Exhibit 1(a)
Southwestern Electric Power Company
Junior Subordinated Debentures
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UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
............., 1997
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.,
[Names of Co-Representatives,]
c/o Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
From time to time Southwestern Electric Power Company, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), proposes to enter into one or more Pricing
Agreements (each a "Pricing Agreement") in the form of Annex I hereto, with such
additions and deletions as the parties thereto may determine, and, subject to
the terms and conditions stated herein and therein, to issue and sell to the
firms named in Schedule I to the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms
constituting the "Underwriters" with respect to such Pricing Agreement and the
securities specified therein) certain of the Company's Junior Subordinated
Deferrable Interest Debentures (the "Securities"), to be issued pursuant to an
Indenture (the "Indenture") between the Company and The Bank of New York, as
trustee, as heretofore supplemented and amended, including by the supplemental
indenture relating to the Designated Securities (as hereinafter defined). The
Securities specified in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement are referred to as
the "Designated Securities" with respect to such Pricing Agreement.
The terms and rights of any particular issuance of Designated Securities
shall be as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto and in or
pursuant to the Indenture.
1. Particular sales of Designated Securities may be made from time to time
to the Underwriters of such Securities, for whom the firms designated as
representatives of the Underwriters of such Securities in the Pricing Agreement
relating thereto will act as representatives (the "Representatives"). The term
"Representatives" also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of
the Underwriters and to Underwriters who act without any firm being designated
as their representative. This Underwriting Agreement shall not be construed as
an obligation of the Company to sell any of the Securities or as an obligation
of any of the Underwriters to purchase any of the Securities. The obligation of
the Company to issue and sell any of the Securities and the obligation of any of
the Underwriters to purchase any of the Securities shall be evidenced by the
Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities specified therein.
Each Pricing Agreement shall specify the aggregate principal amount of such
Designated Securities, the initial public offering price of such Designated
Securities, the purchase price to the Underwriters of such Designated
Securities, the names of the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the
names of the Representatives of such Underwriters and the principal amount of
such Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter and shall set
forth the date, time and manner of delivery of such Designated Securities, and
payment therefor. The Pricing Agreement shall also specify (to the extent not
set forth in the Indenture and the registration statement and prospectus with
respect thereto) the terms of such Designated Securities. A Pricing Agreement
shall be in the form of an executed writing (which may be in counterparts), and
may be evidenced by an exchange of telegraphic communications or any other rapid
transmission device designed to produce a written record of communications
transmitted. The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement and each
Pricing Agreement shall be several and not joint.
2. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each
of the Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333- ) (the
"Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Securities,
including a prospectus relating to the Securities, and the offering
thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); the Initial
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in
the form heretofore delivered or to be delivered to the Representatives
and, excluding exhibits to such registration statement, but including
all documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus included
therein, to the Representatives for each of the other Underwriters, has
been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a
registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a
"Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b)
under the Act, which becomes effective upon filing, no other document
with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or document
incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed, or
transmitted for filing, with the Commission (other than prospectuses
filed pursuant to Rule 424 of the rules and regulations of the
Commission under the Act, each in the form heretofore delivered to the
Representatives); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Initial Registration Statement, and post-effective amendment thereto or
the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened, to the
knowledge of the Company, by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus
included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act, is hereinafter called
a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of the Initial
Registration Statement and the 462(b) Registration Statement, if any,
including all exhibits thereto and the documents incorporated by
reference in the prospectus contained in the Initial Registration
Statement at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement
became effective (but excluding Form T-1) or such part of the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes
effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial
Registration Statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively
called the "Registration Statement"; the prospectus relating to the
Securities in the form in which it has most recently been filed, or
transmitted for filing, with the Commission on or prior to the date of
this Agreement is hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any reference
herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed
to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein
pursuant to the applicable form under the Act, as of the date of such
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference
to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed
after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case
may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary
Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any
amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and
include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a)
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the
Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement; and any reference to the Prospectus as amended
or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented in relation to the applicable Designated Securities in the
form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof, including any
documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such
filing).
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, as
amended or supplemented when they became effective or were filed with
the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects
to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such
documents 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 any further documents so
filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further
amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or
are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all
material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as
applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this
representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or
omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter of Designated
Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Securities.
