AUTOZONE, INC. (a Nevada corporation) 4.000% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2020 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT Dated: November 8, 2010
Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION VERSION
AUTOZONE, INC.
(a Nevada corporation)
$500,000,000
4.000% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2020
Dated: November 8, 2010
Table of Contents
Page | ||||||
SECTION 1.
|
Representations and Warranties | 2 | ||||
SECTION 2.
|
Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing | 12 | ||||
SECTION 3.
|
Covenants of the Company | 13 | ||||
SECTION 4.
|
Payment of Expenses | 17 | ||||
SECTION 5.
|
Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations | 18 | ||||
SECTION 6.
|
Indemnification | 21 | ||||
SECTION 7.
|
Contribution | 23 | ||||
SECTION 8.
|
Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery | 24 | ||||
SECTION 9.
|
Termination | 24 | ||||
SECTION 10.
|
Default by One or More of the Underwriters | 25 | ||||
SECTION 11.
|
Notices | 25 | ||||
SECTION 12.
|
No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship | 26 | ||||
SECTION 13.
|
Integration | 26 | ||||
SECTION 14.
|
Parties | 26 | ||||
SECTION 15.
|
Governing Law and Time | 26 | ||||
SECTION 16.
|
Effect of Headings | 27 | ||||
SECTION 17.
|
Counterparts | 27 |
i
AUTOZONE, INC.
(a Nevada corporation)
November 8, 2010
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
SunTrust Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Inc.
as Representatives of the
several Underwriters named
in Schedule I attached hereto (the “Representatives”)
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
Incorporated
SunTrust Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Inc.
as Representatives of the
several Underwriters named
in Schedule I attached hereto (the “Representatives”)
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
AutoZone, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and
conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
(the “Underwriters”), for whom Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated and SunTrust
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Inc. are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $500,000,000
aggregate principal amount of its 4.000% Senior Notes Due 2020 (the “Securities”) to be issued
pursuant to the provisions of an Indenture dated as of August 8, 2003 (as supplemented by an
officers’ certificate to be dated as of November 15, 2010, the “Indenture”) between the Company and
The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., successor in interest to Bank One Trust Company,
N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”).
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a
registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-152592), including a base prospectus dated
July 29, 2008 (the “Base Prospectus”), relating to the Securities and has filed with, or
transmitted for filing to, or shall promptly hereafter file with or transmit for filing to, the
Commission (i) a prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) specifically relating to the
Securities pursuant to Rule 430B and Rule 424 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“1933 Act”), and (ii) the Base Prospectus. The term “Registration Statement” means the registration
statement (Registration No. 333-152592), as amended to the date of this Underwriting Agreement
(this “Agreement”), including the information (if any) deemed to be part of such registration
statement at the time it became effective including, if applicable, the Rule 430B Information. The
term “Rule 430B Information” means any information in the Prospectus Supplement that was omitted
from the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective but is deemed to be a part of
and included in the Registration Statement. The term “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus
together with the Prospectus Supplement. The
term “preliminary prospectus” means a preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating
to the Securities that omitted the Rule 430B Information or that was captioned “Subject to
Completion” and that was used after the Registration Statement became effective and prior to the
execution and delivery of this Agreement, together with the Base Prospectus. As used herein, the
terms “Base Prospectus,” “Prospectus,” “preliminary prospectus” and “General Disclosure Package”
(as defined below) shall include in each case the documents incorporated by reference therein, and
the term “Registration Statement” shall include the documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference therein or otherwise deemed by the rules and regulations of the
Commission under the Securities Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) to be a part of or included
therein.
For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or
preliminary prospectus or to any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to
include any copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and
Retrieval system (“XXXXX”).
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information
which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the
Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include
all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by
reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be part of or included in the
Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the
execution of this Agreement; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to
the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus shall be deemed to mean and
include the filing of any document under the 1934 Act which is incorporated by reference in or
otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be part of or included in the Registration Statement,
Prospectus or preliminary prospectus, as the case may be, after the execution of this Agreement.
