TORTOISE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE CORPORATION Common Stock ($0.001 par value) ATM EQUITY OFFERINGSM SALES AGREEMENT
Exhibit h.7
EXECUTION VERSION
Common Stock
($0.001 par value)
($0.001 par value)
ATM EQUITY OFFERINGSM SALES AGREEMENT
July 20, 2009
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Fund”), and
the Fund’s investment adviser, Tortoise Capital Advisors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(the “Adviser”), each confirm their agreement, subject to the terms and conditions stated
herein, to issue and sell from time to time to or through Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated,
as sales agent and/or principal (the “Agent”), shares (the “Shares”) of the Fund’s
common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), having an aggregate gross
sales price of up to $40,000,000 (the “Maximum Amount”) on the terms set forth in Section 2
of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement (the “Agreement”). The Fund and
the Adviser agree that whenever the Fund determines to sell Shares directly to the Agent as
principal, the Fund and the Adviser will enter into a separate agreement (each, a “Terms
Agreement”) in substantially the form of Annex I hereto, relating to such sale in accordance
with Section 3 of this Agreement.
The Fund has also entered into an equity distribution agreement (the “Alternative
Distribution Agreement”), dated of even date herewith, with Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx &
Xxxxx Incorporated (the “Alternative Agent”). The aggregate gross sales price of the
Shares that may be sold pursuant to this Agreement and the Alternative Distribution Agreement shall
not exceed the Maximum Amount. Whenever the Fund determines to sell the Shares directly to the
Alternative Agent as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement (each, an “Alternative
Terms Agreement”) in substantially the form of Annex I to the Alternative Distribution
Agreement.
The Fund has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a
registration statement on Form N-2 (File Nos. 333-146095 and 811-21462) (the “Original
Registration Statement”), which became effective on May 8, 2009, covering the registration of
the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and a
notification on Form N-8A of registration of the Fund as an investment company under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and the rules and regulations of the
Commission under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act (the “Rules and Regulations”). The base
prospectus included in the Original Registration Statement, in the form in which it has most
recently been filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, including any
statement of additional information incorporated therein by reference, is hereinafter called the
“Basic Prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Fund will
prepare and file a post-effective amendment to the Original Registration Statement and will prepare
and file one or more supplements relating to the Shares (collectively, the “Prospectus
Supplement”) to the Basic Prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A (“Rule
430A”) under the 1933 Act and paragraph (c) and/or (h) of Rule 497 (“Rule 497”) of the
Rules and Regulations. The information included in any such Prospectus Supplement that was omitted
from such Original Registration Statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be
part of such Original Registration Statement at the time it became effective pursuant to paragraph
(b) of Rule 430A is referred to as “Rule 430A Information.” Such Original Registration
Statement, including the amendments thereto, the exhibits and schedules thereto at the time it
became effective and including the Rule 430A Information and any statement of additional
information incorporated therein by reference, is herein called the “Registration
Statement.” The Basic Prospectus, as amended and supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in
the form most recently filed by the Fund with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497 under the
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Securities Act, is
herein called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the
Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any
of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its
Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system, or any successor system (collectively,
“XXXXX”).
Section 1. Representations and Warranties
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Fund and the Adviser. The Fund and the
Adviser represent and warrant to the Agent that as of the date of this Agreement, each Registration
Statement Amendment Date (as defined in Section 3 below), each Fund Periodic Report Date (as
defined in Section 3 below), each Fund Material Disclosure Date (as defined in Section 3 below),
each Request Date (as defined in Section 3 below), each Applicable Time (as defined below) and each
Settlement Date (as defined in Section 2 below):
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements. Each of the Registration
Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act
and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, and no order of
suspension or revocation of registration pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1940 Act, and no
proceedings for any such purpose, have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge
of the Fund or the Adviser, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part
of the Commission for additional information has been complied with.
At the respective times the Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment
thereto (filed before the applicable Settlement Date) became effective and at the applicable
Settlement Date, the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto, the
notification on Form N-8A and all amendments and supplements thereto complied and will
comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and the
Rules and Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement
thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at
each Settlement Date, included or will include an 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. The
representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or
omissions from the Registration Statement or Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Agent for
use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus.
As of each Applicable Time, the Rule 482 Statement (as defined below), if any, issued
at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below) and the
information included on Schedule A hereto, all considered together (collectively, the
“General Disclosure Package”), did not and will not 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 under which they were made, not misleading.
As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means, with respect to any Shares, the time of sale of such Shares
pursuant to this Agreement.
“Rule 482 Statement” means a document, if any, prepared in accordance with the
provisions of Rule 482 of the 1933 Act in connection with the issuance and sale of the
Shares and which is set forth on Schedule B hereto.
“Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus relating to the Shares that
is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any
document incorporated by reference therein.
The Basic Prospectus and the Prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as
originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 497 under
the 1933 Act, complied when
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so filed in all material respects with the Rules and Regulations and the Basic
Prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Agent for use in connection with the issuance
and sale of Shares was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with
the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments
thereto and at the date hereof, the Fund was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as
defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations.
(ii) Incorporation of Documents by Reference. The documents incorporated in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Statutory Prospectus, at the time they were
or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
“1934 Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act, the
1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations and, when read together with the other information in
the Prospectus, (a) at the time the Registration Statement became effective, (b) at the time
the Prospectus was issued and (c) on the date of this Agreement, did not and will not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(iii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the statement of
assets and liabilities included in the Registration Statement have confirmed to the Fund
their status as independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the Rules and
Regulations and the Fund and the Adviser have no reason to believe that they are not
independent public accountants.
(iv) Financial Statements. The statement of assets and liabilities included in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with
the related notes, presents fairly in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles (“GAAP”) in all material respects the financial position of the Fund at the date
indicated and has been prepared in conformity with GAAP. The supporting schedules, if any,
present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The
selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Prospectus
present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent
with that of audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement.
(v) No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse
change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or
business prospects of the Fund, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business
(other than as a result of changes in market conditions generally) (a “Material Adverse
Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Fund, other than those
in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Fund, and (C)
except for regular quarterly dividends on the Common Stock in amounts per share that are
consistent with past practice, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind
declared, paid or made by the Fund on any class of its capital stock.
(vi) Good Standing of the Fund. The Fund has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland and has
the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct
its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations
under this Agreement; and the Fund is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact
business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is
required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of
business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result
in a Material Adverse Effect.
(vii) No Subsidiaries. The Fund has no subsidiaries.
(viii) Investment Company Status. The Fund is duly registered with the
Commission under the 1940 Act as a nondiversified, closed-end management investment company,
and no order of suspension or revocation of such registration has been issued or proceedings
therefor initiated or, to the Fund’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission.
