Steelcase Inc. Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
$250,000,000
6.375% Senior Notes due 2021
January 27, 2011
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o
|
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC | |
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | ||
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 | ||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated | ||
Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxx | ||
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Steelcase Inc., a Michigan corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the
several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as
representatives (the “Representatives”), $250,000,000 principal amount of its 6.375% Senior Notes
due 2021 having the terms set forth in Schedule 2 hereto (the “Securities”). The Securities will
be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of August 7, 2006 (the “Indenture”) between the Company
and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (successor in interest to X.X. Xxxxxx Trust
Company, National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”).
1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration
statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-158754), including a prospectus (the “Basic Prospectus”),
relating to the debt securities to be issued from time to time by the Company. The Company has
also filed, or proposes to file, with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the
Securities Act a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities (the
“Prospectus
Supplement”). The registration statement, as amended at the time it becomes effective,
including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities
Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430
Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term
“Prospectus” means the Basic Prospectus as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement in the form
first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities
Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities and the term “Preliminary
Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities
together with the Basic Prospectus. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the
meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and Prospectus. References herein to
the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein. The terms
“supplement,” “amendment” and “amend” as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement,
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents
filed by the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) subsequent to the date of this
Agreement which are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. For purposes of this
Agreement, the term “Effective Time” means the effective date of the Registration Statement with
respect to the offering of Securities, as determined for the Company pursuant to Section 11 of the
Securities Act and Item 512 of Regulation S-K, as applicable.
At or prior to the time when sales of the Securities will be first made (the “Time of Sale”),
the Company will prepare certain information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”) which
information is identified in Schedule 3 hereto.
2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters. (a) The Company agrees to issue
and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each
Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and
subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in
Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.053% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued
interest, if any, from February 3, 2011 to the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company will
not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be
purchased as provided herein.
(b) Payment for and delivery of the Securities shall be made at the offices of Xxxxx Xxxx &
Xxxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on
February 3, 2011, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the
fifth business day thereafter, as the
Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment
and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.”
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(c) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds
to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the nominee
of The Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes
representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in
connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company. The Global Note will be made
available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on
the business day prior to the Closing Date.
(d) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters named in this Agreement are
acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with
respect to any offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining
the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the
Company or any other person. Additionally, no such Underwriter is advising the Company or any
other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any
jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be
responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions
contemplated hereby, and such Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company
with respect thereto. Any review by such Underwriters named herein of the Company, the transactions
contemplated thereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for
the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants
to each Underwriter that:
(a) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has become effective
under the Securities Act not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof. No order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no
proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or
related to the offering has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the
Commission; as of the Effective Time, the Registration Statement complied in all material respects
with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not or
will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of
the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the
Prospectus did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to (i)
that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and
Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or
omissions in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or
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supplement thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter, as described
on Schedule 5 hereto, furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the
Representatives expressly for use therein.
(b) Time of Sale Information. The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale and at the
Closing Date did not and will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes
no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon
and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing
by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Time of Sale Information.
No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale
Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is
required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.
(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. The Company (including its agents and representatives,
other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not made, used, prepared, authorized,
approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any
“written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer
to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company
or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i), (ii) and
(iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a
prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities
Act, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on Schedule 3
hereto as constituting the Time of Sale Information and (v) any electronic road show or other
written communications, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each
such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has
been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the
Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary
Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, or filed prior to the first use of such
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any
statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in
conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such
Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus.
(d) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, when filed with the Commission,
conformed or will conform, as the case may be, in all material respects with the requirements of
the Exchange Act and did not and will not contain an
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untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided,
however, that, as to future filings, such representations relate only to those filings made
prior to the termination of the offering.
(e) Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information
and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly in all material respects
the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the
results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such
financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby except as otherwise noted
therein, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein;
and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting
records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the
information shown thereby.
(f) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the
Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale
Information and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any material change in the capital stock or
long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or, other than in the ordinary course of
business, any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by
the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development
involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties,
financial position or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;
(ii) other than in the ordinary course of business, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
has entered into any transaction or agreement that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries
taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to
the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood
or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any
labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or
governmental or regulatory authority that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as
a whole, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale
Information and the Prospectus.