(c) The Registration Statement, as of its effective date, and the
Prospectus, at the time it is filed with the Commission, conform and
will conform, as the case may be, and any further amendments or
supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will
conform, in all material respects with the applicable requirements of
the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust
Indenture Act") and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder; neither the Registration Statement, nor any amendment
thereto, as of the applicable effective date, contains an untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto
at the time it is filed with the Commission, does not include and will
not include an untrue statement of a material fact and does not omit and
will not omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made not
misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this representation and warranty
shall not apply to the part of the Registration Statement that
constitutes the statement of eligibility on Form T-1 under the Trust
Indenture Act of the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the
Guarantor Trustee (as defined in the Registration Statement) and any
statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter of
Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Securities.
(d) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented, there has been no (i) material adverse change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or
(ii) adverse development concerning the business or assets of the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, which would result in a
material adverse change in the prospective financial condition or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, except such changes as are set forth or contemplated in such
Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
(including the financial statements and notes thereto included or
incorporated by reference therein).
(e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for
the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of
each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties, or
conducts any business so as to require such qualification except where
the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect on
the financial condition of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.
(f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable.
(g) The Company has no significant subsidiaries, as "significant
subsidiary" is defined in Rule 405 of Regulation C of the rules and
regulations promulgated by the Commission under the Act.
(h) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(i) The Securities have been duly and validly authorized by the
Company, and, when executed, authenticated and delivered in accordance
with the Indenture and pursuant to this Agreement and the Pricing
Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities, such Designated
Securities will be duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered
and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company
entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; the Indenture has
been duly and validly authorized and duly qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act and, at the Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4
hereof) for such Designated Securities, the Indenture will constitute a
valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or
affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles; and the
Securities conform in all material respects to the description thereof
contained in the Registration Statement and the Designated Securities
will conform in all material respects to the description thereof
contained in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented.
(j) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or,
to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, which are required to be
described in the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented; and there are
no contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or
to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not
described or filed as required.
(k) The Company (i) is in compliance with any and all applicable
foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the
protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or
toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("Environmental
Laws"), (ii) has received all permits, licenses or other approvals
required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its
business and (iii) is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any
such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with
Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or
other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of
such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the
aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(l) The Commission has entered an order (the "Order") under the
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended (the "1935 Act"),
permitting to become effective the Form U-1 Application-Declaration
filed by the Company authorizing, among other things, the issuance and
sale of the Securities by the Company. A copy of such order heretofore
entered by the Commission has been or will be delivered to Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Inc. on behalf of the Representatives.
(m) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the
Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture,
this Agreement and any Pricing Agreement, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated herein and therein will not conflict with or
result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture or other material agreement or
instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is
bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is
subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions
of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company
or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any
of its properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental
agency or body, other than the Order, which has been duly obtained and
is in full force and effect, is required, for the issue and sale of the
Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or any Pricing Agreement or the
Indenture, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the Time
of Delivery, obtained under the Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust
Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders,
licenses, certificates, permits, registrations or qualifications as have
already been obtained, or as may be subsequently obtained in the
ordinary course of business, or as may be required under state
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters.
(n) The Company is not in violation of its organizational documents
or in default in the performance or observance of any material
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture
or other material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by
which it or any of its properties may be bound.
(o) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Securities, will not be, an "investment company" or an
entity "controlled" by an "investment company" as such terms are defined
in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment
Company Act").
(p) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the
Company and any person that grant such person the right to require the
Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to
any capital stock of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or
to require the Company to include such securities in the securities
registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(q) Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, who have certified certain financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder.
3. Upon the execution of the Pricing Agreement applicable to any Designated
Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Designated Securities
for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented.
4. Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to
the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in the form specified in such Pricing
Agreement, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as
the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice to
the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the
Representatives for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by such
Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor in immediately
available funds by wire transfer to an account designated in writing by the
Company as specified in such Pricing Agreement, all in the manner and at the
place and time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in
writing, such time and date being herein called the "Time of Delivery".
