VS HOLDINGS, INC. Shares of Common Stock Form of Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
Shares of Common Stock
Form of Underwriting Agreement
, 2009
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
Barclays Capital Inc.
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Barclays Capital Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
VS Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”), and certain stockholders of the Company named in Schedule 2 hereto (the “Selling Stockholders”) propose to sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate of shares of Common Stock (collectively, the “Underwritten Shares”), which Underwritten Shares include certain shares of Common Stock to be issued in exchange for the Series A Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), or the Warrants (the “Warrants”) of VS Parent, Inc. (“Parent”). In addition, the Selling Stockholders propose to sell, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares”). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Shares”. The shares of Common Stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares contemplated herein (the “Offering”) are referred to herein as the “Stock”.
Prior to the completion of the Offering, the Company will be merged with and into Parent, it’s direct parent company, with the Company as the surviving entity (the “Merger”). All references herein to the “Company” refer to VS Holdings, Inc., prior to the Merger, and VS Holdings, Inc., as the surviving entity after the consummation of the Merger and to be renamed Vitamin Shoppe, Inc.
The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby confirm their agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:
1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement (File No. 333-160756), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively [with the pricing information set forth on Annex B], the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated , 2009 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex B hereto.
“Applicable Time” means [ ] [A/P].M., New York City time, on , 2009.
2. Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell, and each of the Selling Stockholders agrees, severally and not jointly, to sell, the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase at a price per share (the “Purchase Price”) of $ from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto and from each of the Selling Stockholders the number of Underwritten Shares (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares to be sold by each of the Selling Stockholders as set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule 2 hereto by a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares to be purchased by all the Underwriters from the Company. The public offering price of the Shares is not in excess of the price recommended by Barclays Capital Inc., acting as a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of NASD Rule 2720 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
In addition, each of the Selling Stockholders agrees, severally and not jointly, as and to the extent indicated in Schedule 2 hereto, to sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from each Selling Stockholder the Option Shares at the Purchase Price less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option Shares.
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If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 12 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.
The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representatives to the Company and the Attorneys-in-Fact (as defined below). Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date or later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 12 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.
(b) The Company and the Selling Stockholders understand that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company and the Selling Stockholders acknowledge and agree that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.
(c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the respective accounts specified by the Company and the Attorneys-in-Fact or any of them (with regard to payment to the Selling Stockholders), to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on , 2009, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives, the Company and the Attorneys-in-Fact may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”, and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date”.
Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date in definitive form registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not later than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company and the Selling Stockholders, as applicable. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct. The certificates for the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders will be made available for inspection and packaging by the Representatives at the office of DTC or its designated custodian not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
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(d) Each of the Company and each Selling Stockholder acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company and the Selling Stockholders with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company, the Selling Stockholders or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company, the Selling Stockholders or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company or the Selling Stockholders with respect thereto. 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 or the Selling Stockholders.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:
(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(c) hereof.
(b) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(c) hereof.
(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities
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Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex B hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(c) hereof.
(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and to the best of the Company’s knowledge after due inquiry, no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Shares has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(c) hereof.
(e) Financial Statements. The financial statements and pro forma data (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position as of the dates indicated and the cash flows and results of operations for the periods specified of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries; except as otherwise stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved; and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information required to be stated therein. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus by
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the Securities Act. The other financial and statistical information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information included therein and have been prepared on a basis consistent with that of the financial statements that are included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and the books and records of the respective entities presented therein.
(f) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package, except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, (i) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends, or made any other distribution of any kind, on or in respect of its capital stock, (ii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock or long-term or short-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries listed in Exhibit A hereto (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), (iii) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has sustained any material loss or interference with its business or properties from fire, explosion, flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, and (iv) there has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity or properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries, individually or taken as a whole. Since the date of the latest balance sheet included in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has incurred or undertaken any liabilities or obligations, whether direct or indirect, liquidated or contingent, matured or unmatured, or entered into any transactions, including any acquisition or disposition of any business or asset, which are material to the Company and the Subsidiaries, individually or taken as a whole, except for liabilities, obligations and transactions which are disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package.
(g) Organization and Good Standing. The Subsidiaries are the only “subsidiaries” of the Company (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act). Each of the Company and each Subsidiary has been duly organized and validly exists as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company in each jurisdiction in which the character or location of its properties (owned, leased or licensed) or the nature or conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except for those failures to be so qualified or in good standing which (individually and in the aggregate) could not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on (i) the business, general affairs, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; or (ii) the ability of the Company to consummate the Offering or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement or the Pricing Disclosure Package (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(h) Capitalization. Upon the Merger, the Company will have an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders) will be fully paid and non-assessable and will have been duly and validly authorized and issued, in compliance with all applicable state, federal and foreign securities laws and not in violation of or subject to any preemptive or similar right that entitles any person to acquire from the Company or any subsidiary any Common Stock or other equity security of the Company or any security convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock or
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any other such security (any “Relevant Security”), except for such rights as may have been fully satisfied or waived prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. All of the issued shares of capital stock of or other ownership interests in each Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and (except as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company free and clear of any lien, charge, mortgage, pledge, security interest, claim, equity, trust or other encumbrance, preferential arrangement, defect or restriction of any kind whatsoever (any “Lien”).