(g) Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly
organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective
jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to
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transact business and are in good standing in
each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their
respective businesses, as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and
the Prospectus, requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or
hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except
where the failure to be so qualified or have such power or authority would not, individually or in
the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial position or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse
Effect”).
(h) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading
“Capitalization”; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully
paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying
shares and except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale
Information and the Prospectus) and, with respect to the “Significant Subsidiaries” of the Company
(as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act),
are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance,
security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.
(i) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and to
perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due
and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.
(j) The Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company and has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, assuming due execution and
delivery by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or
other similar laws now or hereafter affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by
equitable principles relating to enforceability, whether enforceability is considered in a
proceeding at law or equity (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”).
(k) The Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly
executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided
herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally
binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms,
subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
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(l) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Company.
(m) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. Each of the Transaction Documents conforms in
all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time
of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(n) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries is
in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; and neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse
of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term,
covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (ii) in violation of any law or statute or any
judgment, order, rule or regulation, applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries, of any court or
arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority; except, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii)
above, for any such default or violation that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in
the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the
Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with
the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or
instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is subject or (ii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment,
order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority
applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries, except, in each case, for any such conflict, breach
or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; or
(iii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational
documents of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries.
(p) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is
required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction
Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms
thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, except for such consents,
approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications (i) as have been obtained
under the Securities Act and the
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Trust Indenture Act and (ii) as may be required under applicable
state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the
Underwriters.
(q) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale
Information and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations,
actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or
to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject that, individually
or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no such
investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened
or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there
are no current or, to the knowledge of the Company, pending legal, governmental or regulatory
actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement,
the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no contracts or other documents
that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement
that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement.
(r) Independent Accountants. (i) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who has certified certain financial
statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, is an independent registered public
accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and
regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United
States) and as required by the Securities Act and (ii) BDO USA, LLP, who has certified certain
financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, were an independent
registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries as of April 23,
2009 within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.
(s) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration
Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company”
within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder (collectively, “Investment Company Act”).
(t) Status under the Securities Act. The Company is not an ineligible issuer as defined under
the Securities Act, at the times specified in the Securities Act in connection with the offering of
the Securities. The Company has paid the registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 457
under the Securities Act.
(u) Title to Intellectual Property. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually
or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries own or
possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade
names, trademark registrations, service xxxx
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registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how
(including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures) described as material in the Company’s Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended February 26, 2010.
(v) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, has been threatened except as
would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) Compliance With Environmental Laws. Except as would not reasonably be expected,
individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its
subsidiaries (x) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign
laws rules, regulations, requirements, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human
health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or
contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (y) have received and are in compliance with all
permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under
applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted; and
(z) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or
remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or
contaminants.
(x) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of
“disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is
designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it
files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the
time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures
designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s
management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and
its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and
procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
(y) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal
control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply
with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been
designed by, or under the supervision of the Company’s principal executive and principal
financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Except as disclosed
in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no
material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls.
(z) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the
knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other
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person associated with or
acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any
unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political
activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government
official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of
the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (“FCPA”); or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff,
influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment; and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to
the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the
FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are
reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(aa) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial
recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of
1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations
thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or
enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit
or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is
pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(bb) Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge
of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign
Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly
or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or
otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or
entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S.
sanctions administered by OFAC.
(cc) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has
caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement, the
Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that the
Company reasonably believes are reliable and accurate in all material respects; it being
understood, however, that the Company has not conducted any independent investigation of the
accuracy thereof.
(dd) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to
the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as
such, to comply with any provision of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations
promulgated in connection therewith (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), including Section 402 related to
loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
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4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each
Underwriter that:
(a) Filings with the Commission. The Company will file the Prospectus in a form approved by
the Underwriters with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act not later than
the close of business on the second business day following the date of determination of the public
offering price of the Securities or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule
424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act. The Company will file any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus (including the Term Sheet substantially in the form of Schedule 4 hereto) to the
extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will furnish copies of the
Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the
Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next
succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably
request.
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, to each Underwriter during
the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all
amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and each Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus (if applicable) as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used
herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the
public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus
relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for
Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or
dealer.
(c) Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before using, authorizing,
approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any
amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish
to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not use, authorize, approve, refer to or
file any such
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the
Representatives reasonably object.
