Willis North America Inc. $600,000,000 6.200% Senior Notes due 2017 Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit
1.1
Xxxxxx
North America Inc.
$600,000,000
6.200% Senior Notes due 0000
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx
March 23,
2007
Citigroup
Global Markets Inc.
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
As
Representatives of the several Underwriters,
c/o
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
c/o
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000
Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
c/o
Morgan
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000
Xxxxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies
and
Gentlemen:
Xxxxxx
North America Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”), proposes to sell to
the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for
whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, $600,000,000
aggregate principal amount of its 6.200% Senior Notes due 2017 (the
“Securities”) to be guaranteed (the “Guarantees”) on an unsecured unsubordinated
basis by Xxxxxx Group Holdings Limited, a Bermuda company and the parent company
of the Issuer (the “Parent”), and TA I Limited, XX XX Limited, TA III Limited,
Trinity Acquisition Limited, XX XX Limited and Xxxxxx Group Limited (each a
company organized under the laws of England and Wales, a “Holdco Guarantor” and,
together with the Parent, the “Guarantors”). The Securities will be issued under
an indenture dated as of July 1, 2005, to be supplemented by a supplemental
indenture (such indenture, as supplemented by such supplemental indenture,
the
“Indenture”), among the Issuer, the Guarantors and The Bank of New York, Inc.
(formerly JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.), as trustee (the “Trustee”). To the extent
there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the
term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the
terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the
1
singular
or plural as the context requires. The use of the neuter in this Agreement
shall
include the feminine and masculine wherever appropriate. Except as otherwise
specified or as the context otherwise implies, any reference herein to the
Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or
the
Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents
incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the Effective Date of
the
Registration Statement or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be; and any
reference herein to the terms “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect
to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus
or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing
of
any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of the Registration
Statement or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus
or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein
by reference. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 19
hereof.
1.
Representations
and Warranties.
Each of
the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors jointly and severally
represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that:
(i)
Each
of
the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors meets the requirements for
use
of Form S-3 under the Act and together they have prepared and filed with the
Commission an automatic shelf registration statement, as defined in
Rule 405 (File Number 333-135176), on Form S-3, including a
related Basic Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and
sale of the Securities. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments
thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, became effective upon filing. The
Parent may have filed with the Commission, as part of an amendment to the
Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 424(b), one or more preliminary
prospectus supplements relating to the Securities, each of which has previously
been furnished to you. The Parent will file with the Commission a final
prospectus supplement relating to the Securities in accordance with
Rule 424(b). As filed, such final prospectus supplement shall contain all
information required by the Act and the rules thereunder, and, except to the
extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall
be in
all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution
Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only
such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained
in
the Basic Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus) as the Issuer has advised
you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. The
Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, meets the requirements set forth
in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).
(ii)
On
each
Effective Date, the Registration Statement did or will, and when the Final
Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing
Date (as defined herein), the Final
2
Prospectus
(and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the
applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture
Act
and the respective rules thereunder; on each Effective Date and at the Execution
Time, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to
be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading; on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date the Indenture did
or
will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the
Trust Indenture Act and the rules thereunder; and, on the date of any filing
pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus
(together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement
of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; provided,
however,
that the
Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors make no representations or
warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement, or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance
upon
and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Parent by or
on
behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion
in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement
thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information
furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriters consists of the information
described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
(iii)
(A)
The
Disclosure Package, when taken together as a whole, and (B) each electronic
roadshow when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package, do not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence
does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Parent by
any
Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being
understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf
of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section
8(b)
hereof.
(iv)
(A)
At the
time of filing the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent
amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the
Act
(whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report
filed pursuant to Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of
prospectus), (C) at the time the Issuer, the Parent, any Holdco Guarantor or
any
person acting on their behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of
Rule
163(c)) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption
in
3
Rule
163,
and (D) at the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination
date for purposes of this clause (D)), the Issuer, the Parent and each Holdco
Guarantor was or is (as the case may be) a “well-known seasoned issuer” as
defined in Rule 405. The Parent agrees to pay the fees required by the
Commission relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1)
without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules
456(b) and 457(r).
(v)
(A)
At the
earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Parent,
the Issuer, any Holdco Guarantor or another offering participant made a bona
fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Securities and (B)
as
of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date
for
purposes of this clause (B)), none of the Issuer, the Parent of any Holdco
Guarantor was or is an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without
taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405
that
it is not necessary that the Issuer be considered an Ineligible
Issuer.
(vi)
Each
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the final term sheet prepared and filed
pursuant to Section 5(ii) hereof does not include any information that conflicts
with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any
document incorporated therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a
part
thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does
not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Parent
by
any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it
being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or
on
behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in
Section 8(b) hereof.
(vii)
Each
of
the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors, and each of their respective
subsidiaries (other than Sovereign Marine & General Insurance Company
Limited and its subsidiaries) has been duly organized and is validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized
with requisite power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and
to
operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure
Package and the Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business and
is in
good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects
or
results of operations of the Parent and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole
(a
“Material Adverse Effect”).
4
(viii)
All
the
outstanding common equity interests in each of the Issuer, the Guarantors,
each
of their respective subsidiaries and each of the Parent’s other subsidiaries
have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth on Schedule II, all
outstanding common equity interests in each such subsidiary are owned by the
Issuer, the Guarantors or the Parent, as applicable, either directly or
indirectly and, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final
Prospectus, are owned free and clear of any perfected security interest or
any
other security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances.