(i) Stock Options. With respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company Stock Plans”), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.
(j) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(k) The Shares. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date and the Additional Closing Date, if any, have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with this Agreement, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will have been issued in compliance with all applicable state, federal and foreign securities laws and will not have been issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive or similar right that entitles any person to acquire any Relevant Security from the Company. The Common Stock and the Shares conform to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in all material respects. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Company has no outstanding warrants, options to purchase, or any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, any Relevant Security. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, no holder of any Relevant Security has any rights to require registration under the Securities Act of any Relevant Security in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares contemplated hereby, and any such rights so disclosed have either been fully complied with by the Company or effectively waived by the holders thereof.
(l) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is in violation of its certificate or articles of incorporation, by-laws, certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or other organizational documents, (ii) is in default under, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
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agreement or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject, or (iii) is in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order of any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, foreign or domestic, except (in the case clauses (ii) and (iii) above) for violations or defaults that could not (individually or in the aggregate) reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) No Conflicts. The issue and sale of the Shares, the compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement, instrument, franchise, license or permit to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or their respective properties, operations or assets may be bound or (ii) violate or conflict with any provision of the certificate or articles of incorporation, by-laws, certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or other organizational documents of the Company or any Subsidiary, or (iii) violate or conflict with any statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order of any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, except (in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above) for violations or defaults that could not (individually or in the aggregate) reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) No Consents Required. No Consent of, with or from any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body or any third party, foreign or domestic, is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the registration under the Securities Act of the Shares and such consents as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws or the by-laws and rules of FINRA in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters, each of which has been obtained and is in full force and effect.
(o) Legal Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no judicial, regulatory, arbitral or other legal or governmental proceeding or other litigation or arbitration, domestic or foreign, pending to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or of which any property, operations or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is the subject which, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceeding, litigation or arbitration is threatened or contemplated; and the defense of all such proceedings, litigation and arbitration against or involving the Company or any Subsidiary could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(p) Independent Accountants. Deloitte and Touche LLP, who have certified the financial statements and supporting schedules and information of the Company and its subsidiaries that are in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”).
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(q) Title to Real and Personal Property. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its business as presently operated and as proposed to be operated as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of any and all Liens except such as are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or such as do not (individually or in the aggregate) materially affect the value of such property or materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease or sublease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material to, and do not materially interfere with, the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and the Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any claim adverse to its ownership of any real or personal property or of any claim against the continued possession of any real property, whether owned or held under lease or sublease by the Company or any Subsidiary, which could result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and each Subsidiary own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and, to the Company’s knowledge, the conduct of their respective businesses does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise conflict with any Intellectual Property Rights of others. The Company and the Subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any Intellectual Property Rights of others, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company or the Subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise conflicts with the Intellectual Property Rights of others. There is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or enforceability of any Intellectual Property Rights that are material to the conduct of the businesses of the Company and the Subsidiaries, and none of the patents owned by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has been adjudged to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part. The Company is not aware of any infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this section, the term “to the Company’s knowledge” includes without limitation, the knowledge of the Company’s chief legal officer.
(s) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, at all times up to and including consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and after giving effect to application of the net proceeds of the Offering as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and is not and will not be an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of such act.
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(t) Taxes. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary has accurately prepared and timely filed all federal, state, foreign and other tax returns that are required to be filed by it and has paid or made provision for the payment of all taxes, assessments, governmental or other similar charges, including without limitation, all sales and use taxes and all taxes which the Company or any Subsidiary is obligated to withhold from amounts owing to employees, creditors and third parties, with respect to the periods covered by such tax returns (whether or not such amounts are shown as due on any tax return), except where the failure to file or pay would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All such tax returns are accurate in all material respects. No deficiency assessment with respect to a proposed adjustment of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’ federal, state, local or foreign taxes is pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened, except for such deficiencies that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The accruals and reserves on the books and records of the Company and the Subsidiaries in respect of tax liabilities that are not due and payable are adequate to meet any assessments and related liabilities for any such period and, since December 30, 2006, the Company and the Subsidiaries have not incurred any liability for taxes other than in the ordinary course of its business. There is no material tax lien, whether imposed by any federal, state, foreign or other taxing authority, outstanding against the assets, properties or business of the Company or any Subsidiary.
(u) Licenses and Permits. The Company and each Subsidiary have such permits, licenses, franchises, registrations, approvals and authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“Permits”), including, without limitation, under any applicable Environmental Laws and laws of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, as are necessary to own, lease and operate their respective properties and to conduct their businesses as they are currently operated and conducted, except where the failure to have such Permits could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and the Company and each Subsidiary have fulfilled and performed all of their obligations with respect to such Permits and no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Permit. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received notice of any investigation or proceedings which, if decided adversely to the Company or any such Subsidiary, could reasonably be expected to result in the revocation of, or imposition of a materially burdensome restriction on, any such Permit.
