Exhibit 1.1
2,500,000 SHARES(1)
NETGATEWAY, INC.
COMMON STOCK
FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
____________, 1999
CRUTTENDEN XXXX INCORPORATED
00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
NETGATEWAY, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
addresses you as the Representative of each of the persons, firms and
corporations listed in Schedule A hereto (herein collectively called the
"Underwriters") and hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters
as follows:
1. DESCRIPTION OF SHARES. The Company proposes to issue and sell
2,500,000 shares of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, $.001 par value
per share (the "Firm Shares"), to the several Underwriters. The Company also
proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 375,000
additional shares of the Company's Common Stock, $.001 par value per share (the
"Option Shares"), as provided in Section 7 hereof. In addition, the Company
proposes to sell to you, individually and not in your capacity as
Representative, four-year warrants (the "Representative's Warrants") to purchase
up to 250,000 shares of Common Stock, $.001 par value per share, of the Company
(the "Representative's Warrant Stock"), which sale will be consummated in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the Representative's Warrant
Agreement (the "Representative's Warrant Agreement"), the form of which is filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement described below. As used in this
Agreement, the term "Shares" shall include the Firm Shares and the Option
Shares. The Representative's Warrants shall be exercisable at a price per Share
equal to one hundred twenty percent (120%) of the initial public offering price.
All shares of Common Stock, $.001 par value per share, of the Company to be
outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby, including the
sale of the Shares, are hereinafter referred to as "Common Stock." Unless the
context otherwise requires, references herein to the "Company" include
Netgateway, Inc. together with its subsidiaries described in the Prospectus
(defined in Section 2(a) below.).
2. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each
Underwriter that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-____)
with respect to the Shares, the Representative's Warrants and the
Representative's Warrant Stock, including a prospectus subject to completion,
has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the applicable rules and
(1) Plus an option to purchase up to 375,000 additional shares from the
company to cover over-allotments, if any.
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regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") under the Act and has been filed with the
Commission; such amendments to such registration statement and such amended
prospectuses subject to completion as may have been required prior to the date
hereof have been similarly prepared and filed with the Commission; and the
Company will file such additional amendments to such registration statement and
such amended prospectuses subject to completion as may hereafter be required.
Copies of such registration statement and amendments and of each related
prospectus subject to completion (the "Preliminary Prospectuses") have been
delivered to you.
If the registration statement relating to the Shares has been
declared effective under the Act by the Commission, the Company will prepare and
promptly file with the Commission the information previously omitted from the
registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(a) of the Rules and Regulations
pursuant to subparagraph (1) or (4) of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations
or as part of a post-effective amendment to the registration statement
(including a final form of prospectus). If the registration statement relating
to the Shares has not been declared effective under the Act by the Commission,
the Company will prepare and promptly file an amendment to the registration
statement, including a final form of prospectus. The term "Registration
Statement" as used in this Agreement shall mean such registration statement,
including financial statements, schedules and exhibits, in the form in which it
became or becomes, as the case may be, effective (including, if the Company
omitted information from the registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(a) of
the Rules and Regulations, the information deemed to be a part of the
registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b)
of the Rules and Regulations) and, in the event of any amendment thereto after
the effective date of such registration statement, shall also mean (from and
after the effectiveness of such amendment) such registration statement as so
amended. The term "Prospectus" as used in this Agreement shall mean the
prospectus relating to the Shares as included in such Registration Statement at
the time it becomes effective (including, if the Company omitted information
from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A(a) of the Rules and
Regulations, the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement
at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) of the Rules and
Regulations), except that if any revised prospectus shall be provided to the
Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the
Shares that differs from the prospectus on file with the Commission at the time
the Registration Statement became or becomes, as the case may be, effective
(whether or not such revised prospectus is required to be filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) of the Rules and Regulations), the term
"Prospectus" shall refer to such revised prospectus from and after the time it
is first provided to the Underwriters for such use.
(b) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or instituted proceedings for
that purpose, and each such Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing
thereof, has conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act
and the Rules and Regulations and, as of its date, has not included any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; and at the time the Registration Statement became or
becomes, as the case may be, effective and
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at all times subsequent thereto up to and on the Closing Date (hereinafter
defined) and on any later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, (i)
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements
thereto, contained and will contain all material information required to be
included therein by the Act and the Rules and Regulations and will in all
material respects conform to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, (ii) the Registration Statement, and any amendments or supplements
thereto, did not and will not include any 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, and (iii) neither the Registration
Statement nor the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, will
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that none of the
representations and warranties contained in this subparagraph (b) shall apply to
information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, written information relating to any Underwriter furnished to
the Company by such Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
(c) The Company 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 power and authority (corporate and other) to own,
lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus; the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the ownership
or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good
standing would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the Company
taken as a whole; no proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction,
revoking, limiting or curtailing, or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail, such
power and authority or qualification; the Company is in possession of and
operating in compliance with all authorizations, licenses, certificates,
consents, orders and permits from state, federal and other regulatory
authorities that are material to the conduct of its business, all of which are
valid and in full force and effect; the Company is not in material violation of
its charter or bylaws or in default in the performance or observance of any
material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any material
bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness, or in any material
lease, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, joint
venture or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by
which it or its properties or assets may be bound; and the Company is not in
material violation of any law, order, rule, regulation, writ, injunction,
judgment or decree of any court, government or governmental agency or body,
domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or over its properties
or assets. The Prospectus accurately describes any corporation, association or
other entity owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company.
(d) The Company has full legal right, power and authority to
enter into this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement and to
perform the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. Each of this Agreement
and the Representative's Warrant Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company and is a valid and
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binding agreement on the part of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, except as rights to indemnification under this Agreement or the
Representative's Warrant Agreement may be limited by applicable law and except
as such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting
creditors' rights generally or by general equitable principles; the performance
of this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein or therein contemplated will not result
in a material breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or
constitute a default under, (i) any bond, debenture, note or other evidence of
indebtedness, or under any lease, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
loan agreement, joint venture or other agreement or instrument to which the
Company is a party or by which its properties or assets may be bound, (ii) the
charter or bylaws of the Company, or (iii) any law, order, rule, regulation,
writ, injunction, judgment or decree of any court, government or governmental
agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or
over its properties or assets. No consent, approval, authorization or order of
or qualification with any court, government or governmental agency or body,
domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or over its properties
or assets is required for the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
Representative's Warrant Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated, except such as may be required
under the Act or under state or other securities or Blue Sky laws, all of which
requirements have been satisfied in all material respects.
(e) There is not any pending or, to the best of the Company's
knowledge, threatened, action, suit, claim or proceeding against the Company, or
any of its officers or any of its properties, assets or rights, before any
court, government or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Company or over its officers or properties or otherwise
that (i) is reasonably likely to result in any material adverse change in the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business
prospects of the Company or might materially and adversely affect its
properties, assets or rights, (ii) might prevent consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, or (iii) is required to be disclosed in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus and is not so disclosed; and there are no
agreements, contracts, leases or documents of the Company of a character
required to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement by the Act
or the Rules and Regulations or by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"Exchange Act") or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder that
have not been accurately described in all material respects in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement.
