THE HAIN CELESTIAL GROUP, INC. 5,295,957 Shares Common Stock ($.01 par value per Share) UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
EXECUTION COPY
THE HAIN CELESTIAL GROUP, INC.
5,295,957 Shares
Common Stock
($.01 par value per Share)
December 19, 2005
December 19, 2005
UBS Securities LLC
Banc of America Securities LLC
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
as Managing Underwriters
c/o UBS Securities LLC
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
HJH One, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (the “Selling Stockholder”), proposes to sell to the underwriters named in Schedule A annexed hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives, an aggregate of 5,295,957 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of common stock, $.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). In addition, solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, the Selling Stockholder proposes to grant to the Underwriters the option to purchase from the Selling Stockholder up to an additional 794,394 shares of Common Stock (the “Additional Shares”). The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The Shares are described in the Prospectus which is referred to below.
The Company has prepared and filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-130090) under the Act (the “registration statement”). Amendments to such registration statement, if necessary or appropriate, have been similarly prepared and filed with the Commission in accordance with the Act. Such registration statement, as so amended, has become effective under the Act.
Except where the context otherwise requires, “Registration Statement,” as used herein, means the registration statement, as amended at the time of such registration statement’s effectiveness for purposes of Section 11 of the Act, as such section applies to the respective Underwriters (the “Effective Time”), including (i) all documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, (ii) any information contained or incorporated by reference in a prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, to the extent such information is deemed, pursuant to Rule 430B or Rule 430C under the Act, to be part of the registration statement at the Effective Time, and (iii) any registration statement filed to register the offer and sale of Shares pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act.
The Company has furnished to you, for use by the Underwriters and by dealers in connection with the offering of the Shares, copies of one or more preliminary prospectus supplements, and the documents incorporated by reference therein, relating to the Shares. “Pre-
Pricing Prospectus,” as used herein, means each such preliminary prospectus supplement, in the form so furnished, including any basic prospectus (whether or not in preliminary form) furnished to you by the Company and attached to or used with such preliminary prospectus supplement. “Basic Prospectus,” as used herein, means any such basic prospectus and any basic prospectus furnished to you by the Company and attached to or used with the Prospectus Supplement (as defined below).
“Prospectus Supplement,” as used herein, means the final prospectus supplement, relating to the Shares, filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act on or before the second business day after the date hereof (or such earlier time as may be required under the Act), in the form furnished by the Company to you for use by the Underwriters and by dealers in connection with the offering of the Shares.
“Prospectus,” as used herein, means the Prospectus Supplement together with the Basic Prospectus attached to or used with the Prospectus Supplement.
“Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses,” as used herein, means the documents listed on Schedule B attached hereto and each “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Act), if any, related to the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby that is a “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) (each such road show, a “Road Show”).
“Disclosure Package,” as used herein, means any Pre-Pricing Prospectus or Basic Prospectus, in either case together with any combination of one or more of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and a schedule as set forth in Schedule C indicating certain terms of the offering.
Any reference herein to the registration statement, the Registration Statement, any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference, or deemed to be incorporated by reference, therein (the “Incorporated Documents”), including, unless the context otherwise requires, the documents, if any, filed as exhibits to such Incorporated Documents. Any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) on or after the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, or the date of such Basic Prospectus, such Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, and deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.
As used in this Agreement, “business day” shall mean a day on which the Nasdaq National Market (the “NASDAQ”) is open for trading. The terms “herein,” “hereof,” “hereto,” “hereinafter” and similar terms, as used in this Agreement, shall in each case refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section, paragraph, sentence or other subdivision of this Agreement. The term “or,” as used herein, is not exclusive.
The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters agree as follows:
1. Sale and Purchase. Upon the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Selling Stockholder agrees to sell to the respective Underwriters and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Selling Stockholder, the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A annexed hereto, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 11 hereof, at a purchase price of $19.068 per Share. The Selling Stockholder is advised by you that the Underwriters intend (i) to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Firm Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in your judgment is advisable and (ii) initially to offer the Firm Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus. You may from time to time increase or decrease the public offering price after the initial public offering to such extent as you may determine, as permitted by law.
In addition, the Selling Stockholder hereby grants to the several Underwriters the option (the “Over-Allotment Option”) to purchase, and upon the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Selling Stockholder, ratably in accordance with the number of Firm Shares to be purchased by each of them, all or a portion of the Additional Shares as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares, at the same purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters to the Selling Stockholder for the Firm Shares. The Over-Allotment Option may be exercised by the Managing Underwriters on behalf of the several Underwriters at any time and from time to time on or before the thirtieth day following the date hereof, by written notice to the Selling Stockholder (with a copy to the Company). Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Additional Shares as to which the Over-Allotment Option is being exercised and the date and time when the Additional Shares are to be delivered (any such date and time being herein referred to as an “additional time of purchase”); provided, however, that no additional time of purchase shall be earlier than the time of purchase (as defined below) nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the Over-Allotment Option shall have been exercised nor later than the tenth business day after the date on which the Over-Allotment Option shall have been exercised. The number of Additional Shares to be sold to each Underwriter shall be the number which bears the same proportion to the aggregate number of Additional Shares being purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule A hereto bears to the total number of Firm Shares (subject, in each case, to such adjustment as the Managing Underwriters may determine to eliminate fractional shares), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 11 hereof.
2. Payment and Delivery. Payment of the purchase price for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Selling Stockholder by Federal Funds wire transfer against delivery of the certificates for the Firm Shares to you through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for the respective accounts of the Underwriters. Such payment and delivery shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on December 23, 2005 (unless another time shall be agreed to by you, the Company and the Selling Stockholder or unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 hereof). The time at which such payment and delivery are to
be made is hereinafter sometimes called the “time of purchase.” Electronic transfer of the Firm Shares shall be made to you at the time of purchase in such names and in such denominations as you shall specify.
Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Shares shall be made at the additional time of purchase in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Firm Shares. Electronic transfer of the Additional Shares shall be made to you at the additional time of purchase in such names and in such denominations as you shall specify.
Deliveries of the documents described in Section 9 hereof with respect to the purchase of the Shares shall be made at the offices of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx at 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, at 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date of the closing of the purchase of the Firm Shares or the Additional Shares, as the case may be.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:
(a) the Registration Statement has heretofore become effective under the Act or, with respect to any registration statement to be filed to register the offer and sale of Shares pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act, will be filed with the Commission and become effective under the Act no later than 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of determination of the public offering price for the Shares; to the Company’s knowledge, no stop order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, or the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are contemplated by the Commission;
(b) the Registration Statement complied when it became effective, complies as of the date hereof and, as amended or supplemented, at the time of purchase, each additional time of purchase, if any, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares, will comply, in each case, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act; the conditions to the use of Form S-3 in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby have been satisfied; the Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby complies with, the requirements of Rule 415 under the Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415(a)(5)); the Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Time, 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; each Pre-Pricing Prospectus complied, at the time it was filed with the Commission, and complies as of the date hereof, in each case, in all material respects with the requirements of the Act; at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of such Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the date such Pre-Pricing Prospectus was filed with the Commission and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and at no time during such period did or will any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, together with any combination of one or more of the then issued Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; each Basic Prospectus complied or will comply, at the time it was or will be filed with the Commission, complies as of the date hereof (if filed with the Commission on or prior to the date hereof) and, at the time of purchase, each additional time of purchase, if any, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares, will comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act; at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of such Basic Prospectus and the date such Basic Prospectus was filed with the Commission and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Basic Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and at no time during such period did or will any Basic Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, together with any combination of one or more of the then issued Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; each of the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus will comply, as of the date that it is filed with the Commission, the date of the Prospectus Supplement, the time of purchase, each additional time of purchase, if any, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act (in the case of the Prospectus, including, without limitation, Section 10(a) of the Act); at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of the Prospectus Supplement and the date the Prospectus Supplement is filed with the Commission and ends at the later of the time of purchase, the latest additional time of purchase, if any, and the end of the period during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares did or will any Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; at no time during the period that begins on the date of such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statement contained in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in reliance
upon and in conformity with information concerning an Underwriter and furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus; each Incorporated Document, at the time such document was filed with the Commission or at the time such document became effective, as applicable, complied, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Exchange Act and did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(c) prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) or used any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, in each case other than the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any; the Company has not, directly or indirectly, prepared, used or referred to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus except in compliance with Rules 164 and 433 under the Act; assuming that such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus is so sent or given after the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission (and after such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus was, if required pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, filed with the Commission), the sending or giving, by any Underwriter, of any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus will satisfy the provisions of Rule 164 or Rule 433 (without reliance on subsections (b), (c) and (d) of Rule 164); the conditions set forth in one or more of subclauses (i) through (iv), inclusive, of Rule 433(b)(1) under the Act are satisfied, and the registration statement relating to the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby, as initially filed with the Commission, includes a prospectus that, other than by reason of Rule 433 or Rule 431 under the Act, satisfies the requirements of Section 10 of the Act; the Company is not disqualified, by reason of subsection (f) of Rule 164 under the Act, from using, in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, “free writing prospectuses” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Act, and such offer and sale in the manner contemplated hereby is not an excluded offering within the meaning of subsection (g) of Rule 164 under the Act; the Company is not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) as of the eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Act with respect to the offering of the Shares contemplated by the Registration Statement; the parties hereto agree and understand that the content of any and all “road shows” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Act) related to the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby is solely the property of the Company;
(d) the Shares have been registered with the Commission on Form S-3 under the Act pursuant to the standards for such Form S-3 in effect prior to October 21, 1992;