(v) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, is imminent and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbances by the employees of any of its or any Subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers’, customers or contractors, which, in either case (individually or in the aggregate), could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) Hazardous Materials. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous materials or substances (“Hazardous Materials”) by, due to, or caused by the Company or the Subsidiaries (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may be liable) upon any other property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or the Subsidiaries, or upon any other property, which would be a violation of or give rise to any liability under any applicable law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Law”),
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except for violations and liabilities which, individually or in the aggregate, could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any Hazardous Materials with respect to which the Company or the Subsidiaries has knowledge. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries has agreed to assume, undertake or provide indemnification for any liability of any other person under any Environmental Law, including any obligation for cleanup or remedial action, except for violations and liabilities which, individually or in the aggregate, could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and the Subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, pending legal proceedings or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws, including the release or threatened release of Hazardous Materials, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and the Subsidiaries for the current and succeeding fiscal years. There is no pending or, to best knowledge of the Company and the Subsidiaries, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial action, claim or notice of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law, or exposure to any Hazardous Materials, against the Company or the Subsidiaries except for actions, claims or notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings which, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or for which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $300,000 or more will be imposed.
(x) Compliance with ERISA. No “prohibited transaction” (as defined in either Section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”) or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the “Code”)), “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA) or other event of the kind described in Section 4043(b) of ERISA (other than events with respect to which the 30-day notice requirement under Section 4043 of ERISA has been waived) has occurred with respect to any employee benefit plan for which the Company or any Subsidiary would have any liability which could (individually or in the aggregate) reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; each employee benefit plan for which the Company or any Subsidiary would have any liability is in compliance in all material respects with applicable law, including (without limitation) ERISA and the Code; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of, or withdrawal from any “pension plan”; and each plan for which the Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which could cause the loss of such qualification.
(y) Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
(z) Accounting Controls. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting and other controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for
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assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accounting for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has been 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.
(aa) Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably considers adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries, all of which insurance is in full force and effect, except where the failure to maintain such insurance could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There are no material claims by the Company or any Subsidiary under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause. The Company reasonably believes that it will be able to renew its existing insurance as and when such coverage expires or will be able to obtain replacement insurance adequate for the conduct of the business and the value of its properties at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(bb) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.
(cc) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws; OFAC. The operations of the Company and each Subsidiary are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, 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 Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary 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
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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.
(dd) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company.
(ee) No Broker’s Fees. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or, to the Company’s knowledge, any arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuance with respect to the Company or any of its officers, directors, shareholders, partners, employees, Subsidiaries or affiliates that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation as determined by FINRA.
(ff) No Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, no person has the right to require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission, the issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, the sale of the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders hereunder.
(gg) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates (within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act) has taken, directly or indirectly, any action which constitutes or is designed to cause or result in, or which could reasonably be expected to constitute, cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(hh) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(ii) Statistical and Market Data. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
(jj) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of its directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), including, without limitation, Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(kk) Status under the Securities Act. The Company was not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) as of the eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act with respect to the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby.
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(ll) Listing of Shares. The Common Stock has been registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act. The shares of Common Stock have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or de-listing the Common Stock from the NYSE, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the NYSE is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.
(mm) Integration. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates (within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act) has, prior to the date hereof, made any offer or sale of any securities which could be “integrated” (within the meaning of the Securities Act) with the offer and sale of the Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(nn) Statements. The statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock”, insofar as it purports to constitute a summary of the terms of the Common Stock, and under the captions “Shares Eligible for Future Sale”, “Material U.S. Federal Tax Considerations” and “Underwriting”, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws, and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects.
(oo) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. The Company has complied with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act with respect to each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus including, without limitation, all prospectus delivery, filing, record retention and legending requirements applicable to any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. The Company has not (i) distributed any offering material in connection with the Offering other than the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth on Annex B hereto, or (ii) filed, referred to, approved, used or authorized the use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus except as set forth in Annex B hereto.
(pp) Foreign Jurisdictions. The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus comply, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, directives, judgments, decrees and orders of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, may be distributed in connection with therewith; and no consent of, from or with any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, other than such as have been obtained, is necessary under any such law, rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order.
4. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholders. Each of the Selling Stockholders severally represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:
(a) Required Consents; Authority. No consents, approvals, authorizations and orders are necessary for the execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholder of this Agreement, the Power of Attorney (the “Power of Attorney”), the Custody Agreement (the “Custody Agreement”) and the Irrevocable Election to Sell (the “Election to Sell”) hereinafter referred to, and for the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, other than the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations
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or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange Act and applicable state or foreign securities laws in connection with the purchase and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters; and such Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Power of Attorney, the Custody Agreement and the Election to Sell, and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder; this Agreement, the Power of Attorney, the Custody Agreement and the Election to Sell have each been duly authorized (if applicable), executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder.
(b) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by such Selling Stockholder of this Agreement, the Power of Attorney and the Custody Agreement, the sale of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder and the consummation by such Selling Stockholder of the transactions contemplated herein or therein will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of such Selling Stockholder pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Stockholder is subject, or (ii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory agency; except, in each case, for any breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Selling Stockholder to consummate the transactions contemplated herein or therein.