(f) All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state
securities laws, were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive
rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities, and the
authorized and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the
Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" and conforms in all material
respects to the statements relating thereto contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (and such statements correctly state the substance
of the instruments defining the capitalization of the Company); the Firm Shares
and
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the Option Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the
Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the
Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement,
will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and nonassessable, and will be
sold free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, encumbrance, claim
or equitable interest; and no preemptive right, co-sale right, registration
right, right of first refusal or other similar right of stockholders exists with
respect to any of the Firm Shares or Option Shares or the issuance and sale
thereof other than those that have been expressly waived prior to the date
hereof and those that will automatically expire upon the consummation of the
transactions contemplated on the Closing Date. No further approval or
authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors of the Company or
others is required for the issuance and sale or transfer of the Shares except as
may be required under the Act, the Rules and Regulations or under state or other
securities or Blue Sky laws. Except as disclosed in or contemplated by the
Prospectus and the financial statements of the Company, and the related notes
thereto, included in the Prospectus, the Company has no outstanding options to
purchase, or any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to
purchase, any securities or obligations convertible into, or any contracts or
commitments to issue or sell, shares of its capital stock or any such options,
rights, convertible securities or obligations. The description of the Company's
stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options
or other rights granted and exercised thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus
accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect
to such plans, arrangements, options and rights under the Act and the Rules and
Regulations.
(g) KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP, which has examined the financial
statements of the Company, together with the related schedules and notes, for
the period from March 2, 1998 (inception) through June 30, 1998 and for the nine
month period ended March 31, 1999, respectively, filed with the Commission as a
part of the Registration Statement, which are included in the Prospectus, are
independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the Rules and
Regulations; the audited financial statements of the Company, together with the
related schedules and notes, and the unaudited financial information, forming
part of the Registration Statement and Prospectus, fairly present the financial
position and the results of operations of the Company at the respective dates
and for the respective periods to which they apply; and all audited financial
statements of the Company, together with the related schedules and notes, and
the unaudited financial information, filed with the Commission as part of the
Registration Statement, have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved
except as may be otherwise stated therein. The selected and summary financial
and statistical data included in the Registration Statement present fairly the
information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with the
audited financial statements presented therein. No other financial statements or
schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement.
(h) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been (i)
any material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company, (ii) any transaction
that is material to the Company, (iii) any obligation, direct or contingent,
that is material to the Company, incurred by the Company, except obligations
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incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iv) any change in the capital
stock or outstanding indebtedness of the Company that is material to the
Company, (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on
the capital stock of the Company, or (vi) any loss or damage (whether or not
insured) to the property of the Company which has a material adverse effect on
the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or
business prospects of the Company.
(i) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, (i) the Company has good and marketable title to all properties and
assets described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as owned by it,
free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, encumbrance, claim or
equitable interest, other than such as would not have a material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or
business prospects of the Company, (ii) the agreements to which the Company is a
party described in the Registration Statement are valid agreements, enforceable
by the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof
may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by
general equitable principles and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, the
other contracting party or parties thereto are not in material breach or
material default under any of such agreements, and (iii) the Company has valid
and enforceable leases for all properties described in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus as leased by it, except as the enforcement thereof may
be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by
general equitable principles. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement
and Prospectus, the Company owns or leases all such properties as are necessary
to its operations as now conducted and as described in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus.
(j) The Company has timely filed all federal, state, local and
foreign tax returns required to be filed by it and has paid all taxes shown
thereon as due, and there is no tax deficiency that has been or, to the best of
the Company's knowledge, is reasonably likely to be asserted against the
Company, which might have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial
or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the
Company, and all tax liabilities are adequately provided for on the books of the
Company.
(k) The Company maintains insurance with insurers of
recognized financial responsibility of the types and in the amounts generally
deemed adequate for its business including, but not limited to, insurance
covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company against
theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and all other risks customarily
insured against, all of which insurance is in full force and effect; the Company
has not been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the
Company does have any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its
existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain
similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its
business at a cost that would not materially and adversely affect the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects
of the Company.
(l) No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company
exists or, to the
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best of the Company's knowledge, is imminent. The Company is not aware of any
existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any principal
suppliers or customers that might be expected to result in any material adverse
change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business
or business prospects of the Company. No collective bargaining agreement exists
with any of the Company's employees and, to the best of the Company's knowledge,
no such agreement is imminent.
(m) The Company owns or possesses adequate rights to use all
patents, patent rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service
marks, trade names and copyrights described or referred to in the Prospectus as
owned by or used by it or that are necessary to conduct its businesses as
described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; the Company has not
received any notice of, and has no knowledge of, any infringement of or conflict
with asserted rights of the Company by others with respect to any patents,
patent rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks,
trade names or copyrights described or referred to in the Prospectus as owned by
or used by it; and the Company has not received any notice of, and has no
knowledge of, any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others
with respect to any patents, patent rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how,
trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights described or referred to in
the Prospectus as owned by or used by it or which, singly or in the aggregate,
in the event of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company.
(n) The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(g)
of the Exchange Act and is approved for quotation on the OTC Bulletin Board, and
the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of,
terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or
delisting the Common Stock from the OTC Bulletin Board, nor has the Company
received any notification that the Commission or the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") is contemplating terminating such registration
or listing.
(o) The Company has been advised concerning the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and the rules and regulations
thereunder, and has in the past conducted, and intends in the future to conduct,
its affairs in such a manner as to ensure that it is not and will not become an
"investment company" or a company "controlled" by an "investment company" within
the meaning of the 1940 Act and such rules and regulations.
(p) The Company has not distributed and will not distribute
prior to the later of (i) the Closing Date, or any date on which Option Shares
are to be purchased, as the case may be, and (ii) completion of the distribution
of the Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of
the Shares other than any Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectus, the
Registration Statement and other materials, if any, permitted by the Act.
(q) The Company has not at any time during the last five (5)
years (i) made any unlawful contribution to any candidate for foreign office or
failed to disclose fully any contribution in violation of law, or (ii) made any
payment to any federal or state governmental
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officer or official, or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public
duties, other than payments required or permitted by the laws of the United
States or any jurisdiction thereof.
(r) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause
or result in stabilization in violation of law or manipulation of the price of
the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(s) Each officer, director and director-nominee of the Company
and each beneficial owner of five (5) percent or more of the Company's Common
Stock has agreed in writing that such person will not, for a period of 365 days
from the date that the Registration Statement is declared effective by the
Commission (the "Lock-up Period"), offer to sell, contract to sell, or otherwise
sell, dispose of, loan, pledge or grant any rights with respect to
(collectively, a "Disposition") any shares of Common Stock, any options or
warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible
into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock (collectively, "Securities") now
owned or hereafter acquired directly by such person or with respect to which
such person has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, otherwise than
(i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided the donee or donees thereof agree in
writing to be bound by this restriction, and (ii) with the prior written consent
of Cruttenden Xxxx Incorporated. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed
to preclude the holder of the Securities from engaging in any hedging or other
transaction that is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in a
Disposition of Securities during the Lock-up Period, even if such Securities
would be disposed of by someone other than such holder. Such prohibited hedging
or other transactions would include, without limitation, any short sale (whether
or not against the box) or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including,
without limitation, any put or call option) with respect to any Securities or
with respect to any security (other than a broad-based market basket or index)
that includes, relates to or derives any significant part of its value from
Securities. Furthermore, such person will also agree and consent to the entry of
stop transfer instructions with the Company's transfer agent against the
transfer of the Securities held by such person except in compliance with this
restriction. The Company has provided to counsel for the Underwriters a complete
and accurate list of all securityholders of the Company and the number and type
of securities held by each securityholder. The Company has provided to counsel
for the Underwriters true, accurate and complete copies of all of the agreements
pursuant to which its officers, directors, director-nominees and stockholders
have agreed to such restrictions (the "Lock-up Agreements"). The Company hereby
represents and warrants that it will not release any of its officers, directors
or director-nominees or other stockholders from any Lock-up Agreements currently
existing or hereafter effected without the prior written consent of Cruttenden
Xxxx Incorporated.
