10,714,284 Shares Solutia Inc. Common Stock ($0.01 Par Value) EQUITY UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
Execution Copy
10,714,284 Shares
Common Stock
($0.01 Par Value)
August 21, 2008
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc.
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc.
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Solutia Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several
underwriters (the “Underwriters”) named in Schedule I hereto for whom you are
acting as representatives (the “Representatives”) an aggregate of 10,714,284 shares (the
“Firm Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value (the “Common Stock”).
The respective amounts of the Firm Shares to be so purchased by the several Underwriters are set
forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto.
As the Representatives, you have advised the Company (a) that you are authorized to enter into
this Agreement on behalf of the several Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are
willing, acting severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite
their respective names in Schedule I. The Firm Shares are herein collectively called the
“Shares.”
In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the interests of the parties
in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company.
The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as follows:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-151980) with respect to the Shares,
including a form of prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), has been prepared by the Company in
conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and
the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “Commission”) thereunder and has been filed with the Commission. The
Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements and comply with
the conditions for the use of Form S-3. The registration statement meets the requirements of Rule
415(a)(1)(x) under the Act and complies in all material respects with said rule. Copies of such
registration statement, including any amendments thereto, the Base Prospectus (meeting in all
material respects the requirements of the Rules and Regulations) contained therein and the
exhibits, financial statements and schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been
delivered by the Company to you. Such registration statement, including any amendments thereto,
together with any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the
Act, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement,” which term shall be deemed to
include all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rules 430A, 430B or 430C under the Act
and contained in the Prospectus referred to below. The Registration Statement has been declared
effective under the Act and no post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been
filed as of the date of this Agreement. The Company has prepared a prospectus supplement (the
“Prospectus Supplement”) to the Base Prospectus setting forth the terms of the offering,
sale and plan of distribution of the Shares. “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus
together with the final Prospectus Supplement first filed with the Commission pursuant to and
within the time limits described in Rule 424(b) under the Act and in accordance with Section 4(a)
hereof. Any preliminary Prospectus Supplement relating to the Shares prior to the date hereof is
herein referred to as a “Preliminary Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration
Statement, to any Preliminary Prospectus, to the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement to
any of the foregoing documents shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated
by reference therein and, in the case of any reference herein to the Prospectus, also shall be
deemed to include any documents incorporated by reference therein, and any supplements or
amendments thereto, filed with the Commission after the date of filing of the Prospectus under Rule
424(b) under the Act, and prior to the termination of the offering of the Shares by the
Underwriters.
(b) As of the Applicable Time (as defined below) and as of the Closing Date (as defined
below) neither (i) the General Use Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined below) issued at or
prior to the Applicable Time, the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below) and the information
included on Schedule II hereto, all considered together (collectively, the “General
Disclosure Package”), nor (ii) any individual Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus (as defined
below), when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included or will include any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or
warranties as to information contained in or omitted from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in
reliance upon, and in
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conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter
through the Representatives, specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the
only such information is that described in Section 13 herein. As used in this subsection
and elsewhere in this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means 8:30 am (New York City time) on the date of this Agreement or
such other time as agreed to by the Company and the Representatives.
“Statutory Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus, as amended and supplemented
immediately prior to the Applicable Time, including any document incorporated by reference therein
and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as
defined in Rule 433 under the Act, relating to the Shares in the form filed or required to be filed
with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records
pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Act.
“General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is
identified on Schedule III to this Agreement.
“Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is
not a General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
(c) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own or
lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company has no significant subsidiaries (as
such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission) other than as
listed in Schedule IV hereto (collectively, the “Subsidiaries”). Each of the
Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as an entity in good standing under
the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with all requisite power and
authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus except to the extent that the failure
to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). The Company and each of the Subsidiaries are duly
qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of their business requires
such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The outstanding shares of capital stock or ownership
interests of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid
and non-assessable and to the extent shown in Schedule IV hereto are owned by the Company
or another Subsidiary free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and equities and claims; and no
options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other
rights to convert any obligations into shares of capital stock or ownership interests in the
Subsidiaries are outstanding.
(d) The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company have been duly authorized and
validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the Shares to be issued and sold
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by the Company have been duly authorized and when issued and paid for as contemplated herein will
be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive rights of stockholders exist
with respect to any of the Shares or the issue and sale thereof. Neither the filing of the
Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement
gives rise to any rights, other than those which have been waived or satisfied, for or relating to
the registration of any shares of Common Stock.
(e) The information set forth under the caption “Capitalization” in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (and any similar section or information contained in the General
Disclosure Package) is true and correct in all material respects. All of the Shares conform to the
description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus. The form of certificates for the Shares conforms to the corporate law of the
jurisdiction of the Company’s incorporation.