(c) Title to Shares. Upon the Merger, such Selling Stockholder will have good and valid title to the Shares (or Warrants and/or Preferred Stock exchangeable into Shares) to be sold at the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or adverse claims; such Selling Stockholder will have, immediately prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, good and valid title to the Shares to be sold at the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, by such Selling Stockholder, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or adverse claims; and, upon delivery of the certificates representing such Shares and payment therefor pursuant hereto, good and valid title to such Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or adverse claims, will pass to the several Underwriters.
(d) No Stabilization. Such Selling Stockholder has not taken and 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 Shares.
(e) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package, at the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any 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, but only with respect to any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a material fact made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished by such Selling Stockholder, in writing to the Company, relating to such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that for the purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished by such Selling Stockholder consists of the legal name, address and number of shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock and/or Warrants, as applicable, owned by such Selling Stockholder before the offering (excluding percentages and the number of shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock that will be
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beneficially owned by such Selling Stockholder after the offering) which appear in the table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption “Principal and Selling Stockholders” in the Preliminary Prospectus (with respect to each Selling Stockholder, the “Selling Stockholder Information”).
(f) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, such Selling Stockholder (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act, (ii) the documents listed on Annex B hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Company and the Representatives, or (iii) any document prepared by the Company without input from the Selling Stockholders or their agents.
(g) Registration Statement and Prospectus. As of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading but only with respect to any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a material fact made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished by such Selling Stockholder, in writing to the Company, relating to such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that for the purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished by such Selling Stockholder consists of such Selling Stockholder’s Selling Stockholder Information.
(h) Material Information. As of the date hereof, as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, that the sale of the Shares by such Selling Stockholder is not and will not be prompted by any material information concerning the Company which is not set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, provided, however, that no representation or warranty is being made hereby as to whether the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
Each of the Selling Stockholders represents and warrants that certain securities of Parent have been placed in custody under a Custody Agreement relating to such Shares, in the form heretofore furnished to you, duly executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder to Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, as custodians (the “Custodians”), and that such Selling Stockholder has duly executed and delivered a Power of Attorney, in the form heretofore furnished to you, appointing the person or persons indicated in the Power of Attorney, and each of them, as such Selling Stockholder’s Attorneys-in-fact (the “Attorneys-in-Fact” or any one of them the “Attorney-in Fact”) with authority to execute and deliver this Agreement on behalf of such Selling Stockholder, to determine the purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters to the Selling Stockholders
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as provided herein, to authorize the delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder and otherwise to act on behalf of such Selling Stockholder in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Custody Agreement.
Each of the Selling Stockholders specifically agrees that the securities of Parent represented by the certificates held in custody for such Selling Stockholder under the Custody Agreement, are subject to the interests of the Underwriters hereunder, and that the arrangements made by such Selling Stockholder for such custody, and the appointment by such Selling Stockholder of the Attorneys-in-Fact by the Power of Attorney, are to that extent irrevocable. Each of the Selling Stockholders specifically agrees that the obligations of such Selling Stockholder hereunder shall not be terminated by operation of law, whether by the death or incapacity of any individual Selling Stockholder, or, in the case of an estate or trust, by the death or incapacity of any executor or trustee or the termination of such estate or trust, or in the case of a partnership, corporation or similar organization, by the dissolution of such partnership, corporation or organization, or by the occurrence of any other event. If any individual Selling Stockholder or any such executor or trustee should die or become incapacitated, or if any such estate or trust should be terminated, or if any such partnership, corporation or similar organization should be dissolved, or if any other such event should occur, before the delivery of the Shares hereunder, certificates representing such Shares shall be delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Custody Agreement, and actions taken by the Attorneys-in-Fact pursuant to the Powers of Attorney shall be as valid as if such death, incapacity, termination, dissolution or other event had not occurred, regardless of whether or not the Custodians, the Attorneys-in-Fact, or any of them, shall have received notice of such death, incapacity, termination, dissolution or other event.
5. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Required Filings. The Company shall prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and file such Prospectus pursuant to, and within the time periods specified by, Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A under the Securities Act; prior to the last date on which an Additional Closing Date, if any, may occur, the Company shall file no further amendment to the Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to which you shall object in writing after being furnished in advance a copy thereof and given a reasonable opportunity to review and comment thereon; the Company shall notify you promptly (and, if requested by the Representatives, confirm such notice in writing) (i) when the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto become effective, (ii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment of or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iii) of the Company’s intention to file, or prepare any supplement or amendment to, the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (iv) of the mailing or the delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment of or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including but not limited to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or, in each case, of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings therefore, (vi) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose. If the Commission shall propose or enter a stop order at any time, the Company will make every effort to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if issued, to obtain the lifting of such order as soon as possible.
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(b) Amendment. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Shares (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package (prior to the availability of the Prospectus) or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would, in the judgment of the Underwriters or the Company, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances existing at the time of delivery of such Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) to the purchaser, not misleading, or if to comply with the Securities Act it shall be necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the Registration Statement, the Company will notify you promptly and prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate amendment or supplement (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, and will use its reasonable best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement declared effective as soon as possible.
