EXHIBIT 1.1
_______________ Shares
Prometric, Inc.
Common Stock
($0.001 Par Value)
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
_______________, 19__
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
[ ]
As Representatives of the
Several Underwriters
c/o Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Gentlemen:
Prometric, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company")
proposes to sell to the several underwriters (the "Underwriters") named in
Schedule I hereto for whom you are acting as representatives (the
"Representatives") an aggregate of __________ shares of the Company's Common
Stock, $0.001 par value (the "Firm Shares"). The respective amounts of the Firm
Shares to be so purchased by the several Underwriters are set forth opposite
their names in Schedule I hereto. The Company also proposes to sell at the
Underwriters' option an aggregate of up to __________ additional shares of the
Company's Common Stock (the "Option Shares") as set forth below.
As the Representatives, you have advised the Company (a) that
you are authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf of the several
Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are willing, acting
severally and not jointly, to purchase the numbers of Firm Shares set forth
opposite their respective names in Schedule I, plus their pro rata portion of
the Option Shares if you elect to exercise the over-allotment option in whole or
in part for the
accounts of the several Underwriters. The Firm Shares and the Option Shares (to
the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are herein collectively
called the "Shares."
In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and
of the interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents and warrants to each of the
Underwriters as follows:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-______)
with respect to the Shares has been carefully prepared by the Company
in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), and the Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and
Regulations") of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") thereunder and has been filed with the Commission. Copies
of the registration statement, including any amendments thereto, the
preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of the Rules and
Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits, financial statements
and schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been
delivered by the Company to you. The registration statement, together
with any related registration statement filed by the Company pursuant
to Rule 462(b) of the Act, herein referred to as the "Registration
Statement," which shall be deemed to include all information omitted
therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the Prospectus
referred to below, has become effective under the Act; and no
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed
as of the date of this Agreement. "Prospectus" means (a) the form of
prospectus first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or
(b) the last preliminary prospectus included in the Registration
Statement filed prior to the time it becomes effective or filed
pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act that is delivered by the Company
to the Underwriters for delivery to purchasers of the Shares, together
with any term sheet or abbreviated term sheet filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b)(7) under the Act. Each preliminary prospectus
included in the Registration Statement prior to the time it becomes
effective is herein referred to as a "Preliminary Prospectus."
(b) The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
of Maryland, with corporate power and authority to own or lease its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration
Statement. Each of the subsidiaries of the Company as listed in Exhibit
A hereto (collectively, the "Subsidiaries") has been duly organized and
is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with corporate power and
authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as
described in the Registration Statement. The Subsidiaries are the only
subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company. The Company and each
of the Subsidiaries are duly
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qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the
conduct of their business requires such qualification. The outstanding
shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly
authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and
are owned by the Company or another Subsidiary free and clear of all
liens, encumbrances and equities and claims; and no options, warrants
or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue
or other rights to convert any obligations into shares of capital stock
or ownership interests in the Subsidiaries are outstanding.
(c) The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company have
been duly authorized, are validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable; the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have
been duly authorized and when issued and paid for as contemplated
herein will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and no
preemptive rights of stockholders exist with respect to any of the
Shares or the issue and sale thereof. Neither the filing of the
Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares as
contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than
those which have been waived or satisfied, for or relating to the
registration of any shares of Common Stock.
(d) The information set forth under the caption
"Capitalization" in the Prospectus is true and correct. All of the
Shares conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration
Statement. The form of certificates for the Shares conforms to the
Maryland General Corporation Law.
(e) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or
suspending the use of any Prospectus relating to the proposed offering
of the Shares and has not instituted proceedings for that purpose. The
Registration Statement contains, and the Prospectus and any amendments
or supplements thereto will contain, all statements which are required
to be stated therein by, and will conform to, the requirements of the
Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Registration Statement and any
amendments thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue
statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will not omit, any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments
and supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any
untrue statement of material fact; and do not omit, and will not omit,
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company
makes no representations or warranties as to information contained in
or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any
such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon, and in conformity with,
written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any
Underwriter through the Representatives, specifically for use in the
preparation thereof.
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(f) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and
the Subsidiaries, together with related notes and schedules as set
forth in the Registration Statement, present fairly the financial
position and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company
and the consolidated Subsidiaries, at the indicated dates and for the
indicated periods. Such financial statements and related schedules have
been prepared in accordance with generally accepted principles of
accounting, consistently applied throughout the periods involved,
except as disclosed therein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair
presentation of results for such periods have been made. The summary
financial and statistical data included in the Registration Statement
presents fairly the information shown therein; and that data has been
compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented
therein and the books and records of the Company.
