Exhibit 2(h)(3)
MASTER SELECTED DEALER AGREEMENT
July 1, 1999
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In connection with registered public offerings of securities for which we
are acting as manager or co-manager of an underwriting syndicate or unregistered
offerings of securities for which we are acting as manager or co-manager of the
initial purchasers, you may be offered the right as a selected dealer to
purchase as principal a portion of such securities. This will confirm our mutual
agreement as to the general terms and conditions applicable to your
participation in any such selected dealer group.
1. APPLICABILITY OF THIS AGREEMENT. The terms and conditions of this
Agreement shall be applicable to any offering of securities ("Securities"),
whether pursuant to a registration statement filed under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or exempt from registration thereunder,
in respect of which Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc. (acting for its own account or for
the account of any underwriting or similar group or syndicate) is responsible
for managing or otherwise implementing the sale of the Securities to selected
dealers ("Selected Dealers") and has expressly informed you that such terms and
conditions shall be applicable. Any such offering of Securities to you as a
Selected Dealer is hereinafter called an "Offering". In the case of any Offering
where we are acting for the account of any underwriting or similar group or
syndicate ("Underwriters"), the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall be
for the benefit of, and binding upon, such Underwriters, including, in the case
of any Offering where we are acting with others as representatives of
Underwriters, such other representatives.
2. CONDITIONS OF OFFERING; ACCEPTANCE AND PURCHASES. Any Offering will be
subject to delivery of the Securities and their acceptance by us and any other
Underwriters, may be subject to the approval of all legal matters by counsel and
the satisfaction of other conditions, and may be made on the basis of
reservation of Securities or an allotment against subscription. We will advise
you by telecopy, telex or other form of written communication ("Written
Communication", which term, in the case of any Offering described in Section
3(a) or 3(b) hereof, may include a prospectus or offering circular) of the
particular method and supplementary terms and conditions (including, without
limitation, the information as to prices and the offering date referred to in
Section 3(c) hereof) of any Offering in which you are invited to participate. To
the extent such supplementary terms and conditions are inconsistent with any
provision herein, such terms and conditions shall supersede any such provision.
Unless otherwise indicated in any such Written Communication, acceptances and
other communications by you with respect to an Offering should be sent to the
appropriate Syndicate Department of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Barney Inc. We may close the
subscription books at any time in our sole discretion without notice, and we
reserve the right to reject any acceptance in whole or in part.
Unless notified otherwise by us, Securities purchased by you shall be paid
for on such date as we shall determine, on one day's prior notice to you, by
wire transfer payable in immediately available funds to the order of Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc., in an amount equal to the Public Offering Price (as
hereinafter defined) or, if we shall so advise you, at such Public Offering
Price less the Concession (as hereinafter defined). If Securities are purchased
and paid for at such Public Offering Price, such Concession will be paid after
the termination of the provisions of Section 3(c) hereof with respect to such
Securities. Unless notified otherwise by us, payment for and delivery of
Securities purchased by you shall be made through the facilities of The
Depository Trust Company, if you are a member, unless you have otherwise
notified us prior to the date specified in a Written Communication to you from
us or, if you are not a member, settlement may be made through a correspondent
who is a member pursuant to instructions which you will send to us prior to such
specified date.
3. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS.
(a) REGISTERED OFFERINGS. In the case of any Offering of Securities which
are registered under the Securities Act ("Registered Offering"), we will make
available to you as soon as practicable after sufficient copies are made
available to us by the issuer of the Securities such number of copies of each
preliminary prospectus and of the final prospectus relating thereto as you may
reasonably request for the purposes contemplated by the Securities Act and the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") and the
applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
thereunder.
You represent and warrant that you are familiar with Rule 15c2-8 under the
Exchange Act relating to the distribution of preliminary and final prospectuses
and agree that you will comply therewith. You agree to make a record of your
distribution of each preliminary prospectus and when furnished with copies of
any revised preliminary prospectus, you will promptly forward copies thereof to
each person to whom you have theretofore distributed a preliminary prospectus.
You agree that in purchasing Securities in a Registered Offering you will
rely upon no statement whatsoever, written or oral, other than the statements in
the final prospectus delivered to you by us. You will not be authorized by the
issuer or other seller of Securities offered pursuant to a prospectus or by any
Underwriters to give any information or to make any representation not contained
in the prospectus in connection with the sale of such Securities.
(b) OFFERINGS PURSUANT TO OFFERING CIRCULAR. In the case of any Offering
of Securities, other than a Registered Offering, which is made pursuant to an
offering circular or other document comparable to a prospectus in a Registered
Offering, we will make available to you as soon as practicable after sufficient
copies are made available to us by the issuer of the Securities such number of
copies of each preliminary offering circular and of the final offering circular
relating thereto as you may reasonably request. You agree that you will comply
with applicable Federal, state and other laws, and the applicable rules and
regulations of any regulatory body promulgated thereunder, governing the use and
distribution of offering circulars by brokers or dealers.