(c) Free Writing Prospectus. The Company will not, without the prior consent of the Representatives, (i) make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, except for any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth in Annex B hereto and any electronic road show previously approved by the Representatives, or (ii) file, refer to, approve, use or authorize the use of any “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act with respect to the Offering or the Shares. If at any time any event shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would, in the judgment of the Underwriters or the Company, conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented or would, in the judgment of the Underwriters or the Company, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances existing at the time of delivery to the purchaser, not misleading, or if to comply with the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations it shall be necessary at any time to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Company will notify the Representatives promptly and, if requested by the Representatives, prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an appropriate amendment or supplement (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) that will correct such statement, omission or conflict or effect such compliance.
(d) Rule 433. The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 with respect to each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus including, without limitation, all prospectus delivery, filing, record retention and legending requirements applicable to each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and the Company has caused there to be made available at least one version of a “bona fide electronic road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in a manner that causes the Company not to be required, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, to file with the Commission any road show.
(e) Delivery of Copies. The Company will promptly deliver to each of you and Underwriters’ Counsel a signed copy of the Registration Statement, as initially filed and all amendments thereto, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith, and will maintain in the Company’s files manually signed copies of such documents for at least five years after the date of filing. The Company will promptly deliver to each of the Underwriters such number of copies of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and all amendments of and supplements to such documents, if any, as you may reasonably request. Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter, the Company will furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
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(f) Qualification. Promptly from time to time, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Representatives, to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws relating to the offering or sale of the Shares of such jurisdictions, domestic or foreign, as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualification in effect for so long as required for the distribution thereof; except that in no event shall the Company be obligated in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process.
(g) Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than twelve months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Securities Act), an earnings statement of the Company and the Subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158).
(h) Clear Market. For a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, and (iii) will not publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than (1) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (2) any shares of Stock of the Company issued or issued upon the exercise of options under Company Stock Plans existing as of the date hereof, or (3) up to warrants, up to shares of preferred stock and up to shares of Common Stock issued in connection with the Merger. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed by this Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
(i) Reports. During the period of one year from the effective date of the Registration Statement, the Company will furnish to you copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to security holders or from time to time published or publicly disseminated by the Company, and will deliver to you as soon as they are available, copies of any reports, financial statements and proxy or information statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed, but only to the extent such reports are not available on xxx.xxx.xxx.
(j) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to list the Shares on the NYSE.
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(k) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as set forth under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(l) Filings with the Commission. The Company, during the period when a prospectus (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required to be delivered under the Securities Act in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, will file all reports and other documents required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act within the time periods required thereby.
(m) Rule 462. If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462 by 10:00 p.m. (Eastern time), on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462 Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Securities Act.
(n) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, and will cause its affiliates (within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act) not to take, directly or indirectly, any action which constitutes or is designed to cause or result in, or which could reasonably be expected to constitute, cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
6. Further Agreements of the Selling Stockholders. Each of the Selling Stockholders covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Clear Market. It has or will deliver a Lock-Up Agreement substantially in the Form of Exhibit B.
(b) Tax Form. It will deliver to the Representatives prior to or at the Closing Date a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by the Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof) in order to facilitate the Underwriters’ documentation of their compliance with the reporting and withholding provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 with respect to the transactions herein contemplated.
7. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:
(a) It has not used, authorized use of, referred to or participated in the planning for use of, and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex B or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).
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(b) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex C hereto without the consent of the Company; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.
(c) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company and the Selling Stockholders if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).
8. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties. The respective representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the statements of the Company and its officers and of each of the Selling Stockholders made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Applicable Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, if there are any debt securities or preferred stock of, or guaranteed by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any such debt securities or preferred stock and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any such debt securities or preferred stock (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(d) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(f) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
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(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, (x) a certificate, which shall be delivered on behalf of the Company and not the signatories in their individual capacity, of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above and (y) a certificate of each of the Selling Stockholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, (A) confirming that the representations of such Selling Stockholder set forth in Sections 4(e), 4(f) and 4(g) hereof is true and correct and (B) confirming that the other representations and warranties of such Selling Stockholder in this agreement are true and correct and that the such Selling Stockholder has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date.
(f) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, Deloitte and Touche LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A hereto.
(h) Opinion of Counsel for the Xxxxxxxx Entities. Fried, Frank, Harris, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Xxxxxxxx Entities (as listed on Schedule 2 hereto), shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Xxxxxxxx Entities, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A-2 hereto.
(i) Opinion of Counsel for the Blackstone Entities. White & Case LLP, counsel for the Blackstone Entities (as listed on Schedule 2 hereto), shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Blackstone Entities, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A-3 hereto.
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(j) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(k) No Legal Impediment to Issuance and/or Sale. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares by the Company or the sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholders; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares by the Company or the sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholders.
(l) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(m) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.