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(ix) Officers and Directors. No person is serving or acting as an officer,
director or investment adviser of the Fund except in accordance with the provisions of the
1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended
(the “Advisers Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
under the Advisers Act (the “Advisers Act Rules and Regulations”). Except as
disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
to the Fund’s knowledge after due inquiry, no director of the Fund is an “Interested Person”
(as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of the Fund or an “Affiliated Person” (as defined in the 0000
Xxx) of the Agent.
(x) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the
Fund was as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as of the date
thereof under the captions “The Company” and “Description of Securities.” All issued and
outstanding Common Stock of the Fund and all issued and outstanding Series I and Series II
Tortoise Auction Rate Preferred Stock of the Fund (the “Preferred Stock”) have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and have been
offered and sold or exchanged by the Fund in compliance with all applicable laws (including,
without limitation, federal and state securities laws). None of the outstanding Common Stock
or Preferred Stock of the Fund was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar
rights of any securityholder of the Fund.
(xi) Authorization and Description of Shares. The Shares have been duly
authorized and reserved for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms
Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Fund pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms
Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable. The Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto
contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms
in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same; and
the issuance of the Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any
securityholder of the Fund.
(xii) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. The Fund is not (i) in violation of
its charter or by-laws, or (ii) in default in the performance or observance of any
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to
which it is a party or by which it may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets
of the Fund is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”) except, with
respect to this clause (ii), for such violations or defaults that would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, any
Terms Agreement, the Alternative Distribution Agreement or any Alternative Terms Agreement,
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, any Terms
Agreement, the Alternative Distribution Agreement or any Alternative Terms Agreement and in
the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Shares and the use of the
proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Fund with its
obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do
not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both,
conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below)
under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any
property or assets of the Fund pursuant to, the Investment Advisory Agreement, between the
Fund and the Adviser, dated February 23, 2004 (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”),
the Custody Agreement, between the Fund and U.S. Bank National Association, dated December
12, 2003 (the “Custody Agreement”), the Stock Transfer Agency Agreement, between the
Fund and Computershare Investor Services, LLC, dated December 12, 2003 (the “Stock
Transfer Agency Agreement”), the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement, between the
Fund and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, dated December 12, 2003, as amended October 24,
2007 (the “Fund Administration Servicing Agreement”) and the Fund Accounting
Servicing Agreement, between the Fund and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, dated September
5, 2006 (the “Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement”, and collectively with the
Investment Advisory Agreement, Custody Agreement, Stock Transfer Agency Agreement and the
Fund Administration Servicing Agreement, the “Fund Agreements”) and the Agreements
and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or
encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action
result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Fund or any
applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any
government,
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government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the
Fund or any of its assets, properties or operations (except for such violations that would
not result in a Material Adverse Effect). As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means
any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of
indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the
repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Fund.
(xiii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or
investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Adviser, threatened, against
or affecting the Fund, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement
(other than as disclosed therein), or which could reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect, or which could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely
affect the properties or assets of the Fund or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Fund of its obligations hereunder.
The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Fund is a party
or of which any of its property or assets is the subject which are not described in the
Registration Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business,
could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiv) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are
required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or the documents
incorporated by reference therein) or to be filed as exhibits thereto by the 1933 Act, the
1940 Act or by the Rules and Regulations which have not been so described and filed as
required.
(xv) Possession of Intellectual Property; Fund Name. The Fund owns or
possesses, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate licenses, copyrights, know-how
(including trade secrets or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks,
service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual
Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by the Fund, and the Fund has
not received any notice or is not otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with
asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or
circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect
the interest of the Fund therein.
(xvi) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization,
approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or
governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Fund of
its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Shares
hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the
Alternative Distribution Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be
required under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the 1934 Act, or under the rules of the New York
Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), or under the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory
Association (“FINRA”) and the NASD Conduct Rules that are included thereunder, or
state securities laws. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Fund represents and warrants
that it has previously filed, in consultation with the Agent, with FINRA all Rule 482
Statements, if any, which are required to be filed with FINRA.
(xvii) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Fund nor any affiliate of the Fund
has taken, nor will the Fund or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which
is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Fund to facilitate the
sale or resale of the Shares.
(xviii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Fund possesses such permits,
licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental
Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory
agencies or bodies necessary to operate its properties and to conduct the business as
contemplated in the Prospectus. The Fund is in compliance with the terms and conditions of
all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or
in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid
and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or
the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not have a
Material Adverse Effect. The Fund has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the
revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses.
(xix) Advertisements. Any advertising, sales literature or other promotional
material (including “prospectus wrappers,” “broker kits,” “road show slides” and “road show
scripts” and “electronic road
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show presentations”) authorized in writing by or prepared by the Fund or the Adviser
used in connection with the public offering of the Shares (collectively, “Sales
Material”) does not contain an 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
light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading. Moreover, all Sales
Material complied and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements
of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Rules and Regulations and the rules and interpretations
of FINRA (except that this representation and warranty does not apply to statements in or
omissions from the Sales Material made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information relating to the Agent furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Agent through
you expressly for use therein), including any requirement to file any Rule 482 Statement.
(xx) Subchapter M. The Fund has not made and will not make an election under
Section 851(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (or any
successor provisions thereto), to be treated as a regulated investment company for federal
income tax purposes.
(xxi) Distribution of Offering Materials. The Fund has not distributed and,
prior to the later of (A) the final Settlement Date hereunder and (B) completion of the
distribution of the Shares, will not, without the prior consent of the Agent, distribute any
offering material to the public in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other
than the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, the Rule 482 Statement, any Sales
Materials and the Prospectus.
(xxii) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Fund maintains a system
of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A)
transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization
and with the applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, the Rules and Regulations, FINRA and
the Code; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain
accountability for assets and to maintain compliance with the books and records requirements
under the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations; (C) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with the management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and
appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Fund has developed and
maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 30a-3 of the
0000 Xxx) that are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the
Fund in the reports that it files or submits under the 1940 Act is recorded, processed,
summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the
Commission, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that
information required to be disclosed by the Fund in the reports that it files or submits
under the 1940 Act is accumulated and communicated to the Fund’s management, including its
principal executive officer or officers and its principal financial officer or officers, as
appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
(xxiii) Absence of Undisclosed Payments. Neither the Fund nor, to the Fund’s
knowledge, any employee or agent of the Fund, has made any payment of funds of the Fund or
received or retained any funds, which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a
character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus and which payment has not been so
disclosed.