(t) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, (i) the Company is in material compliance with all rules, laws and
regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of toxic
substances and protection of health or the environment ("Environmental Laws")
that are applicable to its business, (ii) the Company has received no notice
from any governmental authority or third party of an asserted claim under
Environmental Laws, which claim is required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, (iii) to its best knowledge, the Company is not
likely to be required to make future material
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capital expenditures to comply with Environmental Laws (iv) no property which is
owned, leased or occupied by the Company has been designated as a Superfund site
pursuant to the Comprehensive Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980,
as amended (42 U.S.C. ss. 9601, ET SEQ.), or otherwise designated as a
contaminated site under applicable state or local law, and (v) the Company is
not in violation of any federal or state law or regulation relating to
occupational safety or health.
(u) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorizations,
(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, including without limitation cash receipts,
(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.
(v) There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal
advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees
of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers,
directors or director-nominees of the Company or any of the members of the
families of any of them, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus.
(w) The Company has not incurred any liability, direct or
indirect, for finders' or similar fees on behalf of or payable by the Company or
the Underwriters in connection with this or any other transaction involving the
Company and the Underwriters.
(x) The Representative's Warrants have been duly and validly
authorized by the Company and upon delivery to you in accordance with the
Representative's Warrant Agreement will be duly issued and legal, valid and
binding obligations of the Company.
(y) The Representative's Warrant Stock has been duly
authorized and reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Representative's
Warrants and when issued upon payment of the exercise price therefor will be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock of the
Company.
3. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF SHARES. On the basis of the
representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the
Underwriters, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $______ per share, the
respective number of Firm Shares as hereinafter set forth. The obligation of
each Underwriter to the Company shall be to purchase from the Company that
number of Firm Shares which is set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter
in Schedule A hereto (subject to adjustment as provided in Section 10).
Delivery of definitive certificates for the Firm Shares to be
purchased by the Underwriters pursuant to this Section 3 shall be made against
payment of the purchase price
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therefor by the several Underwriters by certified or official bank check or
checks drawn in next-day funds, payable to the order of the Company (and the
Company agrees not to deposit any such check in the bank on which it is drawn
until the day following the date of its delivery to the Company) at the offices
of the Representative or such other place as may be agreed upon among the
Representative and the Company, at ____ A.M., Los Angeles time, on the third
(3rd) full business day following the first day that Shares are traded (or at
such time and date to which payment and delivery shall have been postponed
pursuant to Section 10 hereof), such time and date of payment and delivery being
herein called the "Closing Date." The certificates for the Firm Shares to be so
delivered will be made available to you at such office or such other location as
you may reasonably request for checking at least one (1) full business day prior
to the Closing Date and will be in such names and denominations as you may
request, such request to be made at least two (2) full business days prior to
the Closing Date. If the Representative so elects, delivery of the Firm Shares
may be made by credit through full fast transfer to the accounts at The
Depository Trust Company designated by the Representative.
It is understood that you, individually, and not as the
Representative of the several Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to)
make payment of the purchase price on behalf of any Underwriter or Underwriters
whose check or checks shall not have been received by you prior to the Closing
Date for the Firm Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters.
Any such payment by you shall not relieve any such Underwriter or Underwriters
of any of its or their obligations hereunder.
After the Registration Statement becomes effective, the
several Underwriters intend to make an initial public offering (as such term is
described in Section 11 hereof) of the Firm Shares at an initial public offering
price of $______ per share. After the initial public offering, the several
Underwriters may, in their discretion, vary the public offering price.
The information set forth in the last paragraph on the front
cover page (insofar as such information relates to the Underwriters), in the
first paragraph on page 2, concerning stabilization and over-allotment by the
Underwriters, in the third paragraph under the caption "Underwriting,"
concerning the manner of offering the Firm Shares and the Option Shares, and in
the seventh paragraph under the caption "Underwriting," concerning the
discretionary accounts controlled by the Underwriters, in each case, in any
Preliminary Prospectus and in the final form of Prospectus filed pursuant to
Rule 424(b) constitutes the only information furnished by the Underwriters to
the Company for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or the
Registration Statement, and you, on behalf of the respective Underwriters,
represent and warrant to the Company that the statements made therein do not
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4. FURTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company agrees with the
several Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement
11
and any amendment thereof, if not effective at the time and date that this
Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto, to become effective
as promptly as possible; it will notify you, promptly after it shall receive
notice thereof, of the time when the Registration Statement or any subsequent
amendment to the Registration Statement has become effective or any supplement
to the Prospectus has been filed; if the Company omitted information from the
Registration Statement at the time it was originally declared effective in
reliance upon Rule 430A(a) of the Rules and Regulations, the Company will
provide evidence satisfactory to you that the Prospectus contains such
information and has been filed, within the time period prescribed, with the
Commission pursuant to subparagraph (1) or (4) of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
Regulations or as part of a post-effective amendment to such Registration
Statement as originally declared effective which is declared effective by the
Commission; if for any reason the filing of the final form of Prospectus is
required under Rule 424(b)(3) of the Rules and Regulations, it will provide
evidence satisfactory to you that the Prospectus contains such information and
has been filed with the Commission within the time period prescribed; it will
notify you promptly of any request by the Commission for the amending or
supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional
information; promptly upon your request, it will prepare and file with the
Commission any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus which, in the opinion of Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, counsel for the several
Underwriters ("Underwriters' Counsel"), may be necessary or advisable in
connection with the distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters; it will
promptly prepare and file with the Commission, and promptly notify you of the
filing of, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus which may be necessary to correct any statements or omissions, if, at
any time when a prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered
under the Act, any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus
or any other prospectus relating to the Shares as then in effect would include
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading; in case any Underwriter is required
to deliver a prospectus nine (9) months or more after the effective date of the
Registration Statement in connection with the sale of the Shares, it will
prepare promptly upon request, but at the expense of such Underwriter, such
amendment or amendments to the Registration Statement and such prospectus or
prospectuses as may be necessary to permit compliance with the requirements of
Section 10(a)(3) of the Act; and it will file no amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus which shall not previously have been
submitted to you a reasonable time prior to the proposed filing thereof or to
which you shall reasonably object in writing, subject, however, to compliance
with the Act and the Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder and the provisions of this Agreement.
(b) The Company will advise you, promptly after it shall
receive notice or obtain knowledge, of the issuance of any stop order by the
Commission suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the
initiation or threat of any proceeding for that purpose; and it will promptly
use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its
withdrawal at the earliest possible moment if such stop order should be issued.
(c) The Company will use its best efforts to qualify the
Shares for offering
12
and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may designate
and to continue such qualifications in effect for so long as may be required for
purposes of the distribution of the Shares, except that the Company shall not be
required in connection therewith or as a condition thereof to qualify as a
foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process in any
jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise required to be so qualified or to so
execute a general consent to service of process. In each jurisdiction in which
the Shares shall have been qualified as above provided, the Company will make
and file such statements and reports in each year as are or may be reasonably
required by the laws of such jurisdiction.