(f) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus relating to the
proposed offering of the Shares, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of
the Act has been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. The
Registration Statement contains, and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will
contain, all statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will conform to, the
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations. The documents incorporated, or to be
incorporated, by reference in the Prospectus, at the time filed with the Commission conformed or
will conform, in all respects to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(“Exchange Act”) or the Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder. The Registration Statement does not and any amendment filed after the date hereof will
not contain, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will not omit, to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto do not contain, and will not
contain, any untrue statement of a material fact; and do not omit, and will not omit, to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company
makes no representations or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon,
and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any
Underwriter through the Representatives, specifically for use therein, it being understood and
agreed that the only such information is that described in Section 13 herein.
(g) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times
through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares or until any earlier date that
the Company notified or notifies the Representatives did not, does not and will not include any
information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein
that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing does not apply to statements or omissions
from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters through the Representatives
specifically for use therein.
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(h) The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any
offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) and other
materials, if any, permitted under the Act and consistent with Section 4(b) below. The
Company will file with the Commission all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses in the time required
under Rule 433(d) under the Act.
(i) (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company
or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under
the Act) of the Shares and (ii) as of the date hereof (with such date being used as the
determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an “ineligible
issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act, without taking into account any determination by the
Commission pursuant to Rule 405 under the Act that it is not necessary that the Company be
considered an ineligible issuer), including, without limitation, for purposes of Rules 164 and 433
under the Act with respect to the offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Registration
Statement.
(j) The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, together with
related notes and schedules as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, present fairly the financial position
and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company and the consolidated Subsidiaries, at
the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements and related schedules
have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted principles of accounting (“GAAP”),
consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein, and all
adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for such periods have been made. The
summary and selected consolidated financial and statistical data included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus presents
fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and such data has been compiled on a
basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the
Company. The pro forma financial statements and other pro forma financial information included in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the
information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and
guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements, have been properly compiled on the pro
forma bases described therein, and, in the opinion of the Company, the assumptions used in the
preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect
to the transactions or circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP
financial measures” (as such term is defined by the Rules and Regulations) comply with Regulation G
of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Act, to the extent applicable. The
Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or
contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities” within
the meaning of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46), not disclosed in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. There are no financial
statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included in the
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Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not included as
required.
(k) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain of the financial statements filed with
the Commission as part of, or incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with
respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the applicable Rules
and Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the
“PCAOB”).
(l) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is aware of (i) any material weakness
in its internal control over financial reporting or (ii) change in internal control over financial
reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting.
(m) Solely to the extent that the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated by the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange thereunder (the
“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) has been applicable to the Company, there is and has been no failure
on the part of the Company to comply in all material respects with any provision of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that it is in compliance
with all provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act that are in effect and with which the Company is
required to comply.
(n) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries before any court or
administrative agency or otherwise which if determined adversely to the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries would either (i) have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on
the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise) or prospects of the Company and of the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (ii) prevent the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (the occurrence of any such effect or any such
prevention described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being referred to as a “Material
Adverse Effect”), except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus.
(o) The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of the properties
and assets reflected in the consolidated financial statements hereinabove described or described in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subject to no lien,
mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind except those reflected in such financial
statements or described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus or which are not material in amount. The Company and the Subsidiaries occupy their
leased properties under valid and binding leases conforming in all material respects to the
description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
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(p) The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all Federal, State, local and foreign tax
returns which have been required to be filed and have paid all taxes indicated by such returns and
all assessments received by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due and
are not being contested in good faith and for which an adequate reserve for accrual has been
established in accordance with GAAP, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect. All
material tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial statements of the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, and the Company does not know of any actual or proposed
additional material tax assessments.
(q) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as each may be amended or
supplemented, there has not been any Material Adverse Effect, whether or not occurring in the
ordinary course of business, and there has not been any material transaction entered into or any
material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Company or the Subsidiaries,
other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions described
in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as each may be
amended or supplemented. The Company and the Subsidiaries have no material contingent obligations
which are not disclosed in the financial statements of the Company and its consolidated
Subsidiaries which are included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there
are no outstanding guarantees or other contingent obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary that
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is or with the giving of notice or lapse
of time or both, will be, (i) in violation of its certificate or articles of incorporation,
by-laws, certificate of formation, limited liability agreement, partnership agreement or other
organizational documents or (ii) in violation of or in default under any agreement, lease,
contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any
of its properties, is bound and, solely with respect to this clause (ii), which violation or
default would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the fulfillment of the terms hereof by the Company and, to the
Company’s knowledge, the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict
with or result in a breach of (i) any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under,
any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any
Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective
properties is bound, (ii) the certificate or articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or
(iii) any law, order, rule or regulation judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Company
or any Subsidiary of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or
other governmental body having jurisdiction, except with respect to clauses (i) and (iii) to the
extent that such conflict, breach or default would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(s) The execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations
under, this Agreement has been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the
part of the Company, and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company.