You agree that in purchasing Securities pursuant to an offering circular
you will rely upon no statements whatsoever, written or oral, other than the
statements in the
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final offering circular delivered to you by us. You will not be authorized by
the issuer or other seller of Securities offered pursuant to an offering
circular or by any Underwriters to give any information or to make any
representation not contained in the offering circular in connection with the
sale of such Securities.
(c) OFFER AND SALE TO THE PUBLIC. The Offering of Securities is made
subject to the conditions referred to the prospectus or offering circular
relating to the Offering and to the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement. With respect to any Offering of Securities, we will inform you by a
Written Communication of the public offering price, the selling concession, the
reallowance (if any) to dealers and the time when you may commence selling
Securities to the public. After such public offering has commenced, we may
change the public offering price, the selling concession and the reallowance to
dealers. The offering price, selling concession and reallowance (if any) to
dealers at any time in effect with respect to an Offering are hereinafter
referred to, respectively, as the "Public Offering Price", the "Concession" and
the "Reallowance". With respect to each Offering of Securities, until the
provisions of this Section 3(c) shall be terminated pursuant to Section 4
hereof, you agree to offer Securities to the public only at the Public Offering
Price, except that if a Reallowance is in effect, a Reallowance from the Public
Offering Price not in excess of such Reallowance may be allowed as consideration
for services rendered in distribution to dealers who are actually engaged in the
investment banking or securities business who are either members in good
standing of the NASD who agree to abide by the applicable rules of the NASD (see
Section 3(e) below) or foreign banks, dealers or institutions not eligible for
membership in the NASD who represent to you that they will promptly reoffer such
Securities at the Public Offering Price and will abide by the conditions with
respect to foreign banks, dealers and institutions set forth in Section 3(e)
hereof.
(d) OVER-ALLOTMENT; STABILIZATION; UNSOLD ALLOTMENTS. We may, with respect
to any Offering, be authorized to over-allot in arranging sales to Selected
Dealers, to purchase and sell Securities for long or short account and to
stabilize or maintain the market price of the Securities. You agree that upon
our request at any time and from time to time prior to the termination of the
provisions of Section 3(c) hereof with respect to any Offering, you will report
to us the amount of Securities purchased by you pursuant to such Offering which
then remain unsold by you and will, upon our request at any such time, sell to
us for our account or the account of one or more Underwriters such amount of
such unsold Securities as we may designate at the Public Offering Price less an
amount to be determined by us not in excess of the Concession. If, prior to the
later of (a) the termination of the provisions of Section 3(c) hereof with
respect to any Offering, or (b) the covering by us of any short position created
by us in connection with such Offering for our account or the account of one or
more Underwriters, we purchase or contract to purchase for our account or the
account of one or more Underwriters in the open market or otherwise any
Securities purchased by you under this Agreement as part of such Offering, you
agree to pay us on demand for the account of the Underwriters an amount equal to
the Concession with respect to such Securities (unless you shall have purchased
such Securities pursuant to Section 2 hereof at the Public Offering Price and
you have not received or been credited with any Concession, in which case we
shall not be obligated to pay such Concession to you pursuant to Section 2) plus
transfer taxes and broker's commissions or dealer's xxxx-up, if any, paid in
connection with such purchase or contract to purchase.
(e) NASD. You represent and warrant that you are actually engaged in the
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investment banking or securities business and either are a member in good
standing of the NASD or, if you are not such a member, you are a foreign bank,
dealer or institution not eligible for membership in the NASD which agrees to
make no sales within the United State, its territories or its possessions or to
persons who are citizens thereof or residents therein, and in making other sales
to comply with the NASD's interpretation with respect to free-riding and
withholding. You further represent, by your participation in an Offering, that
you have provided to us all documents and other information required to be filed
with respect to you, any related person or any person associated with you or any
such related person pursuant to the supplementary requirements of the NASD's
interpretation with respect to review of corporate financing as such
requirements relate to such Offering.
You agree that, in connection with any purchase or sale of the Securities
wherein a selling concession, discount or other allowance is received or
granted, you will (a) if you are a member of the NASD, comply with all
applicable interpretive material ("IM") and Conduct Rules of the NASD,
including, without limitation, IM 2110-1 (relating to Free-Riding and
Withholding) and Conduct Rule 2740 (relating to Selling Concessions, Discounts
and Other Allowances) or (b) if you are a foreign bank or dealer or institution
not eligible for such membership, comply with IM 2110-1 and with Conduct Rules
2730 (relating to Securities Taken in Trade), 2740 (relating to Selling
Concessions) and 2750 (relating to Transactions With Related Persons) as though
you were such a member and Conduct Rule 2420 (relating to Dealing with
Non-Members) as it applies to a non-member broker or dealer in a foreign
country.
You further agree that, in connection with any purchase of securities from
us that is not otherwise covered by the terms of this Agreement (whether we are
acting as manager, as member of an underwriting syndicate or a selling group or
otherwise), if a selling concession, discount or other allowance is granted to
you, clauses (a) and (b) of the preceding paragraph will be applicable.