(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and
confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed
or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus
or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for
any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the
receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other
request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of
any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending
the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any
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proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence
of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Time of
Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vi) of the receipt by the
Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for
offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such
purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use
of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the
Securities and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal
thereof.
(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall
occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented
would include 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, in the light of the
circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it
is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately
notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file
with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may
designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the
statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the
circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that
the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event
shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Information as then
amended or supplemented would include 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, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale
Information to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and
forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent
required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate,
such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the
statements in the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of
the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.
(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the
securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request
and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the
Securities; provided that the Company shall
12
not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign
corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would
not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any
such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not
otherwise so subject.
(g) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and
the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering
a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring
after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.
(h) Clear Market. During the period from the date hereof through and including the Closing
Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell,
contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company
and having a tenor of more than one year.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities
as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under
the heading “Use of proceeds”.
(j) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed
to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of
the price of the Securities in violation of Regulation M under the Securities Act.
(k) Filing of Exchange Act Documents. The Company will file promptly all reports and any
definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission
pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the Prospectus Delivery
Period.
(l) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good
faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission
in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and
agrees that
(a) It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning
for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act other
than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule
433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not previously included (including through
incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule 3 or prepared pursuant to
Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing
prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing
13
(each
such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing
Prospectus”).
(b) It has not and will not distribute any Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus referred to in
clause (a)(i) of this Section 5 in a manner reasonably designed to lead to its broad unrestricted
dissemination.
(c) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free
writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Securities unless such terms have
previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided
that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Schedule 4 hereto without the
consent of the Company; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet
shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company prior to, or
substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.
(d) It will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each
Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
(e) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with
respect to the offering of the Securities (and will promptly notify the Company if any such
proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).
6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to
purchase Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the
Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional
conditions:
(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. If a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement is required to be filed under the Securities Act, such post-effective amendment shall
have become effective, and the Representatives shall have received notice thereof, not later than
5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement; no order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose pursuant to
Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the
Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission
under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required
by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests
by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company
contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date;
and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any
14
certificates delivered pursuant to
this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.
(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Time of Sale and (B) the execution and
delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the
Securities or any other debt securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any
of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is
defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act and (ii) no such
organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed
its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any other debt securities or
preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an
announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(d) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(f)
hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Time of
Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any
amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the reasonable judgment of the
Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or
delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time
of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing
Date a certificate of an executive officer of the Company who has specific knowledge of the
Company’s financial matters and is reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming
that such officer has carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information
and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officer, the representations set forth in Sections
3(a) and 3(b)
hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of
the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all
agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or
prior to the Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.
(f) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, each of BDO USA,
LLP and Deloitte & Touche LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the
Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and
information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus;
provided that the letters delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more
than three business days prior to the Closing Date.
15
(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx &
Xxxx LLP, special counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the
request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 Statement, dated the Closing Date and
addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A hereto.
(h) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall
have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx
LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may
reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may
reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(i) Opinion of Counsel. Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Senior Corporate Counsel and Assistant Secretary
for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives her written opinion, dated the Closing
Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex B hereto.
(j) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule,
regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign
governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or
sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall
have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the
Securities.
(k) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date
satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its
Significant Subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good
standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in
writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of
such jurisdictions.
(l) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished
to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may
reasonably request.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without
limitation, reasonable legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action
or proceeding or any claim asserted as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that
arise out of, or
16
are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Registration Statement, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or
omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any
information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter
through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with
respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable
legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any
claim asserted as such fees and expenses are incurred) that arise out of, or are based upon, any
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in
conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by
such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time
of Sale Information, it being
understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information identified in
Schedule 5 hereto.
(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or
regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in
respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such
person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such
indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the
failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have
under this Section 7 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the
forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided,
further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any
liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 7. If any
such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have
notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled
to indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such
proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such
17
proceeding as
incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own
counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified
Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to
the contrary, (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have
reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in
addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such
proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the
Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate
due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the
Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to
any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be
reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates,
directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing
by the Representatives and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who
signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in
writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any
proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a
final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified
Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested
that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified
Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying
Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if
(i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of
such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in
accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall,
without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or
threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and
indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement
(x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter
of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is
unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of
indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
18
relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the
allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with
the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on
the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective
proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale
of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters
in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus,
bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the
Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just
and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or
by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or
payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities
referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth
above, any reasonable legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection
with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall
an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Securities underwritten by such Underwriter were offered to the public exceeds
the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to
their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and
shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person
at law or in equity.
8. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the
Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited
on the New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-
19
counter market; (ii) trading of any securities
issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any
over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have
been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any
outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis,
either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is
material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale
or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the
Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
9. Defaulting Underwriter. (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on
its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the
non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by
other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36
hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for
the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours
within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase
such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the
Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may
postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in
the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the
Registration
Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees
to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all
purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in this
Agreement that, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter
agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as
provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains
unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities,
then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the
principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such
Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such
Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as
provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains
unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the
Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall
terminate without liability on the part of the
20
non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of
this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of the Company,
except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in
Section 10 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall
remain in effect.
(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may
have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
10. Payment of Expenses. (a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid
all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without
limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery
of the Securities and any taxes payable by the Company in that connection; (ii) the costs incident
to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the
Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution
thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv)
the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and
expenses incurred in connection with the
registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the
Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the
preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and
expenses of counsel for the Underwriters), such fees and disbursements not to exceed $10,000); (vi)
any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the
Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties);
(viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance
of any offering by, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; and (ix) all expenses
incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors. It
is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section 10 and Section 7, the Underwriters
will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel and any
advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8, (ii) the Company for any reason
fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline
to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to
reimburse the Underwriters (other than defaulting Underwriters pursuant to Section 9) for all
out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably
incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated
hereby.
11. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers
and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each
Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement
21
is intended or shall be
construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in
respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any
Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
12. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations,
warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made
by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate
delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall
remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any
investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.
13. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise
expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities
Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or
required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in
Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
14. Miscellaneous. (a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the
Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any
such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of
telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives at the
address set forth herein. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at: Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Vice
President — Finance Treasurer, Steelcase Inc., 000 00xx Xxxxxx XX, Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000 (fax: (000) 000-0000) and Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Senior Corporate Counsel and Assistant
Secretary, Steelcase Inc., 000 00xx Xxxxxx XX, Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 (fax: (000)
000-0000).
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York.
(d) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any
consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same
shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(e) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not
intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto and
thereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed
22
to be an original, but all
such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
23
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of
this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
Very truly yours, STEELCASE INC. |
||||
By | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx | ||||
Title: | Vice President, Chief Financial Officer | |||
[Signature page to the Underwriting Agreement]
24
Accepted as of the date hereof
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
Acting on behalf of themselves and
the several Underwriters listed
the several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
By | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Vice President | |||
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
By | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxx Xxxxxx | |||
Title: | Managing Director | |||
[Signature page to the Underwriting Agreement]
25
Schedule 1
Underwriter | Principal Amount | |||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC |
$ | 92,500,000 | ||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated |
$ | 92,500,000 | ||
Fifth Third Securities, Inc. |
$ | 25,000,000 | ||
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC |
$ | 25,000,000 | ||
HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. |
$ | 7,500,000 | ||
The Xxxxxxxx Capital Group, L.P. |
$ | 7,500,000 | ||
Total |
$ | 250,000,000 |
26
Schedule 2
Representatives and Addresses for Notices:
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: High Grade Syndicate Desk
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: High Grade Syndicate Desk
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
Attn: High Grade Debt Capital Markets Transaction Management/Legal
Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Attn: High Grade Debt Capital Markets Transaction Management/Legal
Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Certain Terms of the Securities:
Title of Securities: |
6.375% Senior Notes due 2021 | |
Aggregate Principal Amount of Securities: |
$250,000,000 | |
Maturity Date: |
February 15, 2021 | |
Interest Rate: |
6.375% | |
Interest Payment Dates: |
February 15 and August 15, commencing August 15, 2011 | |
Record Dates: |
February 1 and August 1 | |
Optional Redemption: |
The notes are redeemable at the option of the Company at any time, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of such notes and (ii) the sum of the present values of remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon (exclusive of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the redemption date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 45 basis points. |
27
At any time on or after November 15, 2020, the Company may redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at its option, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed. |
28
Schedule 3
a. Time of Sale Information
Preliminary Prospectus dated January 24, 2011
Term Sheet dated January 27, 2011
29
Schedule 4
6.375% Senior Notes due 2021
Pricing Term Sheet
This Pricing Term Sheet relates only to the securities described below and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement of Steelcase Inc., dated January 24,
2011. The information in this Pricing Term Sheet supplements the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement
and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement only to the extent it is
inconsistent with the information contained in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. Capitalized
terms used in this Pricing Term Sheet but not defined have the meanings given them in the
Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.
