1
EXHIBIT 1.1
ORGANIC, INC.
COMMON STOCK
---------------------
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
............... , 2000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.,
Xxxxxxxxx, Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Partners LLC
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Organic, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes, subject
to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") an aggregate of 5,500,000 shares
(the "Firm Shares") and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to 825,000
additional shares (the "Optional Shares") of Common Stock ("Stock") of the
Company (the Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to
purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof being collectively called the "Shares")
1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 33-91627) (the
"Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Shares has been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); the Initial
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the
form heretofore delivered to you, and, excluding exhibits thereto, to you for
each of the other Underwriters, have been declared effective by the Commission
in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size
of the offering (a "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), filed pursuant to Rule
462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), which became
effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial
Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission; and no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement,
any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,
if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or
threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial
Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of
the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act is hereinafter called
a "Preliminary Prospectus"); the
2
various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and including the
information contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and
deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the Initial
Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective , each as amended
at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or
such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter
becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the "Registration
Statement"; such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the "Prospectus";
(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus,
at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the
requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty
shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an
Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for use therein;
(c) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any
further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will
not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and
any amendment thereto, and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that
this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions
made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to
the Company by an Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. expressly for use
therein;
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained
since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the
Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion,
flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree that, individually or
in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect on the general affairs,
management, the current or future consolidated financial position, business
prospects, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect"), otherwise than as
set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, taken as a whole since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (except
for the grant of stock options or issuances of stock upon the exercise of stock
options, each pursuant to stock plans that have been described in the
Prospectus, and except for issuances of stock upon the exercise of warrants
that have been described in the Prospectus) or long-term debt of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries or any Material Adverse Effect, or any development
(other than a development affecting business generally) involving a prospective
Material Adverse Effect, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus;
(e) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in
fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal
property owned by them, in each case free and
2
3
clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the
Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do
not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the
Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under
lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid,
subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and
do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and
buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries;
(f) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power
and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a
foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing
under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties
or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except for those
failures to be so qualified or in good standing that will not in the aggregate
have a Material Adverse Effect; and each subsidiary of the Company has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;
(g) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have
been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable
and conform to the description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus; and all
of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have
been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable
and (except for directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly
by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;
(h) The Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued
and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and
validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the
description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus;
(i) The issue and sale of the Shares by the Company and the compliance
by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation
of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a
breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which
any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or, to the Company's
knowledge, any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their properties; and no consent, approval,
authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or
governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or
the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, except the registration under the Act of the Shares and such
consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase
and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;
(j) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of
its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or in default in the performance or
observance of any material obligation,
3
4
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a
party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound;
(k) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to constitute a summary
of the terms of the Stock and under the caption "Underwriting", insofar as they
purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to
therein, are accurate and complete;
(l) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse
Effect; and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are
threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(m) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale
of the Shares, will not be an "investment company", as such term is defined in
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act");
(n) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does business with the
government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba within the
meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes;
(o) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP who have certified certain financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, who have certified certain
financial statements of Organic Holdings, Inc. are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder; and
(p) The Company has reviewed its operations and that of its subsidiaries
and any third parties with which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has a
material relationship to evaluate the extent to which the business or operations
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has been or will be affected by the
Year 2000 Problem. As a result of such review, the Company has no reason to
believe, and does not believe, that the Year 2000 Problem has had or will have a
Material Adverse Effect or has resulted or will result in any material loss or
interference with the Company's business or operations. The "Year 2000 Problem"
as used herein means any significant risk that computer hardware or software
used in the receipt, transmission, processing, manipulation, storage, retrieval,
retransmission or other utilization of data or in the operation of mechanical or
electrical systems of any kind is not functioning or will not function, in the
case of dates or time periods occurring after December 31, 1999, at least as
effectively as in the case of dates or time periods occurring prior to January
1, 2000.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the Company
agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at
a purchase price per share of $................, the number of Firm Shares set
forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the
event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to
purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to issue and sell
to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and
not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set
forth in clause (a) of this Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional
Shares as to
4
5
which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to
eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional
Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional
Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the
name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is
the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled
to purchase hereunder.
The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at
their election up to 825,000 Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share
set forth in the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering sales of
shares in excess of the number of Firm Shares. Any such election to purchase
Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Company,
given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement,
setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the
date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but
in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4
hereof) or, unless you and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than
two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.
3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Shares, the
several Underwriters propose to offer the Shares for sale upon the terms and
conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in
definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such
names as Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior
notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or
on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of
Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx & Co. at least forty-eight hours in advance. The Company will cause the
certificates representing the Shares to be made available for checking and
packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined
below) with respect thereto at the office of Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., 00 Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (the "Designated Office"). The time and date of
such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m.,
New York City time, on ............., 2000 or such other time and date as
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with
respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date specified
by Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. in the written notice given by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. of
the Underwriters' election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time
and date as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such
time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the "First Time
of Delivery", such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the
First Time of Delivery, is herein called the "Second Time of Delivery", and each
such time and date for delivery is herein called a "Time of Delivery".