(xxiv) Material Agreements. The Fund Agreements, this Agreement, any Terms
Agreement, the Alternative Distribution Agreement and any Alternative Terms Agreement have
each been duly authorized by all requisite action on the part of the Fund and executed and
delivered by the Fund, as of the dates noted therein, and each complies with all applicable
provisions of the 1940 Act in all material respects. Assuming due authorization, execution
and delivery by the other parties thereto with respect to the Fund Agreements, this
Agreement, any Terms Agreement, the Alternative Distribution Agreement and any Alternative
Terms Agreement, each of the Fund Agreements, this Agreement, any Terms Agreement, the
Alternative Distribution Agreement and any Alternative Terms Agreement constitutes a valid
and binding agreement of the Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as
affected by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and
other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and
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an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and except as rights to
indemnification or contribution thereunder may be limited by federal or state laws.
(xxv) Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or
other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration
Statement or otherwise registered by the Fund under the 1933 Act.
(xxvi) NYSE Listing. The Shares have been duly authorized for listing, upon
notice of issuance, on the NYSE and the Fund’s registration statement on Form 8-A under the
1934 Act has become effective.
(xxvii) Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the
Fund required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or
otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments that are
being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The
United States federal income tax returns of the Fund through the fiscal year ended November
30, 2007 have been filed and the United States federal income tax returns of the Fund for
the fiscal year ended November 30, 2008 will be filed by August 15, 2009. To date, no
assessments in connection therewith have been made against the Fund. The Fund has filed all
other tax returns that are required to have been filed by it pursuant to applicable foreign,
state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not
result in a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or
pursuant to any assessment received by the Fund, except for such taxes, if any, as are being
contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The charges,
accruals and reserves on the books of the Fund in respect of any income and corporation tax
liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or
re-assessments for additional tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent
of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. All material taxes
which the Fund is required by law to withhold or to collect for payment have been duly
withheld and collected and have been paid to the appropriate governmental authority or
agency or have been accrued, reserved against and entered on the books of the Fund.
(xxviii) Insurance. The Fund carries or is entitled to the benefits of
insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such
risks as are generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or
similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Fund has no reason
to believe that it will not be able to (A) renew its existing insurance coverage as and when
such policies expire or (B) obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be
necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would
not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxix) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related
data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Fund believes to be reliable and
accurate, and, where necessary, the Fund has obtained written consent to the use of such
data from such sources.
(b) Representation and Warranties by the Adviser. The Adviser represents and warrants
to the Agent that as of the date of this Agreement, each Registration Statement Amendment Date (as
defined in Section 3 below), each Fund Periodic Report Date (as defined in Section 3 below), each
Fund Material Disclosure Date (as defined in Section 3 below), each Request Date (as defined in
Section 3 below), each Applicable Time (as defined above) and each Settlement Date (as defined in
Section 2 below):
(i) Good Standing of the Adviser. The Adviser has been duly organized and is
validly existing and in good standing as a limited liability company under the laws of the
State of Delaware with full power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and
to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
and is duly qualified as a foreign entity to transact business and is in good standing in
each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required except as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse change in the condition,
financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of such
Adviser, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (an “Adviser Material
Adverse Effect”).
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(ii) Investment Adviser Status. The Adviser is duly registered and in good
standing with the Commission as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, and is not
prohibited by the Advisers Act, the 1940 Act, or the rules and regulations under such acts,
from acting under the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Fund as contemplated by the
Prospectus.
(iii) Description of Adviser. The description of the Adviser in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including any
amendment or supplement thereto) complied and will comply in all material respects with the
provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the Rules and Regulations and
the Advisers Act Rules and Regulations and is true and correct and does not and will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(iv) Capitalization. The Adviser has the financial resources available to it
necessary for the performance of its services and obligations as contemplated in the General
Disclosure Package and Prospectus.
(v) Authorization of Fund Agreements; Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. This
Agreement, any Terms Agreement, the Alternative Distribution Agreement, any Alternative
Terms Agreement and the Investment Advisory Agreement have each been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Adviser, and (assuming the due authorization, execution and
delivery of each other party thereto) each such Agreement constitutes a valid and binding
obligation of the Adviser, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as affected by
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar
laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and general equitable principles
(whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) or an implied covenant of good
faith and fair dealing and except as rights to indemnification or contribution thereunder
may be limited by federal or state laws; and neither the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, any Terms Agreement, the Alternative Distribution Agreement, any Alternative
Terms Agreement or the Investment Advisory Agreement, nor the performance by the Adviser of
its obligations hereunder or thereunder will violate the limited liability company operating
agreement and other organizational documents of the Adviser, or conflict with, or result in
a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute, with or without the giving of
notice or lapse of time or both, a default under, (i) any agreement or instrument to which
the Adviser is a party or by which it is bound or (ii) to the Adviser’s knowledge, any law,
order, decree, rule or regulation applicable to it of any jurisdiction, court, federal or
state regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body, stock exchange or
securities association having jurisdiction over the Adviser or its properties or operations
other than any conflict, breach or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect; and no consent,
approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority or agency is
required for the consummation by the Adviser of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, any Terms Agreement or the Investment Advisory Agreement, except as may be
required under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the 1934 Act or state securities laws.
(vi) No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, there has not occurred any event which could reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse effect on the ability of the Adviser to perform its respective obligations
under this Agreement, any Terms Agreement, the Alternative Distribution Agreement, any
Alternative Terms Agreement and the Investment Advisory Agreement.
(vii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or
investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, threatened against or affecting
the Adviser or any “affiliated person” of the Adviser (as such term is defined in the 0000
Xxx) or any partners, directors, officers or employees of the foregoing, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business, which could reasonably be expected to result in
Adviser Material Adverse Effect or, materially and adversely affect the ability of the
Adviser to function as an investment adviser with respect to the Fund or perform its
obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Advisory Agreement, or which is required
to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
8
(viii) Absence of Violation or Default. The Adviser is not (i) in violation of
its limited liability company operating agreement or other organizational documents or (ii)
in default under any agreement, indenture or instrument, except for such defaults that have
not and could not result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer or other authorized
signatory of the Fund or the Adviser and delivered to the Agent or to counsel for the Agent shall
be deemed a representation and warranty by the Fund or the Adviser, as the case may be, to the
Agent as to the matters covered thereby.