(g) Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain of the
financial statements filed with the Commission as part of the
Registration Statement, are independent public accountants as required
by the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(h) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or,
to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any
of the Subsidiaries before any court or administrative agency or
otherwise which if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries might result in any material adverse change in the
earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations,
condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and of
the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or to prevent the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, except as set forth in the
Registration Statement.
(i) The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable
title to all of the properties and assets reflected in the financial
statements (or as described in the Registration Statement) hereinabove
described, subject to no lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance
of any kind except those reflected in such financial statements (or as
described in the Registration Statement) or which are not material in
amount. The Company and the Subsidiaries occupy their leased properties
under valid and binding leases or subleases, as appropriate, conforming
in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in the
Registration Statement.
(j) The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all Federal,
State, local and foreign income tax returns which have been required to
be filed and have paid all taxes indicated by said returns and all
assessments received by them or any of them to the extent that such
taxes have become due. All tax liabilities have been adequately
provided for in the financial statements of the Company.
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(k) Since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or
supplemented, there has not been any material adverse change or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change in or
affecting the earnings, business, management, properties, assets,
rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), or prospects of
the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not
occurring in the ordinary course of business, and there has not been
any material transaction entered into or any material transaction that
is probable of being entered into by the Company or the Subsidiaries,
other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes
and transactions described in the Registration Statement, as it may be
amended or supplemented. The Company and the Subsidiaries have no
material contingent obligations which are not disclosed in the
Company's financial statements which are included in the Registration
Statement.
(l) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is or with
the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will be, in violation of
or in default under its Charter or By-Laws or under any agreement,
lease, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which
it is a party or by which it, or any of its properties, is bound and
which default is of material significance in respect of the condition,
financial or otherwise of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a
whole or the business, management, properties, assets, rights,
operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the
Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole. The execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
herein contemplated and the fulfillment of the terms hereof will not
conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions
of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any
Subsidiary is a party, or of the Charter or by-laws of the Company or
any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any
Subsidiary of any court or of any regulatory body or administrative
agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction.
(m) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or
other governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and
delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated (except such additional steps as may
be required by the Commission, the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or such additional steps as may be necessary
to qualify the Shares for public offering by the Underwriters under
state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained or made and is in
full force and effect.
(n) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries hold all material
licenses, certificates and permits from governmental authorities which
are necessary to the conduct of their businesses; and neither the
Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has infringed any patents, patent
rights, trade names, trademarks or copyrights, which infringement is
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material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a
whole. The Company knows of no material infringement by others of
patents, patent rights, trade names, trademarks or copyrights owned by
or licensed to the Company. The Company owns, or possesses adequate
rights to use, all patents, patent rights, inventions, trade secrets,
licenses, know-how, proprietary techniques, including processes and
substances, trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights
described or referred to in the Prospectus as owned or used by it or
which are necessary for the conduct of its business as described in the
Prospectus, except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus. To the
best knowledge of the Company, except as disclosed in the Prospectus,
all such patents, patent rights, licenses, trademarks, service marks
and copyrights are (a) valid and enforceable and (b) not being
infringed by any third parties which infringement could, whether singly
or in the aggregate, materially and adversely affect the business,
properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), income,
business prospects or results of operations of the Company, as
presently being conducted or as proposed to be conducted in the
Prospectus. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company has no
knowledge of, nor has it received any notice of, infringement of or
conflict with, asserted rights of others with respect to any patents
issued prior to the Closing Date, inventions, trade secrets, licenses,
know-how, proprietary techniques, including processes and substances,
trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights which, singly or
in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or
finding could materially and adversely affect the business, properties,
operations, condition (financial or otherwise), income, business
prospects or results of operations of the Company as presently being
conducted or as proposed to be conducted in the Prospectus.
(o) Neither the Company, nor to the Company's best knowledge,
any of its affiliates, has taken or may take, directly or indirectly,
any action designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or
which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or
manipulation of the price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate
the sale or resale of the Shares.
(p) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is an "investment
company" within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(q) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or
specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for
assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with existing
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assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.
(r) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are
covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is
adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value
of their respective properties and as is customary for companies
engaged in similar industries.
(s) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with
all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and
published interpretations thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event"
(as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any "pension plan"
(as defined in ERISA) for which the Company would have any liability;
the Company has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability
under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or
withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations
and published interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each
"pension 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 would cause the loss of such
qualification.