(b) The documents to be delivered at Time of Delivery by or on behalf of
the parties hereto pursuant to Section 7 hereof, including the cross receipt for
the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant
to Section 7 hereof, will be delivered at the offices Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxx, P.C., 000 Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 of (the "Closing
Location"), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at
such Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at
.......p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding
such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be
delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the
5
6
parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, "New York Business Day"
shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a
day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such
Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission's
close of business on the second business day following the execution and
delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be
required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any
supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus which shall be
disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you,
promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the
Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to
the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with
copies thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus, of the
suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such
purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing
of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and,
in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus or suspending any
such qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of
such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably
request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of
such jurisdictions as you may request and to comply with such laws so as to
permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for
as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided
that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any
jurisdiction;
(c) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the New York Business
Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish
the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such
quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus
is required under the Act at any time prior to the expiration of nine months
after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or
sale of the Shares and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result
of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if
for any other reason it shall be necessary during such period to amend or
supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act to notify you and upon
your request to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to
any dealer in securities as many copies as you may from time to time reasonably
request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will
correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, and in case any
Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any
of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the
Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare
and deliver to such Underwriter as many copies as you may request of an amended
or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;
6
7
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective
date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an
earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be
audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to
and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, not to offer,
sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided hereunder any
securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares,
including but not limited to any securities that are convertible into or
exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such
substantially similar securities (other than pursuant to stock plans existing
on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities
outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement), without your prior written
consent;
(f) To furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end
of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements
of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as
soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each
fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date
of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders
consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries
for such quarter in reasonable detail;
(g) During a period of three years from the effective date of the
Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other
communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to
you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports, financial
statements or proxy or information statements furnished to or filed with the
Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities
of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional information concerning the
business and financial condition of the Company as you may from time to time
reasonably request subject to removeable restrictions on the use of such
information (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to
the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in
reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to the Commission);
(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares
pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Prospectus under the
caption "Use of Proceeds";
(i) To use its best efforts to list for quotation the Shares on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations National Market
System ("NASDAQ");
(j) To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form
10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Act; and
(k) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall
file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with
Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement,
and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the
filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable
instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act.
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that
the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees,
disbursements and expenses of the Company's
7
8
counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under
the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and
filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering
of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or
producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky
Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other
documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the
Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares
for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b)
hereof, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the
Blue Sky survey (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares
on the NASDAQ; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, securing any
required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the
terms of the sale of the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates;
(vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; (viii) the filing
fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of foreign counsel engaged by
the Company or the underwriters in connection with the Company's directed share
program; and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of
its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in
this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this
Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their
own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, stock transfer
taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses
connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be
delivered at each Time of Delivery shall be subject, in their discretion, to the
condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the
Company herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct, the
condition that the Company shall have performed all of their obligations
hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for
such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance
with Section 5(a) hereof; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule
462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become
effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this
Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by
the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part
of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable
satisfaction;
(b) Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, P.C., counsel for the
Underwriters, shall have furnished to you such written opinion or
opinions (a draft of each such opinion is attached as Annex II(a)
hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, with respect to the matters
covered in paragraphs (i), (ii), (vi), (x) and (xii) of subsection (c)
below as well as such other related matters as you may reasonably
request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and
information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon
such matters;
(c) Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have
furnished to you their written opinion (a draft of such opinion is
attached as Annex II(b) hereto), dated Time of Delivery, in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to you, to the effect that:
8
9
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and
other) to own its properties and conduct its business as
described in the Prospectus;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set
forth in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of
capital stock of the Company (including the Shares being
delivered at such Time of Delivery have been duly and validly
authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
and the Shares conform to the description of the Stock
contained in the Prospectus;
(iii) The Company has been duly qualified as a foreign
corporation for the transaction of business and is in good
standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it
owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to
require such qualification, except where the failure to so
qualify and be in good standing would not have a Material
Adverse Effect (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect
of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel
and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers
of the Company, provided that such counsel shall state that
they believe that both you and they are justified in relying
upon such opinions and certificates);
(iv) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation,
except where the failure to so qualify and be in good standing
would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the issued
shares of capital stock of each such subsidiary have been duly
and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable, and (except for directors' qualifying shares
are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear
of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims (such counsel
being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause
upon opinions of local counsel and in respect to matters of
fact upon certificates of officers of the Company or its
subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that they
believe that both you and they are justified in relying upon
such opinions and certificates);
(v) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than
as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if
determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse
Effect; and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such
proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental
authorities or threatened by others;
(vi) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company;
(vii) The issue and sale of the Shares being delivered at
such Time of Delivery by the Company and the compliance by the
Company with all of the provisions of
9
10
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or
violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any agreement filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement or, except for such breaches or
violations as could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect, any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to
such counsel to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is subject, nor will such action
result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of
Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or, to such counsel's
knowledge, any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any
court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over
the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their
properties (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect
of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel
and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers
of the Company, provided that such counsel shall state that
they believe that both you and they are justified in relying
upon such opinions and certificates);
(viii) No consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any such court or
governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale
of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the
registration under the Act of the Shares, and such consents,
approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as
may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in
connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by
the Underwriters;
(ix) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or in
default in the performance or observance of any material
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or
other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by
which it or any of its properties may be bound (such counsel
being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause
upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of
fact upon certificates of officers of the Company, provided
that such counsel shall state that they believe that both you
and they are justified in relying upon such opinions and
certificates);