Section 2. Sale and Delivery of Shares.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Fund agrees to issue and sell
through the Agent acting as sales agent, or directly to the Agent acting as principal from time to
time pursuant to a Terms Agreement, and the Agent agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts
to sell as sales agent for the Fund, the Shares. Sales of the Shares, if any, through the Agent
acting as sales agent or directly to the Agent acting as principal, will be made by means of
ordinary brokers’ transactions on the NYSE or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of
sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
(b) The Shares are to be sold on a daily basis or otherwise as shall be agreed to by the Fund
and the Agent on any trading day (other than a day on which the NYSE is scheduled to close prior to
its regular weekday closing time, each, a “Trading Day”) that the Fund has satisfied its
obligations under Section 5 of this Agreement and that the Fund has instructed the Agent to make
such sales. On any Trading Day, the Fund may instruct the Agent by telephone (confirmed promptly
by telecopy or email, which confirmation will be promptly acknowledged by the Agent) as to the
maximum number of Shares to be sold by the Agent on such day (in any event not in excess of the
number available for issuance under the Prospectus and the currently effective Registration
Statement) and the minimum price per Share at which such Shares may be sold. Subject to the terms
and conditions hereof, the Agent shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell as sales
agent all of the Shares so designated by the Fund. The Fund and the Agent each acknowledge and
agree that (A) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in selling the Shares,
(B) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Fund or any other person or entity if it
does not sell Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Agent to use its commercially
reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and
regulations to sell such Shares as required by this Agreement, and (C) the Agent shall be under no
obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis except as otherwise specifically agreed by the
Agent and the Fund pursuant to a Terms Agreement. In the event of a conflict between the terms of
this Agreement and the terms of a Terms Agreement, the terms of such Terms Agreement will control.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund shall not authorize the issuance and sale of, and
the Agent as sales agent shall not be obligated to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell,
any Shares (i) at a price lower than the minimum price therefor authorized from time to time, or
(ii) in a number or with an aggregate gross sales price in excess of the number or gross sales
price, as the case may be, of Shares authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this
Agreement, in each case, by the Fund’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof,
or in a number in excess of the number of Shares approved for listing on the NYSE, and in each case
notified to the Agent in writing. In addition, the Fund or the Agent may, upon notice to the other
party hereto by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email, which confirmation will be
promptly acknowledged), suspend the offering of the Shares with respect to which the Agent is
acting as sales agent for any reason and at any time; provided, however, that such
suspension or termination shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with
respect to the Shares sold hereunder prior to the giving of such notice.
(d) The Fund agrees that any offer to sell, any solicitation of an offer to buy, or any sales
of Shares or any other equity security of the Fund shall only be effected by or through only one of
the Agent or the Alternative Agent on any single given day, but in no event by both, and the
Company shall in no event request that the Agent and the Alternative Agent sell Shares on the same
day; provided, however, that (a) the foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) exercise of any
option, warrant, right or any conversion privilege set forth in the instrument governing such
security or (ii) sales solely to employees or security holders of the Fund or its Adviser, or
9
to a trustee or other person acquiring such securities for the accounts of such persons, and
(b) such limitation shall not apply on any day during which no sales are made pursuant to this
Agreement.
(e) The gross sales price of any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement by the Agent acting
as sales agent of the Fund shall be the market price prevailing at the time of sale for shares of
the Fund’s Common Stock sold by the Agent on the NYSE or otherwise, at prices relating to
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The compensation payable to the Agent for sales
of Shares with respect to which the Agent acts as sales agent shall be equal to 3.0% of the gross
sales price of the Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement. The Fund may sell Shares to the Agent
as principal at a price agreed upon at the relevant Applicable Time and pursuant to a separate
Terms Agreement. The remaining proceeds, after further deduction for any transaction fees, transfer
taxes or similar taxes or fees imposed by any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory
organization in respect of such sales, shall constitute the net proceeds to the Fund for such
Shares (the “Net Proceeds”). The Agent shall notify the Fund as promptly as practicable if
any deduction referenced in the preceding sentence will be required. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
in the event the Fund engages the Agent for a sale of Shares for which the Agent engages in special
selling efforts, as that term is used in Regulation M under the 1934 Act, the Fund and the Agent
will agree to compensation that is customary for the Agent with respect to such transactions.
(f) If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Agent shall provide written confirmation to the
Fund following the close of trading on the NYSE each day in which Shares are sold under this
Agreement setting forth the number of Shares sold on such day, the aggregate gross sales proceeds
of the Shares, the aggregate Net Proceeds to the Fund and the aggregate compensation payable by the
Fund to the Agent with respect to such sales.
(g) Under no circumstances shall the aggregate gross sales price or number, as the case may
be, of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement, any Terms Agreement, the Alternative Distribution
Agreement, and any Alternative Terms Agreement exceed the aggregate gross sales price or number, as
the case may be, of Shares of Common Stock (i) set forth in the preamble paragraph of this
Agreement as the Maximum Amount, (ii) available for issuance under the Prospectus and the then
currently effective Registration Statement or (iii) authorized from time to time to be issued and
sold under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement by the Fund’s board of directors, or a duly
authorized committee thereof or approved for listing on the NYSE and, in each case referred to in
this clause (iii), notified to the Agent in writing. In addition, under no circumstances shall any
Shares with respect to which the Agent acts as sales agent be sold at a price lower than the
minimum price therefor authorized from time to time by the Fund’s board of directors, or a duly
authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Agent in writing.
(h) If either party believes that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of
Regulation M under the 1934 Act (applicable to securities with an average daily trading volume of
$1,000,000 that are issued by an issuer whose common equity securities have a public float value of
at least $150,000,000) are not satisfied with respect to the Fund or the Shares, it shall promptly
notify the other party and sales of Shares under this Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be
suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of each
party.
(i) Settlement for sales of Shares pursuant to this Section 2 will occur on the third business
day that is also a Trading Day following the trade date on which such sales are made, unless
another date shall be agreed to by the Fund and the Agent (each such day, a “Settlement
Date”). On each Settlement Date, the Shares sold through the Agent for settlement on such date
shall be delivered by the Fund to the Agent against payment of the Net Proceeds from the sale of
such Shares. Settlement for all Shares shall be effected by book-entry delivery of Shares to the
Agent’s account at The Depository Trust Company against payments by the Agent of the Net Proceeds
from the sale of such Shares in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Fund. If
the Fund shall default on its obligation to deliver Shares on any Settlement Date, the Fund shall
(i) indemnify and hold the Agent selling such Shares harmless against any loss, claim or damage
arising from or as a result of such default by the Fund and (ii) pay the Agent any commission to
which it would otherwise be entitled absent such default. If the Agent breaches this Agreement by
failing to deliver the applicable Net Proceeds on any Settlement Date for Shares delivered by the
Fund, the Agent will pay the Fund interest based on the effective overnight federal funds rate
until such proceeds, together with such interest, have been fully paid.