(d) The Company will furnish to you, as soon as available,
copies of the Registration Statement (three of which will be signed and which
will include all exhibits), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements to such documents, including any prospectus prepared
to permit compliance with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (three of which will
include all exhibits) all in such quantities as you may from time to time
reasonably request.
(e) The Company will make generally available to its
securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than the
forty-fifth (45th) day following the end of the fiscal quarter first occurring
after the first anniversary of the effective date of the Registration Statement,
an earnings statement (which will be in reasonable detail but need not be
audited) complying with the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and covering
a twelve (12) month period beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement.
(f) During a period of five (5) years after the date hereof
and for so long as the Company is subject to Section 13 or 15 of the Exchange
Act, the Company will furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after
the end of each respective period, annual reports (including financial
statements audited by independent certified public accountants) and unaudited
quarterly reports of operations for each of the first three quarters of the
fiscal year, and will furnish to you and the other several Underwriters
hereunder, upon request (i) concurrently with furnishing such reports to its
stockholders, statements of operations of the Company for each of the first
three (3) quarters in the form furnished to the Company's stockholders, (ii)
concurrently with furnishing to its stockholders, a balance sheet of the Company
as of the end of such fiscal year, together with statements of operations, of
stockholders' equity, and of cash flows of the Company for such fiscal year,
accompanied by a copy of the certificate or report thereon of independent
certified public accountants, (iii) as soon as they are available, copies of all
reports (financial or other) mailed to stockholders, (iv) as soon as they are
available, copies of all reports and financial statements furnished to or filed
with the Commission, any securities exchange or the NASD, (v) every material
press release and every material news item or article in respect of the Company
or its affairs which was generally released to stockholders or prepared by the
Company, and (vi) any additional information of a public nature concerning the
Company or its business which you may reasonably request. During such five (5)
year period, if the Company shall have active subsidiaries, the foregoing
financial statements shall be on a consolidated basis to the extent that the
accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated, and shall be
accompanied by similar financial statements for any significant subsidiary that
is not so consolidated.
13
(g) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of
the Shares being sold by it in the manner set forth under the caption "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(h) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if
necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar
(which may be the same entity as the transfer agent) for its Common Stock.
(i) The Company will file Form SR in conformity with the
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(j) If the transactions contemplated hereby are not
consummated by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the
Company to perform any agreement on its part to be performed hereunder or to
fulfill any condition of the Underwriters' obligations hereunder, or if the
Company shall terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, or if
the Underwriters shall terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 11(b)(i),
the Company will pay the several Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses
(including fees and disbursements of Underwriters' Counsel) incurred by the
Underwriters in investigating or preparing to market or marketing the Shares.
(k) If at any time during the ninety (90) day period after the
Registration Statement becomes effective, any rumor, publication or event
relating to or affecting the Company shall occur as a result of which in your
opinion the market price of the Common Stock has been or is likely to be
materially affected (regardless of whether such rumor, publication or event
necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus), the Company will,
if reasonably requested by you, forthwith prepare, and, if permitted by law,
disseminate a press release or other public statement, reasonably satisfactory
to you, responding to or commenting on such rumor, publication or event.
(l) During the Lock-up Period, the Company will not, without
the prior written consent of Cruttenden Xxxx Incorporated, effect the
Disposition of, directly or indirectly, any Securities other than (i) the sale
of the Firm Shares and the Option Shares hereunder, and (ii) the Company's
issuance of options or Common Stock under the Company's presently authorized
stock option plans or restricted stock plans (collectively, the "Option Plans").
(m) During the period commencing on the date of this Agreement
and ending on the date which is nine (9) months after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, or such earlier date as of which the Company or the
Underwriters are no longer required to deliver a Prospectus in connection with
the sale of the Shares, the Company will not issue, release or disseminate any
press release or other material news item or article in respect of the Company
or its affairs without the prior written consent of Cruttenden Xxxx
Incorporated, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
5. EXPENSES.
(a) The Company agrees with each Underwriter that:
14
(i) The Company will pay and bear all costs and
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement (including financial statements, schedules and exhibits),
Preliminary Prospectuses and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements
thereto; the printing of this Agreement, the Agreement Among Underwriters, the
Selected Dealer Agreement, the Preliminary Blue Sky Survey and any supplemental
Blue Sky Survey, the Underwriters' Questionnaire and Power of Attorney, and any
instruments related to any of the foregoing; the issuance and delivery of the
Shares hereunder to the several Underwriters, including transfer taxes, if any,
the cost of all certificates representing the Shares and transfer agents' and
registrars' fees; the fees and disbursements of counsel and accountants for the
Company; all fees and other charges of the Company's independent certified
public accountants; all fees, disbursements and other charges of the
Underwriters' Counsel, the cost of furnishing to the several Underwriters copies
of the Registration Statement (including appropriate exhibits), Preliminary
Prospectuses and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements to any of the
foregoing; NASD filing fees and the cost of qualifying the Shares under the laws
of such jurisdictions as you may designate (including filing fees and fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters related to such qualification);
the Company's road show costs and expenses, the cost of preparing bound volumes
of the documents relating to the public offering of Common Stock contemplated
hereby; and all other expenses directly incurred by the Company in connection
with the performance of its obligations hereunder. All fees, disbursements and
other charges of the Underwriters' Counsel shall be paid on the Closing Date.
(ii) In addition to its other obligations under
Section 5(a)(i) hereof, the Company will pay to you a nonaccountable expense
allowance equal to 3.0% of the gross sales price of the Shares to the public.
This nonaccountable expense allowance with respect to the Firm Shares shall be
paid to you on the Closing Date and the nonaccountable expenses with respect to
the Option Shares shall be paid to you on the closing of the sale to you of such
Option Shares. The Company has previously paid to you a fee of $50,000 which
shall be credited towards the nonaccountable expense allowance at Closing.
(iii) In addition to its other obligations under
Section 8(a) hereof, the Company agrees that, as an interim measure during the
pendency of any claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding
described in Section 8(a) hereof, it will reimburse the Underwriters on a
monthly basis for all reasonable legal or other expenses incurred in connection
with investigating or defending any such claim, action, investigation, inquiry
or other proceeding, notwithstanding the absence of a judicial determination as
to the propriety and enforceability of the Company's obligation to reimburse the
Underwriters for such expenses and the possibility that such payments might
later be held to have been improper by a court of competent jurisdiction. To the
extent that any such interim reimbursement payment is so held to have been
improper, the Underwriters shall promptly return such payment to the Company
together with interest, compounded daily, determined on the basis of the prime
rate (or other commercial lending rate for borrowers of the highest credit
standing) listed from time to time in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL which represents
the base rate on corporate loans posted by a substantial majority of the
nation's five (5) largest banks (the "Prime Rate"). Any such interim
reimbursement payments which are not made to the Underwriters within thirty (30)
days of a request for reimbursement shall bear interest at the Prime Rate from
the date of such request.
15
(b) In addition to their other obligations under Section 8(b)
hereof, the Underwriters severally and not jointly agree that, as an interim
measure during the pendency of any claim, action, investigation, inquiry or
other proceeding described in Section 8(b) hereof, they will reimburse the
Company on a monthly basis for all reasonable legal or other expenses incurred
in connection with investigating or defending any such claim, action,
investigation, inquiry or other proceeding, notwithstanding the absence of a
judicial determination as to the propriety and enforceability of the
Underwriters' obligation to reimburse the Company for such expenses and the
possibility that such payments might later be held to have been improper by a
court of competent jurisdiction. To the extent that any such interim
reimbursement payment is so held to have been improper, the Company shall
promptly return such payment to the Underwriters together with interest,
compounded daily, determined on the basis of the Prime Rate. Any such interim
reimbursement payments which are not made to the Company within thirty (30) days
of a request for reimbursement shall bear interest at the Prime Rate from the
date of such request.