(e) as of the date given therein, the Company had an authorized and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the sections of the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus entitled “Capitalization” and “Description of capital stock” (and any similar sections or information, if any, contained in any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus); all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock,
including the Common Stock, of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws and were not issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right; the Shares are duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, on the NASDAQ;
(f) the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with full corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and to execute and deliver this Agreement;
(g) the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to either (i) have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) taken as a whole, (ii) prevent or materially interfere with consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or (iii) result in the delisting of shares of Common Stock from the NASDAQ (the occurrence of any such effect or any such prevention or interference or any such result described in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) being herein referred to as a “Material Adverse Effect”);
(h) the Company has no significant subsidiaries (as defined under Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X of the Act) other than Celestial Seasonings, Inc. (“Celestial”); the Company owns all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each subsidiary (as defined under the Act; collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) except as described in the Registration Statement, each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, or except (with respect to all Subsidiaries other than Celestial) as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and also would not be material to an investor in the Shares; other than the capital stock of the Subsidiaries, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any shares of stock or any other equity interests or long-term debt securities of any corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, association or other entity except as described in the Registration Statement, each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, or except as would not be material to an investor in the Shares; complete and correct copies of the charters and the bylaws of the Company and each Subsidiary and all amendments thereto have been made available to you, and no changes therein will be made on or after the date hereof through and including the time of purchase or, if later, any additional time of purchase, except (with respect to all Subsidiaries other than Celestial) as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and also would not be material to an investor in the Shares; each Subsidiary has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with full corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration
Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, except (with respect to all Subsidiaries other than Celestial) as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and also would not be material to an investor in the Shares; each Subsidiary is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and also would not be material to an investor in the Shares; except (with respect to all Subsidiaries other than Celestial) as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and also would not be material to an investor in the Shares, all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, were not issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right and are owned by the Company subject to no security interest, other encumbrance or adverse claims; and no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any obligation into shares of capital stock or ownership interests in the Subsidiaries are outstanding, except (with respect to all Subsidiaries other than Celestial) as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and also would not be material to an investor in the Shares;
(i) the Shares have been duly and validly authorized and issued, and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights other than rights under the Investor’s Agreement among the Company, the Selling Stockholder and Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, dated September 24, 1999, that are not applicable or have been duly waived as to the transactions contemplated hereby; the Shares are and, after they are delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be free of any restriction upon the voting or transfer thereof pursuant to the Company’s charter or bylaws or any agreement or other instrument to which the Company is a party;
(j) the capital stock of the Company, including the Shares, conforms in all material respects to each description thereof, if any, contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus; and the certificates for the Shares were, when issued to the Selling Stockholder, in due and proper form;
(k) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(l) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in breach or violation of or in default under (nor has any event occurred which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would result in any breach or violation of, constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) (A) its charter or bylaws, or (B) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan
or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound or affected, or (C) any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule, or (D) any rule or regulation of any self-regulatory organization or other nongovernmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the rules and regulations of NASDAQ), or (E) any decree, judgment or order applicable to it or any of its properties except, in (B), (C), (D) or (E), as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(m) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the sale of the Shares pursuant hereto and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not conflict with, result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under (nor constitute any event which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would result in any breach or violation of, constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) or result in the creation or imposition of a lien, charge or encumbrance on any property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to (A) the charter or bylaws of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or (B) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected, or (C) any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule, or (D) any rule or regulation of any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the rules and regulations of the NASDAQ), or (E) any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties;
(n) no approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing with any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency (including, without limitation, the Federal Trade Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration), or of or with any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the NASDAQ), or approval of the stockholders of the Company (other than the Selling Stockholder), is required in connection with the sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholder pursuant hereto or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, other than (i) registration of the Shares under the Act, which has been effected (or, with respect to any registration statement to be filed hereunder pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act, will be effected in accordance herewith), (ii) any necessary qualification under the securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Shares are being offered by the Underwriters or (iii) under the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”);
(o) except as described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) no person has the right,
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contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to it any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other equity interests of the Company, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and also would not be material to an investor in the Shares, (ii) no person has any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock of or other equity interests in the Company and (iii) no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares; no person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to register under the Act any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock of or other equity interests in the Company, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and also would not be material to an investor in the Shares; no person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to include any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock of or other equity interests in the Company in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby;
(p) each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has all licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals and has made all filings required under any applicable law, regulation or rule, and has obtained all licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals from other persons, necessary in order to conduct their respective businesses except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under, or has received notice of any proceedings relating to revocation or modification of, any such license, authorization, consent or approval or any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, order or judgment applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, except where such violation, default, revocation or modification would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(q) there are no actions, suits, claims, investigations (as to which the Company has knowledge) or proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened or contemplated to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective directors or officers is or would be a party or of which any of their respective properties is or would be subject at law or in equity, before or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency, or before or by any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the NASDAQ), except any such action, suit, claim, investigation or proceeding which, if resolved adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(r) Ernst & Young LLP, whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries is included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, are independent registered public accountants as required by the Act and by the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board;
(s) the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company for the periods specified and have been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Act and Exchange Act and in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved; the other financial data contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; the Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus; and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Act, to the extent applicable;
(t) subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, in each case excluding any amendments or supplements to the foregoing made after the execution of this Agreement, except as otherwise describe therein (exclusive of any amendment thereof or supplement thereto occurring after the execution and delivery hereof) there has not been (i) any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the business, properties, management, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) any transaction which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary, which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iv) any material change in the capital stock or outstanding indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiaries or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary;
(u) the Company has obtained for the benefit of the Underwriters the agreement (a “Lock-Up Agreement”), in the form set forth as Exhibit A hereto, of each of the persons listed on Exhibit A-1 hereto;
(v) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is, and at no time during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares will either of them be, and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, neither of them will be, an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);
(w) the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all property (real and personal) described in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as being owned by any of them, free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests or other encumbrances, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; all the property described in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as being held under lease by the Company or a Subsidiary is held thereby under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(x) the Company and the Subsidiaries own, or have obtained valid and enforceable licenses for, or other rights to use, the inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), tradenames, copyrights, trade secrets and other proprietary information described in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as being owned or licensed by them and which are necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted or as proposed to be conducted, except where the failure to own, license or have such rights would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, “Intellectual Property”); except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no third parties who have established or will be able to establish rights to any Intellectual Property, except for, and to the extent of, the ownership rights of the owners of the Intellectual Property which the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus disclose is licensed to the Company; (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no infringement by third parties of any Intellectual Property; (iii) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which could form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (iv) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which could form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (v) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company or any Subsidiary infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, tradename, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware
of any facts which could form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (vi) to the Company’s knowledge, the Company and the Subsidiaries have complied with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company or any Subsidiary, and all such agreements are in full force and effect; (vii) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no patent or patent application that contains claims that interfere with the issued or pending claims of any of the Intellectual Property or that challenges the validity, enforceability or scope of any of the Intellectual Property; and (viii) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no prior art that may render any patent application within the Intellectual Property unpatentable that has not been disclosed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office;
(y) except for matters which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is engaged in any unfair labor practice, (ii) there is (A) no unfair labor practice complaint pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries before the National Labor Relations Board, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under collective bargaining agreements is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, (B) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and (C) to the Company’s knowledge, no union representation dispute currently existing concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, no union organizing activities are currently taking place concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, there has been no violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, any applicable wage or hour laws or any provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries;