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(t) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation, declaration or filing by or
with any regulatory, administrative or other governmental body necessary in connection with the
execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
herein contemplated (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission, the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or such additional steps as may be
necessary to qualify the Shares for public offering by the Underwriters under state securities or
Blue Sky laws) has been obtained or made and is in full force and effect.
(u) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries hold all material licenses, certificates and
permits from governmental authorities which are necessary to the conduct of their businesses; the
Company and the Subsidiaries each own or possess the right to use all patents, patent rights,
trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names, copyrights, license rights, know-how
(including trade secrets and other unpatented and unpatentable proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures) and other intellectual property rights (“Intellectual
Property”) necessary to carry on their business in all material respects; neither the Company
nor any of the Subsidiaries has infringed, and none of the Company or the Subsidiaries have
received notice of conflict with, any Intellectual Property of any other person or entity. The
Company has taken all reasonable steps necessary to secure interests in such Intellectual Property
from its contractors. There are no outstanding options, licenses or agreements of any kind
relating to the Intellectual Property of the Company that are required to be described in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described in
all material respects. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or
agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property of any other person or entity that are
required to be set forth in the Prospectus and are not described in all material respects. None of
the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in
violation of any material contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of its officers,
directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons; the Company has not
received any written or oral communications alleging that the company has violated, infringed or
conflicted with, or, by conducting its business as set forth in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, would violate, infringe or conflict with, any of the
Intellectual Property of any other person or entity, except to the extent such violation,
infringement or conflict would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(v) Neither the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates, has taken or
may take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or which has
constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation
of the price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares. The
Company acknowledges that the Underwriters may engage in passive market making transactions in the
Shares on the New York Stock Exchange in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
(w) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is or, after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Shares contemplated hereunder and the application of the net proceeds from such sale as
described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be an “investment company”
within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as amended (the “1940
Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
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(x) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in
accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain
accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(y) The Company has established and maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as
defined in Rules 13a-14(c) and 15d-14(c) under the Exchange Act); the Company’s “disclosure
controls and procedures” are reasonably designed to ensure that all information (both financial and
non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits
under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods
specified in the rules and regulations of the Exchange Act, and that all such information is
accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions
regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and
Chief Financial Officer of the Company required under the Exchange Act with respect to such
reports.
(z) The statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the
Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with
the sources from which they are derived.
(aa) The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all
times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the
Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering
statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (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 or its subsidiaries with respect
to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened.
(bb) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s knowledge, 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. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the
proceeds of the offering, 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) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such
amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably deems adequate for the
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conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is
customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.
(dd) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, the Company and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with all
presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no
“reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as
defined in ERISA) for which the Company and each Subsidiary would have any liability; the Company
and each Subsidiary has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of
ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412
or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and each “pension plan” for which the Company or
any Subsidiary would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of
the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by
failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(ee) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, rule,
regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign,
relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the
protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances
(collectively, “Environmental Laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with
any substance that is subject to Environmental Laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or
contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any
Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would, individually or in
the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending
investigation which could reasonably be expected to lead to such a claim.
(ff) The Shares have been approved for listing subject to notice of issuance on the New York
Stock Exchange.
(gg) There are no relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any of
the Subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been
described as required.
(hh) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has made any contribution or other
payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of
any law which violation is required to be disclosed in the Prospectus.
(ii) There is no document, contract or other agreement required to be described in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement
which is not described or filed as required by the Act or the Rules and Regulations. Each
description of a contract, document or other agreement in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus accurately reflects in all material respects the terms of the underlying contract,
document or other agreement.
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(jj) Except for this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to
any contract, agreement or understanding with any person that would give rise to a valid claim
against the Company or the Underwriters for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in
connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(kk) The Fifth Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code (the “Plan of Reorganization”) of the Company and its subsidiaries named
therein (collectively, the “Reorganizing Debtors”) was confirmed by order of the United
States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York entered on November 29, 2007, and no
party has appealed such confirmation order or moved for revocation or reconsideration thereof. The
Effective Date (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization) occurred on February 28, 2008 . Except
as provided in the Plan of Reorganization, all Claims (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization)
against the Reorganizing Debtors have been discharged in full. Except as provided in the Plan of
Reorganization, all Equity Interests (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization) of the Company have
been cancelled or discharged in full. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is
currently, or has in the past been, in default in any material respect, and no event has occurred
which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due
performance or observance of any material term, covenant or condition contained in the Plan of
Reorganization. There is no legal or governmental proceeding relating to the Plan of
Reorganization to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property
or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject; and to the best of the
Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental
authorities or threatened by others.