(c) It is agreed that any controversy arising out of the
operation of the interim reimbursement arrangements set forth in Sections
5(a)(iii) and 5(b) hereof, including the amounts of any requested reimbursement
payments, the method of determining such amounts and the basis on which such
amounts shall be apportioned among the reimbursing parties, shall be settled by
arbitration conducted pursuant to the Code of Arbitration Procedure of the NASD
in Orange County, California (or as close geographically to Orange County,
California as is reasonably practical). Any such arbitration must be commenced
by service of a written demand for arbitration or a written notice of intention
to arbitrate, therein electing the arbitration tribunal. In the event the party
demanding arbitration does not make such designation of an arbitration tribunal
in such demand or notice, then the party responding to said demand or notice is
authorized to do so. Any such arbitration will be limited to the operation of
the interim reimbursement provisions contained in Sections 5(a)(iii) and 5(b)
hereof and will not resolve the ultimate propriety or enforceability of the
obligation to indemnify for expenses which is created by the provisions of
Sections 8(a) and 8(b) hereof or the obligation to contribute to expenses which
is created by the provisions of Section 8(d) hereof.
6. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS. The obligations of the
several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares as provided herein shall
be subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and the Closing Date and any
later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, of
the representations and warranties of the Company to the performance by the
Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective not
later than 2:00 P.M., Los Angeles time, on the date following the date of this
Agreement, or such later date as shall be consented to in writing by you; and no
stop order suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the knowledge of
the Company or any Underwriter, threatened by the Commission, and any request of
the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the
satisfaction of Underwriters'
16
Counsel.
(b) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters in
connection with this Agreement, the form of Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, and the registration, authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of
the Shares, shall have been reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel,
and such counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and information
as they may reasonably have requested to enable them to pass upon the matters
referred to in this Section.
(c) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and prior to the Closing Date there shall not have been any change in the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business
prospects of the Company from that set forth in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, which, in your sole judgment, is material and adverse and that makes
it, in your sole judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
public offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus.
(d) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any
later date on which Option Shares are purchased, as the case may be, the
following opinion of Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx LLC, counsel for the Company, dated the
Closing Date or such later date on which Option Shares are purchased, addressed
to the Underwriters (and stating that it may be relied upon by Xxxxxxxxx
Traurig, Underwriters' Counsel, in rendering its opinion pursuant to Section
6(e) of this Agreement) and with reproduced copies or signed counterparts
thereof for each of the Underwriters, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation;
(ii) The Company has the corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;
(iii) The Company is duly qualified to do business as
a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction, if any, in which the ownership or leasing of its
properties or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or
be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company
taken as a whole. The Prospectus accurately describes any
corporation, association or other entity owned or controlled,
directly or indirectly, by the Company;
(iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital
stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus under
the caption "Capitalization" as of the dates stated therein,
the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and
are fully paid and nonassessable, and, have not been issued in
violation of or subject to any
17
preemptive right under the Delaware General Corporation Law
("DGCL"), or to such counsel's knowledge, any co-sale right,
registration right, right of first refusal or other similar
right;
(v) The Firm Shares and the Option Shares, as the
case may be, to be issued by the Company pursuant to the terms
of this Agreement each have been duly authorized and, upon
issuance and delivery against payment therefor in accordance
with the terms hereof, will be duly and validly issued and
fully paid and nonassessable, and, will not have been issued
in violation of or subject to any preemptive right under the
DGCL, or to such counsel's knowledge, any co-sale right,
registration right, right of first refusal or other similar
right of stockholders;
(vi) The Company has the corporate power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and to issue, sell and
deliver to the Underwriters the Shares to be issued and sold
by it hereunder;
(vii) The Company has the corporate power and
authority to enter into the Representative's Warrant Agreement
and to issue, sell and deliver to the Representative the
Representative's Warrants to be issued and sold by it
thereunder;
(viii) Each of this Agreement and the
Representative's Warrant Agreement has been duly authorized by
all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and
has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and,
assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by you, is
a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, except insofar as indemnification
provisions may be limited by applicable law and to which
counsel need not express any opinion and except as
enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or
affecting creditors rights generally or by general equitable
principles;
(ix) The Registration Statement has become effective
under the Act and, to such counsel's knowledge, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has
been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or threatened under the Act;
(x) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
and each amendment or supplement thereto (other than the
financial statements (including supporting schedules) and
financial and statistical data included in the Registration
Statement as to which such counsel need express no opinion),
as of the effective date of the Registration Statement,
complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act and the applicable Rules and
Regulations;
(xi) The information in the Prospectus under the
caption (a)
18
"Description of Capital Stock" and "Shares Eligible For Future
Sale," to the extent that it constitutes matters of law or
legal conclusions, has been reviewed by such counsel and
complies with all applicable disclosure requirements of
Regulation S-K and is true and correct in all material
respects;
(xii) The forms of certificates evidencing the Common
Stock and filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement
comply with Delaware law;
(xiii) The description in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus of the charter and bylaws of the Company
and of statutes are accurate and fairly present the
information required to be presented by the Act and the
applicable Rules and Regulations;
(xiv) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no
agreements, contracts, leases or documents to which the
Company is a party of a character required to be described or
referred to in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or to
be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that are
not described or referred to therein or filed as required;
(xv) The performance of this Agreement and the
Representative's Warrant Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated will not (a)
result in any violation of the Company's charter or bylaws or
(b) result in a material breach or violation of any of the
terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default
under, any material bond, debenture, note or other evidence of
indebtedness, or under any material lease, contract,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, joint
venture or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel
to which the Company is a party or by which its properties are
bound, or any applicable statute, rule or regulation known to
such counsel or, to such counsel's knowledge, any order, writ
or decree of any court, government or governmental agency or
body having jurisdiction over the Company or over any of its
properties or operations;
(xvi) No consent, approval, authorization or order of
or qualification with any court, government or governmental
agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or over
any of its properties or operations is necessary in connection
with the consummation by the Company of the transactions
herein contemplated, except such as have been obtained under
the Act or such as may be required under state or other
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase
and the distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;
(xvii) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no
legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened
against the Company of a character required to be disclosed in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus by the Act or the
Rules and Regulations or by the Exchange Act or the applicable
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, other than
those described therein;
19
(xviii) The Company is in possession of all material
permits from all governmental agencies or other authorities
having jurisdiction over the Company or over any of its
properties or operations, and to such counsel's knowledge, the
Company is not presently (a) in material violation of its
respective charter or bylaws, (b) in material breach of any
applicable permit, statute, rule or regulation known by us to
be applicable to the Company, or (c) to such counsel's
knowledge, any order, writ or decree of any California or
federal court or governmental agency or body having
jurisdiction over the Company, or over any of its properties
or operations.