10
(j) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Fund shall not offer, sell or
deliver, or request the offer or sale of, any Shares and, by notice to the Agent given by telephone
(confirmed promptly by telecopy or email), shall cancel any instructions for the offer or sale of
any Shares, and the Agent shall not be obligated to offer or sell any Shares, (i) during any period
in which the Fund’s xxxxxxx xxxxxxx policy, as it exists on the date of this Agreement, would
prohibit the purchases or sales of the Fund’s Common Stock by its officers or directors, (ii)
during any other period in which the Fund is, or could be deemed to be, in possession of material
non-public information and (iii) if the instructions for the offer or sale of any Shares are not
pre-cleared by the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer or a designee of the Chief Compliance Officer.
(k) At each Applicable Time, Settlement Date, Registration Amendment Date and each Fund
Periodic Report Date, Fund Material Disclosure Date and Request Date, the Fund shall be deemed to
have affirmed each representation and warranty contained in this Agreement. Any obligation of the
Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Shares on behalf of the Fund as sales
agent shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Fund
herein, to the performance by the Fund of its obligations hereunder and to the continuing
satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in Section 5 of this Agreement.
Section 3. Covenants. The Fund and the Adviser agree with the Agent:
(a) During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the
offering or sale of Shares, (i) to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus prior to any Settlement Date which shall be disapproved by the Agent
promptly after reasonable notice thereof and to advise the Agent, promptly after it receives notice
thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes
effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Agent
with copies thereof, (ii) to file promptly all material required to be filed with the Commission
pursuant to the 1940 Act and the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1940 Act and the
Rules and Regulations and the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder,
respectively, (iii) to advise the Agent, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance
by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the
Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Shares, of any notice of objection of the
Commission to the use of the form of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the
qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or
threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the
amending or supplementing of the form of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for
additional information, and (iv) in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such
order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus in respect of the Shares or suspending any
such qualification, to promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of
such order; and in the event of any such issuance of a notice of objection, promptly to take such
reasonable steps as may be necessary to permit offers and sales of the Shares by the Agent, which
may include, without limitation, amending the Registration Statement or filing a new registration
statement, at the Fund’s expense (references herein to the Registration Statement shall include any
such amendment or new registration statement). The Fund will promptly effect the necessary
post-effective amendment and the filings required pursuant to Rule 497 and will take such steps as
it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing
under Rule 497 was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will
promptly file such prospectus.
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Agent may reasonably request to
qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such U.S. jurisdictions as
the Agent may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and
dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the sale of the
Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Fund shall not be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction; and to
promptly advise the Agent of the receipt by the Fund of any notification with respect to the
suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer or sale in any jurisdiction or the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.
(c) During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the
offering or sale of Shares, the Fund will make available to the Agent, as soon as practicable after
the execution of this
11
Agreement, and thereafter from time to time furnish to the Agent, copies of the most recent
Prospectus in such quantities and at such locations as the Agent may reasonably request for the
purposes contemplated by the 1933 Act. During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is
required in connection with the offering or sale of Shares, and if at such time any event shall
have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such
Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during
such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus, to notify the Agent and to file such
document and to prepare and furnish without charge to the Agent as many written and electronic
copies as the Agent may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a
supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such
compliance.
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any
event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as
defined in Rule 158(c) under the 1933 Act), an earnings statement of the Fund complying with
Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
(including, at the option of the Fund, Rule 158).
(e) To pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Shares within the time required
under the 1933 Act.
(f) To use the Net Proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this
Agreement and any Terms Agreement in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(g) In connection with the offering and sale of the Shares, the Fund will file with the NYSE
all documents and notices, and make all certifications, required by the NYSE of companies that have
securities that are listed on the NYSE and will maintain such listing.
(h) To not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that
has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the 1934 Act or otherwise, the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Fund to facilitate the sale or
resale of the Shares.
(i) At each Applicable Time, each Settlement Date, each Registration Statement Amendment Date
(as defined below), each Fund Material Disclosure Date (as defined below), each Request Date, each
Fund Periodic Report Date (as defined below) and each date on which Shares are delivered to the
Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Fund shall be deemed to have affirmed each representation,
warranty, covenant and other agreement contained in this Agreement or any Terms Agreement. The
Fund shall set forth in each Annual Report on Form N-CSR, Semiannual Report on Form N-CSRS or
Quarterly Report on Form N-30B-2 filed by the Fund with the Commission in respect of any quarter in
which sales of Shares were made by or through the Agent under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement
(each date on which any such document is filed, and any date on which an amendment to any such
document is filed, a “Fund Periodic Report Date”), with regard to the relevant period, the
number of Shares sold through the Agent under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, the Net
Proceeds received by the Fund and the compensation paid by the Fund to the Agent with respect to
sales of Shares pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement.
(j) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement and each time the Shares
are delivered to the Agent as principal on a Settlement Date and promptly after each (i) date the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than (1) by an
amendment or supplement providing solely for the determination of the terms of the Shares, (2) in
connection with the filing of a prospectus supplement that contains solely the information set
forth in Section 3(r) or (3) by a prospectus supplement relating to the offering of other
securities (including, without limitation, other shares of Common Stock)) (each such date, a
“Registration Statement Amendment Date”), (ii) date on which an announcement shall be made
by the Fund in respect of a public disclosure or material non-public information regarding the
Fund’s results of operations or financial condition or the declaration of dividends for a completed
quarterly or annual fiscal period (a “Fund
12
Material Disclosure Date”) and (iii) Fund Periodic Report Date, and promptly after each
reasonable request by the Agent (each date of any such request by the Agent, a “Request
Date”) (each of the date of the commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement,
each such Settlement Date and each Registration Statement Amendment Date, Fund Material Disclosure
Date, Fund Periodic Report Date and Request Date is hereinafter called a “Representation
Date”), the Fund will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agent (with a copy to counsel
to the Agent) a certificate the date of delivery thereof to the Agent (or, in the case of an
amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the date of the
effectiveness of such amendment to the Registration Statement or the date of filing with the
Commission of such supplement), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its
counsel, to the effect that the statements contained in the certificate referred to in Section 5(e)
of this Agreement which was last furnished to the Agent are true and correct as of the date of such
certificate as though made at and as of the date of such certificate (except that such statements
shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure
Package as amended and supplemented to the date of such certificate) or, in lieu of such
certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificate referred to in Section 5(e), but
modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General
Disclosure Package as amended and supplemented to the date of such certificate. As used in this
paragraph, to the extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the applicable
Representation Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable
Time.