(n) Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, between you and certain shareholders, executive officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be full force and effect on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(o) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(p) Merger. The Merger shall have been consummated in a manner consistent with the description thereof in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
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9. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) or any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), (C) any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (a “Non-Prospectus Road Show”), (D) any Blue Sky application or other document prepared or executed by the Company (or based upon any written information furnished by the Company for use therein) specifically for qualifying any or all of the Shares under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being hereinafter called a “Blue Sky Application”), or, for each of (A), (B), (C) and (D) caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below.
The Company also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Barclays Capital Inc., its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls Barclays Capital Inc. within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities incurred as a result of Barclays Capital Inc.’s participation as a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of NASD Rule 2720 of FINRA in connection with the offering of the Shares.
(b) Indemnification of the Underwriters by the Selling Stockholders. Each of the Selling Stockholders severally and not jointly in proportion to the number of Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to such losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission to state a material fact made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information furnished by such Selling Stockholder in writing to the Company, relating to such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that for the purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished by such Selling Stockholder consists of such Selling Stockholder’s Selling Stockholder Information.
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(c) Indemnification of the Company and the Selling Stockholders. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each of the Selling Stockholders to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Non-Prospectus Road Show or any Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the language regarding discretionary accounts under “Underwriting”, the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”, the information contained in the paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”, the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of the Underwriters: and the following information in the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus dated , 2009: .
(d) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interest between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred; provided, however that if indemnity may be sought pursuant to the second paragraph of Section 9(a) above in respect of such proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm of the Underwriters, their affiliates and such control persons of the Underwriters the indemnifying party shall be liable for the fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for Barclays Capital Inc. in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, its affiliates, directors, officers and all
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persons, if any, who control Barclays Capital Inc. within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by Barclays Capital Inc. and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company and any such separate firm for the Selling Stockholders shall be designated in writing by the Attorneys in Fact or any one of them. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and more than 30 days after receipt of the proposed terms of the settlement, and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(e) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders (if applicable), on the one hand, and the Underwriters or Barclays Capital Inc. in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, as the case may be, on the other, from the offering of the Shares 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) but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders (if applicable), on the one hand, and the Underwriters or Barclays Capital Inc. in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, as the case may be, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders (if applicable), on the one hand, and the Underwriters or Barclays Capital Inc. in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, as the case may be, on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders (if applicable) from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, or the fee to be received by Barclays Capital Inc. in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, as the case may be, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters or Barclays Capital Inc. in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, as the case may be, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
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relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholders or by the Underwriters or Barclays Capital Inc. in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, as the case may be, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(f) Limitation on Liability. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (e) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (e) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, in no event shall (i) an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission or (ii) a Selling Stockholder be required to contribute (x) other than to the extent the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses arose from the written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or (y) any amount in excess of the amount by which the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities received by such Selling Stockholder (before deducting expenses) exceeds the amount of any damages that such Selling Stockholder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint. The Selling Stockholders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to the number of Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder.
(g) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
10. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
11. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on an exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
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12. Defaulting Underwriter.
(a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company and the Selling Stockholders may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company, counsel for the Selling Stockholders or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 12, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 12 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 13 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 9 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
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(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company, the Selling Stockholders or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
13. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto), including one or more versions of the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus for distribution in Canada, often in the form of a “Canadian wrapper” (including fees and expenses of Canadian counsel to the Underwriters), and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Shares under the state or Canadian and or foreign securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate with the prior approval of the Company, and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (v) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (vii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA; (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 11, (ii) the Company or the Selling Stockholders for any reason fail to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
14. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 9 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
15. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company, the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company, the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriters.
16. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; and (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City.
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17. Miscellaneous.
(a) Authority of Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated and Barclays Capital Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated and Barclays Capital Inc. shall be binding upon the Underwriters.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (fax: (000) 000-0000), Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk; Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated, Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, (Fax: (000) 000-0000), Attention: Syndicate Department (with a copy to Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated, Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, (Fax: (000) 000-0000), Attention: ECM Legal); and Barclays Capital Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Syndicate Registration. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at 0000 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000, (Fax: (000) 000-0000), Attention: Xxx Xxxxxx. Notices to the Selling Stockholders shall be given to the Attorneys-in-Fact at 0000 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000, (Fax: (000) 000-0000), Attention: Xxx Xxxxxx (with a copy to, in the case of the Xxxxxxxx Entities, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, Fried, Frank, Harris, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, Xxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (Fax: (000) 000-0000), and, in the case of the Blackstone Entities, X. Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Esq., White & Case LLP, 0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (Fax: (000) 000-0000)).
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
Very truly yours, | ||||
VS HOLDINGS, INC. | ||||
By: |
| |||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS | ||||
By: |
| |||
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||
Title: Attorney-in-Fact | ||||
By: |
| |||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | ||||
Title: Attorney-in-Fact | ||||
As Attorneys-in-Fact acting on behalf of each of the Selling Stockholders named in Schedule 2 to this Agreement. |
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Accepted: , 2009
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC. | ||
By: |
| |
Authorized Signatory |
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
By: |
| |
Authorized Signatory | ||
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC. | ||
By: |
| |
Authorized Signatory |
For themselves and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.