(z) the Company and the Subsidiaries and their respective properties, assets and operations are in compliance with, and the Company and each of the Subsidiaries hold all permits, authorizations and approvals required for its current operations under, Environmental Laws (as defined below), except to the extent that failure to so comply or to hold such permits, authorizations or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; there are no past, present or, to the Company’s knowledge, reasonably anticipated future events, conditions, activities, practices or actions that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any material costs or liabilities to the Company or any Subsidiary under, or to prevent compliance by the Company or any Subsidiary with, Environmental Laws; except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries (i) to the knowledge of the Company, is the subject of any investigation, (ii) has received any notice or claim, (iii) is a party to any pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit or proceeding, (iv) is bound by any judgment, decree or order or (v) has entered into any agreement, in each case relating to any alleged violation of any Environmental Law or
any actual or alleged release or threatened release or cleanup at any location of any Hazardous Materials (as defined below) (as used herein, “Environmental Law” means any federal, state, local or foreign law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, decree, judgment, injunction, permit, license or authorization, or common law, relating to the protection, cleanup or restoration of the environment or natural resources, or human health (to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials), including those relating to the distribution, processing, generation, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation, other handling or release or threatened release of Hazardous Materials, and “Hazardous Materials” means any material (including, without limitation, pollutants, contaminants, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes) that is regulated by or gives rise to liability under any Environmental Law);
(aa) in the ordinary course of their business and as reasonably appropriate for their business, the Company and each of the Subsidiaries conduct periodic reviews of the effect of the Environmental Laws on their respective businesses, operations and properties, in the course of which they identify and evaluate any associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for cleanup, closure of properties or compliance with the Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties);
(bb) all tax returns required to be filed by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries have been timely filed, and all taxes and other assessments of a similar nature (whether imposed directly or through withholding) including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto due or claimed to be due from such entities have been timely paid, other than those being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been provided;
(cc) the Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintain insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses as the Company reasonably deems adequate; such insurance insures against such losses and risks to an extent which is adequate in accordance with customary industry practice to protect the Company and the Subsidiaries and their respective businesses; all such insurance is fully in force on the date hereof and will be fully in force at the time of purchase and any additional time of purchase; neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has reason to believe that it will not be able to renew any such insurance as and when such insurance expires or replace with comparable insurance at comparable rates;
(dd) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the last audited consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect;
(ee) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements specifically identified in any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, or specifically identified in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement or any Incorporated Document, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any Subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or agreement;
(ff) the Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences;
(gg) the Company has established and maintains and evaluates “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) and “internal control over financial reporting” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer by others within those entities, and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective to perform the functions for which they were established; the Company’s independent auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies, if any, in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data; and (ii) all fraud, if any, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal controls; all material weaknesses, if any, in internal controls have been identified to the Company’s independent auditors; since the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls, there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses; the principal executive officers (or their equivalents) and principal financial officers (or their equivalents) of the Company have made all certifications required by the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission, and the statements contained in each such certification are complete and correct; the Company, the Subsidiaries and the Company’s directors and officers are each in compliance in all material respects with all applicable effective provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission and the NASDAQ promulgated thereunder;
(hh) each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed with a reasonable basis and in good faith;
(ii) all statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required;
(jj) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary has made any payment of funds of the Company or any Subsidiary or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation (including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977), which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus;
(kk) no Subsidiary is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company, except as described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, or except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and also would not be material to an investor in the Shares;
(ll) the sale of the Shares will not cause any holder of any shares of capital stock, securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or options, warrants or other rights to purchase capital stock or any other securities of the Company to have any right to acquire any shares of preferred stock of the Company;
(mm) the Company has not received any notice from the NASDAQ regarding the delisting of the Common Stock from the NASDAQ;
(nn) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has incurred any liability for any finder’s or broker’s fee or agent’s commission in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the Registration Statement;
(oo) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor any of their respective directors, officers, affiliates or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or which has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the
Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares; and
(pp) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no affiliations or associations between (i) any member of the NASD and (ii) the Company or any of the Company’s officers, directors or 5% or greater security holders (except no representation is made with respect to the Selling Stockholder) or any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities that were acquired at any time on or after the 180th day immediately preceding the date the Registration Statement was initially filed with the Commission, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus.
In addition, any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters at the time of purchase or any additional time of purchase in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
4. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters that:
(a) the Selling Stockholder now is and, at the time of delivery of such Shares (whether the time of purchase or any additional time of purchase, as the case may be), will be the lawful owner of the Shares and has and, at the time of delivery of such Shares, will have good and valid title to such Shares, and upon delivery of and payment for such Shares (whether at the time of purchase or any additional time of purchase, as the case may be), the Underwriters will acquire good and valid title to such Shares free and clear of all adverse claims (as defined in Section 8-102 of the U.C.C. as in effect in the State of New York);
(b) the Selling Stockholder has and, at the time of delivery of the Shares (whether the time of purchase or any additional time of purchase, as the case may be), will have full legal right, power and capacity, and all authorizations and approvals required by law (other than those imposed by the Act and state securities or blue sky laws), to (i) enter into this Agreement and the Custody Agreement (as defined below), (ii) sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares in the manner provided in this Agreement and (iii) make the representations, warranties and agreements made by the Selling Stockholder herein;
(c) this Agreement and the custody agreement (the “Custody Agreement”), dated December 9, 2005 between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as custodian (the “Custodian”), and the Selling Stockholder have each been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Stockholder, and each is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Selling Stockholder enforceable in accordance with its terms;
(d) the Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Time, 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; at no time during the
period that begins on the earlier of the date of each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the date such Pre-Pricing Prospectus was filed with the Commission and ends at the time of purchase did or will any such Pre-Pricing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and at no time during such period did or will any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, together with any combination of one or more of the then issued Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of the Prospectus and the date the Prospectus is filed with the Commission and ends at the later of the time of purchase, the latest additional time of purchase, if any, and the end of the period during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares did or will the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; at no time during the period that begins on the date of such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, provided that the Selling Stockholder makes such representation and warranty only with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Selling Stockholder furnished to the Company in writing expressly for use in the Registration Statement, Pre-Pricing Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or Prospectus;
(e) the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is not prompted by any material information concerning the Company or any Subsidiary which is not set forth in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), any Pre-Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus;
(f) neither the Selling Stockholder nor any of its affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or which has constituted or would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares in violation of Regulation M under the Act;
(g) there are no affiliations or associations between any member of the NASD and the Selling Stockholder, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus; none of the proceeds received by the Selling Stockholder from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be paid to a member of the NASD or any affiliate of (or person “associated with,” as such terms are used in the Rules of the NASD) such member;
(h) at the time of purchase and each additional time of purchase, all stock transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes), if any, that are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Shares to the several Underwriters hereunder will be fully paid or provided for by the Selling Stockholder, and all laws imposing such taxes will be fully complied with;
(i) no approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing with any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency, or of or with any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the NASDAQ), is required in connection with the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or the consummation by the Selling Stockholder of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the Custody Agreement other than (i) registration of the Shares under the Act, which has been effected (or, with respect to any registration statement to be filed hereunder pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act, will be effected in accordance herewith), (ii) any necessary qualification under the securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Shares are being offered by the Underwriters or (iii) under the Conduct Rules of the NASD;
(j) the Selling Stockholder has not, prior to the execution of this Agreement, offered or sold any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act), or used any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, in each case other than the then most recent Pre-Pricing Prospectus; and
(k) pursuant to the Custody Agreement, certificates in negotiable form for the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement have been placed in custody for the purpose of making delivery of such Shares in accordance with this Agreement; the Selling Stockholder agrees that (i) such Shares represented by such certificates are for the benefit of, and coupled with and subject to the interest of, the Custodian, the Underwriters and the Company, (ii) the arrangements made by the Selling Stockholder for custody and for the appointment of the Custodian and the are irrevocable, and (iii) the obligations of the Selling Stockholder hereunder shall not be terminated by operation of law, or by the occurrence of any event (each, an “Event”) (including the bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation or dissolution of the Selling Stockholder or any other event); if an Event occurs before the delivery of the Shares hereunder, certificates for the Shares shall be delivered by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Custody Agreement and this Agreement, and actions taken by the Custodian pursuant to such Custody Agreement shall be as valid as if such Event had not occurred, regardless of whether or not the Custodian shall have received notice thereof; and
(l) neither the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or the Custody Agreement nor the sale by the Selling Stockholder of the Shares nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby will conflict with, result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under (or constitute any event which with notice, lapse of time or both would result in any breach or violation of or
constitute a default under) (i) the limited liability company agreement or other organizational instruments of the Selling Stockholder, (ii) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which the Selling Stockholder is a party or by which the Selling Stockholder or any of its properties may be bound or affected, (iii) any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule, (iv) or any rule or regulation of any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority, or (v) any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Selling Stockholder or any of its properties, except, in the case of clauses (ii) through (v) above that would not have any material adverse effect on the Selling Stockholder or any adverse effect on the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or result in any liability for the Company, the Underwriters or any purchaser of Shares.