(k) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement and each time the Shares
are delivered to the Agent as principal on a Settlement Date, and promptly after each other
Registration Statement Amendment Date, each Fund Periodic Report Date and each Request Date, the
Fund will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agent (with a copy to counsel to the Agent) the
written opinion and letter of each counsel to the Fund (who shall be reasonably acceptable to the
Agent), dated the date of delivery thereof to the Agent (or, in the case of an amendment or
supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the date of the effectiveness of such
amendment to the Registration Statement or the date of filing with the Commission of such
supplement), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, of the
same tenor as the opinions and letters referred to in Section 5(c) of this Agreement, but modified
as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure
Package as amended and supplemented to the date of such opinion and letter or, in lieu of any such
opinion and letter, counsel last furnishing such opinion and letter to the Agent shall furnish the
Agent (with a copy to counsel for the Agent) with a letter substantially to the effect that the
Agent may rely on such counsel’s last opinion and letter to the same extent as though each were
dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that statements in such last opinion and
letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General
Disclosure Package as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter authorizing reliance). As
used in this paragraph, to the extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the
applicable Representation Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding
Applicable Time.
(l) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, and at the time Shares
are delivered to the Agent as principal on a Settlement Date, and promptly after each other
Registration Statement Amendment Date, each Fund Periodic Report Date and each Request Date, the
Fund will cause Ernst & Young LLP, or other independent accountants reasonably satisfactory to the
Agent, to furnish to the Agent a letter, dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment or the
date of filing of such supplement or other document with the Commission, as the case may be, in
form reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, of the same tenor as the letter referred
to in Section 5(d) hereof, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented, or to the document
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, to the date of such letter. As used in this
paragraph, to the extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the applicable
Representation Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable
Time.
(m) The Fund consents to the Agent trading in the Fund’s Common Stock for the Agent’s own
account and for the account of its clients at the same time as sales of Shares occur pursuant to
this Agreement or Any Terms Agreement.
13
(n) If, to the knowledge of the Fund, all filings required by Rule 497 in connection with this
offering shall not have been made or the representations in Section 1(a)(i) shall not be true and
correct on the applicable Settlement Date, the Fund will offer to any person who has agreed to
purchase Shares from the Fund as the result of an offer to purchase solicited by the Agent the
right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Shares.
(o) The Fund will cooperate timely with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the
Agent or its counsel from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or
in any Terms Agreement, including, without limitation, upon reasonable notice providing information
and making available documents and appropriate corporate officers, during regular business hours
and at the Fund’s principal offices, as the Agent may reasonably request.
(p) The Fund will not, without (i) giving the Agent at least five business days’ prior written
notice specifying the nature of the proposed sale and the date of such proposed sale and (ii) the
Agent suspending activity under this program for such period of time as requested by the Fund or as
deemed appropriate by the Agent in light of the proposed sale, (A) offer, pledge, announce the
intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any
option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, lend or otherwise
transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with Common Stock, or file any
registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (B) enter into
any swap or other agreement or any transaction that transfers in whole or in part, directly or
indirectly, any of the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, or any securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with Common Stock, whether any
such swap or transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by delivery of
Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply
to (x) the Shares to be offered and sold through the Agent pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms
Agreement, (y) Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan as it may be
amended or replaced from time to time and (z) equity incentive awards approved by the board of
directors of the Fund or the compensation committee thereof or the issuance of Common Stock upon
exercise thereof.
(q) The Fund represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Agent, it
will not use any Sales Materials in connection with any public offering of any Shares.
(r) As promptly as practicable after the close of each of the Fund’s fiscal quarters, to
prepare a Prospectus Supplement, which will set forth the number of Shares sold by the Fund
pursuant to this Agreement, the net proceeds to the Fund and the compensation paid by the Fund to
the Agent in a form previously approved by the Agent with respect to such sales and to file such
Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933 Act (and within the time periods required
by Rule 497 and Rules 430A, 430B or 430C under the 0000 Xxx); to provide copies of the Prospectus
and such Prospectus Supplement and any Sales Materials (to the extent not previously delivered or
filed on XXXXX) to the Agent via e-mail in “.pdf” format on such filing date to an e-mail account
designated by the Agent; and, at the Agent ’s request, to furnish copies of the Prospectus and such
Prospectus Supplement to each exchange or market on which sales were effected as may be required by
the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.
Section 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) The Fund will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this
Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement
(including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto,
(ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Agent of this Agreement and such other documents
as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the
Shares, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Shares to the
Agent, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the
sale, issuance or delivery of the Shares to the Agent, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the
Fund’s counsel, accountants and other advisers, (v) the printing and delivery to the Agent of
copies of the Basic Prospectus, any Rule 482 Statement and of the Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by
the Agent to investors, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent
14
or registrar for the Shares, (vii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel to the Agent in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the
sale of the Shares, (viii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the
Shares on the NYSE and (ix) the printing of any Sales Material.
(b) If either (i) an aggregate of 500,000 Shares or (ii) a lesser number of Shares having an
aggregate offering price of $10 million have not been offered and sold under this Agreement and the
Alternative Distribution Agreement by July 20, 2010 (or such earlier date on which the Fund
terminates this Agreement), the Fund shall reimburse the Agent and the Alternative Agent for all of
their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of a
single counsel for the Agent and the Alternative Agent incurred by them in connection with the
offering contemplated by this Agreement, provided that such reimbursement shall be made to the
Agent and the Alternative Agent in proportion to the out-of-pocket expenses paid by each of them,
and shall not exceed $200,000 in the aggregate.
Section 5. Conditions of the Agent’s Obligation. The obligations of the Agent
hereunder shall be subject, in its discretion, to the condition that all representations and
warranties and other statements of the Fund and the Adviser herein or in certificates of any
officer of the Fund and the Adviser delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof are true and
correct as of the time of the execution of this Agreement, the date of any executed Terms Agreement
and as of each Representation Date, Applicable Time and Settlement Date, to the condition that the
Fund and the Adviser shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be
performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement, including any post-effective amendment thereto, has become
effective and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have
been issued under the 1933 Act, no notice or order pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1940 Act shall
have been issued, and no proceedings with respect to either shall have been initiated or, to the
Fund’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for
additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to
the Agent. A Prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the
Commission in accordance with Rule 497 (or a post-effective amendment providing such information
shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A).