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and
warrants to the Representatives and to each Underwriter, as of the date hereof and as of the
Closing Time (as defined below) (in each case, a “Representation Date”), as follows:
(i) Status as a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. The Company is a “well-known
seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”), including
not being an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405.
At the time of filing the Registration Statement, at the earliest time thereafter that
the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of
Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the
Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.
(ii) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Company meets the
requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. The Registration Statement is an
“automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined in Rule 405, that became effective
2
under the 1933 Act upon filing with the Commission and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission
for additional information has been complied with. The Company has not received from the
Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations objecting to
use of the automatic shelf registration statement form and the Company has not otherwise
ceased to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form. In addition,
the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “1939
Act”).
At the respective times the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto
(including the filing of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K with the
Commission (the “Annual Report on Form 10-K”)) became effective, at each deemed effective
date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act
Regulations and at each Representation Date, the Registration Statement and any amendments
thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933
Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission under the 1939 Act (the “1939 Act Regulations”) and did not and will not contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the date of
the Prospectus and at the Closing Time, neither the Prospectus nor any amendments and
supplements thereto included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
Each preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus or prospectuses filed as part of
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the
0000 Xxx) and the Prospectus, complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933
Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the
Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of Securities will, at the time of such
delivery, be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
As of the Applicable Time (as defined below), neither (x) the Issuer General Use Free
Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time and the
Statutory Prospectus (as defined below), all considered together (collectively, the “General
Disclosure Package”), nor (y) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus,
when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
As of the time of the filing of the Final Term Sheet (as defined in Section 3(b)), the
General Disclosure Package, when considered together with the Final Term Sheet,
3
will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means 3:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on November 8, 2010 or such other
time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined
in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), relating to the Securities that (i) is
required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) is a “road show that is a
written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to
be filed with the Commission, or (iii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i)
because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect
the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission
or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to
Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its
being specified in Schedule III hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
“Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus supplement relating to the
Securities, together with the base prospectus that is included in the Registration Statement
immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and
any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof.
Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times
through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier
date that the issuer notified or notifies the Representatives as described in Section 3(e),
did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will
conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other
prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.
The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in
or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. The Company has not distributed and will
not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Time and the completion of the
4
Underwriters’ distribution of the Securities, any offering material in connection with
the offering and sale of the Securities other than a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus,
and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representatives and
included in Schedule III hereto. The Representatives shall provide notice to the Company if
the distribution of the Securities has not been completed as of the Closing Time, and at
such later time as the distribution of the Securities has been completed.
(iv) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed
with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements
of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act
Regulations”) and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus and the
General Disclosure Package, (a) at the time the Registration Statement became effective, (b)
at the earlier of the time the Prospectus was first used and the date and time of the first
contract of sale of Securities in the offering as set forth in this Agreement and (c) at the
Closing Time, did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(v) Independent Accountants. The accountants who audited the financial
statements and any supporting schedules thereto incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are an independent
registered public accounting firm as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(vi) Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company included in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with
the related schedules and notes, as well as those financial statements, schedules and notes
of any other entity included therein, present fairly in all material respects the financial
position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, or such other entity, as the case
may be, at the dates indicated and the statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and
cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, or such other entity, as the
case may be, for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in
conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”)
applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein.
The supporting schedules, if any, have been prepared in conformity with GAAP and present
fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. The selected
financial data included in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus present fairly
in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis
consistent with that of the audited financial statements incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus. All disclosures contained in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial
measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply
with Regulation G under the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act
Regulations, to the extent applicable.
5
(vii) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse
change in the financial condition, earnings, management or business affairs, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change in the financial condition,
earnings, management or business affairs, of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as
one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material
Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, other than those arising in the ordinary course of business, which are
material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise and
(C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the
Company on any class of its capital stock.