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Schedule 1
Underwriter |
Number of Shares | |
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. |
||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated |
||
Barclays Capital Inc. |
||
Total |
||
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Schedule 2
Selling Stockholders: |
Number of Underwritten Shares: |
Number of Option Shares: | ||
Xxxxxxxx Entities: • Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx • Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx • Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx April 1996 GRAT • Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx April 1996 GRAT |
||||
Blackstone Entities: • Blackstone Mezzanine Partners L.P. • Blackstone Mezzanine Holdings L.P. |
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Annex A
[Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company]
1. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has been duly organized and validly exists as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package. Based solely on certificates from public officials, we confirm that the Company is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of [ ] and is qualified to do business in the following States: , .
2. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders) have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date and the Additional Closing Date, if any, have been duly and validly authorized and, when delivered in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will not have been issued in violation of or subject to preemptive rights that entitle or will entitle any person to acquire any Shares from the Company upon issuance or sale thereof. The Common Stock, the Firm Shares and the Additional Shares conform to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
3. Based solely on written advice from the New York Stock Exchange, the Shares to be issued by the Company and sold pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
4. The Underwriting Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
5. To the best of such counsel’s knowledge and other than as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental proceedings pending which would have to be described in the Registration Statement under Section 103 of Regulation S-K.
6. The execution, delivery, and performance of the Underwriting Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated by Underwriting Agreement and the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus do not and will not (A) conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, any document required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, or (B) violate or conflict with any provision of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, any judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or regulation of any court or any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body.
7. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, filing, qualification, license or permit of or with any court or any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company or the
35
sale of the Shares by the Company, except for (1) such as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters (as to which such counsel need express no opinion), (2) such as have been made or obtained under the Securities Act and (3) such as are required by FINRA.
8. The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments thereof or supplements thereto (other than the financial statements and schedules and other financial data included therein, as to which no opinion need be rendered) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act.
9. The statements under the captions “Description of Capital Stock,” “Shares Eligible for Future Sale,” “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Underwriting” in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and Items 14 and 15 of Part II of the Registration Statement, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings and are accurate in all material respects.
10. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
11. The Registration Statement is effective under the Securities Act, and, to the best knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereof has been issued and no proceedings therefor have been initiated or threatened by the Commission and all filings required by Rule 424(b), Rule 430A and Rule 433 under the Securities Act have been made in the manner and in the time period required therein.
12. To the best knowledge of such counsel, no contract or agreement is required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that is not so filed.
In addition, such opinion shall also contain a statement that such counsel has participated in conferences with officers and representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent public accountants for the Company and the Underwriters at which the contents of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and related matters were discussed and no facts have come to the attention of such counsel which lead such counsel to believe that (A) the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective (including the information deemed to be part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A(b)), or any amendment thereof made prior to the Closing Date, as of the date of such amendment, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (B) the Prospectus, as of its date (or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto made prior to the Closing Date as of the date of such amendment or supplement) and as of the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (C) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood that such counsel need express no belief or opinion with respect to the financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein).
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Annex A-2
[Form of Opinion of Fried, Frank, Harris, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP]
(-) The Underwriting Agreement has been executed and delivered by or on behalf of each of the Xxxxxxxx Entities.
(-) A Power of Attorney have been executed and delivered by or on behalf of each Xxxxxxxx Entity.
(-) A Custody Agreement has been executed and delivered by or on behalf of each Xxxxxxxx Entity and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of each Xxxxxxxx Entity party thereto enforceable against the Xxxxxxxx Entity party thereto in accordance with its terms.
(-) Upon (a) payment for the Shares to be sold by the Xxxxxxxx Entities to the Underwriters as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, (b) the delivery of such Shares to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), (c) the registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and (d) the crediting of such Shares on the records of DTC to security accounts in the name of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any of the Underwriters has notice of any “adverse claim” (as such phrase is defined in Section 8-105 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York (the “UCC”)) to such Shares or any security entitlement in respect thereof), (i) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (ii) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a “security entitlement” in respect of such Shares and (iii) under Section 8-502 of the UCC, no action based on any “adverse claim” (as defined in Section 8-102 of the UCC) to such Shares may be asserted against the Underwriters; it being understood that for purposes of this opinion, such counsel may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or such other nominee as may be designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, by laws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the securities account or accounts in the name of the Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.
(-) The execution and delivery by the Xxxxxxxx Entities of, and the performance by the Xxxxxxxx Entities of their obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement, and the sale of the Shares contemplated therein by the Xxxxxxxx Entities:
(i) | do not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement, instrument, decree or order to which any Xxxxxxxx Entity is a party or by which any Xxxxxxxx Entity is bound or to which any of the Shares held by any Xxxxxxxx Entity is subject, (this opinion being limited (x) to those agreements, instruments, decrees or orders, if any, that have been identified to us in the Xxxxxxxx Certificate (to be attached to the final Opinion expressly to identify any agreement, instrument, decree or order that relates to the Shares including without limitation any security interest or pledge of any of the Shares and/or that relates to the sale or other disposition or voting of any of the Shares) and (y) in that we express no opinion with respect to any of the foregoing not readily ascertainable from the face of any such agreement, instrument, decree or order, or arising under or based upon any cross default provision insofar as it relates to a default under an agreement, instrument, decree or order not so identified to us, or arising under or based upon any covenant of a financial or numerical |
37
nature or requiring computation), except in each case for any conflict, breaches or defaults which would not materially adversely affect such Xxxxxxxx Entity’s ability to perform their obligations under the Underwriting Agreement or sell the Shares contemplated therein; and |
(ii) | do not violate the laws, or regulations of any governmental agency or authority, of the United States of America or the State of New York applicable to such Xxxxxxxx Entity or his or her or its property and do not require under such laws or regulations any filing or registration by such Xxxxxxxx Entity with, or approval, authorization, qualification or consent to such Xxxxxxxx Entity of, any such governmental agency or authority that has not been made or obtained, except such filings, consents, approvals, authorizations, consents, registrations or qualifications as have been obtained under the Securities Act and as may be required under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (the “FINRA”). |
The opinion of counsel described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Xxxxxxxx Entities and shall so state therein.