5. Certain Covenants of the Company. The Company hereby agrees:
(a) to furnish such information as may be reasonably required and otherwise to cooperate in qualifying the Shares for offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such states or other jurisdictions as you may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as you may request for the distribution of the Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation, to consent to the service of process under the laws of any such jurisdiction (except service of process with respect to the offering and sale of the Shares) or subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction it is not otherwise so subject; and to promptly advise you of the receipt by the Company 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;
(b) to make available to the Underwriters in New York City, as soon as practicable after this Agreement becomes effective, and thereafter from time to time to furnish to the Underwriters, as many copies of the Prospectus (or of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have made any amendments or supplements thereto after the effective date of the Registration Statement) as the Underwriters may request for the purposes contemplated by the Act; in case any Underwriter is required to deliver (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule), in connection with the sale of the Shares, a prospectus after the nine-month period referred to in Section 10(a)(3) of the Act, or after the time a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is required pursuant to Item 512(a) of Regulation S-K under the Act, the Company will prepare, at its expense, promptly upon request such amendment or amendments to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as may be necessary to permit compliance with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Item 512(a) of Regulation S-K under the Act, as the case may be;
(c) if, at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered, it is necessary for a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, or a Registration Statement
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under Rule 462(b) under the Act, to be filed with the Commission and become effective before the Shares may be sold, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such post-effective amendment or such Registration Statement to be filed and become effective as soon as possible, and the Company will advise you promptly and, if requested by you, will confirm such advice in writing, (i) when such post-effective amendment or such Registration Statement has become effective, and (ii) if Rule 430A under the Act is used, when the Prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act (which the Company agrees to file in a timely manner in accordance with such Rules);
(d) to advise you promptly, confirming such advice in writing, of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information with respect thereto, or of notice of institution of proceedings for, or the entry of a stop order, suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and, if the Commission should enter a stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, to use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting or removal of such order as soon as possible; to advise you promptly of any proposal to amend or supplement the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and to provide you and Underwriters’ counsel copies of any such documents for review and comment a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing and to file no such amendment or supplement to which you shall object in writing;
(e) subject to Section 5(d) hereof, to file promptly all reports and documents and any preliminary or definitive proxy or information statement required to be filed by the Company with the Commission in order to comply with the Exchange Act for so long as a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares; and to provide you, for your review and comment, with a copy of such reports and statements and other documents to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during such period a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing, and to promptly notify you of such filing;
(f) if necessary or appropriate, to file a registration statement pursuant to, and in accordance with, Rule 462(b) under the Act and pay the applicable fees in accordance with the Act;
(g) to advise the Underwriters promptly of the happening of any event within the period during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Shares, which event could require the making of any change in the Prospectus then being used so that the Prospectus would not include an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, and, during such time, subject to Section 5(d) hereof, to prepare and furnish, at the Company’s expense, to the Underwriters promptly such amendments or
supplements to such Prospectus as may be necessary to reflect any such change;
(h) to make generally available to its security holders, and to deliver to you, an earnings statement of the Company (which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act) covering a period of twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act) as soon as is reasonably practicable after the termination of such twelve-month period;
(i) to furnish to you three copies of the Registration Statement, as initially filed with the Commission, and of all amendments thereto (including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and sufficient copies of the foregoing (other than exhibits) for distribution of a copy to each of the other Underwriters;
(j) to furnish to you as early as practicable prior to the time of purchase and any additional time of purchase, as the case may be, a copy of the latest available unaudited interim and monthly consolidated financial statements, if any, of the Company and the Subsidiaries which have been read by the Company’s independent registered public accountants, as stated in their letter to be furnished pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof;
(k) to comply with Rule 433(g) under the Act;
(l) beginning on the date hereof and ending on, and including, the date that is 60 days after the date hereof (the “Lock-Up Period”), without the prior written consent of the Managing Underwriters, not to (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to, any Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or any other securities of the Company that are substantially similar to Common Stock, (ii) file or cause to become effective a registration statement under the Act relating to the offer and sale of any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or any other securities of the Company that are substantially similar to Common Stock, (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or any such securities, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (iv) publicly announce an intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii), except, in each case, for (A) the registration of the offer and sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement, (B) issuances of Common Stock upon the exercise of options or warrants disclosed as outstanding in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and
the Prospectus, (C) the issuance of employee stock options not exercisable during the Lock-Up Period, or restricted shares of Common Stock that are not transferable by the recipient thereof during the Lock-Up Period, pursuant to compensation plans described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 with respect to any such plan, (D) the issuance of shares of Common Stock pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated August 23, 2005, between the Company and Spectrum Organic Products, Inc., (E) the issuance of shares of Common Stock in connection with the acquisition of any company or business, in an aggregate amount not to exceed 1% of the total shares of Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof, so long as the recipient of any such shares delivers a Lock-Up Agreement to the Managing Underwriters, duly executed by such recipient, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto and (F) upon five business days advance notice to the Managing Underwriters, the filing of a registration statement on Form S-3 covering up to 100,482 shares of Common Stock issued to Yeo Hiap Seng Limited and Yeo Hiap Seng (Malaysia) Berhad, so long as no sales of Common Stock are permitted to occur pursuant to such registration statement on Form S-3 during the Lock-Up Period and such restriction is disclosed in such registration statement on Form S-3 and in any press release or Form 8-K issued or filed by the Company with respect thereto; provided, however, that if (a) during the period that begins on the date that is fifteen (15) calendar days plus three (3) business days before the last day of the Lock-Up Period and ends on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (b) prior to the expiration of the LockUp Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the sixteen (16) day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, then the restrictions imposed by this Section 5(l) shall continue to apply until the expiration of the date that is fifteen (15) calendar days plus three (3) business days after the date on which the issuance of the earnings release or the material news or material event occurs; provided further, however, that the immediately preceding proviso shall not apply if (i) the safe harbor provided by Rule 139 under the Act is available in the manner contemplated by Rule 2711(f)(4) of the NASD and (ii) within the 3 business days preceding the 15th calendar day before the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the Company delivers to the Managing Underwriters a certificate, signed by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certifying on behalf of the Company that the Company’s shares of Common Stock are “actively traded securities” within the meaning of Rule 2711(f)(4) of the NASD.
(m) prior to the time of purchase or any additional time of purchase, as the case may be, to issue no press release or other communication directly or indirectly and hold no press conferences with respect to the Company or any Subsidiary, the financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, assets, or liabilities of the Company or any Subsidiary, or the offering of the Shares, without advising you thereof at least two business days in advance or, if not practicable, as far in advance as practicable (it being agreed by the Underwriters to keep the fact of any such proposed press release, press conference, or other communication and, in each case, the substance thereof, confidential until the public release of such information by the Company);
(n) not, at any time at or after the execution of this Agreement, to offer to sell any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act), or use any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, in each case other than the Prospectus;
(o) not, and will cause its Subsidiaries not to, take, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or which will constitute, or has constituted, or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares;
(p) to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Common Stock to be listed for quotation on the NASDAQ and to maintain such listing; and
(q) to maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar for the Common Stock.
6. Certain Covenants of the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder hereby agrees:
(a) not, during the Lock-Up Period, to offer or sell any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act), or use any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, in each case other than the Prospectus;
(b) not to take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or which will constitute, or has constituted, or would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares in violation of Regulation M under the Act;
(c) to pay or cause to be paid all taxes, if any, on the transfer and sale of the Shares;
(d) during the Lock-Up Period, without the prior written consent of the Managing Underwriters, not to (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to, any Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock, (ii) make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or any such securities, (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Common Stock or any securities convertible
into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or any such securities, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (iv) publicly announce an intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii), except, in each case, for transactions involving the offer and sale of the Firm Shares and Additional Shares as contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that if (a) during the period that begins on the date that is fifteen (15) calendar days plus three (3) business days before the last day of the Lock-Up Period and ends on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (b) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the sixteen (16) day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, then the restrictions imposed by this Section shall continue to apply until the expiration of the date that is fifteen (15) calendar days plus three (3) business days after the date on which the issuance of the earnings release or the material news or material event occurs; provided further, however, that the immediately preceding proviso shall not apply if (i) the safe harbor provided by Rule 139 under the Act is available in the manner contemplated by Rule 2711(f)(4) of the NASD and (ii) within the 3 business days preceding the 15th calendar day before the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the Company delivers to the Managing Underwriters a certificate, signed by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certifying on behalf of the Company that the Company’s shares of Common Stock are “actively traded securities” within the meaning of Rule 2711(f)(4) of the NASD; and
(f) prior to or concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, to execute and deliver to the Underwriters the Custody Agreement.