(t) The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it is in
compliance with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of Florida, Chapter
92-198, An Act Relating to Disclosure of doing Business with Cuba, and
the Company further agrees that if it commences engaging in business
with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in
Cuba after the date the Registration Statement becomes or has become
effective with the Commission or with the Florida Department of Banking
and Finance (the "Department"), whichever date is later, or if the
information reported in the Prospectus, if any, concerning the
Company's business with Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in
Cuba changes in any material way, the Company will provide the
Department notice of such business or change, as appropriate, in a form
acceptable to the Department.
(u) To the Company's knowledge, there are no affiliations or
associations between any member of the NASD and any of the Company's
officers, directors or 5% or greater securityholders, except as set
forth in the Registration Statement.
(v) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company has
implemented procedures to analyze and address the risk that the
computer hardware and software used or produced by it may be unable to
recognize and properly execute date-sensitive functions involving
certain dates after December 31, 1999 (the "Year 2000 Problem"),
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and has determined, to the best of its knowledge, that such risk will
be remedied on a timely basis without material expense and will not
have a material adverse effect upon the financial condition and results
of operations of the Company. The Company believes, after due inquiry,
that each supplier, vendor, customer or financial service organization
used or serviced by the Company has remedied or will remedy on a timely
basis the Year 2000 Problem, except to the extent that a failure to
remedy by any such supplier, vendor, customer or financial service
organization would not have a material adverse effect on the Company.
2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE FIRM SHARES.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and
covenants herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set
forth, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters and each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase, at a price
of $_____ [net price] per share, the number of Firm Shares set forth
opposite the name of each Underwriter in Schedule I hereof, subject to
adjustments in accordance with Section 9 hereof.
(b) Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold hereunder is to be
made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account
designated by the Company against delivery of certificates therefor to
the Representatives for the several accounts of the Underwriters. Such
payment and delivery are to be made at the offices of Deutsche Bank
Securities Inc., Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, at 10:00 a.m.,
Baltimore time, on the third business day after the date of this
Agreement or at such other time and date not later than five business
days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree upon, such time and
date being herein referred to as the "Closing Date." (As used herein,
"business day" means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open
for trading and on which banks in New York are open for business and
not permitted by law or executive order to be closed.) The certificates
for the Firm Shares will be delivered in such denominations and in such
registrations as the Representatives request in writing not later than
the second full business day prior to the Closing Date, and will be
made available for inspection by the Representatives at least one
business day prior to the Closing Date.
(c) In addition, on the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions
herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several
Underwriters to purchase the Option Shares at the price per share as
set forth in the first paragraph of this Section 2. The option granted
hereby may be exercised in whole or in part but only once and at any
time upon written notice given within 30 days after the date of this
Agreement, by you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters and
the Company setting forth the number of Option Shares as to which the
several Underwriters are exercising the option, the names and
denominations in which the
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Option Shares are to be registered and the time and date at which such
certificates are to be delivered. The time and date at which
certificates for Option Shares are to be delivered shall be determined
by the Representatives but shall not be earlier than three nor later
than 10 full business days after the exercise of the option, nor in any
event prior to the Closing Date (the time and date being herein
referred to as the "Option Closing Date"). If the date of exercise of
the option is three or more days before the Closing Date, the notice of
exercise shall set the Closing Date as the Option Closing Date. The
number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be in
the same proportion to the total number of Option Shares being
purchased as the number of Firm Shares being purchased by each
Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares, adjusted by you
in such manner as to avoid fractional shares. The option with respect
to the Option Shares granted hereunder may be exercised only to cover
over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters.
You, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, may cancel the
option at any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of
the cancellation to the Company. To the extent, if any, that the option
is exercised, payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the Option
Closing Date by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank
account designated by the Company for the Option Shares against
delivery of certificates therefor at the offices of Deutsche Bank
Securities Inc., Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx.
3. OFFERING BY THE UNDERWRITERS.
It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a
public offering of the Firm Shares as soon as the Representatives deem
it advisable to do so. The Firm Shares are to be initially offered to
the public at the initial public offering price set forth in the
Prospectus. The Representatives may from time to time thereafter change
the public offering price and other selling terms. To the extent, if at
all, that any Option Shares are purchased pursuant to Section 2 hereof,
the Underwriters will offer them to the public on the foregoing terms.
It is further understood that you will act as the
Representatives for the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the
Shares in accordance with a Master Agreement Among Underwriters entered
into by you and the several other Underwriters.
4. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY AND THE SELLING STOCKHOLDERS.