(viii) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and
is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada
and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under, or as
contemplated under, this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation
to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the
conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would
not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ix) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each “significant subsidiary” of the
Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the 0000
Xxx) (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), if any, has been duly
organized and is validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company or limited
partnership in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has
corporate, limited liability company or partnership power and authority to own, lease and
operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a
foreign corporation, limited liability company or partnership, as the case may be, to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification
is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of
business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not,
individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise
stated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all
of the issued and outstanding capital stock, limited liability company member interests or
partnership interests of each Subsidiary have been duly authorized and are validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries
(with the exception of the preferred stock of AutoZone Development Corporation, of which the
Company owns, directly and indirectly, 1,088 shares and others own 112 shares), free and
clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None
of the outstanding shares of capital stock, limited liability company member interests or
partnership interest of any Subsidiary was issued
6
in violation of preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of such
Subsidiary.
(x) Capitalization. If the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus
contains a “Capitalization” section, the stockholders’ equity and the consolidated
short-term and long-term debt of the Company is as set forth in the column entitled “Actual”
under such section (except for (A) subsequent issuances thereof, if any, contemplated under
this Agreement, (B) pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred
to in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (C) repurchases of shares of common
stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company under its previously announced stock
repurchase program, (D) pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options
referred to in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and (E) increases not in
excess of $50 million in the aggregate in consolidated long-term debt). Such shares of
capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued by the Company and are fully paid
and non-assessable, and none of such shares of capital stock was issued in violation of
preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(xi) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company.
(xii) Authorization of the Securities. The Securities have been duly
authorized by the Company for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement. Such
Securities, when issued and authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and
delivered against payment of the consideration therefor specified in this Agreement, will
constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers),
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’
rights generally or by general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and except further as enforcement thereof
may be limited by requirements that a claim with respect to any Securities payable in a
foreign or composite currency (or a foreign or composite currency judgment in respect of
such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date
determined pursuant to applicable law or by governmental authority to limit, delay or
prohibit the making of payments outside the United States. Such Securities will be in the
form contemplated by, and each registered holder thereof is entitled to the benefits of, the
Indenture.
(xiii) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been, or prior to the
issuance of the Securities thereunder will have been, duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company and, upon such authorization, execution and delivery, will
constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers),
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of
7
creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles (regardless of whether
enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(xiv) Descriptions of the Securities and Indenture. The Securities being sold
pursuant to this Agreement and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the
statements relating thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
and are in substantially the form filed or incorporated by reference, as the case may be, as
an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
(xv) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is (a) in violation of its charter or by-laws, or other organizational
documents, as applicable, (b) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or
to which any of the assets, properties or operations of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such
defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse
Effect or (c) in violation of any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment,
order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
assets, properties or operations, except for violations that would not, individually or in
the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance
of this Agreement and the Indenture and any other agreement or instrument entered into or
issued or to be entered into or issued by the Company in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby or in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the
proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described under the caption “Use of Proceeds”)
and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and thereunder have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or
without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, (i) conflict with or constitute a
breach of or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or (ii) result in the
creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any assets, properties or
operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, any Agreements and
Instruments, nor will such action result in any violation of (a) the provisions of the
charter or by-laws, or other organizational documents, as applicable, of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries or (b) any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order,
writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign,
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their assets,
properties or operations. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition
which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any
person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or
repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries.
8
(xvi) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or
investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign, now pending, or to the knowledge of the Company threatened, against or affecting
the Company or any of its subsidiaries which is required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (other than as stated therein),
or which might reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a
Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely
affect the assets, properties or operations thereof or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated under the Prospectus, this Agreement or the Indenture, or the performance by
the Company of its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The aggregate of all pending legal
or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of
which any of their respective assets, properties or operations is the subject which are not
described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be
expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvii) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are
required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits to
the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required.
(xviii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization,
approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or
governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the due
authorization, execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement or for the
performance by the Company of the transactions contemplated under the Prospectus, this
Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been already made, obtained or rendered, as
applicable, and except such that the failure to make, obtain or render would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect or materially adversely affect the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by the Prospectus, this Agreement or the Indenture.