7. Covenant to Pay Costs. (a) Without prejudice to any agreement between the Company and the Selling Stockholder relating to their obligations to one another for the payment of costs, expenses, fees and taxes in connection with the matters contemplated hereby, the Company and the Selling Stockholder agree to pay all costs, expenses, fees and taxes in connection with (i) the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, each Basic Prospectus, each Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and the printing and furnishing of copies of each thereof to the Underwriters and to dealers (including costs of mailing and shipment), (ii) the registration, issue, sale and delivery of the Shares including any stock or transfer taxes and stamp or similar duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, (iii) the producing, word processing and/or printing of this Agreement, any Agreement Among Underwriters, any dealer agreements, any Custody Agreements and any closing documents (including compilations thereof) and the reproduction and/or printing and furnishing of copies of each thereof to the Underwriters and (except closing documents) to dealers (including costs of mailing and shipment), (iv) the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state or foreign laws and the determination of their eligibility for investment under state or foreign law (including the legal fees and filing fees and other disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters) and the printing and furnishing of copies of any blue sky surveys or legal investment surveys to the Underwriters and to dealers, (v) any listing of
the Shares on any securities exchange or qualification of the Shares for quotation on the NASDAQ and any registration thereof under the Exchange Act, (vi) any filing for review of the public offering of the Shares by the NASD, including the legal fees and filing fees and other disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters relating to NASD matters, (vii) the fees and disbursements of any transfer agent or registrar for the Shares, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company and the Selling Stockholder relating to presentations or meetings undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering and sale of the Shares to prospective investors and the Underwriters’ sales forces, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel, lodging and other expenses incurred by the officers of the Company or by the Selling Stockholder and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, and (ix) the performance of the Company’s and the Selling Stockholder’s other obligations hereunder.
(b) The Underwriters agree to reimburse the Selling Stockholder for up to $700,000 of its expenses in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby (including any such expenses of the Company that the Selling Stockholder has agreed to reimburse the Company, as described in the Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus).
8. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. Without prejudice to any agreement between the Company and the Selling Stockholder relating to their obligations to one another for the payment of costs, expenses, fees and taxes in connection with the matters contemplated hereby, if the Shares are not delivered for any reason other than the termination of this Agreement pursuant to the fifth paragraph of Section 11 hereof or the default by one or more of the Underwriters in its or their respective obligations hereunder, the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall, in addition to paying the amounts described in Section 7 hereof, reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.
9. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The several obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the respective representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the date hereof, at the time of purchase and, if applicable, at the additional time of purchase, the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholder of each of their respective obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:
(a) The Company shall furnish to you at the time of purchase and, if applicable, at the additional time of purchase, an opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters, and dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, with executed copies for each of the other Underwriters, and in form and substance satisfactory to the Managing Underwriters, in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto.
(b) The Selling Stockholder shall furnish to you at the time of purchase and, if applicable, at the additional time of purchase, an opinion of Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Esq., Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Selling Stockholder, addressed to the
Managing Underwriters, and dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, with executed copies for each of the other Underwriters, and in form and substance satisfactory to the Managing Underwriters, in the form set forth in Exhibit C hereto.
(c) You shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP letters dated, respectively, the date of this Agreement, the time of purchase and, if applicable, the additional time of purchase, and addressed to the Underwriters (with executed copies for each of the Underwriters) in the forms approved by the Managing Underwriters, which letters shall cover, without limitation, the various financial disclosures, if any, contained in the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any.
(d) You shall have received at the time of purchase and, if applicable, at the additional time of purchase, the favorable opinion of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Managing Underwriters.
(e) No Prospectus or amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall have been filed to which you shall have objected in writing.
(f) The Registration Statement and any registration statement required to be filed, prior to the sale of the Shares, under the Act pursuant to Rule 462(b) shall have been filed and shall have become effective under the Act. The Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act at or before 5:30 P.M., New York City time, on the second full business day after the date of this Agreement (or such earlier time as may be required under the Act).
(g) Prior to the time of purchase, and, if applicable, the additional time of purchase, (i) no stop order with respect to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Act or proceedings initiated under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Act; (ii) the Registration Statement and all amendments thereto shall 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) none of the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses or the Prospectus, and no amendment or supplement thereto, shall include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; (iv) no Disclosure Package, and no amendment or supplement thereto, shall include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; and (v) none of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, shall include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
(h) The Company will, at the time of purchase and, if applicable, at the
additional time of purchase, deliver to you a certificate of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer, dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, in the form attached as Exhibit D hereto.
(i) The Selling Stockholder will, at the time of purchase and, if applicable, at the additional time of purchase, deliver to you a certificate signed by the Selling Stockholder, dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, in the form attached as Exhibit E hereto.
(j) You shall have received each of the signed Lock-Up Agreements referred to in Section 3(u) hereof, and each such Lock-Up Agreement shall be in full force and effect at the time of purchase and the additional time of purchase, as the case may be.
(k) The Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to you such other documents and certificates as to the accuracy and completeness of any statement in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as of the time of purchase and, if applicable, the additional time of purchase, as you may reasonably request.
(l) The Shares shall have been approved for quotation on the NASDAQ, subject only to notice of issuance at or prior to the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be.
(m) The NASD shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness or reasonableness of the underwriting, or other arrangements of the transactions, contemplated hereby.
(n) The Selling Stockholder shall have delivered to you a duly executed copy of the Custody Agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Managing Underwriters.
10. Effective Date of Agreement; Termination. This Agreement shall become effective when the parties hereto have executed and delivered this Agreement.
The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Managing Underwriters, if (1) since the time of execution of this Agreement or the earlier respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, there has been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the business, properties, management, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, which would, in the sole judgment of the Managing Underwriters, make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, or (2) since the time of execution of this Agreement, there shall have occurred: (A) a suspension or material limitation in
trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ; (B) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the NASDAQ; (C) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (D) an outbreak or escalation of hostilities or acts of terrorism involving the United States or a declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war; or (E) any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (D) or (E), in the sole judgment of the Managing Underwriters, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, or (3) since the time of execution of this Agreement, there shall have occurred any downgrading, or any notice or announcement shall have been given or made of: (A) any intended or potential downgrading or (B) any watch, review or possible change that does not indicate an affirmation or improvement in the rating accorded any securities of or guaranteed by the Company or any Subsidiary by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as that term is defined in Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act.
If the Managing Underwriters elect to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 10, the Company, the Selling Stockholder and each other Underwriter shall be notified promptly in writing.
If the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares, as contemplated by this Agreement, is not carried out by the Underwriters for any reason permitted under this Agreement, or if such sale is not carried out because the Company or the Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, shall be unable to comply with any of the terms of this Agreement, the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall not be under any obligation or liability under this Agreement (except to the extent provided in Sections 7, 8 and 12 hereof), and the Underwriters shall be under no obligation or liability to the Company or the Selling Stockholder under this Agreement (except to the extent provided in Section 12 hereof) or to one another hereunder.
11. Increase in Underwriters’ Commitments. Subject to Sections 9 and 10 hereof, if any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to take up and pay for the Firm Shares to be purchased by it hereunder (otherwise than for a failure of a condition set forth in Section 9 hereof or a reason sufficient to justify the termination of this Agreement under the provisions of Section 10 hereof) and if the number of Firm Shares which all Underwriters so defaulting shall have agreed but failed to take up and pay for does not exceed 10% of the total number of Firm Shares, the non-defaulting Underwriters (including the Underwriters, if any, substituted in the manner set forth below) shall take up and pay for (in addition to the aggregate number of Firm Shares they are obligated to purchase pursuant to Section 1 hereof) the number of Firm Shares agreed to be purchased by all such defaulting Underwriters, as hereinafter provided. Such Shares shall be taken up and paid for by such non-defaulting Underwriters in such amount or amounts as you may designate with the consent of each Underwriter so designated or, in the event no such designation is made, such Shares shall be taken up and paid for by all non-defaulting Underwriters pro rata in proportion to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the
names of such non-defaulting Underwriters in Schedule A.
Without relieving any defaulting Underwriter from its obligations hereunder, the Selling Stockholder agrees with the non-defaulting Underwriters that it will not sell any Firm Shares hereunder unless all of the Firm Shares are purchased by the Underwriters (or by substituted Underwriters selected by you with the approval of the Company or selected by the Company with your approval).