(ix)
The
Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the
Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors, has been duly qualified under
the
Trust Indenture Act, and constitutes a legal, valid and binding instrument
enforceable against the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors in
accordance with its terms (subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to
applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws
affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general
principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered
in
a proceeding in equity or at law); the Securities have been duly authorized
and,
when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the
Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this
Agreement, will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Issuer,
the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors entitled to the benefits of the Indenture
(subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy,
reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights
generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity,
including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good
faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law); and the Guarantee of each Guarantor has been duly authorized
and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Guarantor
enforceable against such Guarantor in accordance with its terms (subject, as
to
the enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization,
insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from
time to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without
limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair
dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law).
(x)
The
Securities conform
in
all material respects to the respective descriptions thereof contained in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.
(xi)
The
descriptions in the Disclosure
Package and the Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) of statutes, and
other
laws,
rules and regulations, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and
other documents are accurate and fairly present in all material respects
the
information that is required to be described therein under the Act; and there
is
no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described
in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus, or to be filed as
an
exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required.
5
(xii)
This
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Issuer, the
Parent and the Holdco Guarantors.
(xiii)
Each
of
the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors is not and, after giving effect
to the offering and sale of the Securities as described in the Disclosure
Package and the Final
Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(xiv)
No
consent, approval, authorization, filing, order, registration or qualification
of or with any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection
with the transactions contemplated herein, except (1) such as have been
obtained under the Act; and (2) such as may be required under the state
securities laws (“Blue Sky laws”) of any jurisdiction in connection with the
purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner
contemplated herein and in the Disclosure
Package and the Final
Prospectus.
(xv)
None
of
the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the sale of the Securities, the
consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated or the
fulfillment of the terms hereof will conflict with, result in a breach or
violation of, or constitute a default under, or result in the imposition of
any
lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Parent or any
of
its subsidiaries pursuant to (i) the Memorandum of Association or Bye-laws
of the Parent or the charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents)
of
its subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease,
mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement, partnership agreement,
joint venture agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Parent
or
any of its subsidiaries is a party or is bound or to which its or their
properties or assets are subject (collectively, “Contracts”) or (iii) any
statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the
Parent or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative
agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction
over the Parent or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties
or
assets, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) for such conflicts,
breaches, violations or defaults that would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
6
(xvi)
The
consolidated historical financial statements of the Parent and its consolidated
subsidiaries, and the related notes thereto, included in the Disclosure
Package, the Final
Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly in all material
respects the consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows of the Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates and for
the periods indicated, comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in
conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied
on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise
noted
therein). The selected financial data set forth under the captions “Prospectus
Supplement Summary - Summary Consolidated Financial Data” in the Preliminary
Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and the Registration Statement fairly present
in all material respects, on the basis stated in the Preliminary Prospectus,
the
Final Prospectus and the Registration Statement, the information included
therein. The selected financial data set forth under the caption “Selected
Historical Consolidated Financial Data” in the Parent’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 (the “Annual Report”)
fairly present in all material respects, on the basis stated in the Annual
Report, the information included therein.
(xvii)
Except
as
disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of
any
supplement thereto), there is (i) no action, suit or proceeding before or
by any court, arbitrator or governmental agency, body or official, domestic
or
foreign, now pending, or to the knowledge of the Parent or any of its
subsidiaries threatened or contemplated, to which the Parent or any of its
subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which the business, property or assets
of the Parent or any of its subsidiaries is or may be subject, (ii) to the
knowledge of the Parent or any of its subsidiaries, no statute, rule, regulation
or order that has been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency
or
that has been proposed by any governmental body, and (iii) no injunction,
restraining order or order of any nature by a court of competent jurisdiction
to
which the Parent or any of its subsidiaries is or may be subject, that has
been
issued and is outstanding that, in the case of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above
(x) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or
(y) seeks to restrain, enjoin, interfere with, or would reasonably be
expected to adversely affect in any material respect, the performance of this
Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and the
Parent and its subsidiaries have complied with any and all requests by any
securities authority in any jurisdiction for additional information to be
included in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.
(xviii)
None
of
the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors is (i) in violation of its
charter or by-laws (or similar organizational
documents), (ii) in breach or violation of any statute, judgment, decree,
order, rule or regulation applicable to the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco
Guarantors or any of their properties or assets or (iii) in breach or
default in the performance of any Contract, except, in the case of
clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) for any such violation, breach or default that
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect.
7
(xix)
Deloitte
& Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Parent
and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect to
certain audited consolidated financial statements included in the Disclosure
Package and the Final Prospectus, are independent public accountants with
respect to the Parent within the meaning of the Act and the applicable rules
and
regulations thereunder.
(xx)
No
stamp
duty, stock exchange tax, value-added tax, withholding or any other similar
duty
or tax is payable in the United States, the United Kingdom, Bermuda or any
other
jurisdiction in which the Parent or any of its subsidiaries is organized or
engaged in business for tax purposes or, in each case, any political subdivision
thereof or any authority having power to tax, in connection with the execution
or delivery of this Agreement by the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco
Guarantors or the sale or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters or
the
initial resales thereof by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated by this
Agreement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.