The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters
that:
(a) The Company will (A) use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule
430A of the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely
file with the Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations
a Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives containing
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information previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the
Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of the Rules and
Regulations, (B) not file any amendment to the Registration Statement
or supplement to the Prospectus of which the Representatives shall not
previously have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the
Representatives shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is
not in compliance with the Rules and Regulations and (C) file on a
timely basis all reports and any definitive proxy or information
statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission
subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and prior to the termination
of the offering of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(b) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly (A)
when the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto
shall have become effective, (B) of receipt of any comments from the
Commission, (C) of any request of the Commission for amendment of the
Registration Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or for any
additional information, and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or the use of the Prospectus or of the institution of any
proceedings for that purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to
prevent the issuance of any such stop order preventing or suspending
the use of the Prospectus and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting
thereof, if issued.
(c) The Company will cooperate with the Representatives in
endeavoring to qualify the Shares for sale under the securities laws of
such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably have
designated in writing and will make such applications, file such
documents, and furnish such information as may be reasonably required
for that purpose, provided the Company shall not be required to qualify
as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or
required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to time,
prepare and file such statements, reports, and other documents, as are
or may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so
long a period as the Representatives may reasonably request for
distribution of the Shares.
(d) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representatives, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary
Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company
will deliver to, or upon the order of, the Representatives during the
period when delivery of a Prospectus is required under the Act, as many
copies of the Prospectus in final form, or as thereafter amended or
supplemented, as the Representatives may reasonably request. The
Company will deliver to the Representatives at or before the Closing
Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and all
amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will
deliver to the Representatives such number of copies of the
Registration Statement (including such number of copies of the exhibits
filed therewith that may
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reasonably be requested), and of all amendments thereto, as the
Representatives may reasonably request.
(e) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the
Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus. If during
the period in which a prospectus is required by law to be delivered by
an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a result of which,
in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the
Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a
purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend
or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company
promptly will prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate
amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus
so that the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the
light of the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or
so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.
(f) The Company will make generally available to its security
holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not
later than 15 months after the effective date of the Registration
Statement, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) in
reasonable detail, covering a period of at least 12 consecutive months
beginning after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which
earnings statement shall satisfy the requirements of Section 11(a) of
the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will advise you
in writing when such statement has been so made available.
(g) The Company will, for a period of five years from the
Closing Date, deliver to the Representatives copies of annual reports
and copies of all other documents, reports and information furnished by
the Company to its stockholders or filed with any securities exchange
pursuant to the requirements of such exchange or with the Commission
pursuant to the Act or the Exchange Act. The Company will deliver to
the Representatives similar reports with respect to significant
subsidiaries, as that term is defined in the Rules and Regulations,
which are not consolidated in the Company's financial statements.
(h) Except for the distribution of the Company's shares by
Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc. to its shareholders, no offering, sale,
short sale or other disposition of any shares of Common Stock of the
Company or other securities convertible into or exchangeable or
exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivative of Common Stock
(or agreement for such) will be made for a period of 180 days after the
date of this
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Agreement, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than
hereunder or with the prior written consent of Deutsche Bank Securities
Inc.
(i) The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to
notice of issuance, the Shares on The Nasdaq Stock Market.
(j) The Company will not issue any stock options pursuant to
its 1999 Stock Incentive Plan that are exercisable or saleable
(including the underlying Common Stock) during the 180 day period
following the date of this Agreement, unless the Company first obtains
a letter or letters, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Underwriters, pursuant to which each person who is to receive stock
options from the Company, shall agree not to offer, sell, sell short or
otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock of the Company or other
capital stock of the Company, or any other securities convertible,
exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares or derivative of Common
Shares owned by such person, other than sales of Common Stock
contemplated by this Agreement, charitable contributions or certain
transfers without consideration, or request the registration for the
offer or sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which such person has
the right to direct the disposition of) for a period of 180 days after
the date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, except with the
prior written consent of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. ("Lockup
Agreements").
(k) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of
the Shares as set forth in the Prospectus and shall file such reports
with the Commission with respect to the sale of the Shares and the
application of the proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance
with Rule 463 under the Act.
(l) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the
proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a
manner as would require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to
register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
(m) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if
necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a
registrar for the Common Stock.
(n) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any
action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation
of the price of any securities of the Company.