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated
Securities:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation
to the applicable Designated Securities in a form approved by the
Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act not later than the Commission's close of business on the
second business day following the execution and delivery of the Pricing
Agreement relating to the applicable Designated Securities, or, if
applicable, such time as may be required by Rule 424(b) under the Act;
to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration
Statement or Prospectus as amended or supplemented after the date of the
Pricing Agreement relating to such Securities and prior to any Time of
Delivery for such Securities which shall be disapproved in writing by
the Representatives for such Securities promptly after reasonable notice
thereof; to advise the Representatives promptly of any such amendment or
supplement after any Time of Delivery for such Securities and furnish
the Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly all reports
and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed
by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as the delivery of a prospectus
is required in connection with the offering or sale of such Securities,
and during such same period to advise the Representatives, promptly
after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the
Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any
supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed
with the Commission, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus
relating to the Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of
the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of
any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and,
in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order
preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the
Securities or suspending any such qualification, promptly to use its
best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the
Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Securities for
offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the
Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit
the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for
as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of such
Securities, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not
be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to qualify as a
dealer in Securities or to file any general consents to service of
process in any jurisdiction;
(c) To use its best efforts to furnish, prior to 12:00 noon, New
York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of
the applicable Pricing Agreement and from time to time during the period
when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the Act by any
Underwriter or dealer, the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented in New York City in such quantities as the
Representatives may reasonably request, and if, in the opinion of
counsel for the Company, the delivery of a prospectus is required, at
any time in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities and
if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the
Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would in the opinion of
counsel for the Company, include an untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for
any other reason it shall be necessary during such period to amend or
supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply in the
opinion of counsel for the Company, with the Act, the Exchange Act or
the Trust Indenture Act, to notify the Representatives and upon their
request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge
to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as
the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an
amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus, if any, which will
correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(d) To make generally available to its security holders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c)
under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its
subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of
the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
(including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) During the period beginning from the date of the Pricing
Agreement for such Designated Securities and continuing to and including
the earlier of (i) the date, after the Time of Delivery, on which the
distribution of the Securities ceases, as determined by the
Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters and (ii) 30 days after the
Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, not to offer, sell,
contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided hereunder,
any debt securities of the Company which mature more than one year after
such Time of Delivery, that are substantially similar to the Designated
Securities, without the prior consent of the Representatives; and
(f) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), to file a Rule
462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with
Rule 462(b) by 10:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time, on the date of the
applicable Pricing Agreement, and at the time of filing either pay to
the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to
Rule 111(b) under the Act.
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that it
will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and
expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the
registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in
connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and
supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the
Underwriters and dealers, excluding the fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters, except as set forth in clause (iii) below and Section 11
hereof; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters,
this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, the Indenture, any Blue Sky Memorandum
and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and
delivery of the Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection with the
qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities
laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in
connection with the Blue Sky surveys, not exceeding however $6,000 in the
aggregate; (iv) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the
Securities; (v) the cost of qualifying the Securities with The Depository Trust
Company; (vi) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vii) all reasonable fees
and expenses of any trustee and its counsel; and (viii) the cost of preparing
certificates for the Securities. It is understood, however, that, except as
provided in this Section and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will pay
all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel,
transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising
expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities under
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall be subject,
in the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Company in or
incorporated by reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated
Securities are, at and as of each Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have
performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the
following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to such
Designated Securities shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such
filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with
Section 5(a) hereof; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule
462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become
effective by 10:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time, on the date of the
applicable Pricing Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued
and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the
knowledge of the Company or the Representatives, threatened by the