2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Shares.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants herein contained, and
subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters and each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase, at a price of $13.51 per share, the
number of Shares set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in Schedule I hereof,
subject to adjustments in accordance with Section 9 hereof.
(b) Payment for the Shares to be sold hereunder is to be made in Federal (same day) funds to
an account designated by the Company against delivery thereof to the Representatives for the
several accounts of the Underwriters. Such payment and delivery are to be made through the
facilities of The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York at 10:00 a.m., New York City time,
on the third Business Day after the date of this Agreement or at such other time and date not later
than five Business Days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree upon, such time and date
being herein referred to as the “Closing Date.” (As used herein, “Business Day”
means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and on which banks in New York
are open for business and are not permitted by law or executive order to be closed.)
3. Offering by the Underwriters.
It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public offering of the Shares as
soon as the Representatives deem it advisable to do so. The Shares are to be initially
11
offered to the public at the initial public offering price set forth in the Prospectus. The
Representatives may from time to time thereafter change the public offering price and other selling
terms.
It is further understood that you will act as the Representatives for the Underwriters in the
offering and sale of the Shares in accordance with a Master Agreement Among Underwriters entered
into by you and the several other Underwriters.
4. Covenants of the Company.
The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will (A) prepare and timely file with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under
the Act a Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives containing information previously
omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rules 430A, 430B
or 430C under the Act, (B) not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or distribute an
amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or document
incorporated by reference therein of which the Representatives shall not previously have been
advised and furnished with a copy or to which the Representatives shall have reasonably objected in
writing or which is not in compliance with the Rules and Regulations and (C) file on a timely basis
all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company
with the Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and prior to the termination of the
offering of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(b) The Company will (i) not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as
defined in Rule 405 under the Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission under
Rule 433 under the Act unless the Representatives approve its use in writing prior to first use
(each, a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”); provided that the prior written
consent of the Representatives hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus(es) included in Schedule III hereto, (ii) treat each Permitted
Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (iii) comply with the requirements of
Rules 164 and 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including the
requirements relating to timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping and (iv)
not take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with
the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on
behalf of such Underwriter that such Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file
thereunder.
(c) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly (A) when any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement shall have become effective, (B) of receipt of any comments
from the Commission, (C) of any request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration
Statement or for supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or for any
additional information, and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of
12
the institution of any proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act. The
Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order and to
obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(d) The Company will cooperate with the Representatives in endeavoring to qualify the Shares
for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably have
designated in writing and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company shall not
be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process
in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to file such a consent. The
Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such statements, reports, and other documents, as
are or may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period as the
Representatives may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.
(e) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the Representatives, from time to
time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the
Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representatives during the period when delivery of a Prospectus (or, in lieu thereof, the notice
referred to under Rule 173(a) under the Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”) is required
under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final form, or as thereafter amended or
supplemented, as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the
Representatives at or before the Closing Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and
all amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to the
Representatives such number of copies of the Registration Statement (including such number of
copies of the exhibits filed therewith that may reasonably be requested), including documents
incorporated by reference therein, and of all amendments thereto, as the Representatives may
reasonably request.
(f) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and the Exchange Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the completion of the
distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the
period in which a prospectus (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to under Rule 173(a) under
the Act) is required by law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a
result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the Underwriters,
it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser,
not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply
with any law, the Company promptly will either (i) prepare and file with the Commission an
appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or (ii)
prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate filing under the Exchange Act which shall be
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented
will not, in the light of the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the
Prospectus will comply with applicable law.
(g) If the General Disclosure Package is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a
time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur
as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the
13
Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or to make the
statements therein not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement then
on file, or if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package to
comply with any law, the Company promptly will either (i) prepare, file with the Commission (if
required) and furnish to the Underwriters and any dealers an appropriate amendment or supplement to
the General Disclosure Package or (ii) prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate filing
under the Exchange Act which shall be incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package
so that the General Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the
circumstances, be misleading or conflict with the Registration Statement then on file, or so that
the General Disclosure Package will comply with applicable law.
(h) The Company will make generally available to its security holders, as soon as it is
practicable to do so, but in any event not later than 15 months after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail,
covering a period of at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the requirements of Section 11(a) of
the Act and Rule 158 under the Act.
