plan.
In addition, if the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) Xxxxxxxxx LLC agrees that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Shares, Jefferies will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company (in accordance with the provisions of the
Underwriting Agreement) will announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by Jefferies hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release.
The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if both (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter agreement that are applicable to the transferor to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of Shares or Related Securities held by the undersigned and the undersigned’s immediate family members, living in the undersigned’s household, if any, except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
With respect to the Offering only, the undersigned waives any registration rights relating to registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of any Shares and/or any Related Securities owned either of record or beneficially by the undersigned, including any rights to receive notice of the Offering.
The undersigned confirms that the undersigned has not, and has no knowledge that any immediate family member living in the undersigned’s household has, directly or indirectly, taken any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale of the Shares. The undersigned will not, and will cause any immediate family member living in the undersigned’s household not to take, directly or indirectly, any such action.
Whether or not the Offering occurs as currently contemplated or at all depends on market conditions and other factors. The Offering will only be made pursuant to the
Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company, the selling shareholders named therein and the underwriters.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power, capacity and authority to enter into this letter agreement. This letter agreement is irrevocable and will be binding on the undersigned and the successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns of the undersigned.
This Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (1) Jefferies, on behalf of the Underwriters, on the one hand, or the Company, on the other hand, advising the other in writing prior to the execution of the
Underwriting Agreement, that they have determined not to proceed with the Offering, (2) termination of the
Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) prior to payment for the delivery of the Shares to be sold thereunder and (3) December 31, 2017, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by that date
It is hereby understood that if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) terminates prior to the Offering as contemplated thereby, the Representative will release the undersigned from the obligations arising thereunder.
This letter agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
___________________________________
Signature
__________
Printed Name of Person Signing
(Indicate capacity of person signing if
signing as custodian or trustee, or on behalf
of an entity)
For purposes of the letter agreement to which this Annex A is attached and of which it is made a part:
“Call Equivalent Position” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Lock-up Period” shall mean the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing through the close of trading on the date that is 60 days after the date of the Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement).
“Put Equivalent Position” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act.
“Related Securities” shall mean any options or warrants or other rights to acquire Shares or any securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares, or to acquire other securities or rights ultimately exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Sell or Offer to Sell” shall mean to:
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sell, offer to sell, contract to sell or lend,
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effect any short sale or establish or increase a Put Equivalent Position or liquidate or decrease any Call Equivalent Position
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pledge, hypothecate or grant any security interest in, or
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in any other way transfer or dispose of,
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in each case whether effected directly or indirectly.
“Swap” shall mean any swap, hedge or similar arrangement or agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of Shares or Related Securities, regardless of whether any such transaction is to be settled in securities, in cash or otherwise.
Capitalized terms not defined in this Annex A shall have the meanings given to them in the body of this lock-up agreement