5. COSTS AND EXPENSES.
The Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to
the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including,
without limiting the generality of the
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foregoing, the following: accounting fees of the Company; the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Company; the cost of printing and
delivering to, or as requested by, the Underwriters copies of the
Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectus, this
Agreement, the Underwriters' Selling Memorandum, the Underwriters'
Invitation Letter, the Listing Application, the Blue Sky Survey and any
supplements or amendments thereto; the filing fees of the Commission;
the filing fees and expenses (including legal fees and disbursements)
incident to securing any required review by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") of the terms of the sale of the
Shares; the Listing Fee of the Nasdaq Stock Market; and the expenses,
including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters,
incurred in connection with the qualification of the Shares under State
securities or Blue Sky laws. Any transfer taxes imposed on the sale of
the Shares to the several Underwriters will be paid by the Company. The
Company shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the
Underwriters expenses (other than those related to qualification under
NASD regulation and State securities or Blue Sky laws) except that, if
this Agreement shall not be consummated because the conditions in
Section 6 hereof are not satisfied, or because this Agreement is
terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 11 hereof, or by
reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company
to perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition of this Agreement
or to comply with any of the terms hereof on their part to be
performed, unless such failure to satisfy said condition or to comply
with said terms be due to the default or omission of any Underwriter,
then the Company shall reimburse the several Underwriters for
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and disbursements of
counsel, reasonably incurred in connection with investigating,
marketing and proposing to market the Shares or in contemplation of
performing their obligations hereunder; but the Company shall not in
any event be liable to any of the several Underwriters for damages on
account of loss of anticipated profits from the sale by them of the
Shares.
6. CONDITIONS OF OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the
Firm Shares on the Closing Date and the Option Shares, if any, on the
Option Closing Date are subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date
or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, of the representations
and warranties of the Company contained herein, and to the performance
by the Company of its covenants and obligations hereunder and to the
following additional conditions:
(a) The transactions described under the captions "Our
Separation from Sylvan" and "Arrangements between Prometric and Sylvan"
in the Registration Statement shall have taken place.
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(b) The Registration Statement and all post-effective
amendments thereto shall have become effective and any and all filings
required by Rule 424 and Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations shall
have been made, and any request of the Commission for additional
information (to be included in the Registration Statement or otherwise)
shall have been disclosed to the Representatives and complied with to
their reasonable satisfaction. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to
time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall
have been taken or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be
contemplated by the Commission and no injunction, restraining order, or
order of any nature by a Federal or state court of competent
jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date which would
prevent the issuance of the Shares.
(c) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of
Piper & Marbury L.L.P., counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date
or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the
Underwriters (and stating that it may be relied upon by counsel to the
Underwriters) to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of the State of Maryland, with corporate power and
authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement; each of
the Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with corporate power
and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement; the
Company and each of the Subsidiaries are duly qualified to
transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of
their business requires such qualification, or in which the
failure to qualify would have a material adverse effect upon
the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a
whole; and the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of
the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued
and are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the
Company or a Subsidiary; and, to the best of such counsel's
knowledge, the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of
the Subsidiaries is owned free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances and equities and claims, and no options, warrants
or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations
to issue or other rights to convert any obligations into any
shares of capital stock or of ownership interests in the
Subsidiaries are outstanding.
(ii) The Company has authorized and outstanding
capital stock as set forth under the caption "Capitalization"
in the Prospectus; the authorized shares of the Company's
Common Stock have been duly authorized; the outstanding shares
of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized and
validly issued and
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are fully paid and non-assessable; all of the Shares conform
to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the
certificates for the Shares, assuming they are in the form
filed with the Commission, are in due and proper form; the
shares of Common Stock, including the Option Shares, if any,
to be sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement have been
duly authorized and will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable when issued and paid for as contemplated by
this Agreement; and no preemptive rights of stockholders exist
with respect to any of the Shares or the issue or sale
thereof.
(iii) Except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no
outstanding securities of the Company convertible or
exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or
subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company; and
there are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants or
rights of any character obligating the Company to issue any
shares of its capital stock or any securities convertible or
exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or
subscribe for any shares of such stock; and except as
described in the Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel,
no holder of any securities of the Company or any other person
has the right, contractual or otherwise, which has not been
satisfied or effectively waived, to cause the Company to sell
or otherwise issue to them, or to permit them to underwrite
the sale of, any of the Shares or the right to have any Common
Shares or other securities of the Company included in the
Registration Statement or the right, as a result of the filing
of the Registration Statement, to require registration under
the Act of any shares of Common Stock or other securities of
the Company.
(iv) The Registration Statement has become effective
under the Act and, to the best of the knowledge of such
counsel, no stop order proceedings with respect thereto have
been instituted or are pending or threatened under the Act.