(xix) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries
own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights,
licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented
and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures),
trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively,
“Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice or is
otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with
respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any
Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, individually or in the
aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
9
(xx) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and
marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and good
title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages,
pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind, except
(A) as otherwise stated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus or (B) those which do not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such
property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. All of the leases and subleases of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or
any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, are in full force and effect, except where the failure to be in full force and
effect, individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice of any claim
of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or
questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary of the continued possession of the
leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease where such claim or claims,
individually or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxi) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and
sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds
therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” within the
meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
(xxii) Environmental Laws. Except as otherwise stated in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or except as would not, singly
or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule,
regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative
interpretation thereof including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or
judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including,
without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface
strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the
release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic
substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous
Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage,
disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”),
(B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required
under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements,
(C) there are no pending or threatened, to the Company’s knowledge, administrative,
regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of
noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law
against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances
that might reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation,
or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency,
10
against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous
Materials or any Environmental Laws.
(xxiii) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of
its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide
reasonable assurances that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorization; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability
for assets; (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general
or specific authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to
any differences. Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (I) no
material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not
remediated) and (II) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting
that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting.
The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries employ disclosure controls and procedures
that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the
reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is
accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive
officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow
timely decisions regarding disclosure.
(xxiv) Compliance with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. There is and has been no
failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their
capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith
(the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906
related to certifications.
(xxv) Pending Proceedings and Examinations. The Registration Statement is not
the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933
Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933
Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.
(xxvi) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or
affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action,
directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the
“FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or
instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment,
promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift,
11
promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign
official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official
thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the
Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have
conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain
policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to
ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(xxvii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable
financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions
Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, and the money laundering statutes of all applicable
jurisdictions and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules,
regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency
(collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before
any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company
or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the
best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(xxviii) Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or
affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S.
sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury
Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the
offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary,
joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities
of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(b) Officers’ Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries and delivered to any Underwriter or to counsel to the Underwriters in
connection with the offering of the Securities and dated a Representation Date shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby on
such Representation Date.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Securities. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and
each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but
subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from
the Company the respective principal amounts of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite
its name at a purchase price of 98.910% of the principal amount of the Securities.
(b) Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by the Representatives that the
Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Securities as
soon after this Agreement has become effective as in the Representatives’ judgment is advisable.
The Company is further advised by the Representatives that the Securities are to be offered to the
public initially at 99.560% of the principal amount of the Securities (the “Public
12
Offering Price”), plus accrued interest, if any, from November 15, 2010 to the date of payment
and delivery, and to certain dealers selected by the Representatives, at a price that represents a
concession not in excess of 0.400% of the principal amount under the Public Offering Price, and
that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may re-allow, a concession, not in excess of
0.250% of the principal amount of the Securities, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of, the Securities shall
be made at the offices of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 or at
such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at 10:00 A.M.
(New York City time) on November 15, 2010, or such other time not later than November 15, 2010, as
shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company (such time and date of payment and
delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank
account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Representatives for the respective
accounts of the Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each
Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt
for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Securities which it has severally agreed to
purchase. The Representatives, individually and not as representatives of the Underwriters, may
(but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be
purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time, but such
payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
(d) Denominations; Registration. The Securities or certificates for the Securities,
as applicable, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives
may request in writing at least one full business day prior to the Closing Time. The Securities or
certificates for the Securities, as applicable, will be made available for examination and
packaging by the Representatives in The City of New York not later than 2:00 P.M. (New York City
time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with the Representatives
and with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company,
subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B of the 1933 Act Regulations
and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, of (i) the
effectiveness of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration
statement relating to the Securities or the filing of any supplement or amendment to the
Prospectus, (ii) the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) any request by the
Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the
Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or such new registration statement or of
any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of
the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes
or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration
Statement
13
and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in
connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will promptly effect the filings
required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b)
(without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain
promptly whether the Prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424 was received for filing by
the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file the Prospectus. The
Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any
stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(b) Filing of Amendments and Exchange Act Documents; Preparation of Final Term Sheet.
The Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment
to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Securities or any
amendment, supplement or revision to either any preliminary prospectus (including any prospectus
included in the Registration Statement or amendment thereto) at the time it became effective or to
the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, and the Company will
furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to
such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to
which the Representatives or counsel to the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company has
given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act
Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representatives
notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and
will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time
prior to such proposed filing and will not file or use any such document to which the
Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will prepare
a final term sheet (the “Final Term Sheet”) reflecting the final terms of the Securities, in form
and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and substantially in the form of Schedule II
hereto, and shall file such Final Term Sheet as an “issuer free writing prospectus” pursuant to
Rule 433; provided that the Company shall furnish the Representatives with copies of any such Final
Term Sheet a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not use or file any
such document to which the Representatives or counsel to the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
To the extent the distribution of Securities has been completed, the Company will not be required
to provide the Representatives with reports it is required to file with the Commission under the
1934 Act.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statement. The Company has furnished or will deliver to
the Representatives and counsel to the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the
Registration Statement and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or
incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference therein or otherwise deemed to be part thereof) and signed copies of all consents and
certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed
copy of the Registration Statement and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the
Underwriters. The Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters
will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission
pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
14
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to each Underwriter, without
charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request,
and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act.
The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the Prospectus
is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, such number of copies of the
Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent
permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933
Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus. If at any time when the Prospectus is required by the
1933 Act or the 1934 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event
shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the reasonable
opinion of outside counsel to the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration
Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading or to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the
Prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances
existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the reasonable
opinion of such outside counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement, to file a
new registration statement, or to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the
requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will (i) promptly prepare and
file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment, supplement or new registration
statement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to comply with such
requirements, (ii) use its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement
declared effective as soon as practicable (if it is not an automatic shelf registration statement
with respect to the Securities), and (iii) furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, such number
of copies of such amendment, supplement or new registration statement as the Underwriters may
reasonably request. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there
occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement (or any
other registration statement relating to the Securities) or the Statutory Prospectus or any
preliminary prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company
will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense,
such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or
omission.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in
cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the
applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the
Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not
15
less than one year from the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign
corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to
subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not
otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Securities have been so qualified, the
Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction
to continue such qualification in effect for a period of not less than one year from the date of
this Agreement.
(g) Earnings Statement. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the
1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the
benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the
sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”
(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During the period beginning on the date hereof
and continuing to and including the Closing Time, the Company will not, without the prior written
consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer or contract to sell,
grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of, any debt securities of the Company or
warrants to purchase debt securities of the Company substantially similar to the Securities (other
than (i) the Securities or (ii) commercial paper issued in the ordinary course of business).
(j) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is
required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will file all documents required to be
filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act
and the 1934 Act Regulations.
(k) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that, unless
it obtains the prior consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter represents and agrees
that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made
and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an “issuer free
writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing
prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission; provided, however,
that prior to the preparation of the Final Term Sheet in accordance with Section 3(b), the
Underwriters are authorized to use the information with respect to the final terms of the
Securities in communications conveying information relating to the offering to investors. Any such
free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representatives is hereinafter referred
to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees
that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,”
as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433
applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission
where required, legending and record keeping.
(l) Registration Statement Renewal Deadline. If immediately prior to the third
anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement,
16
any of the Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will prior to the Renewal
Deadline file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf
registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the
Representatives. If the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration
statement, the Company will prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a
new shelf registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form reasonably satisfactory to
the Representatives, and will use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement
to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all
other action reasonably necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the
Securities to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the
Securities. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf
registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.
(m) Notice of Inability to Use Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Form. If at any
time when Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters the Company receives from the Commission a
notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations or otherwise ceases to be eligible to
use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the
Representatives, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the
proper form relating to the Securities, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives,
(iii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective
amendment to be declared effective and (iv) promptly notify the Representatives of such
effectiveness. The Company will take all other action reasonably necessary or appropriate to
permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the
registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations
notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the
Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment,
as the case may be.
(n) Filing Fees. The Company agrees to pay the required Commission filing fees
relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) of the 1933 Act Regulations
without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of
the 1933 Act Regulations.