If a new Underwriter or Underwriters are substituted by the Underwriters or by the Company for a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters in accordance with the foregoing provision, the Company or you shall have the right to postpone the time of purchase for a period not exceeding five business days in order that any necessary changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and other documents may be effected.
The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall refer to and include any Underwriter substituted under this Section 11 with like effect as if such substituted Underwriter had originally been named in Schedule A hereto.
If the aggregate number of Firm Shares which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase exceeds 10% of the total number of Firm Shares which all Underwriters agreed to purchase hereunder, and if neither the non-defaulting Underwriters nor the Company shall make arrangements within the five business day period stated above for the purchase of all the Firm Shares which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate without further act or deed and without any liability on the part of the Company or the Selling Stockholder (except to the extent provided in Sections 7 and 12 hereof) to any Underwriter and without any liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter to the Company or to the Selling Stockholder. Nothing in this paragraph, and no action taken hereunder, shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
12. Indemnity and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, directors and officers, and any person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons, from and against any loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, any such Underwriter or any such person may incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by the Company) or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you to the Company expressly for use in, the Registration Statement or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in the Registration Statement in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was required to be stated in such Registration Statement or was necessary to make such information not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any Prospectus (the term Prospectus for the purpose of this Section 12 being deemed to include any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements to the foregoing), in any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, in any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Act) of the Company or in any Prospectus together with any combination of one or more of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except, with respect to such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you to the Company expressly for use in, such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was necessary in order to make the statements in such information, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(b) The Selling Stockholder agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers who sign the Registration Statement and each Underwriter, its partners, directors and officers, and any person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons, from and against any loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, any such Underwriter or any such person may incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by the Company), as such Registration Statement relates to the Selling Stockholder, or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein relating to the Selling Stockholder or necessary to make the statements therein relating to the Selling Stockholder not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any Prospectus, in any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or in any Prospectus together with any combination of one or more of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, or arises out of or is based upon
any omission or alleged omission 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, but only insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Selling Stockholder furnished to the Company in writing by the Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Selling Stockholder consists of such information contained in the Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement under the captions “Selling Stockholder” (except for the dollar amounts of transactions described under - “Transactions between Heinz and us in the last three years,” inasmuch as such amounts are not separately tracked in the accounting systems of the Selling Stockholder and its affiliates), “Underwriting,” “Plan of Distribution,” “Item 14. – Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution,” and the statements in the revised definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Commission on October 31, 2005 under the caption “Certain Relationships” (except as aforesaid with respect to the dollar amounts of transactions described in the third paragraph thereunder) relating to the Selling Stockholder.
(c) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, employees and agents, the Selling Stockholder and any person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons, from and against any loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Company, the Selling Stockholder or any such person may incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you to the Company expressly for use in, the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by the Company), or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Registration Statement in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was required to be stated in such Registration Statement or was necessary to make such information not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you to the Company expressly for use in, a Prospectus or a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was necessary in order to make the statements in such information, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) If any action, suit or proceeding (each, a “Proceeding”) is brought against a person (an “indemnified party”) in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company, the Selling Stockholder or an Underwriter (as applicable, the “indemnifying party”) pursuant to subsection (a), (b) or (c), respectively, of this Section 12, such indemnified party shall promptly notify such indemnifying party in writing of the institution of such Proceeding and such indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such Proceeding, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses; provided, however, that the omission to so notify such indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability which such indemnifying party may have to any indemnified party or otherwise. The indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party or parties unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party in connection with the defense of such Proceeding or the indemnifying party shall not have, within a reasonable period of time in light of the circumstances, employed counsel to defend such Proceeding or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from, additional to or in conflict with those available to such indemnifying party (in which case such indemnifying party shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Proceeding on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by such indemnifying party and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that such indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel) in any one Proceeding or series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such Proceeding). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent but, if settled with its written consent, such indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified party or parties from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second sentence of this Section 12(d), then the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 business days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have fully reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the indemnifying party at least 30 days’ prior notice of its intention to settle. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding and does not include an admission of fault or culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of such indemnified party.
(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 12 is unavailable to an indemnified party under subsections (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 12 or insufficient to hold an indemnified party harmless in respect of any losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above 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 Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total proceeds from the offering (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received by the Selling Stockholder, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholder or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, damages, expenses, liabilities and claims referred to in this subsection shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any Proceeding. The provisions of this subsection (e) are without prejudice to any agreement between the Company and the Selling Stockholder with respect to their obligations to one another.
(f) The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 12 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in subsection (e) above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 12, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by such Underwriter and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damage which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 12 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments
and not joint.
(g) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 12 and the covenants, warranties and representations of the Company and the Selling Stockholder contained in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its partners, directors or officers or any person (including each partner, officer or director of such person) who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of the Company or the Selling Stockholder, their respective directors or officers or any person who controls the Company or the Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and shall survive any termination of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Shares. The Company, the Selling Stockholder and each Underwriter agree promptly to notify each other of the commencement of any Proceeding against it and, in the case of the Company or the Selling Stockholder, against any of their officers or directors in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares, or in connection with the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.
13. Information Furnished by the Underwriters. The statements set forth under the captions “Underwriting—Commissions and discounts” and “Underwriting—Price stabilization, short positions, passive market making” in the Prospectus, only insofar as such statements relate to the amount of selling concession and reallowance or to over-allotment and stabilization activities that may be undertaken by the Underwriters, constitute the only information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriters, as such information is referred to in Sections 3 and 12 hereof.
14. Notices. Except as otherwise herein provided, all statements, requests, notices and agreements shall be in writing or by telegram or facsimile and, if to the Underwriters, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to UBS Securities LLC, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000, Attention: Syndicate Department, if to the Company, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to the Company at the offices of the Company at 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and, if to the Selling Stockholder, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to the Selling Stockholder at USX Tower, 000 Xxxxx Xx., 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000 (facsimile: 412-456-6102), Attention: General Counsel.
15. Governing Law; Construction. This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (“Claim”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. The section headings in this Agreement have been inserted as a matter of convenience of reference and are not a part of this Agreement.
16. Submission to Jurisdiction. Except as set forth below, no Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York
- 35 -
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 Company and the Selling Stockholder each consents to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. Each Underwriter, the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and the Selling Stockholder (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) each waives all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Company and the Selling Stockholder each agrees that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and the Selling Stockholder and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which the Company or the Selling Stockholder is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.
17. Parties at Interest. The Agreement herein set forth has been and is made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholder and to the extent provided in Section 12 hereof the controlling persons, partners, directors and officers referred to in such Section, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, personal representatives and executors and administrators. No other person, partnership, association or corporation (including a purchaser, as such purchaser, from any of the Underwriters) shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.
18. No Fiduciary Relationship. The Company and the Selling Stockholder each hereby acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting solely as underwriters in connection with the purchase and sale of the Company’s securities. The Company and the Selling Stockholder each further acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting pursuant to a contractual relationship created solely by this Agreement entered into on an arm’s length basis, and in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be responsible as a fiduciary to the Company or the Selling Stockholder, their respective management, stockholders or creditors or any other person in connection with any activity that the Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of the purchase and sale of the Company’s securities, either before or after the date hereof. The Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or similar obligations to the Company or the Selling Stockholder, either in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions, and the Company and the Selling Stockholder each hereby confirms its understanding and agreement to that effect. The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters agree that they are each responsible for making their own independent judgments with respect to any such transactions and that any opinions or views expressed by the Underwriters to the Company or the Selling Stockholder regarding such transactions, including, but not limited to, any opinions or views with respect to the price or market for the Company’s securities, do not constitute advice or recommendations to the Company or the Selling Stockholder. The Company and the Selling Stockholder each hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company or the Selling Stockholder may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary or similar duty to the Company or the Selling Stockholder in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions.
19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed by the parties in one or more counterparts which together shall constitute one and the same agreement among the parties.
20. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholder and their successors and assigns and any successor or assign of any substantial portion of the Company’s, the Selling Stockholder’s and any of the Underwriters’ respective businesses and/or assets.
21. Miscellaneous. UBS Securities LLC, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of UBS AG, is not a bank and is separate from any affiliated bank, including any U.S. branch or agency of UBS AG. Because UBS Securities LLC, and each of the other Managing Underwriters, is a separately incorporated entity, it is solely responsible for its own contractual obligations and commitments, including obligations with respect to sales and purchases of securities. Securities sold, offered or recommended by UBS Securities LLC (or any other Underwriter) are not deposits, are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, are not guaranteed by a branch or agency, and are not otherwise an obligation or responsibility of a branch or agency.