(v) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and
each amendment or supplement thereto comply as to form in all
material respects with the requirements of the Act or the
Exchange Act, as applicable and the applicable rules and
regulations thereunder (except that such counsel need express
no opinion as to the financial statements and related
schedules included therein).
(vi) The statements under the captions "Risk Factors
- We will continue to depend upon Sylvan for our
administrative and support services," "Risk Factors - The
Separation Agreement with Sylvan contains covenants that may
limit our ability to seek capital in the future," "Our
Separation from Sylvan - Agreements with Sylvan," "Business -
The Prometric Network," "Business - Experior," "Business -
Contracts," "Business - Government Regulation," "Related Party
Transactions and Relationships - Messrs. Bean and Xxxxxxx
"Related
-15-
Party Transactions and Relationships - Caliber Learning
Network, Inc.," "Arrangements between Prometric and Sylvan,"
"Description of Capital Stock" and "Shares Eligible for Future
Sale" in the Prospectus, insofar as such statements constitute
a summary of documents referred to therein or matters of law,
fairly summarize in all material respects the information
called for with respect to such documents and matters.
(vii) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or
documents required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement or described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus which are no so filed or described as required, and
such contracts and documents as are summarized in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus are fairly summarized
in all material respects.
(viii) Such counsel knows of no material legal or
governmental proceedings pending or threatened against the
Company or any of the Subsidiaries except as set forth in the
Prospectus.
(ix) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and
the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do
not and will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of
the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, the
Charter or By-laws of the Company, or any agreement or
instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or any
of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any
of the Subsidiaries may be bound.
(x) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company.
(xi) No approval, consent, order, authorization,
designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory,
administrative or other governmental body is necessary in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated
(other than as may be required by the NASD or as required by
State securities and Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel
need express no opinion) except such as have been obtained or
made, specifying the same.
(xii) The Company is not, and will not become, as a
result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, and application of the net proceeds therefrom
as described in the Prospectus, required to register as an
investment company under the 1940 Act.
In rendering such opinion Piper & Marbury L.L.P. may rely as
to matters governed by the laws of states other than Maryland or
Federal laws on local counsel in
-16-
such jurisdictions, provided that in each case Piper & Marbury L.L.P.
shall state that they believe that they and the Underwriters are
justified in relying on such other counsel. In addition to the matters
set forth above, such opinion shall also include a statement to the
effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which
leads them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, at the time
it became effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any
modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act)
and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Prospectus, or
any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the Rules
and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are
made, not misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as
to financial statements, schedules and statistical information
therein). With respect to such statement, Piper & Marbury L.L.P. may
state that their belief is based upon the procedures set forth therein,
but is without independent check and verification.
(d) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxx &
Xxxxxxx L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
substantially to the effect specified in subparagraphs (ii), (iii),
(iv) and (x) of Paragraph (c) of this Section 6, and that the Company
is a duly organized and validly existing corporation under the laws of
the State of Maryland. In rendering such opinion Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx L.L.P.
may rely as to all matters governed other than by the laws of the State
of Maryland or Federal laws on the opinion of counsel referred to in
Paragraph (c) of this Section 6. In addition to the matters set forth
above, such opinion shall also include a statement to the effect that
nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which leads them to
believe that (i) the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto,
as of the time it became effective under the Act (but after giving
effect to any modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A
under the Act) as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the
Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed
pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact, necessary in
order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under
which they are made, not misleading (except that such counsel need
express no view as to financial statements, schedules and statistical
information therein). With respect to such statement, Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx
L.L.P. may state that their belief is based upon the procedures set
forth therein, but is without independent check and verification.
-17-
(e) The Representatives shall have received at or prior to the
Closing Date from Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx L.L.P. a memorandum or summary, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, with respect to
the qualification for offering and sale by the Underwriters of the
Shares under the State securities or Blue Sky laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably have designated to
the Company.
(f) You shall have received, on each of the dates hereof, the
Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter
dated the date hereof, the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to you, of Ernst &
Young LLP confirming that they are independent public accountants
within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and
Regulations thereunder and stating that in their opinion the financial
statements and schedules examined by them and included in the
Registration Statement comply in form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published
Rules and Regulations; and containing such other statements and
information as is ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters"
to Underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain
financial and statistical information contained in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus.