(o) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or
manipulation of the price of the Securities.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its
obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of
each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this
Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters, the Indenture and such other documents as may be
required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities,
(iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Securities and any certificates for the
Securities, as applicable, to the Underwriters, including any transfer taxes and any stamp or other
17
duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv)
the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors or agents
(including transfer agents and registrars), as well as the fees and disbursements of the Trustee,
and its respective counsel, (v) the qualification of the Securities under state securities laws in
accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection
with the preparation, printing and delivery of the Blue Sky Survey, and any amendment thereto, (vi)
the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any
Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and
any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to
investors, (vii) the fees charged by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations for the
rating of the Securities, if applicable, (viii) the fees and expenses incurred with respect to the
listing of the Securities, if applicable, (ix) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review, if any, by the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (the “FINRA”) of the terms of sale of the Securities, if
applicable, (x) the fees and expenses of any Underwriter acting in the capacity of a “qualified
independent underwriter” (as defined in Section 20 of Schedule E of the bylaws of the FINRA), if
applicable and (xi) the costs and expenses (including without limitation any damages or other
amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of
any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the
representation contained in the fifth paragraph of Section 1(a)(ii). It being understood, however,
that, except as provided in this Section, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and
expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any securities by them
and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives
in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or 9(a)(i) or 9(a)(iii) (only with respect to the
Company’s securities), hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their
out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the
Underwriters.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to
purchase and pay for the Securities are subject to the accuracy of the representations and
warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance
by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further
conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Filing of Prospectus. The Registration
Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that
purpose shall have been instituted or be pending or threatened by the Commission, and any request
on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the
reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. The Company has not received from the
Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations objecting to use of
the automatic shelf registration statement form and the
Company has not otherwise ceased to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration
statement
18
form. The Prospectus containing the Rule 430B Information relating to the description of the
Securities, the specific method of distribution and similar matters shall have been filed with the
Commission in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on
Rule 424(b)(8)), as applicable (or any required post-effective amendment providing such information
shall have been filed and become effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B).
(b) Opinions of Counsel to the Company. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall
have received the favorable opinions, dated as of Closing Time, of (i) Bass, Xxxxx & Xxxx PLC,
counsel to the Company, (ii) the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the
Company and (iii) Xxxxxxxxxx Hyatt Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, LLP, Nevada counsel to the Company, in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel to the Underwriters, together with signed or
reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in
Annexes I, II and III hereto, respectively. To the extent applicable, each such counsel may state
that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem
proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of
public officials.
(c) Opinion of Counsel to the Underwriters. At Closing Time, the Representatives
shall have received the favorable opinion and the favorable negative assurance letter, in each
case, reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated as of Closing Time, of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx
LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of each such letter for
each of the other Underwriters. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to all matters
governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the federal
law of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such
counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to
the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and
certificates of public officials.
(d) Officers’ Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date
hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure
Package, any material adverse change in the financial condition, earnings, management or business
affairs, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the financial
condition, earnings, management or business affairs, of the Company and its subsidiaries considered
as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the
Representatives shall have received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the
Company and of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of
Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the
representations and warranties in Section 1(a) are true and correct with the same force and effect
as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all
agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the
Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has
been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted, are pending or, to the best
of such officer’s knowledge, are threatened by the Commission.
(e) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the
Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter dated such date, in form
19
and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such
letter for each of the other Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type
ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial
statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have
received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they
reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 5,
except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior
to the Closing Time.
(g) Ratings. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have the ratings accorded by
any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined by the Commission for
purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations), and the Company shall have delivered to
the Representatives a letter, dated as of such date, from each such rating organization, or other
evidence satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that the Securities have such ratings.
Since the date hereof, there shall not have occurred a downgrading in, or withdrawal of, the rating
assigned to the Securities or any of the Company’s other securities by any such rating
organization, and no such rating organization shall have publicly announced, or provided notice
that, it has under surveillance or review its rating of the Securities or any of the Company’s
other securities.