(i) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any shares of Common Stock of the
Company or other securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common
Stock or derivative of Common Stock (or agreement for such) will be made for a period of 90 days
after the date of the Prospectus, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than hereunder
or with the prior written consent of the Representatives. The foregoing sentence shall not apply
to (i) the sale of Shares to be sold hereunder, (ii) issuances by the Company of shares of Common
Stock upon the exercise of an option, warrant or a similar security or the conversion of a security
outstanding on the date hereof and reflected in the Prospectus, (iii) the grants by the Company of
options or stock, or the issuance by the Company of stock, under its benefits plans described in
the Prospectus, (iv) the issuance by the Company of up to 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock in
connection with the acquisition of, a joint venture with or a merger with, another company, and the
filing of a registration statement with respect thereto; provided that the recipient of such shares
agrees in writing with the Representatives in an agreement in the form substantially identical to
Exhibit A hereto, not to offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to
purchase, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer, directly or
indirectly, any such shares or options during such 90-day period without the prior written consent
of the Representatives, or (v) transactions by any person other than the Company, relating to
shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in the open market or other transactions after
the completion of this offering.
(j) The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to list the Shares on the New York Stock
Exchange and maintain the listing of the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange.
(k) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of the Shares as set forth in the
Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
14
(l) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from
its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to
register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.
(m) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of
incorporation of the Company, a registrar for the Common Stock.
(n) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result
in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company.
5. Costs and Expenses.
The Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the performance of the
obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the following: accounting fees of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel
for the Company; the cost of printing and delivering to, or as requested by, the Underwriters
copies of the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses, the Issuer Free Writing
Prospectuses, the Prospectus, this Agreement, the Listing Application and any supplements or
amendments thereto; the filing fees of the Commission; the filing fees and reasonable expenses
(including legal fees and disbursements) incident to securing any required review by FINRA of the
terms of the sale of the Shares; the Listing Fee of the New York Stock Exchange; and the costs and
expenses (including without limitation any damages or other amounts payable in connection with
legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the
Shares made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation in Section 1(b).
The Company shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the Underwriter’s expenses (other
than those related to qualification under FINRA regulation and State securities or Blue Sky laws)
except that, if this Agreement shall not be consummated because the conditions in Section 6
hereof are not satisfied, or because this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant
to Section 11 hereof, or by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the
Company to perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition of this Agreement or to comply with any
of the terms hereof on its part to be performed, unless such failure, refusal or inability is due
primarily to the default or omission of any Underwriter, the Company shall reimburse the several
Underwriters for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel,
reasonably incurred in connection with investigating, marketing and proposing to market the Shares
or in contemplation of performing their obligations hereunder; but the Company shall not in any
event be liable to any of the several Underwriters for damages on account of loss of anticipated
profits from the sale by them of the Shares.
6. Conditions of Obligations of the Underwriters.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Shares on the Closing Date are
subject to the accuracy, as of the Applicable Time and the Closing Date of the representations and
warranties of the Company contained herein, and to the performance by the Company of its covenants
and obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
15
(a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments thereto shall have become
effective and the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus required shall have been filed
as required by Rules 424, 430A, 430B, 430C or 433 under the Act, as applicable, within the time
period prescribed by, and in compliance with, the Rules and Regulations, and any request of the
Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or otherwise)
shall have been disclosed to the Representatives and complied with to their reasonable
satisfaction. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended
from time to time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to
Section 8A under the Act shall have been taken or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be
contemplated or threatened by the Commission and no injunction, restraining order or order of any
nature by a Federal or State court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the
Closing Date which would prevent the issuance of the Shares.
(b) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date the opinions of Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company dated the Closing Date addressed to the Underwriters in such
form as shall be agreed to with the Representatives.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxxx Procter LLP, counsel for the
Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date in such form as shall be agreed to with the
Representatives.
(d) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date a letter dated the Closing
Date in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, of Deloitte & Touche LLP confirming
that they are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and the
Subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations and the PCAOB
and stating that in their opinion the financial statements and schedules examined by them and
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus comply in form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the related Rules and Regulations; and containing such other statements
and information as is ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to Underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial and statistical information contained in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(e) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date, a certificate or
certificates of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to the
effect that, as of the Closing Date, each of them severally represents as follows:
(i) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or no order preventing or suspending the
use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus has been
issued, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act have been taken or
are, to his or her knowledge, contemplated or threatened by the Commission;
16
(ii) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof
are true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties of
the Company which are qualified by materiality, in which case such representations and warranties
shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the Closing Date;
(iii) The Company has satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
hereunder;
(iv) All filings required to have been made pursuant to Rules 424, 430A, 430B or 430C under
the Act have been made as and when required by such rules; and
(v) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, there has not been any Material Adverse
Effect, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business.
(f) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date, a Secretary’s Certificate of
the Company.
(g) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and
documents confirming the representations and warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein
and related matters as the Representatives may reasonably have requested.