(g) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or
certificates of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial
Officer of the Company to the effect that, as of the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, each of them severally
represents as follows:
(i) The Registration Statement has become effective
under the Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registrations Statement has been issued, and no
proceedings for such purpose have been taken or are, to his
knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;
(ii) The representations and warranties of the
Company contained in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as
of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be;
(iii) All filings required to have been made pursuant
to Rules 424 or 430A under the Act have been made;
(iv) He or she has carefully examined the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus and, in his or her
opinion, as of the effective date of the Registration
Statement, the statements contained in the Registration
Statement were true and correct, and such Registration
Statement and Prospectus did not omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make
the
-18-
statements therein not misleading, and since the effective
date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred
which should have been set forth in a supplement to or an
amendment of the Prospectus which has not been so set forth in
such supplement or amendment; and
(v) Since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, there has not been any material adverse change or
any development involving a prospective material adverse
change in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise,
of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the
earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights,
operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of
the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or
not arising in the ordinary course of business.
(h) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives
such further certificates and documents confirming the representations
and warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein and related
matters as the Representatives may reasonably have requested.
(i) The Firm Shares and Option Shares, if any, have been
approved for designation upon notice of issuance on the Nasdaq Stock
Market.
The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement
shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if
they are in all material respects satisfactory to the Representatives
and to Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters.
If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this
Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this
Agreement to be fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters
hereunder may be terminated by the Representatives by notifying the
Company of such termination in writing or by telegram at or prior to
the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be.
In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be
under any obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in
Sections 5 and 8 hereof).
7. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY.
The obligations of the Company to sell and deliver the Shares
required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are
subject to the conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, no stop order suspending
-19-
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued
and in effect or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened.
8. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which such Underwriter or any such controlling person
may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect
thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made; and will
reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person upon demand
for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter
or such controlling person in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage or liability, action or
proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or governmental inquiry
related to the offering of the Shares, whether or not such Underwriter
or controlling person is a party to any action or proceeding; provided,
however, that the Company will not be liable (i) in any such case to
the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or
omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such amendment or
supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives specifically
for use in the preparation thereof or (ii) with respect to any untrue
statement contained in or any omission from a Preliminary Prospectus of
the untrue statement or omission from a Preliminary Prospectus was
corrected in the applicable Prospectus and the person asserting any
loss, liability, claim or damage was not given or sent a copy of the
applicable Prospectus in the manner and at such time as required by the
Act, provided the Company has furnished you with copies of the
applicable Prospectus. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to
any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify
and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its
officers who have signed the Registration Statement and each person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act, against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or any
such director, officer or controlling person may become subject under
the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of
or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
-20-
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement,
any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made; and will reimburse any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability,
action or proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be
liable in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by or through the Representatives specifically for use in the
preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to
any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental
investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of
which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person
(the "indemnified party") shall promptly notify the person against whom
such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing. No
indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or (b) shall be available
to any party who shall fail to give notice as provided in this Section
8(c) if the party to whom notice was not given was unaware of the
proceeding to which such notice would have related and was materially
prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to give
such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party or parties from
any liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party for
contribution or otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section
8(a) or (b). In case any such proceeding shall be brought against any
indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with
any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party and shall
pay as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the fees and
disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such
proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its
own counsel at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
indemnifying party shall pay as incurred the fees and expenses of the
counsel retained by the indemnified party in the event (i) the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed
to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such
proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both
parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or
potential differing interests between them or (iii) the indemnifying
party shall have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel
acceptable to the indemnified party within a
-21-
reasonable period of time after notice of commencement of the action.
It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection
with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be
liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate
firm for all such indemnified parties. Such firm shall be designated in
writing by you in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section
8(a) and by the Company in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
Section 8(b). The indemnifying party 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 party agrees to indemnify the indemnified
party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
settlement or judgment. In addition, the indemnifying party will not,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, settle or
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or
threatened claim, action or proceeding of which indemnification may be
sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is an actual or
potential party to such claim, action or proceeding) unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of
each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim,
action or proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party
under Section 8(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof)
referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings
in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however,
the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative
benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and
the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as
any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net
proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the
Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions
received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on
the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by
the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the
parties' relative intent,
-22-
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to above in this Section 8(d). The amount paid or payable by
an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to
above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), (i) no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares
purchased by such Underwriter and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of
such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in
this Section 8(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their
respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement,
any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or
amendment thereto, each party against whom contribution may be sought
under this Section 8 hereby consents to the jurisdiction of any court
having jurisdiction over any other contributing party, agrees that
process issuing from such court may be served upon him or it by any
other contributing party and consents to the service of such process
and agrees that any other contributing party may join him or it as an
additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other
contributing party is a party.