(b) On every date specified in Section 3(k) hereof (including, without limitation, on every
Request Date), Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Agent, shall have furnished to
the Agent such written opinion or opinions, dated as of such date, with respect to such matters as
the Agent may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information
as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(c) On every date specified in Section 3(k) hereof (including, without limitation, on every
Request Date), Husch Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Fund and the Adviser, shall have
furnished to the Agent written opinion or opinions, dated as of such date, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Agent. As to matters of Maryland law, Husch Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP may rely on
the opinion of Xxxxxxx LLP.
(d) On every date specified in Section 3(l) hereof (including, without limitation, on every
Request Date), the independent accountants of the Fund who have certified the financial statements
of the Fund included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus shall have furnished to the Agent a letter dated as of the
date of delivery thereof and addressed to the Agent in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to the Agent and its counsel, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included
in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements of the
Fund or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus.
(e) (i) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement and on such other
dates as reasonably requested by the Agent, the Fund will furnish or cause to be furnished promptly
to the Agent a certificate of an officer in a form satisfactory to the Agent stating the minimum
gross sales price per share for the sale of such Shares pursuant to this Agreement and the maximum
number of Shares that may be issued and sold
15
pursuant to this Agreement or, alternatively, maximum gross proceeds from such sales, as authorized
from time to time by the Fund’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, and the
number of Shares that have been approved for listing on the NYSE or, in connection with any
amendment, revision or modification of such minimum price or maximum Share number or amount, a new
certificate with respect thereto and (ii) on each date specified in Section 3(j) (including,
without limitation, on every Request Date), the Agent shall have received a certificate of a duly
authorized officer of the Fund and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Fund
and of the President or a Vice President or Managing Director of the Adviser, dated as of the date
thereof, to the effect that (A) there has been no Material Adverse Effect since the date as of
which information is given in the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, (B) the
representations and warranties in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of such date, (C) the
Fund or the Advisor, as applicable, has complied with all of the agreements entered into in
connection with the transaction contemplated herein and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied and (D) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, or order of suspension or revocation of registration pursuant to Section 8(e) of the
1940 Act, has been issued and no proceedings for any such purpose have been instituted or are
pending or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Adviser, contemplated by the Commission.
(f) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements then included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package, no
Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred.
(g) The Fund shall have complied with the provisions of Section 3(c) hereof with respect to
the timely furnishing of prospectuses.
(h) On such dates as reasonably requested by the Agent, the Fund and the Adviser shall have
conducted due diligence sessions, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.
(i) All filings with the Commission required by Rule 497 under the 1933 Act to have been filed
by each Applicable Time or related Settlement Date shall have been made within the applicable time
period prescribed for such filing by Rule 497.
(j) The Shares shall have received approval for listing on the NYSE prior to the first
Settlement Date.
(k) Counsel for the Agent shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they
may require in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the
fulfillment of any of the conditions, contained herein or in any applicable Terms Agreement; and
all proceedings taken by the Fund in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares as
contemplated herein or in any applicable Terms Agreement and in connection with the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any such Terms Agreement shall be reasonably
satisfactory in form and substance to the Agent and counsel for the Agent.
Section 6. Indemnification.
(a) The Fund and the Adviser agree, jointly and severally, to indemnify and hold harmless the
Agent and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933
Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and any director, officer, employee or affiliate thereof, as
follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as
incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A
Information or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in the Basic
Prospectus, any Rule 482 Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading;
16
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as
incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the Fund; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and
disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agent), reasonably incurred in investigating,
preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any
such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the
extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above; provided, however, that
this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to
the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or
omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Fund or the Adviser by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or the Basic Prospectus, any Rule
482 Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(b) The Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and the Adviser, their respective
directors, each of the Fund’s officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if
any, who controls the Fund or the Adviser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described
in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to
untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information, or the Basic Prospectus
or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Fund or the Adviser by the Agent expressly for use in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus (or
any amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) In addition to the foregoing indemnification, the Fund and the Adviser also agree, jointly
and severally, to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent and each person, if any, who controls the
Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and any
director, officer, employee or affiliate thereof, against any and all loss, liability, claim,
damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 6(a), as limited by the proviso
set forth therein, with respect to any Sales Material in the form approved by the Fund, the Adviser
and the Agent for use by the Agent and securities firms to whom the Fund or the Adviser shall have
disseminated materials in connection with the public offering of the Shares.
(d) Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each
indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought
hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party
from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and
in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of
this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above,
counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Agent, and, in the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by
the Fund and the Adviser. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense
of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except
with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event
shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in
addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in
connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction
arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without
the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry
of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which
indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether
or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless
17
such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or
claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a
failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(e) If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to
reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees
that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected
without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt
by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have
received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being
entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in
accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(f) Any indemnification by the Fund shall be subject to the requirements and limitations of
Section 17(i) of the 1940 Act and 1940 Act Release 11330.
Section 7. Contribution.
If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims,
damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the
aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such
indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand and the Agent on the other hand from
the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement 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) above but also the relative fault of the Fund and
the Adviser on the one hand and of the Agent on the other hand in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand and the Agent on
the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the
Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Fund bear to the
total commissions received by the Agent (whether from the Fund or otherwise).
The relative fault of the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand and the Agent on the other hand
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Fund or the Adviser or by the Agent and the parties’ relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Fund, the Adviser and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other
method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above
in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating,
preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, the Agent shall not be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares sold by
it to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Agent has
otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent
18
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and any director, officer, employee or
affiliate thereof, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Agent, and each director of
the Fund and each director of the Adviser, respectively, each officer of the Fund who signed the
Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Fund or the Adviser, within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Fund and the Adviser, respectively.
Any contribution by the Fund shall be subject to the requirements and limitations of Section
17(i) of the 1940 Act and 1940 Act Release 11330.
Section 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The
respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Fund,
the Adviser and the Agent, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them,
respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of the Agent or any
controlling person of the Agent, or the Fund, or any officer or director or controlling person of
the Fund, or the Adviser, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Adviser, and
shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
Section 9. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Fund and the Adviser
acknowledge and agree that (i) the Agent is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length
contractual counterparty to the Fund and the Adviser with respect to the offering of Shares
contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of such offering) and (ii)
the Agent has not assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Fund and the
Adviser with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto
(irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or is currently advising the Fund and the Adviser on
other matters) or any other obligation to the Fund and the Adviser except the obligations expressly
set forth in this Agreement and (iii) the Fund has consulted its own legal and financial advisors
to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Fund agrees that it will not claim that the Agent has
rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the
Fund and the Fund, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
Section 10. Termination.