(x) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption "Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport
to constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock, and under
the caption "Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe
the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein,
are accurate and complete;
(xi) The Company is not an "investment company", as such
term is defined in the Investment Company Act; and
(xii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any
further amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company
prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial
statements, supporting schedules, footnotes and other financial
information contained therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects
with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder; although they do not assume any responsibility for
the accuracy or completeness of the statements contained in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except for those
referred to in the opinion in subsection (x) of this section
7(c), they have no reason to believe that, as of its effective
date, the Registration Statement or any further amendment
thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery
(other than the financial statements, supporting schedules,
footnotes and other financial information contained therein, as
to which such counsel need express no opinion)
10
11
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading or that, as of its
date, the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement
thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery
(other than the financial statements, supporting schedules,
footnotes and other financial information contained therein, as
to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained an
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 or that, as of such Time of Delivery, either the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any further
amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to
such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements,
supporting schedules, footnotes and other financial information
contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no
opinion) contains an untrue statement of a material fact or
omits 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 they do not know of any amendment to
the Registration Statement required to be filed or of any
contracts or other documents of a character required to be filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which
are not filed or described as required;
(d) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution
of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective
date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed
subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of
Delivery, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to you a
letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in
form and substance satisfactory to you, to the effect set forth in Annex
I hereto (the executed copy of the letter delivered prior to the
execution of this Agreement is attached as Annex I(a) hereto and a draft
of the form of letter to be delivered on the effective date of any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement and as of each
Time of Delivery is attached as Annex I(b) hereto);
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
included in the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business
from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by
insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action,
order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the
capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective
change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial
position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company
and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause
(i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and
adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such
Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
Prospectus;
(f) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have
occurred in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any
"nationally recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is
defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under
11
12
the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced
that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative
implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities;
(g) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of
the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or on NASDAQ; (ii) a
suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company's securities
on NASDAQ; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities
declared by either Federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) the
outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the
declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, if the
effect of any such event specified in this clause (iv) in the reasonable
judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to
proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being
delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus;
(h) The Shares to be sold at such Time of Delivery shall have been
duly listed for quotation on NASDAQ;
(i) The Company has obtained and delivered to the Underwriters
executed copies of an agreement from each officer, director and
stockholder of the Company, substantially to the effect set forth in
Subsection 5(e) hereof in form and substance satisfactory to you;
(j) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section
5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New
York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and
(k) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to
you at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company
satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and
warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as
to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to
be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set
forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section and as to such other
matters as you may reasonably request.
8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such
case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
through Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for use therein.
12
13
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may
become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based
upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such
amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Sachs
& Co. expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a)
or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the
consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and,
after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of
other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent
of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or
claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought
hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party
to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i)
includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability
arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to
or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of
any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable
to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the
offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately
preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified
party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to such
13
14
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be
in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set
forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand
or the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by
pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for
such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account
of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above
in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten
by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the
amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay
by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters'
obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to
their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which
the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same
terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any
person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as
about to become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase
the Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, you
may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to
purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours
after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of
such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of
thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties
satisfactory to you to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that,
within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you have
so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies you that it
has so arranged for the
14
15
purchase of such Shares, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone
such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven 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 to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term
"Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted
under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a
party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which
remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all
the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have
the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of
shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of
Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to
purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such
Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but
nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its
default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which
remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the
Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not
exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting
Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters,
then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the
Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne
by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the
indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein
shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth
in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to
this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the indemnity agreement
of the Company in subsection (a) of Section 8 hereof, the representations and
warranties in subsections (b) and (c) of Section 1 hereof and any representation
or warranty as to the accuracy of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
contained in any certificate furnished by the Company pursuant to Section 7
hereof, insofar as they may constitute a basis for indemnification for
liabilities (other than payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid in
the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) arising under the Act,
shall not extend to the extent of any interest therein of a controlling person
or partner of an Underwriter who is a director, officer or controlling person of
the Company
15
16
when the Registration Statement has become effective or who, with his or her
consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of
the Company, except in each case to the extent that an interest of such
character shall have been determined by a court of appropriate jurisdiction as
not against public policy as expressed in the Act. Unless in the opinion of
counsel for the Company the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
the Company will, if a claim for such indemnification is asserted, submit to a
court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such interest is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
11. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof,
the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as
provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Shares
are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company
will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket expenses
approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of counsel,
reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase,
sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company shall then be
under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 6
and 8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any
statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or
given by you jointly or by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. on behalf of you as the
representatives.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to you as the representatives in care of Xxxxxxx, Sachs &
Co., 00 Xxx Xxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Registration
Department; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail to the
address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention:
Secretary; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to
Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile
transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters'
Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be
supplied to the Company by you upon request. Any such statements, requests,
notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the
benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in
Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each
person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs,
executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall
acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of
any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by
reason merely of such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the
term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
16. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties
hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an
original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same
instrument.