(xxi)
Each
of
the Parent and its subsidiaries has filed all necessary federal, state and
foreign (including, without limitation, United Kingdom and Bermuda) income
and
franchise tax returns required to be filed to the date hereof, except where
the
failure to so file such returns would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all
material taxes shown as due thereon; and other than tax deficiencies which
the
Parent or any such subsidiary is contesting in good faith and for which the
Parent or any such subsidiary has provided adequate reserves, there is no tax
deficiency that has been asserted against the Parent or any such subsidiary
that
would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect.
(xxii)
Each
of
the Parent and its subsidiaries has good and marketable title, free and clear
of
all liens, claims, encumbrances and restrictions, to all property and assets
described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as being owned
by
it and good title to all leasehold estates in the real property described in
the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as being leased by it except for
(i) liens for taxes not yet due and payable, (ii) liens, claims,
encumbrances and restrictions that do not materially interfere with the use
made
and proposed to be made of
such
properties (including, without limitation, purchase money mortgages), and
(iii) to the extent the failure to have such title or the existence of such
liens, claims, encumbrances and restrictions would not reasonably be expected
to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
8
(xxiii)
Neither
the Parent nor any of its subsidiaries is involved in any labor dispute nor,
to
the best of the knowledge of the Parent and its subsidiaries, is any labor
dispute threatened which, if such dispute were to occur, would reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiv)
The
Parent
and each of its subsidiaries maintain insurance insuring against such losses
and
risks as the Parent reasonably believes is adequate to protect the Parent and
each of its subsidiaries and their respective businesses, except where the
failure to maintain such insurance would not reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect; the Parent and its subsidiaries are in compliance
with
the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there
are no claims by the Parent or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy
or
instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending
under a reservation of rights clause that would reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect; none of the Parent or any of its subsidiaries has
been
refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and none of the Parent
or
any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able
to
renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or
to
obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue
its business at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course
of business, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(xxv)
Under
the
current laws and regulations of Bermuda, all payments made on the Securities
may
be paid by the Parent to the holder thereof in United States dollars that may
be
freely transferred out of Bermuda and all such payments made to holders thereof
who are non-residents of Bermuda will not be subject to income, withholding
or
other taxes under the laws or regulations of Bermuda and will otherwise be
free
of any other tax, duty, withholding or deduction in Bermuda and without the
necessity of obtaining any governmental authorization in Bermuda.
(xxvi)
Under
the
current laws and regulations of England and Wales, all payments made on the
Securities may be paid by any Holdco Guarantor to the holder thereof in United
States dollars that may be freely transferred out of England and Wales and
all
such payments made to holders thereof who are non-residents of England and
Wales
will not be subject to income, withholding or other taxes under the laws or
regulations of England and Wales and will otherwise be free of any other tax,
duty, withholding
or deduction in England and Wales and without the necessity of obtaining any
governmental authorization in England and Wales.
9
(xxvii)
Each
of
the Parent and its subsidiaries possesses all licenses, permits, certificates,
consents, orders, approvals and other authorizations from, and has made all
declarations and filings with, all appropriate federal, state, local, foreign
and other governmental authorities, all self-regulatory organizations and all
courts and other tribunals, presently required or necessary to own or lease,
as
the case may be, and to operate their respective properties and to carry on
the
business of the Parent and its subsidiaries as now conducted as set forth in
the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the lack of which would,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect (“Permits”); each of the Parent and its subsidiaries has
fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to such Permits
and,
to the best knowledge of the Parent, no event has occurred which allows, or
after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof
or
results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Permit,
except where the failure to fulfill or perform such obligations or such
impairment, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect; and none of the Parent or its subsidiaries
has not received any notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or
modification of any such Permit except where such revocation or modification
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect.
(xxviii)
The
Parent
and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal control over
financial reporting sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) the
Parent’s financial records, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect
the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Parent;
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of
financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Parent are being made
only
in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Parent;
and
(iii) unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Parent’s assets
that could have a material effect on the Parent’s financial statements are
detected in a timely manner. The Parent maintains disclosure controls and
procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act)
that
are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the
Parent in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is
recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified
in the rules and forms of the Commission, including, without limitation,
controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be
disclosed by the Parent in the reports that it files or submits under the
Exchange Act is accumulated
and communicated to the Parent’s management, including its principal executive
officer or officers and its principal financial officer or officers, as
appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure.
10
(xxix)
The
Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors have not taken, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might
reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or
otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security issued
by
any of them to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(xxx)
Except
as
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect, to the knowledge of the Parent and its subsidiaries,
the Parent and its subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable existing
federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to the
protection of human health or the environment or imposing liability or requiring
standards of conduct concerning any Hazardous Materials (“Environmental Laws”).
The term “Hazardous Material” means (a) any “hazardous substance” as defined by
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of
1980, as amended, (b) any “hazardous waste” as defined by the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, (c) any petroleum or petroleum
product, (d) any polychlorinated biphenyl and (e) any pollutant or
contaminant or hazardous, dangerous or toxic chemical, material, waste or
substance regulated under or within the meaning of any other Environmental
Law.