[The Remainder of This Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Page Follows]
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding among the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the several Underwriters, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this Agreement and your acceptance shall constitute a binding agreement among the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters, severally.
| Very truly yours, | |||
| THE HAIN CELESTIAL GROUP, INC. | |||
| By: | /s/ Xxx X. Xxxxx | ||
|
|
|||
| Name: | Xxx X. Xxxxx | ||
| Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
||
| HJH ONE, L.L.C. | |||
| By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx. | ||
|
|
|||
| Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx. | ||
| Title: | Vice President | ||
Accepted and agreed to as of the date
first above written, on behalf of
themselves and the other several
Underwriters named in Schedule A
| UBS SECURITIES LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
| Name: | Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
| Title: | Executive Director | |
| By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
| Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
| Title: | Associate Director | |
| BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |
| Name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |
| Title: | Managing Director | |
| X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxx | |
| Name: | Xxxxxxx Xxxx | |
| Title: | Vice President | |
| SCHEDULE A | |||
| Number of | |||
| Underwriter | Firm Shares | ||
|
|
|
||
| UBS SECURITIES LLC | 1,853,585 | ||
| BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC | 1,853,585 | ||
| X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC | 1,588,787 | ||
|
|
|||
| Total | 5,295,957 | ||
|
|
|||
SCHEDULE B
PERMITTED FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES
None.
SCHEDULE C
| Offering Price: | $20.00 per Share |
A-1
EXHIBIT A
Lock-Up Agreement
December __, 2005
UBS Securities LLC
Banc of America Securities LLC
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
as Managing Underwriters
Together with the other Underwriters
named in Schedule A to the Underwriting Agreement
referred to herein
c/o UBS Securities LLC
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This Lock-Up Agreement is being delivered to you in connection with the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) to be entered into by The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Selling Stockholder named therein and you and the other underwriters named in Schedule A to the Underwriting Agreement, with respect to the public offering (the “Offering”) of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”).
In order to induce you to enter into the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned agrees that, for a period (the “Lock-Up Period”) beginning on the date hereof and ending on, and including, the date that is 60 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Managing Underwriters, (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file (or participate in the filing of) a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) with respect to, any Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or any such securities, (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or any such securities, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (iii) publicly announce an intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii). The
foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) bona fide gifts, provided the recipient thereof agrees in writing with the Underwriters to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement or (b) dispositions to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned and/or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that such trust agrees in writing with the Underwriters to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement. For purposes of this paragraph, “immediate family” shall mean the undersigned and the spouse, any lineal descendent, father, mother, brother or sister of the undersigned.
In addition, the undersigned hereby waives any rights the undersigned may have to require registration of Common Stock in connection with the filing of a registration statement relating to the Offering. The undersigned further agrees that, for the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Managing Underwriters, make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Stock or any such securities.
Notwithstanding the above, if (a) during the period that begins on the date that is fifteen (15) calendar days plus three (3) business days before the last day of the Lock-Up Period and ends on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (b) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the sixteen (16) day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, then the restrictions imposed by this Lock-Up Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the date that is fifteen (15) calendar days plus three (3) business days after the date on which the issuance of the earnings release or the material news or material event occurs; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not apply if (i) the safe harbor provided by Rule 139 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is available in the manner contemplated by Rule 2711(f)(4) of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”); and (ii) within the 3 business days preceding the 15th calendar day before the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the Company delivers (in accordance with the notice provisions of the Underwriting Agreement) to the Managing Underwriters a certificate, signed by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certifying on behalf of the Company that the Company’s shares of Common Stock are “actively traded securities,” within the meaning of Rule 2711(f)(4) of the NASD.
The undersigned hereby confirms that the undersigned has not, directly or indirectly, taken, and hereby covenants that the undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, take, any action designed, or which has constituted or will constitute or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of shares of Common Stock.
* * *
If (i) the Company notifies you in writing that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, (ii) the registration statement filed with the Commission with respect to the Offering is withdrawn or (iii) for any reason the Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated prior to the “time of purchase” (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement), this Lock-Up Agreement shall be terminated and the undersigned shall be released from its obligations hereunder.
| Yours very truly, | |
|
|
|
| Name: |
X-0
XXXXXXX X-0
LIST OF PARTIES TO EXECUTE LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS
| Name | Position | |
|
|
|
|
| Xxxxx X. Xxxxx | President, Chief Executive Officer and | |
| Chairman of the Board | ||
| Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | Director | |
| Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx | Director | |
| Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx | Director | |
| Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | Director | |
| Xxxxxx Xxxx | Director | |
| Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx | Director | |
| Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | Director | |
| Xxxxxxxx X. Ring | Director | |
| Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | Director | |
| D. Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx | Director | |
| Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | Director | |
| Xxx X. Xxxxx | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial | |
| Officer |
A-1-1
EXHIBIT B
OPINION OF XXXXXX XXXXXX & XXXXXXX LLP
December 23, 2005
UBS Securities LLC
Banc of America Securities LLC
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
as Managing Underwriters
c/o UBS Securities LLC
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
| 1. | The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with full corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus of the Company, dated December 13, 2005, relating to the Shares (including the basic prospectus attached thereto and the documents incorporated by reference therein, the “Pre-Pricing Prospectus”), the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses attached hereto as Annex A, to execute and deliver the Underwriting Agreement and to perform its obligations thereunder. |
| 2. | Celestial has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with full corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses attached hereto as Annex A. |
| 3. | The Company and Celestial are each duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and are in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. |
| 4. | The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. |
| 5. | The Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non- assessable. |
| 6. | All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are free of statutory preemptive rights and, to our knowledge, contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights |
| of first refusal and similar rights; | |
| 7. | All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Celestial have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), the Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, are owned by the Company, subject to no security interest, other encumbrance or adverse claim; the Shares are duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, on the NASDAQ. |
| 8. | The capital stock of the Company, including the Shares, conforms in all material respects to the description thereof, if any, contained in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses attached hereto as Annex A. |
| 9. | The Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus (except as to the financial statements and schedules, and other financial data derived therefrom, contained in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, as to which we express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act (including, in the case of the Prospectus, Section 10(a) of the Act); the conditions to the use of Form S-3 in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement have been satisfied; the Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement complies with, the requirements of Rule 415 under the Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415(a)(5)); and each Incorporated Document, at the time such document was filed with the Commission or at the time such document became effective, as applicable, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act (except as to the financial statements and schedules, and other financial data derived therefrom, contained in such document, as to which we express no opinion). |
| 10. | To our knowledge, the Company is not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) as of the eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Act with respect to the offering of the Shares contemplated by the Registration Statement. |
| 11. | The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and, to our knowledge, no stop order proceedings with respect thereto are pending or threatened under the Act, and any required filing of the Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant to Rule 424 or Rule 430B under the Act has been made in the manner and within the time period required by such Rule 424 and in compliance with Rule 430B under the Act. |
| 12. | No approval, authorization, consent or order under any federal law, the laws of the State of New York or under the Delaware General Corporation Law or approval, authorization, consent of or filing with any New York or Delaware governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency, or approval of the stockholders of the Company, is required in connection with the sale of the Shares or with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement other than registration of the Shares under the Act (except that we express no opinion as to any necessary qualification under the state |
| securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Shares are being offered by the Underwriters or as to the rules and regulations of the NASD applicable to its members). | |
| 13. | The execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement by the Company, the sale of the Shares pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement do not and will not result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under (nor constitute any event which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) (or result in the creation or imposition of a lien, charge or encumbrance on any property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to) (i) the charter or bylaws of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or (ii) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”) which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any Incorporated Document, or (iii) federal laws, the laws of the State of New York or the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, which decree, judgment or order is known by us except, in (iii) or (iv) as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. |
| 14. | To our knowledge, there are no contracts, licenses, agreements, leases or documents of a character which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any Incorporated Document which have not been so described or filed as required. |
| 15. | To our knowledge, (i) the Company is not a party to any legal or governmental action or proceeding that challenges the validity or enforceability, or seeks to enjoin the performance, of the Underwriting Agreement; and (ii) there are no actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings pending, threatened or contemplated to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective directors or officers is or would be a party or to which any of their respective properties is or would be subject at law or in equity, before or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus but are not so described as required. |
| 16. | Neither the Company nor Celestial is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, neither will be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act. |
| 17. | The statements in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus under the headings “Description of Capital Stock,” and “Underwriting” insofar as such statements constitute summaries of documents or legal proceedings or refer to matters of law or legal conclusions, are accurate and complete in all material respects and present fairly the information purported to be shown. |
| 18. | No person has the right, pursuant to the terms of any contract, agreement or other instrument described in or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any Incorporated Document or otherwise known to us, to cause the Company to register under the Act any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other equity interest in the Company (other than the filing of a registration statement for 100,482 shares of Common Stock issued to Yeo Hiap Seng Limited and Yeo Hiap Seng (Malaysia) Berhad) or to include any such shares or interest in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby. |
| 19. | We have participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent registered public accounting firm for the Company and representatives of the Underwriter at which the contents of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the documents specified in Annex A hereto (the “General Disclosure Documents”) and related matters were discussed. Although we have made certain inquiries and investigations in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Documents, the limitations inherent in the role of outside counsel are such that we cannot and do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in such documents, except as provided in paragraph 17 of our opinion to you of even date herewith. Subject to the foregoing, we advise you that, in connection with our work on this matter, no facts have come to our attention that lead us to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, including the documents incorporated therein by reference, at the Effective Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Prospectus, as of its date or as of the date hereof, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (iii) the General Disclosure Documents, as of 4:30 pm (Eastern time) on the date of the Underwriting Agreement, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood that we express no comment with respect to the financial statements, including the notes thereto, or any other financial data included in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Documents). |
Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Underwriting Agreement.