(xix) The Representative's Warrants have been duly
and validly authorized by the Company and upon delivery to you
in accordance with the Representative's Warrant Agreement will
be duly issued and legal, valid and binding obligations of the
Company;
(xx) The Representative's Warrant Stock to be issued
by the Company pursuant to the terms of the Representative's
Warrant has been duly authorized and, upon issuance and
delivery against payment therefor in accordance with the terms
of the Representative's Warrant Agreement, will be duly and
validly issued and fully paid and nonassessable, and to such
counsel's knowledge, will not have been issued in violation of
or subject to any preemptive right under the DGCL, or to such
counsel's knowledge, any co-sale right, registration right,
right of first refusal or other similar right of stockholders;
(xxi) To such counsel's knowledge, no holders of
Common Stock or other securities of the Company have
registration rights with respect to securities of the Company;
and
(xxii) The offer and sale of all securities of the
Company made within the last three years as set forth in Item
15 of the Registration Statement were exempt from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act, pursuant to
the provisions set forth in such Item, and from the
registration or qualification requirements of all relevant
state securities laws.
In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has
participated in conferences with officials and other representatives of the
Company, the Representatives, Underwriters' Counsel and the independent
certified public accountants of the Company, at which the contents of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus and related matters were discussed, and
although (except as specifically set forth in paragraphs (xi) and (xiii) above)
they have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the statements contained
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, nothing has come to the
attention of such counsel that leads them to believe that, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective and at all times subsequent thereto up
to and on the Closing Date and on any later date on which Option Shares are to
be purchased, the Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement, when
such documents became effective or were filed with the Commission (other than
the financial statements
20
including supporting schedules and other financial and statistical data included
in the Registration Statement as to which such counsel need express no comment)
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, or at the Closing Date or any later date on which the Option
Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
Counsel rendering the foregoing opinion may rely as to
questions of law not involving the laws of the United States or the State of
Delaware upon opinions of local counsel, and as to questions of fact upon
representations or certificates of officers of the Company, and of government
officials, in which case its opinion is to state that they are so relying and
that they have no knowledge of any material misstatement or inaccuracy in any
such opinion, representation or certificate. Copies of any opinion,
representation or certificate so relied upon shall be delivered to you, as
Representatives of the Underwriters, and to Underwriters' Counsel.
(e) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any
later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, an
opinion of Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, in form and substance satisfactory to you, with
respect to the sufficiency of all such corporate proceedings and other legal
matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby as
you may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel
such documents as they may have requested for the purpose of enabling them to
pass upon such matters.
(f) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any
later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, a
letter from KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP, addressed to the Company and the
Underwriters, dated the Closing Date or such later date on which Option Shares
are to be purchased, as the case may be, confirming that they are independent
certified public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of
the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations and based upon the
procedures described in such letter delivered to you concurrently with the
execution of this Agreement (herein called the "Original Letter"), but carried
out to a date not more than five (5) business days prior to the Closing Date or
such later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be,
(i) confirming, to the extent true, that the statements and conclusions set
forth in the Original Letter are accurate as of the Closing Date or such later
date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, and (ii)
setting forth any revisions and additions to the statements and conclusions set
forth in the Original Letter which are necessary to reflect any changes in the
facts described in the Original Letter since the date of such letter, or to
reflect the availability of more recent financial statements, data or
information. The letter shall not disclose any change in the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations or business of the Company from
that set forth in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, which, in your sole
judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your sole judgment,
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering of the Shares
as contemplated by the Prospectus. The Original Letter from KPMG Peat Marwick,
LLP shall be addressed to or for the use of the Underwriters in form
21
and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and shall (i) represent, to the
extent true, that they are independent certified public accountants with respect
to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules
and Regulations, (ii) set forth its opinion with respect to its examination of
the balance sheet of the Company as of ______________, 1999 and related
statements of operations, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for the period
from March 2, 1998 (inception) through June 1998 and the nine month period ended
March 31, 1999, respectively, and (iii) address other matters agreed upon by
KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP and you. In addition, you shall have received from KMPM
Peat Marwick, LLP a letter addressed to the Company and made available to you
for the use of the Underwriters stating that its review of the Company's system
of internal accounting controls, to the extent they deemed necessary in
establishing the scope of its examination of the Company's financial statements
as of _________________, did not disclose any weaknesses in internal controls
that they considered to be material weaknesses.
(g) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any
later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, a
certificate of the Company, dated the Closing Date or such later date on which
Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, signed by the President
and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that, and you shall be
satisfied that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company
in this Agreement are true and correct, as if made on and as
of the Closing Date or any later date on which Option Shares
are to be purchased, as the case may be, and the Company has
complied, in all material aspects, with all the agreements and
satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or
satisfied, at or prior to the Closing Date or any later date
on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may
be;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings
for that purpose have been instituted or, are pending or
threatened under the Act;
(iii) When the Registration Statement became
effective and at all times subsequent thereto up to the
delivery of such certificate, the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto,
contained all information required to be included therein by
the Act and the Rules and Regulations or the Exchange Act and
the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, as the case may be, and in all respects conformed
to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations
or the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement, and any amendment or supplement
thereto, did not and does not include any 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, the Prospectus, and any amendment or
supplement thereto, did not and does not include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements
22
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; and, since the effective date of
the Registration Statement, there has occurred no event
required to be set forth in an amended or supplemented
Prospectus that has not been so set forth; and
(iv) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, there has not been (a) any material adverse change
in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company, (b)
any transaction that is material to the Company, except
transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business,
(c) any obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to
the Company, incurred by the Company, except obligations
incurred in the ordinary course of business, (d) any change in
the capital stock or outstanding indebtedness of the Company
that is material to the Company, (e) any dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital
stock of the Company (other than dividends paid in respect of
the Company's preferred stock outstanding on the date of the
Prospectus in amounts not in excess of those described in the
Prospectus), or (f) any loss or damage (whether or not
insured) to the property of the Company which has a material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
earnings, operations or business of the Company.
(h) The Company shall have obtained and delivered to you an
agreement from each officer, director and director-nominee of the Company, and
each beneficial owner of five percent or more of the Common Stock immediately
after the offering contemplated hereby, in writing prior to the date hereof that
such person will not, during the Lock-up Period, effect the Disposition of any
Securities now owned or hereafter acquired directly by such person or with
respect to which such person has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition,
otherwise than (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided the donee or donees
thereof agree in writing to be bound by this restriction, or (ii) with the prior
written consent of Cruttenden Xxxx Incorporated. The foregoing restriction is
expressly agreed to preclude the holder of the Securities from engaging in any
hedging or other transaction which is designed to or reasonably expected to lead
to or result in a Disposition of Securities during the Lock-up Period, even if
such Securities would be disposed of by someone other than the such holder. Such
prohibited hedging or other transactions would include, without limitation, any
short sale (whether or not against the box) or any purchase, sale or grant of
any right (including, without limitation, any put or call option) with respect
to any Securities or with respect to any security (other than a broad-based
market basket or index) that includes, relates to or derives any significant
part of its value from Securities. Furthermore, such person will have also
agreed and consented to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the
Company's transfer agent against the transfer of the Securities held by such
person except in compliance with this restriction.
(i) The Company shall have furnished to you such further
certificates and documents as you shall reasonably request, including
certificates of officers of the Company as to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company, as to the performance by the
Company of its obligations hereunder and as to the other conditions concurrent
and precedent
23
to the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder.
(j) The Representative's Warrant Agreement shall have been
entered into by the Company and you, and the Representative's Warrants shall
have been issued and sold to you pursuant thereto.
All such opinions, certificates, letters and documents will be
in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are reasonably
satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel. The Company will furnish you with such
number of conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents
as you shall reasonably request.