None of the Parent or its subsidiaries has received any written notice and
there
is no pending or, to the best knowledge of the Parent and its subsidiaries,
threatened action, suit or proceeding before or by any court or governmental
agency or body alleging liability (including, without limitation, alleged or
potential liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental
response costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries,
or penalties) of the Parent or any of its subsidiaries arising out of, based
on
or resulting from (i) the presence or release into the environment of any
Hazardous Material at any location owned by the Parent or any subsidiary of
the
Parent, or (ii) any violation or alleged violation of any Environmental
Law, in either case (x) which alleged or potential liability would be
required to be described in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus
or
the Registration Statement under the Act, or (y) which alleged or potential
liability would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxxi)
None
of
the Parent or its subsidiaries has any material liability for any prohibited
transaction or funding deficiency or any complete or partial withdrawal
liability with respect to any pension, profit sharing or other plan which is
subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), to which it makes or ever has made a
contribution and in which any employee of it is or has ever been a participant.
With respect to such plans, each of the Parent and its subsidiaries is in
compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of ERISA.
In
addition, the Parent has caused (i) all pension schemes maintained by or
for the benefit of any of its subsidiaries organized under the laws of England
and Wales or any of its employees to be maintained and operated in all material
respects in accordance with all applicable laws from time to time and
(ii) all such pension schemes to be funded in accordance with the governing
provisions of such schemes, except to the extent failure to do so would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
11
(xxxii)
The
subsidiaries listed on Schedule III attached hereto are the only
significant subsidiaries of the Parent as defined by Rule 1-02 of Regulation
S-X
(the “Subsidiaries”).
(xxxiii)
The
Parent
and each of its subsidiaries own or possess adequate licenses or other rights
to
use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names,
trademark registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights, licenses and
know-how (including, without limitation, trade secrets and other unpatented
and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or
procedures) and copyrights necessary to conduct the business described in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, except where the failure to own
or
possess or have the ability to acquire any of the foregoing would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect, and none of the Parent or its subsidiaries has received any
notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with
respect to any patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights
which, if such assertion of infringement or conflict were sustained, would
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(xxxiv)
None
of
the Issuer, the Parent or the Holdco Guarantors or their respective properties
or assets has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal
process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment,
attachment in aid of execution or otherwise) under the laws of the United
States, England and Wales or Bermuda.
(xxxv)
To
ensure
the legality, validity, enforceability and admissibility into evidence of each
of this Agreement, the Securities and any other document to be furnished
hereunder in Bermuda, it is not necessary that this Agreement, the Securities
or
such other document be filed or recorded with any court or other authority
in
Bermuda or any stamp or similar tax be paid in Bermuda on or in respect of
this
Agreement,
the Securities or any such other document except that the Final Prospectus
is
required to be and has been filed with the Registrar of Companies in Bermuda
pursuant to Part III of the Companies Xxx 0000 of Bermuda.
(xxxvi)
The
Parent
and the Holdco Guarantors have duly and irrevocably appointed Xxxx Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxx Group Holdings Limited, 0 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, 00000,
as its agent to receive service of process with respect to actions arising
out
of or in connection with (i) this Agreement; and (ii) violations of United
States federal securities laws relating to offers and sales of the
Securities.
12
(xxxvii)
Under
Bermuda law and the law of England and Wales the Underwriters will not be deemed
to be resident, domiciled, carrying on any commercial activity in Bermuda or
England and Wales or subject to any taxation in Bermuda or England and Wales
by
reason only of the entry into, performance or enforcement of this Agreement
to
which they are a party or the transactions contemplated hereby. It is not
necessary under Bermuda law or the law of England and Wales that the
Underwriters be authorized, licensed, qualified or otherwise entitled to carry
on business in Bermuda or England and Wales for their execution, delivery,
performance or enforcement of this Agreement.
(xxxviii)
A
final
and conclusive judgment of a court located outside Bermuda against the Parent
based upon this Agreement, the Securities or the Indenture, including the
Guarantee of the Parent (other than a court of jurisdiction to which The
Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act, 1958 applies, and it does not apply
to
the federal and state courts of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City)
under
which a sum of money is payable (not being a sum payable in respect of taxes
or
other charges of a like nature, in respect of a fine or other penalty, or in
respect of multiple damages as defined in The Protection of Trading Interests
Act 1981), may be the subject of enforcement proceedings in the Supreme Court
of
Bermuda under the common law doctrine of obligation by action on the debt
evidenced by the judgment of such court located outside Bermuda; provided
that:
(1)
the
court
which gave the judgment was competent to hear the action in accordance with
private international law principles as applied in Bermuda; and
(2)
the
judgment is not contrary to public policy in Bermuda, has not been obtained
by
fraud or in proceedings contrary to natural justice and is not based on an
error
in Bermuda law.
(xxxix)
A
judgment
rendered by a court of the State of New York or a Federal court of the United
States in relation to the Underwriting Agreement, the Securities or the
Indenture, including the Guarantee of any Holdco Guarantor, for a final and
conclusive judgment for debt or a definite sum of money will be recognized
and
enforced in England provided that the party against whom the judgment was given
properly submitted to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York
or
a Federal court of the United States (which had jurisdiction under its own
laws)
and none of the following circumstances apply:
13
(1)
the
judgment was procured by fraud;
(2)
the
judgment was given contrary to the rules of natural or substantial justice,
for
example where a defendant is deprived of notice of, or an adequate opportunity
to take part in, the proceedings;
(3)
recognition
of the judgment would be contrary to English public policy;
(4)
the
judgment conflicts with an English judgment or a foreign judgment given earlier
in time;
(5)
enforcement
of the judgment would involve the enforcement of a foreign penal or revenue
or
other public law;
(6)
enforcement
of the judgment would contravene the Protection of Trading Interests Act of
1980, section 5 of which precludes, among other things, the enforcement in
the
United Kingdom of any judgment given by a court of an overseas country which
is
a judgment for multiple damages which exceed the compensatory element of the
judgment award; or
(7)
recognition
or enforcement thereof would be contrary to the terms of the Administration
of
Justice Xxx 0000, the Foreign Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Xxx 0000 or
the
Conventions.