(f) RELATIONSHIP AMONG UNDERWRITERS AND SELECTED DEALERS. We may buy
Securities from or sell Securities to any Underwriter or Selected Dealer and,
with our consent, the Underwriters (if any) and the Selected Dealers may
purchase Securities from and sell Securities to each other at the Public
Offering Price less all or any part of the Concession. We shall have full
authority to take such action as we deem advisable in all matters pertaining to
any Offering under this Agreement. You are not authorized to act as agent for
us, any Underwriter or the issuer or other seller of any Securities in offering
Securities to the public or otherwise. Neither we nor any Underwriter shall be
under any obligation to you except for obligations assumed hereby or in any
Written Communication from us in connection with any Offering. Nothing contained
herein or in any Written Communication from us shall constitute the Selected
Dealers an association or partners with us or any Underwriter or with one
another. If the Selected Dealers, among themselves or with the Underwriters,
should be deemed to constitute a partnership for Federal income tax purposes,
then you elect to be excluded from the application of Subchapter K, Chapter 1,
Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and agree not to take any
position inconsistent with that election. You authorize us, in our discretion,
to execute and file on your behalf such evidence of that election as may be
required by the Internal Revenue Service. In connection with any Offering you
shall be liable for your proportionate amount of any tax, claim, demand or
liability that may be asserted against you alone or against one or more Selected
Dealers participating in such Offering, or against us or the Underwriters, based
upon the claim that the Selected
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Dealers, or any of them constitute an association, an unincorporated business or
other entity, including, in each case, your proportionate amount of any expense
incurred in defending against any such tax, claim, demand or liability.
(g) BLUE SKY LAWS. Upon application to us, we shall inform you as to any
advice we have received from counsel concerning the jurisdictions in which
Securities have been qualified for sale or are exempt under the securities or
blue sky laws of such jurisdictions, but we do not assume any obligation or
responsibility as to your right to sell Securities in any such jurisdiction.
(h) COMPLIANCE WITH LAW. You agree that in selling Securities pursuant to
any Offering (which agreement shall also be for the benefit of the issuer or
other seller of such Securities), you will comply with all applicable laws,
rules and regulations, including the applicable provisions of the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act, the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission thereunder, the applicable rules and regulations of the
NASD, the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or other
regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Offering and the applicable
laws, rules and regulations specified in Section 3(b) hereof. Without limiting
the foregoing, (a) you agree that, at all times since you were invited to
participate in an Offering of Securities, you have complied with the provisions
of Regulation M applicable to such Offering, in each case after giving effect to
any applicable exemptions and (b) you represent that your incurrence of
obligations hereunder in connection with any Offering of Securities will not
result in the violation by you of Rule 15c3-1 under the Exchange Act, if such
requirements are applicable to you.
4. TERMINATION; SUPPLEMENTS AND AMENDMENTS. This Agreement shall continue
in full force and effect until terminated by a written instrument executed by
each of the parties hereto. This Agreement may be supplemented or amended by us
by written notice thereof to you, and any such supplement or amendment to this
Agreement shall be effective with respect to any Offering to which this
Agreement applies after the date of such supplement or amendment. Each reference
to "this Agreement" herein shall, as appropriate, be to this Agreement as so
amended and supplemented. The terms and conditions set forth in Section 3(c)
hereof with regard to any Offering will terminate at the close of business on
the 30th day after the commencement of the public offering of the Securities to
which such Offering relates, but in our discretion may be extended by us for a
further period not exceeding 30 days and in our discretion, whether or not
extended, may be terminated at any earlier time.
5. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding on, and inure
to the benefit of, the parties hereto and other persons specified in Section 1
hereof, and the respective successors and assigns of each of them.
6. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and the terms and conditions set forth
herein with respect to any Offering together with such supplementary terms and
conditions with respect to such Offering as may be contained in any Written
Communication from us to you in connection therewith shall 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.
Please confirm by signing and returning to us the enclosed copy of this
Agreement that your subscription to or your acceptance of any reservation of any
Securities
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pursuant to an Offering shall constitute (i) acceptance of and agreement to the
terms and conditions of this Agreement (as supplemented and amended pursuant to
Section 4 hereof; together with and subject to any supplementary terms and
conditions contained in any Written Communication from us in connection with
such Offering, all of which shall constitute a binding agreement between you and
us, individually or as representative of any Underwriters, (ii) confirmation
that your representations and warranties set forth in Section 3 hereof are true
and correct at that time, (iii) confirmation that your agreements set forth in
Sections 2 and 3 hereof have been and will be fully performed by you to the
extent and at the times required thereby and (iv) in the case of any Offering
described in Section 3(a) or 3(b) hereof, acknowledgment that you have requested
and received from us sufficient copies of the final prospectus or offering
circular, as the case may be, with respect to such Offering in order to comply
with your undertakings in Section 3(a) or 3(b) hereof.
Very truly yours,
XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
By:______________________________
Name:
Title:
CONFIRMED:......................................1999
.....................................................
(Name of Dealer)
by:.................................................
Name:
Title:
Address: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Telephone:
Fax: _______________________________________________
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