7. OPTION SHARES.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and
agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters, for the purpose of
covering over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the
Firm Shares only, a nontransferable option to purchase up to an aggregate of
375,000 Option Shares at the purchase price per share for the Firm Shares set
forth in Section 3 hereof. Such option may be exercised by the Representative on
behalf of the several Underwriters on one (1) or more occasions in whole or in
part during the period of forty-five (45) days after the date on which the Firm
Shares are initially offered to the public, by giving written notice to the
Company. The number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter upon
the exercise of such option shall be the same proportion of the total number of
Option Shares to be purchased by the several Underwriters pursuant to the
exercise of such option as the number of Firm Shares purchased by such
Underwriter (set forth in Schedule A hereto) bears to the total number of Firm
Shares purchased by the several Underwriters (set forth in Schedule A hereto),
adjusted by the Representative in such manner as to avoid fractional shares.
Delivery of definitive certificates for the Option Shares to
be purchased by the several Underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the option
granted by this Section 7 shall be made against payment of the purchase price
therefor by the several Underwriters by certified or official bank check or
checks drawn in next-day funds, payable to the order of the Company (and the
Company agrees not to deposit any such check in the bank on which it is drawn
until the day following the date of its delivery to the Company). Such delivery
and payment shall take place at the offices of the Representative, or at such
other place as may be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (i) on
the Closing Date, if written notice of the exercise of such option is received
by the Company at least three (3) full business days prior to the Closing Date,
or (ii) on a date which shall not be later than the fifth (5th) full business
day following the date the Company receives written notice of the exercise of
such option, if such notice is received by the Company less than three (3) full
business days prior to the Closing Date.
The certificates for the Option Shares to be so delivered will
be made available to you at such office or such other location as you may
reasonably request for inspection at least two (2) full business days prior to
the date of payment and delivery and will be in such names and denominations as
you may request, such request to be made at least three (3) full business days
prior to such date of payment and delivery. If the Representative so elects,
delivery of the
24
Option Shares may be made by credit through full fast transfer to the accounts
at The Depository Trust Company designated by the Representatives.
It is understood that you, individually, and not as the
Representative of the several Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to)
make payment of the purchase price on behalf of any Underwriter or Underwriters
whose check or checks shall not have been received by you prior to the date of
payment and delivery for the Option Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter
or Underwriters. Any such payment by you shall not relieve any such Underwriter
or Underwriters of any of its or their obligations hereunder.
(b) Upon exercise of any option provided for in Section 7(a)
hereof, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase such Option
Shares will be subject (as of the date hereof and as of the date of payment and
delivery for such Option Shares) to the accuracy of and compliance with the
representations, warranties and agreements of the Company herein, to the
accuracy of the statements of the Company and officers of the Company made
pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder, and to the condition that all proceedings taken at or
prior to the payment date in connection with the sale and transfer of such
Option Shares shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to you and
to Underwriters' Counsel, and you shall have been furnished with all such
documents, certificates and opinions as you may reasonably request in order to
evidence the accuracy and completeness of any of the representations, warranties
or statements, the performance of any of the covenants or agreements of the
Company or the compliance with any of the conditions herein contained.
8. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or
several, to which such Underwriter may become subject (including, without
limitation, in its capacity as an Underwriter or as a "qualified independent
underwriter" within the meaning of Schedule E of the Bylaws of the NASD),
under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, specifically including, but not
limited to, losses, claims, damages or liabilities, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of
or are based upon (i) any breach of any representation, warranty, agreement
or covenant of the Company herein contained, (ii) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading, or (iii) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and agrees to
reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall
not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim,
25
damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in
the Registration Statement, such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or
any such amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon, and in conformity
with, written information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the
Company by such Underwriter, directly or through you, specifically for use in
the preparation thereof and, PROVIDED FURTHER, that the indemnity agreement
provided in this Section 8(a) with respect to any Preliminary Prospectus
shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person
asserting any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of material fact or omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact purchased Shares, if a copy
of the Prospectus in which such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission was corrected had not been sent or given to
such person within the time required by the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, unless such failure is the result of noncompliance by the
Company with Section 4(d) hereof.
The indemnity agreement in this Section 8(a) shall extend upon
the same terms and conditions to, and shall inure to the benefit of, each
person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act or
the Exchange Act. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any
liabilities which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect thereof) related to negligence on the part of the Company, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) any breach of any representation, warranty,
agreement or covenant of such Underwriter herein contained, (ii) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (iii) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, in the case of subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) of this
Section 8(b) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such
Underwriter, directly or through you, specifically for use in the preparation
thereof, and agrees to reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending
any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action.
The indemnity agreement in this Section 8(b) shall extend upon
the same terms and conditions to, and shall inure to the benefit of, each
officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each director
of the Company and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the
meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act. This indemnity agreement
26
shall be in addition to any liabilities which each Underwriter may otherwise
have.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying
party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under this Section 8. In case any such action is brought against
any indemnified party, and it notified the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall elect by written notice delivered to
the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such
indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such indemnified party; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the
defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded
that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified
parties which are different from or additional to those available to the
indemnifying party which pose a conflict of interest for such counsel, the
indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to
assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such
action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice
from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying
party's election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the
indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in
accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood,
however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of
more than one separate counsel (together with appropriate local counsel)
approved by the indemnifying party representing all the indemnified parties
under Section 8(a) or 8(b) hereof who are parties to such action), (ii) the
indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time
after notice of commencement of the action or (iii)the indemnifying party has
authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of
the indemnifying party. In no event shall any indemnifying party be liable in
respect of any amounts paid in settlement of any action unless the indemnifying
party shall have approved the terms of such settlement; PROVIDED that such
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. 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 indemnification 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 indemnification.
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
any action in which a claim for indemnification is made pursuant to this Section
8 but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by
a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the
denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be
enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that this Section 8 provides for
27
indemnification in such case, all the parties hereto shall contribute to the
aggregate losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which they may be subject
(after contribution from others) in such proportion so that the Underwriters
severally and not jointly are responsible pro rata for the portion represented
by the percentage that the underwriting discount bears to the initial public
offering price, and the Company is responsible for the remaining portion,
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the underwriting discount applicable to the Shares purchased
by such Underwriter and (ii) no person guilty of a fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who is not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The contribution agreement in this Section 8(d) shall extend
upon the same terms and conditions to, and shall inure to the benefit of, each
person, if any, who controls the Underwriters or the Company within the meaning
of the Act or the Exchange Act and each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement and each director of the Company.
(e) The parties to this Agreement hereby acknowledge that they
are sophisticated business persons who were represented by counsel during the
negotiations regarding the provisions hereof including, without limitation, the
provisions of this Section 8, and are fully informed regarding said provisions.
They further acknowledge that the provisions of this Section 8 fairly allocate
the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company and
its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure is made in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus as required by the Act and the Exchange
Act. The parties are advised that federal or state public policy, as interpreted
by the courts in certain jurisdictions, may be contrary to certain of the
provisions of this Section 8, and the parties hereto hereby expressly waive and
relinquish any right or ability to assert such public policy as a defense to a
claim under this Section 8 and further agree not to attempt to assert any such
defense.
9. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE
DELIVERY. All representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the
Company and the Underwriters herein or in certificates delivered pursuant
hereto, and the indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 8
hereof shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person
within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of the
Company or any of its officers, directors or controlling persons within the
meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act, and shall survive the delivery of the
Shares to the several Underwriters hereunder or termination of this Agreement.