38
Annex A-3
Form of Opinion of White & Case LLP
(-) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of each of the Blackstone Entities.
(-) A Power of Attorney and a Custody Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Blackstone Entities and constitute valid and binding agreements of the Blackstone Entities, enforceable against the Blackstone Entities in accordance with their terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law) and concepts of good faith and fair dealing.
(-) Upon (i) indication by The Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”) in its records by book entry that the Shares from the the Blackstone Entities to be purchased by each of the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement have been credited solely to securities accounts (as such term is defined in Section 8-501(a) of the Uniform Commercial Code as enacted by the State of New York (the “UCC”)) maintained by DTC in the names of the respective Underwriters, and (ii) payment by such Underwriters of the purchase prices for such Shares as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, and each Underwriter will have acquired security entitlements (as such term is defined in Section 8-102(a)(17) of the UCC) to the Shares credited to the securities account maintained DTC in the name of such Underwriter and any action based on an adverse claim (as such term is defined in Section 8-102(a)(1) of the UCC) may not be asserted against such Underwriter in respect of such security entitlements. For purposes of this opinion, such counsel may assumed that (i) DTC is a clearing corporation (as such term is defined in Section 8-102(a)(5) of the UCC) and a securities intermediary (as such term is defined in Section 8-102(a)(14) of the UCC) and is acting in its capacity as securities intermediary in respect of the Underwriters, (ii) no rule (within the meaning of Section 8-111 of the UCC) adopted by DTC governing rights and obligations among DTC and its participants conflicts in any way with any provisions of Article 8 of the UCC which govern any of the foregoing, (iii) the Shares from the Selling Shareholders are not registered in the name of, payable to the order of, or specially indorsed to any of the Underwriters or to the Representatives of the Underwriters, unless such Shares have been indorsed to DTC or in blank, and (iv) none of DTC, the Underwriters or the Representatives of the Underwriters will have notice of any adverse claim (within the meanings of Sections 8-510, 8-105 and, with respect to the definition of “adverse claim”, 8-102(a)(1) of the UCC) to such Shares or security entitlements.
(-) The sale of the Shares and the execution and delivery by the Selling Stockholder of, and the performance by the Selling Stockholder of its obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated therein will not result in the violation of (i) the provisions of the certificate of limited partnership or limited partnership agreement with respect to each of the Blackstone Entities or (ii) any federal or New York state law, statute, rule or regulation (except that such counsel need express no opinion in this paragraph with respect to Federal or state securities or blue sky laws).
(-) No consent, order, approval, authorization, registration or qualification of, or filing with, any federal or New York state governmental agency or body or court is required to be obtained or made by either Blackstone Entity for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement in connection with the sale of the Shares sold by such Selling Shareholder, except such as have been obtained and made under the Securities Act and such as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws (except that such counsel need express no opinion in this paragraph with respect to Federal or state securities or blue sky laws).
39
The opinion of counsel described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Blackstone Entities and shall so state therein.
40
Annex B
a. | Pricing Disclosure Package |
41
Annex C
Pricing Term Sheet
42
Exhibit A
SUBSIDIARIES OF COMPANY
• | Vitamin Shoppe Industries Inc. |
• | VS Direct Inc. |
43
Exhibit B
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
, 2009
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
Barclays Capital Inc.
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters
referred to below
c/o X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Re: VS Holdings, Inc. — Public Offering
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with VS Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and the Selling Stockholders listed on Schedule 2 to the Underwriting Agreement, providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the “Common Stock”), of the Company (the “Securities”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Securities, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated and Barclays Capital Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock except for a demand for registration in which (i) no filing of a registration statement is made or required to be made during the 180-day period referred to above, and (ii) no disclosure of such demand is made during the 180-day period referred to above, in each case of (1), (2) and (3) above other than (A) the Securities to be sold by the undersigned pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (B) transfers of shares
44
of Common Stock as a bona fide gift or gifts, and (C) distributions of shares of Common Stock to members, limited partners, or stockholders of the undersigned; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (B) or (C), each donee or distributee shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter in the form of this paragraph; and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (B) or (C), no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the 180-day period referred to above). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed by this Letter Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from, all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.
This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
Very truly yours, | ||
[NAME OF STOCKHOLDER] | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
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