Any
certificate signed by any officer of the Issuer, of the Parent or of any Holdco
Guarantor and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters
in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Issuer, the Parent or the Holdco Guarantor,
as the case may be, as to matters covered thereby, to each
Underwriter.
2.
Purchase
and Sale.
Subject
to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and
warranties herein set forth, the Issuer agrees to, and the Guarantors agree
to
cause the Issuer to, sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Issuer, at a purchase
price
of
99.151% of the principal amount of the Securities plus accrued interest from
March 28, 2007 to the date of delivery, the amount of the Securities set forth
opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.
3.
Delivery
and Payment.
Delivery
of and payment for the Securities shall be made at 10:00 AM, New York City
time,
on March 28, 2007, or at such time on such later date not more than three
Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate,
which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives,
the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors or as provided in
Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the
Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities
shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the
Representatives of the aggregate purchase price thereof to or upon the order
of
the Issuer by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified
by
the Issuer. Delivery of the Securities shall be made through the facilities
of
The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise
instruct.
14
4.
Offering
by Underwriters.
It is
understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for
sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
5.
Agreements.
Each of
the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors jointly and severally agree
with the several Underwriters that:
(i)
Prior
to
the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Issuer or the Parent
will
not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement (including
the Final Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus) to the Basic Prospectus
unless the Parent has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing
and
will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably
object. The Parent will cause the Final Prospectus, properly completed, and
any
supplement thereto to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the applicable
paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide
evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Parent
will promptly advise the Representatives (1) when the Final Prospectus, and
any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b), (2) when, prior to termination of the
offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall
have been filed or become effective, (3) of any request by the Commission
or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or for any
supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional information,
(4) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its
use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and
(5) of the receipt by the Parent of any notification with respect to the
suspension of the qualification of the Securities
for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding
for such purpose. The Parent will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance
of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection
to
the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or
notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop
order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary,
by
filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration
statement and using its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration
statement declared effective as soon as practicable.
15
(ii)
To
prepare
a final term sheet, containing solely a description of final terms of the
Securities and the offering thereof, in a form approved by you and to file
such
term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such
Rule.
(iii)
If,
at any
time prior to the filing of a final prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any
event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made at such time not misleading, the Parent will (i) notify promptly
the Representatives so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until
it
is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package
to
correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement
to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
(iv)
If,
at any
time when the Final Prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be
delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement
may
be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event occurs as a result of which
the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement
of
a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made
at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the
Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or supplement the
Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective
rules thereunder, including in connection with use or delivery of the Final
Prospectus, the Parent will (1) promptly notify the Representatives of any
such
event, (2) as soon as practicable, prepare and file with the Commission,
subject to the second sentence of paragraph (i) of this Section 5, an
amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance; (3) use its best efforts
to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration
statement declared effective as soon as practicable in order to avoid any
disruption in use of the Final Prospectus; and
(4) promptly supply any supplemented Final Prospectus to you in such
quantities as you may reasonably request.
(v)
As
soon as
practicable, the Parent will make generally available to its security holders
and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Parent
and
its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the
Act and Rule 158.
16
(vi)
The
Parent
will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without
charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto)
and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without
exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter
or
dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such
requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each
Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably
request.
(vii)
The
Issuer, the Parent and each Holdco Guarantor will cooperate with you and counsel
for the Underwriters in connection with the qualification of the Securities
for
sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate
and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the
distribution of the Securities; provided
that in
no event shall the Issuer, the Parent or any Holdco Guarantor be obligated
to
qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified
or
to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other
than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, or taxation
in
any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
(viii)
The
Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors will not take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might
reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or
otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security issued
by
any of them to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(ix)
The
Parent
agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters:
(1) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the
Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and
exhibits thereto), each Free Writing Prospectus, each Preliminary Prospectus,
the Final Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them;
(2) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air
freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the
Registration Statement, each Free Writing Prospectus, each Preliminary
Prospectus, the Final Prospectus,
17
and
all
amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably
requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities;
(3) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of
certificates for the Securities; (4) the printing (or reproduction) and
delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements
or
documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering
of the Securities; (5) the registration of the Securities under the
Exchange Act; (6) any registration or qualification of the Securities for
offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states
(including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel
for
the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (7) any
filings required to be made with the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel
for the Underwriters relating to such filings); (8) one-half of any
aircraft costs; and all other transportation and other expenses incurred by
or
on behalf of Parent representatives in connection with presentations to
prospective purchasers of the Securities; (9) the fees and expenses of the
Parent’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and
special counsel) for the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors; and
(10) all other costs and expenses incurred by the Issuer, the Parent and
the Holdco Guarantors that are incidental to the performance by the Issuer,
the
Parent and the Holdco Guarantors of their respective obligations
hereunder.