10. SUBSTITUTION OF UNDERWRITERS. If any Underwriter or Underwriters
shall fail to take up and pay for the number of Firm Shares agreed by such
Underwriter or Underwriters to be purchased hereunder upon tender of such Firm
Shares in accordance with the terms hereof, and if the aggregate number of Firm
Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so agreed but failed to
purchase does not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares, the remaining Underwriters
shall be obligated, severally in proportion to their respective commitments
hereunder, to take up and pay for the Firm Shares of such defaulting Underwriter
or Underwriters.
28
If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the
aggregate number of Firm Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed to take up and pay for exceeds 10% of the Firm
Shares, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right, but shall not be
obligated, to take up and pay for (in such proportions as may be agreed upon
among them) the Firm Shares which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so
agreed but failed to purchase. If such remaining Underwriters do not, at the
Closing Date, take up and pay for the Firm Shares which the defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters so agreed but failed to purchase, the Closing Date
shall be postponed for twenty-four (24) hours to allow the several Underwriters
the privilege of substituting within twenty-four (24) hours (including
non-business hours) another underwriter or underwriters (which may include any
nondefaulting Underwriter) satisfactory to the Company. If no such underwriter
or underwriters shall have been substituted as aforesaid by such postponed
Closing Date, the Closing Date may, at the option of the Company, be postponed
for a further twenty-four (24) hours, if necessary, to allow the Company the
privilege of finding another underwriter or underwriters, satisfactory to you,
to purchase the Firm Shares which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so
agreed but failed to purchase. If it shall be arranged for the remaining
Underwriters or substituted underwriter or underwriters to take up the Firm
Shares of the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters as provided in this Section
10, (i) the Company shall have the right to postpone the time of delivery for a
period of not more than seven (7) full business days, in order to effect
whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company
agrees promptly to file any amendments to the Registration Statement or
supplements to the Prospectus which may thereby be made necessary, and (ii) the
respective number of Firm Shares to be purchased by the remaining Underwriters
and substituted underwriter or underwriters shall be taken as the basis of their
underwriting obligation. If the remaining Underwriters shall not take up and pay
for all such Firm Shares so agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter
or Underwriters or substitute another underwriter or underwriters as aforesaid
and the Company shall not find or shall not elect to seek another underwriter or
underwriters for such Firm Shares as aforesaid, then this Agreement shall
terminate.
In the event of any termination of this Agreement pursuant to
the preceding paragraph of this Section 10, the Company shall not be liable to
any Underwriter (except as provided in Sections 4(j), 5 and 8 hereof) nor shall
any Underwriter (other than an Underwriter who shall have failed, otherwise than
for some reason permitted under this Agreement, to purchase the number of Firm
Shares agreed by such Underwriter to be purchased hereunder, which Underwriter
shall remain liable to the Company and the other Underwriters for damages, if
any, resulting from such default) be liable to the Company (except to the extent
provided in Sections 5 and 8 hereof).
The term "Underwriter" in this Agreement shall include any
person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
11. EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS AGREEMENT AND TERMINATION.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective at the earlier of
(i) 6:30 A.M., Los
29
Angeles time, on the first full business day following the effective date of the
Registration Statement, or (ii) the time of the initial public offering of any
of the Shares by the Underwriters after the Registration Statement becomes
effective. The time of the initial public offering shall mean the time of the
release by you, for publication, of the first newspaper advertisement relating
to the Shares, or the time at which the Shares are first generally offered by
the Underwriters to the public by letter, telephone, telegram or telecopy,
whichever shall first occur. By giving notice as set forth in Section 12 before
the time this Agreement becomes effective, you, as Representative of the several
Underwriters, or the Company, may prevent this Agreement from becoming effective
without liability of any party to any other party, except as provided in
Sections 4(j), 5 and 8 hereof.
(b) You, as Representative of the several Underwriters, shall
have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice as hereinafter
specified at any time at or prior to the Closing Date or on or prior to any
later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, (i)
if the Company shall have failed, refused or been unable to perform any
agreement on its part to be performed, or because any other condition of the
Underwriters' obligations hereunder required to be fulfilled is not fulfilled,
including, without limitation, any change in the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the Company
from that set forth in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, which, in your
sole judgment, is material and adverse, or (ii) if additional material
governmental restrictions, not in force and effect on the date hereof, shall
have been imposed upon trading in securities generally or minimum or maximum
prices shall have been generally established on the New York Stock Exchange or
on the American Stock Exchange or in the over the counter market by the NASD, or
trading in securities generally shall have been suspended on either such
exchange or in the over the counter market by the NASD, or if a banking
moratorium shall have been declared by federal, New York or California
authorities, or (iii) if the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike,
fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as to
interfere materially with the conduct of the business and operations of the
Company regardless of whether or not such loss shall have been insured, or (iv)
if there shall have been a material adverse change in the general political or
economic conditions or financial markets as in your reasonable judgment makes it
inadvisable or impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and delivery of
the Shares, or (v) if there shall have been an outbreak or escalation of
hostilities or of any other insurrection or armed conflict or the declaration by
the United States of a national emergency which, in the reasonable opinion of
the Representatives, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
public offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus. Any termination
pursuant to any of subparagraphs (ii) through (v) above shall be without
liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Sections 4(j), 5
and 8 hereof. In the event of termination pursuant to subparagraph (i) above,
the Company shall also remain obligated to pay costs and expenses pursuant to
Sections 4(i), 5 and 8 hereof.
If you elect to prevent this Agreement from becoming effective
or to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 11, you shall
promptly notify the Company by telephone, telecopy or telegram, in each case
confirmed by letter. If the Company shall elect to prevent this Agreement from
becoming effective, the Company shall promptly notify you by telephone, telecopy
or telegram, in each case, confirmed by letter.
30
12. NOTICES. All notices or communications hereunder, except as herein
otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and if sent to you shall be
mailed, delivered, telegraphed (and confirmed by letter) or telecopied (and
confirmed by letter) to you c/o Cruttenden Xxxx Incorporated, 00 Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, telecopier number (000) 000-0000,
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, if sent to the Company, such notice shall be mailed,
delivered, telegraphed (and confirmed by letter) or telecopied (and confirmed by
letter) to 000 Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000,
(000) 000-0000, Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx.
13. PARTIES. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the several Underwriters and the Company and their respective
executors, administrators, successors and assigns. Nothing expressed or
mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person
or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective executors,
administrators, successors and assigns, and their controlling persons within the
meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act, officers and directors referred to in
Section 8 hereof, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim in respect of
this Agreement or any provisions herein contained, this Agreement and all
conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their respective executors,
administrators, successors and assigns and said controlling persons and said
officers and directors, and for the benefit of no other person or corporation.
No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be construed a
successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase. The Agreement constitutes
the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the
subject matter hereof.
In all dealings with the Company under this Agreement, you
shall act on behalf of each of the several Underwriters, and the Company shall
be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement
made or given by you on behalf of each of the several Underwriters.
14. APPLICABLE LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed
in accordance with, the laws of the State of California.
15. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be signed in several counterparts,
each of which will constitute an original.
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding among
the Company and the several Underwriters, please so indicate in the space
provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a
binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
NETGATEWAY, INC.
31
By:
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date first above written:
CRUTTENDEN XXXX INCORPORATED
On their behalf and on behalf of each of the
several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
By: CRUTTENDEN XXXX INCORPORATED
By:
Name:
Title:
32
SCHEDULE A
Underwriters Number of Firm Shares To be Purchased
Cruttenden Xxxx Incorporated
TOTAL
33