(h) No Objection. If the Registration Statement or an offering of the Securities has
been filed with the FINRA for review, the FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to
the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(i) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time, counsel to the Underwriters shall have
been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of
enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in
order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of
any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection
with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably
satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel to the Underwriters.
(j) Termination of Underwriting Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section
5 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be
terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing
Time, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as
provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8 and 15 shall survive any such termination
and remain in full force and effect.
20
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as
incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B
Information deemed to be a part thereof, if applicable, or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as
incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged
untrue statement or omission in each case as described in paragraph 6(a)(i) above; provided
that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written
consent of the Company; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and
disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue
statement or omission, in each case as described in paragraph 6(a)(i) above, to the extent
that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim,
damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, or any preliminary
prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally
and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its
officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all
loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity
21
contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue
statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, or any preliminary
prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus
(or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for
use therein.
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice
as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it
in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying
party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is
not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any
liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of
parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be
selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b)
above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party
may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that
counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also
be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees
and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own
counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or
related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be
sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual
or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an
unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation,
investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of
fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified
party shall have requested in writing an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for
fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any
settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if
(i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of
the aforesaid written request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms
of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such
indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such written
request prior to the date of such settlement. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence,
if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested in writing an indemnifying party to
reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, an indemnifying party shall not
be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its
written consent if (x) such indemnifying party reimburses
22
such indemnified party in accordance with such request to the extent it considers such request
to be reasonable; and (y) such indemnifying party provides written notice to the indemnified party
substantiating the unpaid balance as unreasonable, in each case prior to the date of such
settlement.
SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any
reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any
losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party
shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on
the other hand, from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause
(i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only
the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company,
on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the
other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed to be in the same
respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of such Securities (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discount received by the
Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.
The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand,
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters 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 contribution
pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount
of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred
to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation,
or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities
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.
23
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who
signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to
this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number or aggregate principal amount, as the case
may be, of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I, and not joint.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations,
warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto or thereto shall remain operative and in full
force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or
controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment
for the Securities; provided, however, that the representations and warranties of the Company shall
be deemed to be made as of the date of execution of this Agreement and the Closing Time only.
SECTION 9. Termination.
(a) Underwriting Agreement. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by
notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time if (i) there has been, since the
time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given
in the General Disclosure Package, (1) any material adverse change in the financial condition,
earnings, management or business of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (2) any development involving a
prospective material adverse change in or affecting the financial condition, earnings, management
or business of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the General Disclosure Package, in any case the effect of which is such as to make
it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities
or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (ii) there has occurred any material
adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or, if the Securities include
Securities denominated or payable in, or indexed to, one or more foreign or composite currencies,
in the international financial markets, or any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or a
declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States or other calamity or crisis or any
material adverse change or development involving a prospective material adverse change in national
or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is
such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or
inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities,
or (iii) trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the
Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or
the over-the-counter market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum
24
or maximum prices
for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by such exchange or
by such market or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (iv) a
banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities or, if the
Securities include Securities denominated or payable in, or indexed to, one or more foreign or
composite currencies, by the relevant authorities in the related foreign country or countries or a
material disruption shall have occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance
services in the United States.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section 9, such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in
Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8 and 15 shall survive such
termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall
fail at the Closing Time to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase
hereunder (the “Defaulted Securities”), then the Representatives shall have the right, within 36
hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any
other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such
amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives
shall not have completed such arrangements within such 36-hour period, then:
(a) if the number or aggregate principal amount, as the case may be, of Defaulted Securities
does not exceed 10% of the number or aggregate principal amount, as the case may be, of Securities
to be purchased hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not
jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting
obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if the number or aggregate principal amount, as the case may be, of Defaulted Securities
exceeds 10% of the number or aggregate principal amount, as the case may be, of Securities to be
purchased hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section 10 shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement,
either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time for a
period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.
SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to
have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices
to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx &
Xxxxx Incorporated, Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxx, XX0-000-00-00, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000 Attention: High Grade
Transaction Management/Legal (facsimile number:
25
(000) 000-0000) and c/o SunTrust Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx,
Inc., 0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 Attention: High Grade Debt
Capital Markets (facsimile number (000) 000-0000); and notices to the Company shall be directed to
it at 000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Esq.,
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary (facsimile number: (000) 000-0000).
SECTION 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a)
the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of
the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an
arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several
Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the
process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal
and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any
other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility
in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading
thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company
on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering
contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the
Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that
involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided
any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby
and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent
it deemed appropriate. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions
contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the
benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.
SECTION 13. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings
(whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to
the subject matter hereof.
SECTION 14. Parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
Company, the Representatives and any other Underwriters and their respective successors. Nothing
expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm
or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the
controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and
legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Agreement or any provision herein or therein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and
provisions hereof and thereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties
hereto and thereto and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and
directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm
or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor
by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 15. Governing Law and Time. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE
26
SECTION 16. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents
are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION 17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which
shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the
same instrument.
[Signature Page Follows]
27
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and
return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this Agreement, along with all counterparts,
will become a binding agreement between the Representatives and the Company in accordance with its
terms.
Very truly yours, AUTOZONE, INC. |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Vice President and Treasurer | |||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written: XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx | |||
Authorized Signatory | ||||
SUNTRUST XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX, INC. |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Authorized Signatory |
||||
On behalf of themselves and as Representatives of the underwriters named in Schedule I hereto |
Schedule I
Principal Amount of | ||||
4.000% Senior Notes | ||||
Due 2020 to be | ||||
Underwriter | Purchased | |||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated |
$ | 125,000,000 | ||
SunTrust Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Inc. |
125,000,000 | |||
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Company, Inc. |
75,000,000 | |||
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. |
25,000,000 | |||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. |
25,000,000 | |||
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
25,000,000 | |||
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC |
25,000,000 | |||
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
18,750,000 | |||
Fifth Third Securities, Inc. |
18,750,000 | |||
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. |
18,750,000 | |||
Mizuho Securities USA Inc. |
18,750,000 | |||
Total |
$ | 500,000,000 | ||
Schedule II
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, dated November 8, 2010
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
Supplementing the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, dated November 8, 2010
Registration No. 333-152592
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
Supplementing the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, dated November 8, 2010
Registration No. 333-152592
AutoZone, Inc.
Final Term Sheet
Dated: November 8, 2010
Issuer: |
AutoZone, Inc. | |
Size: |
$500,000,000 | |
Maturity: |
November 15, 2020 | |
Coupon (Interest Rate): |
4.000% | |
Yield to Maturity: |
4.054% | |
Spread to Benchmark Treasury: |
+150 basis points | |
Benchmark Treasury: |
UST 2.625% due August 15, 2020 | |
Benchmark Treasury Price and Yield: |
100-19+, 2.554% | |
Interest Payment Dates: |
May 15 and November 15, commencing May 15, 2011 | |
Optional Redemption Provision: |
Prior to August 15, 2020, in whole or in part at | |
the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount | ||
and (ii) discounted present value at the Adjusted | ||
Treasury Rate, plus 25 basis points; on or after | ||
August 15, 2020, at 100% of the principal amount. | ||
Price to Public: |
99.560% | |
Settlement Date: |
November 15, 2010* | |
CUSIP/ISIN: |
000000XX0 / US053332AL60 | |
Active Book-Running Managers: |
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated | |
SunTrust Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Inc. | ||
Passive Book-Running Manager: |
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Company, Inc. |
* | Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes prior to November 9, 2010 will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle T+4 (on November 15, 2010) to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of notes who wish to trade notes prior to November 9, 2010 should consult their own advisors. |
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the Securities and
Exchange Commission for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you
should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission for more complete information about the issuer and this
offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting XXXXX on the Securities and Exchange
Commission web site at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer
participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated toll-free at 1-800-294-1322 or SunTrust Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Inc. toll-free at 0-000-000-0000.
Schedule III
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus dated November 8, 2010