(h) The Shares have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the New York Stock
Exchange.
The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance
with the provisions hereof only if they are in all material respects satisfactory to the
Representatives and to Xxxxxxx Procter LLP, counsel for the Underwriters.
If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6 shall not have
been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be fulfilled, the obligations of the
Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representatives by notifying the Company of such
termination in writing or by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date.
In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to each
other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8 hereof).
7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Company.
The obligations of the Company to sell and deliver the portion of the Shares required to be
delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are subject to the conditions that at the Closing
Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been
issued and in effect or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened.
17
8. Indemnification.
(a) The Company agrees:
(1) to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors and officers of each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either
Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which such Underwriter or any such controlling person may become subject under the
Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings
in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus,
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii)
the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any
such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the
Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives specifically for use
therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any
Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 13 herein; and
(2) to reimburse each Underwriter, each Underwriter’s directors and officers and each such
controlling person upon demand for any legal or other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by
such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any such
loss, claim, damage or liability, action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or
governmental inquiry related to the offering of the Shares, whether or not such Underwriter or
controlling person is a party to any action or proceeding. In the event that it is finally
judicially determined that the Underwriters were not entitled to receive payments for legal and
other expenses pursuant to this subparagraph, the Underwriters will promptly return all sums that
had been advanced pursuant hereto.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
each of its directors, each of its officers who have signed the Registration Statement, and each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer, or controlling person
may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made; and will reimburse any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director, officer, or
controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability, action or
18
proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in each case to
the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or through the
Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such
information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in
Section 13 herein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which
such Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted
involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Section
8, such person (the “Indemnified Party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom
such indemnity may be sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing. No indemnification
provided for in Section 8(a) or (b) shall be available to any party who shall fail
to give notice as provided in this Section 8(c) if the party to whom notice was not given
was unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was materially prejudiced
by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to give such notice shall not relieve the
Indemnifying Party or parties from any liability which it or they may have to the Indemnified Party
for contribution or otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section 8(a) or
(b). In case any such proceeding shall be brought against any Indemnified Party and it
shall notify the Indemnifying Party of the commencement thereof, the Indemnifying Party shall be
entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
Indemnifying Party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to
such Indemnified Party and shall pay as incurred the fees and disbursements of such counsel related
to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain
its own counsel at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnifying Party shall
pay as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the reasonable fees and expenses of the counsel
retained by the Indemnified Party in the event (i) the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified
Party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any
such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Party and the
Indemnified Party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due
to actual or potential differing interests between them or (iii) the Indemnifying Party shall have
failed to assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the Indemnified Party within a
reasonable period of time after notice of commencement of the action. It is understood that the
Indemnifying Party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm for all
such Indemnified Parties. Such firm shall be designated in writing by you in the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a) or (b) and by the Company in the case of
parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The Indemnifying Party 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 Party agrees to
indemnify the Indemnified Party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement
or judgment. In addition, the Indemnifying Party will not, without the prior written consent of
the Indemnified Party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending
or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether
or not any Indemnified Party is an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding)
unless such
19
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Party from
all liability arising out of such claim, action or proceeding.
(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable
to or insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnified Party under Section 8(a) or (b)
above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in
respect thereof) referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount
paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately
preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute
to such amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only such relative benefits 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 which resulted in
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof), 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 proportion as the
total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to
the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set
forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault 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 on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company, and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if
the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation
which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section
8(d). The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in this
Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), (i) no Underwriter shall be required
to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the
Shares purchased by such Underwriter, and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this
Section 8(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.
(e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto, each party
against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby consents to the
jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other contributing party, agrees that
process issuing from such court may be served upon it by any other contributing party and consents
20
to the service of such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join it as an
additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing party is a party.
(f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an Indemnified Party is
entitled to indemnification or contribution under this Section 8 shall be paid by the
Indemnifying Party to the Indemnified Party as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses are incurred. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section
8 and the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on
behalf of any Underwriter, their respective directors or officers, or any person controlling any
Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any persons controlling the Company, (ii)
acceptance of any Shares and payment therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this
Agreement. A successor to any Underwriter, their respective directors or officers, or any person
controlling any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity, contribution and
reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 8.