16
17
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us six counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you,
on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof
shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the
Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each
of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of
Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the
Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on your part as to
the authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
Organic, Inc.
By:
----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Partners, LLC
By:
--------------------------------------
(Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.)
17
18
SCHEDULE I
Number of Optional
Shares to be
Total Number of Purchased if
Firm Shares Maximum Option
Underwriter to be Purchased Exercised
----------- --------------- ------------------
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co...................................
Xxxxxxxxx, Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx..........................
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Partners LLC............................
Total..................................
--------------- ------------------
=============== ==================
19
ANNEX I
Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect
to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and
the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any
supplementary financial information and schedules (and, if applicable,
financial forecasts and/or pro forma financial information) examined by
them and included in the Prospectus or the Registration Statement comply
as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the related published rules and regulations
thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in accordance
with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants of the unaudited consolidated interim financial statements,
selected financial data, pro forma financial information, financial
forecasts and/or condensed financial statements derived from audited
financial statements of the Company for the periods specified in such
letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which have been
separately furnished to the representatives of the Underwriters (the
"Representatives");
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of
the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated
balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the
Prospectus as indicated in their reports thereon copies of which have
been separately furnished to the Representatives and on the basis of
specified procedures including inquiries of officials of the Company who
have responsibility for financial and accounting matters regarding
whether the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements
referred to in paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
and the related published rules and regulations, nothing came to their
attention that cause them to believe that the unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements do not comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
and the related published rules and regulations;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to
the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the
Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus
agrees with the corresponding amounts (after restatements where
applicable) in the audited consolidated financial statements for such
five fiscal years which were included or incorporated by reference in
the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
20
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and
on the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came
to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused
them to believe that this information does not conform in all material
respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and
503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of
the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of
the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus,
inquiries of officials of the Company and its subsidiaries responsible
for financial and accounting matters and such other inquiries and
procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing came to their
attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash
flows included in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in
all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the related published rules and
regulations, or (ii) any material modifications should be made
to the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash
flows included in the Prospectus for them to be in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance
sheet items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the
corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated financial
statements from which such data and items were derived, and any
such unaudited data and items were not determined on a basis
substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding
amounts in the audited consolidated financial statements
included in the Prospectus;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not
included in the Prospectus but from which were derived any
unaudited condensed financial statements referred to in clause
(A) and any unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
items included in the Prospectus and referred to in clause (B)
were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with
the basis for the audited consolidated financial statements
included in the Prospectus;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included in the Prospectus do not comply as to form
in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the published rules and regulations
thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not been properly
applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those
statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to
the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital
stock upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights,
2
21
upon earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of
convertible securities, in each case which were outstanding on
the date of the latest financial statements included in the
Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated long-term debt
of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in
consolidated net current assets or stockholders' equity or
other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases
in any items specified by the Representatives, in each case as
compared with amounts shown in the latest balance sheet
included in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes,
increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have
occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;
and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included in the Prospectus to the specified date
referred to in clause (E) there were any decreases in
consolidated net revenues or operating profit or the total or
per share amounts of consolidated net income or other items
specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items
specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with
the comparable period of the preceding year and with any other
period of corresponding length specified by the
Representatives, except in each case for decreases or increases
which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or
which are described in such letter; and
(vii) In addition to the examination referred to in their report(s)
included in the Prospectus and the limited procedures, inspection of
minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in paragraphs
(iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out certain specified
procedures, not constituting an examination in accordance with generally
accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain amounts,
percentages and financial information specified by the Representatives,
which are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and
its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus, or in Part II of, or
in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by
the Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts,
percentages and financial information with the accounting records of the
Company and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.
3