Commission;
(b) Sidley & Austin, counsel for the Underwriters shall have
furnished to the Representatives such opinion or opinions (a draft of
each such opinion is attached as Annex II(a) hereto), dated each Time of
Delivery for such Designated Securities, with respect to the
incorporation of the Company; insofar as the federal laws of the United
States or the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware is
concerned, the validity of the Securities; the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus; and other related matters as the Representatives may
reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and
information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon
such matters;
(c)Milbank, Tweed, Xxxxxx & XxXxxx, counsel for the Company shall
have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion (a draft of
such opinion is attached as Annex II(b) hereto), dated each Time of
Delivery for such Designated Securities, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in such
Annex;
(d) [ ], special Arkansas counsel for the Guarantor and the Trust,
shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion (a
draft of such opinion is attached as Annex II(c) hereto), dated each
Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in such
Annex;
(e) [ ], special Oklahoma counsel for the Guarantor and the Trust,
shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion (a
draft of such opinion is attached as Annex II(d) hereto), dated each
Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in such
Annex;
(f) [ ], special Louisiana counsel for the Guarantor and the Trust,
shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion (a
draft of such opinion is attached as Annex II(e) hereto), dated each
Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in such
Annex;
(g) [ ], special Texas counsel for the Guarantor and the Trust,
shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion (a
draft of such opinion is attached as Annex II(f) hereto), dated each
Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in such
Annex; (h)On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated
Securities at a time prior to the execution of the Pricing Agreement
with respect to the Designated Securities and at each Time of Delivery
for such Designated Securities, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP shall have furnished
to the Representatives a letter, dated the effective date of the
Registration Statement or the date of the most recent report filed with
the Commission containing financial statements and incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, if the date of such report is
later than such effective date, and a letter dated such Time of
Delivery, respectively, to the effect set forth in Annex III hereto, and
with respect to such letter dated such Time of Delivery, as to such
other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and in form
and substance satisfactory to the Representatives (a draft of the form
of letter to be delivered at a time prior to the execution of the
Pricing Agreement, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment
to the Registration Statement and as of each Time of Delivery may be
attached as Annex III hereto);
Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there
shall not have been any change or decrease specified in the letters
required by subsection (e) of this Section 7 which is, in the judgment
of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or the
delivery of the Designated Securities as contemplated by the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus;
(i) The Indenture shall have been executed and delivered, in a form
reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives;
(j) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
each of the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus as amended
prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated
Securities there shall have been no (i) material adverse change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or
(ii) any adverse development concerning the business or assets of the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, which would result in a
material adverse change in the prospective financial condition or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, except such changes as are set forth or contemplated in such
Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of
the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities (including
the financial statements and notes thereto included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement);
(k) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating
accorded the Securities or the Company's debt securities or preferred
stock by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization," as
that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2)
under the Act;
(l) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities there shall not have occurred any of the
following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension
or material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on the New
York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking
activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities; or
(iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United
States or the declaration by the United States of war, if the effect of
any such event specified in this Clause (iv) in the judgment of the
Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with
the public offering or the delivery of the Designated Securities on the
terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus as first amended
or supplemented relating to the Designated Securities; and
(m) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to
the Representatives at each Time of Delivery for Designated Securities
certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the
Representatives, as to the accuracy of the representations and
warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as
to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to
be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set
forth in subsections (a) and (j) of this Section and as to such other
matters as the Representatives may reasonably request. 8. (a) The
Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each
person, if any, who controls any 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 or liabilities, joint or
several, to which such Underwriter or such controlling person may become
subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the common law or
otherwise, and to reimburse each such Underwriter or such controlling
person for any reasonable legal or other expenses (including, to the
extent hereinafter provided, reasonable counsel fees) incurred by it or
them in connection with defending against any such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, arising out of or based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company
shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in
this subsection (a) shall not apply to any such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities arising out of or based upon (i) any such untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement, or any such omission or alleged
omission, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any
of the Underwriters for use in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to either thereof or (ii) the
failure of any Underwriter to deliver (either directly or through the
Representatives) a copy of the Prospectus (excluding the documents
incorporated therein by reference), or of the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented after it shall have been amended or supplemented by the
Company (excluding the documents incorporated therein by reference), to
any person to whom a copy of any preliminary prospectus shall have been
delivered by or on behalf of such Underwriter and to whom any Designated
Securities shall have been sold by such Underwriter, as such delivery
may be required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder.