(f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for
which an indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or
contribution under this Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying
party to the indemnified party as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses are incurred. The indemnity and contribution
agreements contained in this Section 8 and the representations and
warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall remain
operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person
controlling any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or
any persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and
payment therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this
Agreement. A successor to any Underwriter, or to the Company, its
directors or officers, or any person controlling the Company, shall be
entitled to the benefits of the indemnity, contribution and
reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 8.
-23-
9. DEFAULT BY UNDERWRITERS.
If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion
of the Shares which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for
on such date (otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of
the Company), you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, shall use
your reasonable efforts to procure within 36 hours thereafter one or
more of the other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase from the
Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms set forth
herein, the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, which the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase. If during
such 36 hours you, as such Representatives, shall not have procured
such other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate
number of shares with respect to which such default shall occur does
not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally,
in proportion to the respective numbers of Firm Shares or Option
Shares, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase
hereunder, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case
may be, which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to
purchase, or (b) if the aggregate number of shares of Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, with respect to which such default
shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the
case may be, covered hereby, the Company or you as the Representatives
of the Underwriters will have the right, by written notice given within
the next 36-hour period to the parties to this Agreement, to terminate
this Agreement without liability on the part of the non-defaulting
Underwriters or of the Company except to the extent provided in Section
8 hereof. In the event of a default by any Underwriter or Underwriters,
as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date or Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, may be postponed for such period, not
exceeding seven days, as you, as Representatives, may determine in
order that the required changes in the Registration Statement or in the
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
The term "Underwriter" includes any person substituted for a defaulting
Underwriter. Any action taken under this Section 9 shall not relieve
any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of
such Underwriter under this Agreement.
10. NOTICES.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except
as otherwise provided herein, will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or
telegraphed and confirmed as follows: if to the Underwriters, to
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx
00000, Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx; with a copy to Deutsche Bank
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Securities Inc., Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000,
Attention: General Counsel; if to the Company, to Prometric, Inc., 0000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx, Chief Executive Officer; with a copy to Piper & Marbury
L.L.P., 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xx.
11. TERMINATION.
This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to the
Company as follows:
(a) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time the
Shares are released by you for sale by notice to the Underwriters, or
(ii) 11:30 a.m. on the date of this Agreement;
(b) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the
following has occurred: (i) since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective
material adverse change in or affecting the condition, financial or
otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the
earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations,
condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary
course of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or
declaration of war or national emergency or other national or
international calamity or crisis or change in economic or political
conditions if the effect of such outbreak, escalation, declaration,
emergency, calamity, crisis or change on the financial markets of the
United States would, in your reasonable judgment, make it impracticable
to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the
Shares, (iii) suspension of trading in securities generally on the New
York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock
Market or over-the counter market or limitation on prices (other than
limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) for securities on
either such Exchange, (iv) the enactment, publication, decree or other
promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or
other governmental authority which in your opinion materially and
adversely affects or may materially and adversely affect the business
or operations of the Company, (v) declaration of a banking moratorium
by United States or New York State authorities, (vi) any downgrading in
the rating of the Company's debt securities by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization" (as defined for purposes of
Rule 436(g) under the Exchange Act); (vii) the suspension of trading of
the Company's common stock by the Commission on the Nasdaq Stock Market
or (viii) the taking of any action by any governmental body or agency
in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your reasonable
opinion has a material adverse effect on the securities markets in the
United States; or
(c) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.
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12. SUCCESSORS.
This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of
the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors,
executors, administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers,
directors and controlling persons referred to herein, and no other
person will have any right or obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any
of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or
assign merely because of such purchase.
13. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY UNDERWRITERS.
The Company and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that
the only information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter to
the Company for inclusion in any Prospectus or the Registration
Statement consists of the information set forth in the last paragraph
on the front cover page (insofar as such information relates to the
Underwriters), legends required by Item 502(d) of Regulation S-K under
the Act and the information under the caption "Underwriting" in the
Prospectus.
14. MISCELLANEOUS.
The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements
contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and
covenants in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect
regardless of (a) any termination of this Agreement, (b) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or controlling
person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or its directors or
officers and (c) delivery of and payment for the Shares under this
Agreement.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of Maryland.
If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your
understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed
duplicates hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among, the
Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
PROMETRIC, INC.
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By
-------------------------
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement
is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
[ ]
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I
By: Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
By
--------------------------------
Authorized Officer
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SCHEDULE I
SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS
Underwriter Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased
----------- -------------------------------------
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
----------
Total ----------
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EXHIBIT A
SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY
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