(a) The Fund shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to
terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time. Any such termination shall be without
liability of any party to any other party, except that (i) with respect to any pending sale through
the Agent for the Fund or with respect to any pending sale to the Agent pursuant to a Term
Agreement or any offering or resale of any Shares purchased or to be purchased by the Agent
pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the obligations of the Fund, including in respect of compensation of
the Agent, shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination; and (ii) the
provisions of Section 1, Section 4(b), Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(b) The Agent shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to
terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time. Any such termination shall be without
liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 1, Section 4(b),
Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding such termination.
(c) This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until and unless terminated pursuant
to Section 10(a) or (b) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided
that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section
1, Section 4(b), Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force
and effect.
19
(d) Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice
of termination; provided that such termination shall not be effective until the close of
business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Agent or the Fund, as the case may be. If
such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall
settle in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(h) hereof.
(e) In the case of any purchase by the Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Agent may
terminate the Agreement, by notice to the Fund, at any time at or prior to the Settlement Date (i)
if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as
of which information is given in the Prospectus or General Disclosure Package, any Material Adverse
Effect or Adviser Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse
change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any
material outbreak of hostilities or material escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any
change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political,
financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the
judgment of the Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts
for the sale of the Shares, or (iii) if trading in the Common Stock of the Fund has been suspended
or materially limited by the Commission or the NYSE, or if trading generally on the American Stock
Exchange or the NYSE or Nasdaq has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum
prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said
exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or (iv) a material disruption has occurred in
commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, or (v) if a
banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or Kansas authorities.
Section 11. Notices. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder
shall be in writing, and if to the Agent shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile
transmission to:
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000 0000
Attention: Syndicate Department
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000 0000
Attention: Syndicate Department
with a copy to:
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000 0000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000 0000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxx
and if to the Fund to:
Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corporation
00000 Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx 00000
Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corporation
00000 Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx 00000
Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
Section 12. Parties. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the
benefit of, the Agent, the Fund, the Adviser and, to the extent provided in Sections 6, 7 and 8
hereof, the officers and directors of the Fund, the Agent, the Adviser and each person who controls
the Fund, the Agent or the Adviser, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators,
successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of
this Agreement. No purchaser of Shares through the Agent shall be deemed a successor or assign by
reason merely of such purchase.
20
It is expressly understood and acknowledged that the Agent and the Alternative Agent are not
and shall not be deemed for any purpose to be acting as an agent, joint venturer or partner of one
another and that neither the Agent nor the Alternative Agent assumes responsibility or liability,
express or implied, for any actions or omissions of, or the performance of services by, the other
party in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or the Alternative
Distribution Agreement, or otherwise. The obligations of the Agent hereunder and the Alternative
Agent under the Alternative Distribution Agreement shall be several, and not joint.
Section 13. Time of the Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As
used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington,
D.C. is open for business.
Section 14. Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. No proceeding related
to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement or any transactions contemplated hereby or thereby may be
commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York
located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York, which courts shall have jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters,
and the Fund consents to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto.
The Fund and the Adviser waive all right to trial by jury in any proceeding (whether based upon
contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any Terms
Agreement. The Fund and the Adviser agree that a final judgment in any such proceeding brought in
any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Fund and the Adviser and may be enforced in
any other courts to whose jurisdiction the Fund or the Adviser are or may be subject, by suit upon
such judgment.
Section 15. Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS
OF LAW.
Section 16. Counterparts. This Agreement and any Terms 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 to be an original, but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute
one and the same instrument. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be delivered by any party
by facsimile or other electronic transmission.
Section 17. Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section,
paragraph or provision of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement shall not affect the validity or
enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof or thereof, as the case may be.
If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement is for any reason
determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and
only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
21
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and
return to the Fund a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts,
will become a binding agreement between the Agent and the Fund in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corporation |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
Tortoise Capital Advisors, LLC |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated
By:
|
||||
Name: | ||||
Title: |
22
Schedule A
None
23
Schedule B
None
24
Annex 1
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Fund”), and
the Fund’s investment adviser, Tortoise Capital Advisors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(the “Adviser”), each confirm their agreement, subject to the terms and conditions stated
herein and in the ATM Equity Offering Sales Agreement, dated July 20, 2009 (the “Sales
Agreement”), between the Fund, the Adviser and Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated (the
“Agent”), to issue and sell to the Agent the securities specified in the Schedule hereto (the
“Purchased Securities”) [, and solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, to grant
to the Agent the option to purchase the additional securities specified in the Schedule hereto (the
“Additional Securities”)]*. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined have the
respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Sales Agreement.
[The Agent shall have the right to purchase from the Fund all or a portion of the Additional
Securities as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the
Purchased Securities, at the same purchase price per share to be paid by the Agent to the Fund for
the Purchased Securities; provided that the purchase price payable by the Agent for any Additional
Securities shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions paid or
payable by the Fund on the Purchased Securities but not payable on such Additional Securities.
This option may be exercised by the Agent at any time (but not more than once) on or before the
thirtieth day following the date hereof, by written notice to the Fund. Such notice shall set forth
the aggregate number of shares of Additional Securities as to which the option is being exercised,
and the date and time when the Additional Securities are to be delivered (such date and time being
herein referred to as the “Option Closing Date”); provided, however, that the Option
Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Time of Delivery (as set forth in the Schedule hereto)
nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the option shall have been
exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been
exercised. Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Securities shall be made at the Option
Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Purchased
Securities.]*
Each of the provisions of the Sales Agreement not specifically related to the solicitation by
the Agent, as agent of the Fund, of offers to purchase securities is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same
extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein. Each of the representations and
warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Terms
Agreement [and] [,] the Applicable Time [and any Option Closing Date]*, except that each
representation and warranty in Section 1 of the Sales Agreement which makes reference to the
Prospectus (as therein defined) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty as of the date
of the Sales Agreement in relation to the Prospectus, and also a representation and warranty as of
the date of this Terms Agreement [and] [,] the Settlement Date [and any Option Closing Date]* in
relation to the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to relate to the Purchased Securities.
25
An amendment to the Registration Statement (as defined in the Sales Agreement), or a
supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Securities [and the
Additional Securities]*, in the form heretofore delivered to the Agent is now proposed to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Sales Agreement which are
incorporated herein by reference, the Fund agrees to issue and sell to the Agent and the latter
agrees to purchase from the Fund the number of shares of the Purchased Securities at the time and
place and at the purchase price set forth in the Schedule hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and
return to the Fund a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts,
will become a binding agreement between the Agents, the Fund and the Adviser in accordance with its
terms.
THIS TERMS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK.
Very truly yours, Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corporation |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
Tortoise Capital Advisors, LLC |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated
By:
|
||||
Name: Title: |
* Include only if the Agent has an over-allotment option.
26