(x)
The
Issuer, the Parent and each Holdco Guarantor agrees that, unless it has obtained
or will obtain the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Parent that, unless
it
has obtained or will obtain, as the case may be, the prior written consent
of
the Parent, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the
Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that
would
otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405)
required to be filed by the Issuer with the Commission or retained by the Issuer
under Rule 433, other than the information contained in the final term sheet
prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(ii) hereof; provided that the prior
written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in
respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule IV hereto. Any
such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives or the Parent
is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Issuer,
the Parent and each Holdco Guarantor agrees that (x) it has treated and will
treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case
may
be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted
Free
Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission,
legending and record keeping.
6.
Conditions
to the Obligations of the Underwriters.
The
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject
to
the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Issuer,
the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors contained herein as of the Execution Time
and the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Issuer, the
Parent and the Holdco Guarantors made in any certificates pursuant to the
provisions hereof, to the performance by the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco
Guarantors of their respective obligations hereunder and to the following
additional conditions:
18
(a)
The
Final
Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed in the manner
and
within the time period required by Rule 424(b); the final term sheet
contemplated by Section 5(ii) hereof, and any other material required to be
filed by the Issuer pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been
filed
with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such
filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued
and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
threatened.
(b)
The
Issuer
shall have requested and caused Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, U.S. counsel for
the Parent, to have furnished to the Representatives their opinion and letter,
dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, in the forms set
forth on Annexes A-I and A-II hereto.
(c)
The
Parent
shall have requested and caused Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Bailhache, Bermuda counsel for
the Parent, to have furnished to the Representatives their opinion, dated the
Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, in the form set forth on
Annex B hereto.
(d)
Xxxxxx
Goodinge, Esq., the Parent’s Assistant General Counsel, shall have furnished to
the Representatives his opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the
Representatives, in the form set forth on Annex C hereto.
(e)
Xxxx X.
Xxxxxxx, the Issuer’s General Counsel, shall have furnished to the
Representatives her opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the
Representatives, in the form set forth on Annex D hereto.
(f)
The
Representatives shall have received from Cravath, Swaine & Xxxxx LLP,
counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date
and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the sale of the
Securities, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final
Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters
as
the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Issuer, the Parent and
the
Holdco Guarantors shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they
request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(g)
The
Parent
shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate signed by Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx and Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq., dated the Closing Date, to the effect that
the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus, any supplements
to the
Final Prospectus and this Agreement and that:
(i)
the
representations and warranties of the Parent, the Issuer and the Holdco
Guarantors in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing
Date
with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Parent, the Issuer
and the Holdco Guarantors have complied with all the agreements and satisfied
all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to
the
Closing Date;
19
(ii)
no
stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued
and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the knowledge
of
the Parent or the Issuer, threatened; and
(iii)
since
the
date of the most recent financial statements included in the Final Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no event or development
that has had, or that would reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse
Effect.
(h)
The
Parent
shall have requested and caused Deloitte & Touche LLP to have furnished to
the Representatives, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, letters,
dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in
form
and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that they are
independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the applicable rules
and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder, and stating in effect
that:
(i)
in
their
opinion the audited consolidated financial statements and financial statement
schedule included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement,
the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus and reported on by them
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the related rules and
regulations adopted by the Commission;
(ii)
on
the
basis of a reading of the latest unaudited financial statements made available
by the Parent and its subsidiaries; carrying out certain specified procedures
(but not an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards) which would not necessarily reveal matters of significance with
respect to the comments set forth in such letter; a reading of the minutes
of
the meetings of the stockholders, directors and the audit committees of the
Parent and the Subsidiaries; and inquiries of certain officials of the Parent
who have responsibility for financial
and accounting matters of the Parent and its subsidiaries as to transactions
and
events subsequent to December 31, 2006;
(1)
nothing
came to their attention which caused them to believe that any unaudited
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus do not comply
as
to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements
of the
Act and with the related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission
with
respect to financial statements included or incorporated by reference in
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; and said unaudited
financial statements are not in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final
Prospectus;
20
(2)
with
respect to the period from January 1, 2007 to March 23, 2007, nothing came
to their attention which caused them to believe that there were any changes
in
the total long-term debt of the Parent and its subsidiaries or capital stock
of
the Parent or decreases in the consolidated net assets of the Parent or in
the
total stockholders’ equity of the Parent as compared with the amounts shown on
the December 31, 2006 consolidated balance sheet included in the
Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus,
or
for the period from January 1, 2007 to March 23, 2007 to such specified
date, there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in
the
preceding year, in total revenues, net income, operating income or basic and
diluted net earnings per share, except in all instances for changes or decreases
set forth in such letter, in which case the letter shall be accompanied by
an
explanation by the Parent as to the significance thereof unless said explanation
is not deemed necessary by the Representatives;
(3)
nothing
came to their attention which caused them to believe that the information
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus in response to
Regulation S-K, Item 301 (Selected Financial Data), Item 302
(Supplementary Financial Information), Item 402 (Executive Compensation)
and Item 503(d) (Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges) is not in conformity
with the applicable disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K;
and
(iii)
they
have
performed certain other specified procedures with respect to certain information
of an accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited to
accounting, financial or statistical information derived from the general
accounting records of the Parent and its subsidiaries) set forth in the
Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus
that
has previously been identified to you.