(b) Each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its officers who signs the
Registration Statement, each of its directors, each person who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act, each other Underwriter and each person, if any, who so
controls such other Underwriter, from and against any and all losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which any one or more of them may
become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the common law or
otherwise, and to reimburse each of them for any reasonable legal or other
expenses (including, to the extent hereinafter provided, reasonable counsel
fees) incurred by them in connection with defending against any such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities of the character above specified arising out of
or based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment
to the Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or
upon any omission or alleged omission to state in any thereof a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by such
Underwriter for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement to either thereof or (ii) the failure of such
Underwriter, due to the negligence of such Underwriter, to deliver (either
directly or through the Representatives) a copy of the Prospectus (excluding the
documents incorporated therein by reference), or of the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented after it shall have been amended or supplemented by the Company
(excluding the documents incorporated therein by reference), to any person to
whom a copy of any preliminary prospectus shall have been delivered by or on
behalf of such Underwriter and to whom any Designated Securities shall have sold
by such Underwriter, as such delivery may be required by the Securities Act and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(c) Promptly after receipt by a party indemnified under this
Section 8 (an "indemnified party") of notice of the commencement of any action,
such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against
a party granting an indemnity under this Section 8 (the "indemnifying party"),
notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the
omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 8. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and
it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party will be entitled to participate therein, and to the extent that it may
elect by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after
receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the
defense thereof (thereby conceding that the action in question is subject to
indemnification by the indemnifying party), with counsel reasonably satisfactory
to such indemnified party, and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such
counsel related to such action; provided, however, that if the defendants in any
such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and
representation of both parties would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between them, the indemnified party or parties shall have
the right to select separate counsel. Upon receipt of notice from the
indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the
defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the
indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this
Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the
indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the
proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the
indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one
separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel), approved by the
Representatives in the case of subsection (a), representing the indemnified
parties under subsection (a) who are parties to such action and that all such
fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred) or (ii) the
indemnifying party has authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified
party at the expense of the indemnifying party; and except that such liability
shall be only in respect of the counsel referred to in clause (i) or (ii). 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. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior
written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending
or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could
have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such
indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of
such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter
of such proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall be
unenforceable under applicable law by an indemnified party, the Company agrees
to contribute to such indemnified party with respect to any and all losses,
claims, damages and liabilities for which such indemnification provided for in
this Section 8 shall be unenforceable, in such proportion as shall be
appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the
indemnified party on the other hand in connection with the statements or
omissions which have resulted in such losses, claims, damages and liabilities,
as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided, however, that
no indemnified party guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
the Company if the Company is not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
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 or the indemnified party and each such party's relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
untrue statement or omission. The Company and each of the Underwriters agree
that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this
subparagraph were to be determined solely by pro rata allocation or by any other
method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to above.
(e) The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result
of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately
preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set
forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.
(f) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this
Section 8 and the representations and warranties of the Company in the
Underwriting Agreement shall remain operative and in full force regardless of
(i) any termination of the Underwriting Agreement, (ii) any investigation made
by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter or
by or on behalf of the Company, their directors or officers or any person
controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the
Designated Securities.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the
Designated Securities which it has agreed to purchase under the Pricing
Agreement relating to such Designated Securities, the Representatives may in
their discretion arrange for themselves or another party or other parties to
purchase such Designated Securities on the terms contained herein. If within
twenty-four hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do
not arrange for the purchase of such Designated Securities, then the Company
shall be entitled to a further period of twenty-four hours within which to
procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to
purchase such Designated Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the
respective prescribed period, the Representatives notify the Company that they
have so arranged for the purchase of such Designated Securities, or the Company
notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such
Designated Securities, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right
to postpone a Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in
order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or in any
other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which
may be required in the opinion of counsel for the Guarantor. The term
"Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted
under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a
party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities which remains
unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of
the Designated Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each
non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Designated
Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement
relating to such Designated Securities and, in addition, to require each
non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the
principal amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to
purchase under such Pricing Agreement) of the Designated Securities of such
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been
made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability
for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of Designated Securities which remains unpurchased
exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the Designated
Securities, as referred to in subsection (b) above, or if the Company shall not
exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting
Underwriters to purchase Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities
shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company
and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and
contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a
defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and
other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in
this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this
Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
11. If any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9
hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter
with respect to the Designated Securities with respect to which such Pricing
Agreement shall have been terminated except as provided in Sections 6 and 8
hereof; but, if any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters,
or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to
comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of the Pricing
Agreement (excluding those conditions set forth in Section 7(i) hereof), or if
for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under the
Pricing Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such
Underwriters who have so terminated the Pricing Agreement with respect to
themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and
disbursements of Underwriters' counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters
in connection with the Pricing Agreement or the offering contemplated
thereunder. The Company shall not in any event be liable to any of the
Underwriters for damages on account of loss of anticipated profits.
12. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters of
Designated Securities shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the
parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request,
notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such
Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be
designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the
Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail,
telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the
Registration Statement: Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice
to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by
mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set
forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting such
Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by the
Representatives upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or
agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be binding upon, and
inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent
provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company
and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their
respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no
other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this
Agreement or any such Pricing Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities
from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of
such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of each Pricing Agreement. As used
herein, the term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office
in Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH PRICING AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
16. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement may be executed by any one or
more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us ____ counterparts hereof.
Very truly yours,
Southwestern Electric Power Company
By: _____________________________
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
[Names of Co-Representatives]
By: _______________________________
(Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.)
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
ANNEX I
PRICING AGREEMENT
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.,
[Names of Co-Representative(s)],
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.,
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
......... , 1997
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Southwestern Electric Power Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement, dated __________, 1997 (the "Underwriting Agreement"),
between the Company on the one hand and Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc. [and (names of
Co-Representatives named therein)] on the other hand, to issue and sell to the
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") the Securities
specified in Schedule II hereto (the "Designated Securities"). Each of the
provisions of the Underwriting Agreement is incorporated herein by reference in
its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same
extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein; and each of the
representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been
made at and as of the date of this Pricing Agreement, except that each
representation and warranty which refers to the Prospectus in Section 2 of the
Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation or warranty as of
the date of the Underwriting Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as therein
defined), and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Pricing
Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to
the Designated Securities which are the subject of this Pricing Agreement. Each
reference to the Representatives herein and in the provisions of the
Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference shall be deemed to refer to
you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Underwriting
Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The Representatives designated to
act on behalf of the Representatives and on behalf of each of the Underwriters
of the Designated Securities pursuant to Section 12 of the Underwriting
Agreement and the address of the Representatives referred to in such Section 12
are set forth in Schedule II hereto.
An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Securities, in the
form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the
Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place
and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto,
the principal amount of Designated Securities set forth opposite the name of
such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us______ counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on
behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof,
including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by
reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters
and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf
of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the authority set forth in
a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to
the Company for examination, but without warranty on the part of the
Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
Southwestern Electric Power Company
By:______________________________
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
[Name(s) of Co-Representative(s)]
By: _____________________________
(Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.)
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
SCHEDULE I
Principal
Amount of
Designated
Securities
to be
UNDERWRITER PURCHASED
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc. $
[Name(s) of Co-Representative(s)]
[Names of other Underwriters]
Total $
SCHEDULE II
Title of Designated Securities:
[ %] Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest
Debentures due ,
Aggregate principal amount:
[$]
Price to Public:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued
interest[, if any,] from to [and accrued amortization
[, if any,] from to ]
Purchase Price by Underwriters:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus
accrued interest from to [and accrued amortization
[, if any,] from to ]
Form of Designated Securities:
[Definitive form to be made available for checking and packaging at least
twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at the office of [The
Depository Trust Company or its designated custodian] [the
Representatives]] [Book-entry only form represented by one or more global
securities deposited with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or its
designated custodian for trading in the Same Day Funds Settlement System
of DTC, and to be made available for checking by the Representatives at
least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at the office of
DTC.]
Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:
[Federal (same day) Funds [by wire transfer]]
[Describe any blackout provisions with respect to the Designated
Securities]
Time of Delivery:
a.m. (New York City time), , 19
Indenture:
Indenture dated , 19 , between the Company and , as
Trustee
Maturity:
Interest Rate:
[ %] [Zero Coupon] [See Floating Rate Provisions]
Interest Payment Dates:
[months and dates, commencing ....................., 19..]
Extension of Interest Payment Period:
[No provisions for extension]
[The Company has the right, [at any time] during the term of the
Designated Securities, to extend any interest payment period of such Designated
Securities [at any time and from time to time] for a period not to exceed [ ]
and not to extend beyond the Maturity Date]
Redemption Provisions:
[No provisions for redemption]
[The Designated Securities may be redeemed, otherwise than through the
sinking fund, in whole or in part at the option of the Company, in the
amount of [$ ] or an integral multiple thereof,
[on or after , at the following redemption prices (expressed in
percentages of principal amount). If [redeemed on or before , %, and if]
redeemed during the 12-month period beginning ,
Redemption
YEAR PRICE
and thereafter at 100% of their principal amount, together in each case
with accrued interest to the redemption date.]