Issuer: |
Steelcase Inc. | |
Size: |
$250,000,000 | |
Maturity: |
February 15, 2021 | |
Coupon: |
6.375% | |
Price to the Public: |
99.953% | |
Yield to maturity: |
6.381% | |
Spread to Benchmark Treasury: |
+ 300 basis points | |
Benchmark Treasury: |
2.625% due November 15, 2020 | |
Benchmark Treasury Price: |
93-23+ | |
Benchmark Treasury Yield: |
3.381% | |
Interest Payment Dates: |
February 15 and August 15, commencing August 15, 2011 | |
Optional Redemption: |
The notes are redeemable at the option of the Company at any time, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of such notes and (ii) the sum of the present values of remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon (exclusive of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the redemption date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 45 basis points. | |
At any time on or after November 15, 2020, the Company may redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at its option, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed. | ||
Settlement: |
T+5; February 3, 2011 | |
CUSIP / ISIN: |
858155 AD6 / US858155AD66 | |
Joint Book-Running Managers: |
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC | |
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated | ||
Senior Co-Managers: |
Fifth Third Securities, Inc. | |
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC | ||
Co-Managers: |
HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. | |
The Xxxxxxxx Capital Group, L.P. |
30
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) and a preliminary prospectus
supplement with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest,
you should read the prospectus in that registration statement, the preliminary prospectus
supplement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information
about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting XXXXX on the
SEC Web site at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer
participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC collect at 0-000-000-0000 or Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated toll-free at 0-000-000-0000.
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Schedule 5
Under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus, (i) the third paragraph, (ii) the third and
fourth sentences of the seventh paragraph and (iii) the eighth paragraph.
32
Annex A
Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company
1. Steelcase Asia Pacific Holdings LLC is duly formed and is validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation; PolyVision Corporation is existing under
the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation.
2. Based solely on such counsel’s review of the Foreign Qualification Certificates, PolyVision
Corporation has the status identified on Schedule B to such counsel’s opinion set forth opposite
the jurisdictions identified on such Schedule as of the dates identified on such Schedule.
3. The Indenture constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms under the laws of the State of New York; pursuant
to Section 309 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939.
4. The Note Certificate, when duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by
the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and
the Indenture, will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company, entitled to the
benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms under
the laws of the State of New York.
5. The statements in the Prospectus Supplement and the General Disclosure Package under the
captions “Description of Notes” (other than “Book-Entry System; Delivery and Form”) and
“Description of Debt Securities”, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain
provisions of the Indenture and the Note Certificate, fairly summarize such provisions in all
material respects.
6. The statements in the Prospectus Supplement and the General Disclosure Package under the
caption “Underwriting”, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the
Underwriting Agreement, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects.
7. Neither the execution and delivery by the Company of the Transaction Agreements nor the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby, including the issuance and
sale of the Securities, requires the consent, approval, licensing or authorization of, or any
filing, recording or registration with, any governmental authority under any law, rule or
regulation of the State of New York or the United States of America except for those consents,
approvals, licenses and authorizations already obtained and those filings, recordings and
registrations already made.
8. The Company is not and, solely after giving effect to the offering and sale of the
Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the
33
Prospectus Supplement,
will not be an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended.
9. Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that under current U.S.
federal income tax law, although the discussion set forth in the Time of Sale Information (as
defined in the Underwriting Agreement) and the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement under the heading
“Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” does not purport to discuss all possible U.S.
federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership or disposition of the Securities, such
discussion constitutes, in all material respects, a fair and accurate summary of the U.S. federal
income tax consequences that are anticipated to be material to holders generally who purchase the
Securities pursuant to the Prospectus, subject to the qualifications set forth in such discussion.