ANNEX A TO EXHIBIT B
| 1. | Pre-Pricing Prospectus dated as of December 13, 2005 |
| 2. | Schedule C attached to the Underwriting Agreement |
EXHIBIT C
OPINION OF XXXXXXXX X. XXXXX, ESQ.,
Counsel for the Selling Stockholder
December 23, 2005
UBS Securities LLC
Banc of America Securities LLC
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
As Managing Underwriters
c/o UBS Securities LLC
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am the Senior Vice President and General Counsel of X.X. Xxxxx Company, and I have acted as counsel for HJH One, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (the “Selling Stockholder”), in connection with the Underwriting Agreement dated December 19, 2005 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Selling Stockholder and you, as representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule A thereto (the “Underwriters”). Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Selling Stockholder proposes to sell, and you severally propose to purchase, an aggregate of 5,295,957 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share. This opinion is delivered pursuant to Section 9(b) of the Underwriting Agreement at the request of the Selling Stockholder.
I have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as I have deemed necessary for the purposes of rendering this opinion. I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures.
Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein are used as defined in the Underwriting Agreement.
Based upon the foregoing, I am of the opinion that:
(i) The Selling Stockholder has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of Delaware, with full power and authority to conduct its business.
(ii) Each of the Custody Agreement and Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Stockholder. The Custody Agreement is a
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valid and binding agreement of the Selling Stockholder, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditor’s rights generally and equitable principles of general applicability.
(iii) The execution, delivery and performance by the Selling Stockholder of the Custody Agreement and Underwriting Agreement, and the sale of the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder, will not result in a breach or violation of (A) any of the terms or provisions of its limited liability company agreement, (B) any other agreement to which the Selling Stockholder is a party or by which its assets are bound or (C) any provision of United States federal or New York state law or the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act that in our experience is normally applicable to limited liability companies in relation to transactions of the type contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, provided that I express no opinion as to any United States federal or state securities laws.
(iv) No consent, approval, authorization or order of any governmental agency or body under United States federal or New York state law that in my experience is normally applicable to limited liability companies in relation to transactions of the type contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement is required to be obtained or made by the Selling Stockholder for the execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement or in connection with the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares sold by the Selling Stockholder, except such as have been obtained and such as may be required under federal or state securities laws, as to which I express no opinion.
(v) Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, the delivery of such Shares to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), the registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Shares on the records of DTC to security accounts in the name of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any of the Underwriters has notice of any adverse claim (as such phrase is defined in Section 8-105 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York (the “UCC”)) to such Shares or any security entitlement in respect thereof), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (C) to the extent governed by Article 8 of the UCC, no action based on any “adverse claim” (as defined in Section 8-102 of the UCC) to such Shares may be asserted against the Underwriters; it being understood that for purposes of this opinion, we have assumed that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or such other nominee as may be designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the securities account or accounts in the names of the Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.
(vi) The statements included in the Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, in each case, under the captions “Selling Stockholder” (with your permission, except with respect to the dollar amounts of transactions described under “—
Transactions between Heinz and us in the last three years”), “Underwriting,” “Plan of Distribution,” “Item 14 – Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution,” and the statements in the revised definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Commission on October 31, 2005 under the caption “Certain Relationships” (except as aforesaid with respect to dollar amounts in the third paragraph thereof) to the extent that they relate to the Selling Stockholder, X.X. Xxxxx Company and each affiliate of X.X. Xxxxx Company (other than the Company) were and are true and correct in all material respects at the Effective Time, as of the date of the Pre-Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, the date of the Underwriting Agreement or the date hereof.
I am a member of the Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act and the federal laws of the United States. As to all matters related to New York law, I have relied, with your permission, on the opinion of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx delivered to the Selling Stockholder of even date herewith, a copy of which is attached hereto.
I have assumed (except as expressly set forth above with respect to the Selling Stockholder) that each party to each of the Custody Agreement and the Underwriting Agreement has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization. In addition, I have assumed (except as expressly set forth above with respect to the Selling Stockholder) that the execution, delivery and performance by each party thereto of each such agreement to which it is a party, (1) are within its corporate or limited liability company powers, (2) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, the constitutive documents of such party, (3) require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official and (4) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, any provision of applicable law or regulation or any judgment, injunction, order or decree or any agreement or other instrument binding upon such party.
This opinion is rendered solely to you and the other several Underwriters in connection with the Underwriting Agreement. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose or relied upon by any other person (including any person acquiring Shares from the several Underwriters) or furnished to any other person without our prior written consent.
| Very truly yours, |
EXHIBIT D
OFFICERS’ CERTIFICATE
Each of the undersigned, Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, President, in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Xxx X. Xxxxx, in his capacity as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, on behalf of the Company, does hereby certify pursuant to Section 9(h) of that certain Underwriting Agreement dated December 19, 2005 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among the Company, the Selling Stockholder named therein and, on behalf of the several Underwriters named therein, UBS Securities LLC, Banc of America Securities LLC and X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., that as of December 23, 2005:
| 1. | He has reviewed the Registration Statement, each Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. |
| 2. | The representations and warranties of the Company as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement are true and correct as of the date hereof and as if made on the date hereof. |
| 3. | The Company has performed all of its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement as are to be performed at or before the date hereof. |
| 4. | The conditions set forth in paragraph (g) of Section 9 of the Underwriting Agreement have been met. |
| 5. | Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a schedule setting forth the derivation from the Company’s audited financial statements as of June 30, 2005 and 2004 and for the three years ended June 30, 2005 of the “non-GAAP” financial figures included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005, which were not subsequently included in the Company’s Form 10-K/A for such fiscal year. The undersigned have reviewed such schedule and confirm that such figures were derived as set forth in such schedule. |
| Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Underwriting Agreement. |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto set their hands on this 23rd day of December, 2005.
| Name: | Xxxxx X. Xxxxx | |
| Title: | President, Chief Executive Officer | |
| and Chairman of the Board | ||
| Name: | Xxx X. Xxxxx | |
| Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief | |
| Financial Officer | ||
EXHIBIT E
CERTIFICATE OF THE SELLING STOCKHOLDER
The undersigned, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx., on behalf of the Selling Stockholder (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement referred to below), does hereby certify pursuant to Section 9(i) of that certain Underwriting Agreement dated December 19, 2005 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among the Company, the Selling Stockholder named therein, and the Underwriters named therein, that as of December 23, 2005:
| 1. | The representations and warranties of the Selling Stockholder as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement are true and correct as of the date hereof and as if made on the date hereof except for representations and warranties that we made as of a specific date, which shall be true at and as of such specific date. |
| 2. | The Selling Stockholder has performed all of its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement as are to be performed at or before the date hereof. |
| 3. | The Selling Stockholder confirms that any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights with respect to the Company’s Common Stock arising under the Investor’s Agreement among the Company, the Selling Stockholder and Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, dated September 24, 1999, to the extent benefiting the Selling Stockholder, have been duly waived by the Selling Stockholder as to the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement. |
Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Underwriting Agreement.
The statements in this certificate are deemed to be representations and warranties by the Selling Stockholder, of the matters covered herein, to each Underwriter.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hands on this 23rd day of December, 2005, on behalf of the Selling Stockholder.
| HJH ONE, L.L.C. | ||
| Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx. | |
| Title: | Vice President | |
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