References
to the Final Prospectus in this paragraph (h) include any supplement
thereto at the date of the letter.
(i)
Subsequent
to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is
given
in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the
Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been
(i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to
in paragraph (h) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any
development that can be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects or results of operations
of the Parent and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising
from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii)
above, is, in the judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse
as to
make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery
of
the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of
any
amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive
of any supplement thereto).
21
(j)
Prior
to
the Closing Date, the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors shall have
furnished to the Representatives such further customary information,
certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably
request.
(k)
Subsequent
to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating
of
debt securities of the Parent or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule
436(g) under the Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease
in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not
indicate the direction of the possible change.
If
any of
the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled in
all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of
the
opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall
not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form and substance
to
the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all
obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time
prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives.
Notice of such cancelation shall be given to the Issuer in writing or by
telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.
The
documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at
the office of Cravath, Swaine & Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at
Worldwide Plaza, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, 00000-0000 on the
Closing Date.
7.
Reimbursement
of Underwriters’ Expenses.
If the
sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any
condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6
hereof is not satisfied because of any refusal, inability or failure on the
part
of the Issuer, the Parent or of any of the Holdco Guarantors to perform any
agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason
of a
default by any of the Underwriters, the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco
Guarantors will reimburse the Underwriters severally through Citigroup Global
Markets Inc. on demand accompanied by reasonable supporting documentation for
all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection
with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.
22
8.
Indemnification
and Contribution. a)Each
of
the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors jointly and severally agrees
to
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees
and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or
any
of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other foreign,
federal, state or statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement for the
registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof,
or in the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus,
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the information contained in the final
term sheet required to be prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(ii)
hereof or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or
are
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, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred,
for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action;
provided,
however,
that the
Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors will not be liable in any such
case
to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
or is
based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or
alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Parent by or on behalf of any Underwriter through
the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein, it being understood
and
agreed that the only such information is that described in Section 8(b)
hereof. This indemnity agreement
will be in addition to any liability which the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco
Guarantors may otherwise have.
(b)
Each
Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the
Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors, each of their respective
directors, each of their respective officers who signs the Registration
Statement, and each person who controls the Issuer, the Parent or the Holdco
Guarantors within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the
same
extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco
Guarantors to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information
relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Issuer by or on behalf of such
Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the
documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement
will
be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have.
The
Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors acknowledge that the statements
set
forth in the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the
Securities and, under the heading “Underwriting”, (i) the list of
Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities,
(ii) the third paragraph relating to concessions and reallowances,
(iii) the fifth, sixth and seventh paragraphs related to stabilization,
syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in any Preliminary Prospectus
and (iv) the eleventh paragraph relating to electronic prospectuses and the
Final Prospectus, constitute the only information furnished in writing by
or on
behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus
or the Final Prospectus.
23
(c)
Promptly
after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8,
notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the
failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from
liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did
not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture
by
the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will
not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any
indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in
paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint
counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense
to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification
is
sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible
for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified
party or parties except as set forth below); provided,
however,
that
such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party.
Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to
represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have
the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the
indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such
separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party
to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict
of
interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any
such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and
the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal
defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different
from or additional to those
available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not
have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to
represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the
institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize
the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the
indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with
respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in
respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder
(whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to
such
claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an
unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising
out
of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
24
(d)
In
the
event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this
Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified
party for any reason, the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors and
the
Underwriters agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and
liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection
with investigating or defending same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the
Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors and one or more of the Underwriters
may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors on the
one
hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities;
provided,
however,
that in
no case shall (i) any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any
agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities) be
responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or commission
applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder. If the
allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for
any
reason, the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors and the Underwriters
shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such
relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Issuer, the Parent and
the
Holdco Guarantors on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the
Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors shall be deemed to be equal to
the
total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) and benefits
received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover
page of the Final Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference
to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement
of a
material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
relates to information provided by the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco
Guarantors or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
untrue statement or omission. The Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors
on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or
any
other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution
from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For
purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within
the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer,
employee and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution
as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Issuer, the Parent or
any
of the Holdco Guarantors within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange
Act, each officer of the Issuer, the Parent or any of the Holdco Guarantors
who
shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Issuer,
Parent or any Holdco Guarantor shall have the same rights to contribution as
the
Issuer, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this
paragraph (d).
25
(e)
The
Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors jointly and severally agree to
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees
and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or
any
of them may become subject insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon
any
failure or alleged failure by the Parent to comply with the terms of the
Consortium Registration Rights Agreement, the Profit Sharing Registration Rights
Agreement or the Management Registration Rights Agreement in connection with
the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
9.
Default
by an Underwriter.
If any
one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the
Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder
and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance
of
its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall
be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions
which the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in
Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set
forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities
which
the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase;
provided,
however,
that in
the event that the aggregate principal amount of Securities which the defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10%
of
the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I
hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but
shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if
such non-defaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this
Agreement will terminate without liability to any non-defaulting Underwriter,
the Issuer, the Parent or the Holdco Guarantors. In the event of a default
by
any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be
postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the
Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the
Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve
any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Issuer, the Parent
and the Holdco Guarantors and any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages
occasioned by its default hereunder.