Such counsel shall also state that they have participated in conferences with officers and
other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent registered public
accountants of the Company and representatives of the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters
at which the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the General Disclosure
Package and related matters were discussed. Such counsel did not participate in the preparation
of the Incorporated Documents, but have, however, reviewed such documents and discussed the
business and affairs of the Company with officers and other representatives of the Company. Such
counsel does not pass upon, or assume responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of
statements contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or the General Disclosure Package and have made no independent check or verification thereof
(except to the limited extent referred to in paragraphs 5, 6 and 9 above).
On the basis of the foregoing, (i) the Registration Statement, at the Effective Time, and the
Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement, appeared on their face to be appropriately
responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and
Regulations (except that in each case such counsel does not express any view as to the financial
statements, schedules and other financial information included or incorporated by reference therein
or excluded therefrom, or the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 (the “Form T-1”)) and (ii) no
facts have come to the attention of such counsel that have caused such counsel to believe that the
Registration Statement, at the Effective Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement and as
of the date hereof, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or
omits 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 (except that in each case such counsel
does not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial information
included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom, the report of management’s
assessment of the effectiveness of internal controls
over financial reporting or the auditors’ attestation report thereon, or the statements
contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1). In addition, on
the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to the attention of such counsel
34
that have caused
such counsel to believe that the General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained
an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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 (except that such counsel does not express any view as to the financial statements,
schedules and other financial information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded
therefrom, the report of management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal controls over
financial reporting or the auditors’ attestation report thereon, or the statements contained in the
exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1).
“Applicable Time” means 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on January 27, 2011 which the Underwriters
advised such counsel is the time of the first contract of sale of the Securities.
“Effective Time” means the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement for purposes of
Section 11 of the Securities Act, as such section applies to the Underwriters.
“Foreign Qualification Certificates” means certificates from public officials in the
jurisdictions identified on Schedule B to such counsel’s opinion with respect to PolyVision
Corporation’s status and/or qualification to do business as a foreign corporation in each such
jurisdiction.
“General Disclosure Package” means the Preliminary Prospectus and the 6.375% Senior Notes due
2021 Final Term Sheet, dated January 27, 2011, as filed pursuant to Rule 433 of the Securities Act.
“Note Certificate” means the global certificate evidencing the Securities.
“Transaction Agreements” means the Underwriting Agreement, the Note Certificate and the
Indenture.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact on certificates of
responsible officers of the Company and public officials that are furnished to the Underwriters.
Such opinion shall contain qualifications and assumptions normally contained in such opinions
in similar transactions.
The opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP described above shall be rendered to
the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
35
Annex B
Form of Opinion of Counsel
1. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus, when filed with the Commission, or as subsequently amended, appeared
on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the
Exchange Act (except that in each case we do not express any view as to the financial statements,
schedules and other financial information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded
therefrom, including the State of Eligibility on Form T-1).
2. The Company is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of
Michigan, is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in
which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification, and has all requisite corporate power and authority necessary to own or lease, as
the case may be, its properties and to conduct the business in which it is engaged, except where
the failure to be so qualified or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
3. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus and
the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization.”
4. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
5. The Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
6. The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
7. The execution and delivery by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, including the issuance and sale of the
Securities, will not (i) conflict with the charter or the by-laws of the Company; (ii) constitute a
violation of, or a breach or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant
Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any Applicable Contract; or (iii) violate or conflict with,
or result in any contravention of, any Applicable Law.
8. To the knowledge of such counsel, except as described in the Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or
proceedings pending to which the Company or any of
its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries is the subject which, individually or in the aggregate, would
36
reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the knowledge of such counsel, no such
investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or
regulatory authority or threatened by others.
9. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to perform its obligations
under the Transaction Documents.
For purposes of the foregoing:
“Applicable Contract” means those agreements and instruments filed as exhibits to the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 26, 2010 and all subsequent
reports which have been filed by the Company with the Commission under the Exchange Act.
“Applicable Law” means those laws, rules and regulations of the State of Michigan and the
federal laws of the United States of America, in each case, which, in the experience of such
counsel, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Transaction
Documents (other than the United States federal securities laws, state and foreign securities or
blue sky laws and antifraud laws).
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact on certificates of
responsible officers of the Company and public officials that are furnished to the Underwriters.
37