9. Default by Underwriters.
If on the Closing Date any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the
Shares which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date (otherwise than by
reason of any default on the part of the Company, you, as Representatives of the Underwriters,
shall use your reasonable efforts to procure within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the other
Underwriters, or any others, to purchase from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and
upon the terms set forth herein, the Shares which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed
to purchase. If during such 36 hours you, as such Representatives, shall not have procured such
other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Shares agreed to be purchased by the defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of shares with respect to which such
default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date, the
other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Shares
which they are obligated to purchase hereunder, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if the aggregate number of Shares with
respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Shares to be purchased on the Closing
Date, the Company or you as the Representatives of the Underwriters will have the right, by written
notice given within the next 36-hour period to the parties to this Agreement, to terminate this
Agreement without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters or of the Company except
to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8 hereof. In the event of a default by
any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date, may be
postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as you, as Representatives, may determine in
order that the required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or in
the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. The term
“Underwriter” includes any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter. Any action
taken under this Section 9 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in
respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
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10. Notices.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided herein,
will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or telegraphed and confirmed as follows: (a) if to the
Underwriters, to (i) Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx
00000, Attention: Syndicate Manager, with a copy to Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 00 Xxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel, and with a copy to (which shall not
constitute notice) Xxxxxxx Procter LLP, The New York Times Building, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq., and (ii) Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel; and (b) if to the Company, to Solutia
Inc., 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Drive, X.X. Xxx 00000, Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: General
Counsel, with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice) Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxx 00xx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
11. Termination.
This Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives acting together by notice to the
Company:
(a) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the following has occurred: (i) since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or declaration of war
or national emergency or other national or international calamity or crisis (including, without
limitation, an act of terrorism) or change in economic or political conditions if the effect of
such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change on the financial
markets of the United States would, in your judgment, make it impracticable or inadvisable to
market the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares, (iii) suspension of trading
in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq
Global Market or limitation on prices (other than limitations on hours or numbers of days of
trading) for securities on any such trading market, (iv) the declaration of a banking moratorium by
United States or New York State authorities, (v) any downgrading, or placement on any watch list
for possible downgrading, in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the
Exchange Act); or (vi) the suspension of trading of the Company’s common stock by the New York
Stock Exchange, the Commission, or any other governmental authority if the effect of such
suspension would, in your judgment, make it impracticable or inadvisable to market the Shares or to
enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares; or
(b) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.
12. Successors.
This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and, the
Company and their respective successors, executors, administrators, heirs and assigns, and the
22
officers, directors and controlling persons referred to herein, and no other person will have any
right or obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be
deemed a successor or assign merely because of such purchase.
13. Information Provided by Underwriters.
The Company and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that the only information furnished or
to be furnished by any Underwriter to the Company for inclusion in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus consists of the
information set forth under the caption “Underwriting” in the third and tenth through sixteenth
paragraphs in the Prospectus.
14. Miscellaneous.
The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements contained in this Agreement and
the representations, warranties and covenants in this Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect regardless of (a) any termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on
behalf of any Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or its
directors or officers and (c) delivery of and payment for the Shares under this Agreement.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Underwriter in providing investment banking
services to the Company in connection with the offering, including in acting pursuant to the terms
of this Agreement, has acted and is acting as an independent contractor and not as a fiduciary and
the Company does not intend such Underwriter to act in any capacity other than as an independent
contractor, including as a fiduciary or in any other position of higher trust.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an
original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of
New York, including, without limitation, Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law.
23
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and
return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the
Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
By | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
|
|||||||
The foregoing Equity Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written. | ||||||||
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. XXXXXXXXX & COMPANY, INC. |
||||||||
Acting on behalf of themselves and as Representatives of the several Underwriters listed on Schedule I | ||||||||
By:
|
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. | |||||||
By
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
|||||||
By
|
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
|||||||
By:
|
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc. | |||||||
By
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
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SCHEDULE I
SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS
Number of Shares | ||||
Underwriter | to be Purchased | |||
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
5,357,142 | |||
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc. |
5,357,142 | |||
Total |
10,714,284 |
SCHEDULE II
PRICING INFORMATION
The price of the Shares to the public is $14.00 per Share.
The underwriting discount is 3.5%.
Gross Proceeds to the Company: $149,999,976
The underwriting discount is 3.5%.
Gross Proceeds to the Company: $149,999,976
SCHEDULE III
ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS
None.
SCHEDULE IV
SUBSIDIARIES
Solutia Europe SPRL/BVBA
Monchem International, Inc.
CPFilms Inc.
Flexsys Holding BV
Solutia UK Holdings Limited
Flexsys Coordination Centre SA/NV
Solutia Services International SCA/Xxxx.XX
Flexsys Verwaltungs und Beteiligungsgesellschaft GmbH
Flexsys SA/NV
Solutia Systems, Inc.
Flexsys America L.P.
Flexsys Verkauf GmbH
Flexsys Chemicals (M) Sdn Bhd
Solutia U.K. Limited
Solutia Tlaxcala, S.A. de C.V.
Flexsys S.a.r.l.
Solutia Brasil Ltda.
Flexsys Industria e Comercio Ltda.
Flexsys K.K. (Kabushiki Kaisha)
Solutia Therminol Co., Ltd., Suzhou
Solutia Greater China, Inc.