10.
Termination.
This
Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the
Representatives, by notice given to the Parent prior to delivery of and payment
for the Securities, if (a) at any time subsequent to the execution and delivery
of this Agreement and prior to such time (i) trading in the Parent’s Common
Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange
or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have
been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on
such
Exchange, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by
Federal or New York State authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred
any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States
or
the United Kingdom of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis
that is material and adverse and (b) in the case of any of the events
specified in clauses 10(a)(i) through 10(a)(iii), the effect of such event,
singly or together with any other such event, makes it, in the judgment of
the
Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering
or
delivery of the Securities as contemplated by any Preliminary Prospectus
or the
Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
26
11.
Representations
and Indemnities to Survive.
The
respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other
statements of the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors or their
respective officers and of 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 Issuer, the Parent
and the Holdco Guarantors or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents
or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive
delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7
and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancelation of this
Agreement.
12.
Notices.
All
communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt,
and,
if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to the
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. General Counsel (fax no.: (000) 000 0000) and
confirmed to the General Counsel, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., at 000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel, to
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., at 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000,
Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk (fax no.: (000) 000 0000) and to
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, 00xx
Xxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, 00000, Attention: Investment Banking Division (fax no.:
(000) 000 0000); if sent to the Issuer, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed
to (000) 000 0000 and confirmed to it at 0 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx, 00000, Attention: Corporate Secretary.
13.
Successors.
This
Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto
and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents
and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other
person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
14.
No
fiduciary duty.
Each of
the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors hereby acknowledges that
(a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is
an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Issuer,
the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Underwriters
and
any affiliate through which any of them may be acting, on the other,
(b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or
fiduciary of the Issuer, the Parent or the Holdco Guarantors and (c) the
Parent’s and the Issuer’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the
offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent
contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, each of the Issuer,
the
Parent and the Holdco Guarantors agrees that it is solely responsible for making
its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether
any
of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Issuer, the Parent
or the Holdco Guarantors on related or other matters). Each of the Issuer,
the
Parent and the Holdco Guarantors agrees that it will not claim that the
Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe
an
agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Issuer, the Parent or the Holdco
Guarantors, in connection with such transaction or the process leading
thereto.
15.
Integration.
This
Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written
or
oral) between the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors and the
Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter
hereof.
27
16.
Applicable
Law.
This
Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
the
State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the
State of New York. Each of the Issuer, the Parent and the Holdco Guarantors
hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts
in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City in any suit or proceeding arising
out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby.
17.
Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall
constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the
same agreement.
18.
Headings.
The
section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect
the
construction hereof.
19.
Definitions.
The terms
which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings
indicated.
“Act”
shall
mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
of
the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Basic
Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(i) above
contained in the Registration Statement at the Execution Time.
“Business
Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday
or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or
obligated by law to close in New York City.
“Commission”
shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Disclosure
Package” shall mean (i) the Basic Prospectus, (ii) the Preliminary
Prospectus used most recently prior to the Execution Time, (iii) the Issuer
Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule IV hereto,
(iv) the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(ii)
hereto, if any, and (v) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties
hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the
Disclosure Package.
“Effective
Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or become
effective.
“Exchange
Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules
and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
28
“Execution
Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered
by the parties hereto.
“Final
Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that
was first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time, together
with the Basic Prospectus.
“Free
Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule
405.
“Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as
defined in Rule 433.
“Preliminary
Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Basic
Prospectus which is used prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus, together
with the Basic Prospectus.
“Registration
Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in
paragraph 1(i) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any
prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration
statement pursuant to Rule 430B, as amended on each Effective Date and, in
the
event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the
Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so
amended.
“Rule 158”,
“Rule 163”, “Rule 164”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 405”,
“Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430B” and “Rule 433” refer to
such rules under the Act.
“Trust
Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended and the
rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Well-Known
Seasoned Issuer” shall mean a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in
Rule 405.
29
If
the
foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please
sign
and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your
acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Issuer, the Guarantors
and the several Underwriters.
Very
truly
yours,
XXXXXX
NORTH AMERICA INC.
|
||
by
|
||
Name:
Xxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
||
XXXXXX
GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED
|
||
by
|
||
Name:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Group
Chief Financial Officer
|
XXXXXX
GROUP LIMITED
|
||
by
|
||
Name:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Director
|
30
TA
I
LIMITED
|
||
by
|
||
Name:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Director
|
XX
XX LIMITED
|
||
by
|
||
Name:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Director
|
TA
III LIMITED
|
||
by
|
||
Name:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Director
|
TRINITY
ACQUISITION LIMITED
|
||
by
|
||
Name:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Director
|
XX
XX LIMITED
|
||
by
|
||
Name:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Director
|
31
The
foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed
and accepted as of the
date
first
above written.
Citigroup
Global Markets Inc.
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
|
||||
by
|
Citigroup
Global Markets Inc.
|
|||
By
|
||||
Name:
|
||||
Title:
|
32
by
|
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. | ||
By
|
|||
Name:
|
|||
Title:
|
33
by
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
|
||
By
|
|||
Name:
|
|||
Title:
|
For
itself
and the other several
Underwriters
named in Schedule I
to
the
foregoing Agreement.
34