Solutia Netherlands Holdings B.V.
Solutia Chemical Co., Ltd., Suzhou
Flexsys Asia Pacific Sdn. Bhd.
Solutia U.K. Investments Limited
Monchem International, Inc.
CPFilms Inc.
Flexsys Holding BV
Solutia UK Holdings Limited
Flexsys Coordination Centre SA/NV
Solutia Services International SCA/Xxxx.XX
Flexsys Verwaltungs und Beteiligungsgesellschaft GmbH
Flexsys SA/NV
Solutia Systems, Inc.
Flexsys America L.P.
Flexsys Verkauf GmbH
Flexsys Chemicals (M) Sdn Bhd
Solutia U.K. Limited
Solutia Tlaxcala, S.A. de C.V.
Flexsys S.a.r.l.
Solutia Brasil Ltda.
Flexsys Industria e Comercio Ltda.
Flexsys K.K. (Kabushiki Kaisha)
Solutia Therminol Co., Ltd., Suzhou
Solutia Greater China, Inc.
Solutia Netherlands Holdings B.V.
Solutia Chemical Co., Ltd., Suzhou
Flexsys Asia Pacific Sdn. Bhd.
Solutia U.K. Investments Limited
EXHIBIT A
LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
As of , 2008
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc.
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc.
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
c/o Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc.,
as representatives (the “Representatives”) of the several underwriters (the
“Underwriters”), propose to enter into an Equity Underwriting Agreement (the
“Underwriting Agreement”) with Solutia Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), providing for the public offering by the Underwriters, including the
Representatives, of common stock, par value $0.01 (the “Common Stock”), of the Company (the
“Public Offering”).
To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their
efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior
written consent of the Representatives, the undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, offer,
sell, pledge, contract to sell (including any short sale), grant any option to purchase or
otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock (including, without limitation, shares of Common
Stock of the Company which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned on the date
hereof in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
shares of Common Stock which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant and any other
security convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock) or enter into any Hedging Transaction
(as defined below) relating to the Common Stock (each of the foregoing referred to as a
“Disposition”) during the period specified in the following paragraph (the “Lock-Up
Period”). The foregoing restriction is expressly intended to preclude the undersigned from
engaging in any Hedging Transaction or other transaction which is designed to or reasonably
expected to lead to or result in a Disposition during the Lock-Up Period even if the securities
would be disposed of by someone other than the undersigned. “Hedging Transaction” means
any short sale (whether or not against the box) or any purchase, sale or grant of any right
(including, without limitation, any put or call option)
with respect to any security (other than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes,
relates to or derives any significant part of its value from the Common Stock.
The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date hereof and continue until, and include,
the date that is 90 days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering
(the “Initial Lock-Up Period”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer (a) shares of Common Stock
acquired in open market transactions by the undersigned after the completion of the Public
Offering, (b) any or all of the shares of Common Stock or other Company securities if the transfer
is by (i) gift, will or intestacy, or (ii) distribution to partners, members or shareholders of the
undersigned, and (c) shares of Common Stock surrendered in payment of taxes due on vested
restricted stock; provided, however, that in the case of a transfer pursuant to
clause (b) above, it shall be a condition to the transfer that the transferee execute an agreement
stating that the transferee is receiving and holding the securities subject to the provisions of
this Lock-Up Agreement.
The undersigned agrees that the Company may, and that the undersigned will, (i) with respect
to any shares of Common Stock or other Company securities for which the undersigned is the record
holder, cause the transfer agent for the Company to note stop transfer instructions during the
Lock-Up Period with respect to such securities on the transfer books and records of the Company and
(ii) with respect to any shares of Common Stock or other Company securities for which the
undersigned is the beneficial holder but not the record holder, cause the record holder of such
securities to cause the transfer agent for the Company to note stop transfer instructions during
the Lock-Up Period with respect to such securities on the transfer books and records of the
Company.
In addition, the undersigned hereby waives any and all notice requirements and rights with
respect to registration of securities pursuant to any agreement, understanding or otherwise setting
forth the terms of any security of the Company held by the undersigned, including any registration
rights agreement to which the undersigned and the Company may be party; provided that such
waiver shall apply only to the proposed Public Offering, and any other action taken by the Company
in connection with the proposed Public Offering.
The undersigned hereby agrees that, to the extent that the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement
conflict with or are in any way inconsistent with any registration rights agreement to which the
undersigned and the Company may be a party, this Lock-Up Agreement supersedes such registration
rights agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and
authority to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be
conferred shall survive the death or incapacity of the undersigned and any obligations of the
undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of
the undersigned.
Signature: | ||||||
Print Name: | ||||||
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