[on any interest payment date falling on or after , , at the election of
the Company, at a redemption price equal to the principal amount thereof,
plus accrued interest to the date of redemption.]]
[Other possible redemption provisions, such as mandatory redemption upon
occurrence of certain events or redemption for changes in tax law]
[Restriction on refunding]
Sinking Fund Provisions:
[No sinking fund provisions]
[The Designated Securities are entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund
to retire [$ ] principal amount of Designated Securities ________________
on in each of the years through ______________ at 100% of their principal
amount plus accrued interest[, together with [cumulative] [noncumulative]
redemptions at the option of the Company to retire an additional [$ ]
principal amount of Designated Securities in the years through at 100% of
their principal amount plus accrued interest.]
[IF DESIGNATED SECURITIES ARE EXTENDABLE DEBT SECURITIES,
INSERT--
Extendable provisions:
Designated Securities are repayable on , [insert date and years], at the
option of the holder, at their principal amount with accrued interest. The
initial annual interest rate will be %, and thereafter the annual interest
rate will be adjusted on , and to a rate not less than % of the effective
annual interest rate on U.S. Treasury obligations with -year maturities as
of the [insert date 15 days prior to maturity date] prior to such [insert
maturity date].]
[IF DESIGNATED SECURITIES ARE FLOATING RATE DEBT SECURITIES,
INSERT-- Floating rate provisions:
Initial annual interest rate will be % through [and thereafter will be
adjusted [monthly] [on each , , and ][to an annual rate
of % above the average rate for -year [month][securities][certificates
of deposit] issued by
and [insert names of banks].][and the annual interest rate
[thereafter][from
through ] will be the interest yield equivalent of the weekly
average per annum market discount rate for -month Treasury bills plus % of
Interest Differential (the excess, if any, of (i) the then current weekly
average per annum secondary market yield for -month certificates of
deposit over (ii) the then current interest yield equivalent of the weekly
average per annum market discount rate for -month Treasury bills); [from
and thereafter the rate will be the then current interest yield equivalent
plus % of Interest Differential].]
Defeasance provisions:
Closing location for delivery of Designated Securities:
Milbank, Tweed, Xxxxxx & XxXxxx
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Additional Closing Conditions:
PARAGRAPH 7(G) OF THE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT SHOULD BE MODIFIED IN THE EVENT
THAT THE SECURITIES ARE DENOMINATED IN OR INDEXED TO, A CURRENCY OTHER THAN
THE U.S. DOLLAR, MORE THAN ONE CURRENCY OR IN A COMPOSITE CURRENCY. THE
COUNTRY OR COUNTRIES ISSUING SUCH CURRENCY SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE BANKING
MORATORIUM AND HOSTILITIES CLAUSES AND THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL CLAUSE
SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE PARAGRAPH (THE ENTIRE PARAGRAPH SHOULD BE RESTATED,
AS AMENDED):
"; ( ) the imposition of the proposal of exchange controls by any
governmental authority in [INSERT THE COUNTRY OR COUNTRIES ISSUING SUCH
CURRENCY, CURRENCIES OR COMPOSITE CURRENCY]".
Names and addresses of Representatives:
Designated Representatives:
Address for Notices, etc.:
[Other Terms]* :
--------
* A DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR TAX, ACCOUNTING OR OTHER UNUSUAL FEATURES (SUCH AS
THE ADDITION OF EVENT RISK PROVISIONS) OF THE DESIGNATED SECURITIES SHOULD BE
SET FORTH, OR REFERENCED TO AN ATTACHED AND ACCOMPANYING DESCRIPTION, IF
NECESSARY, TO ENSURE AGREEMENT AS TO THE TERMS OF THE DESIGNATED SECURITIES TO
BE PURCHASED AND SOLD. SUCH A DESCRIPTION MIGHT APPROPRIATELY BE IN THE FORM IN
WHICH SUCH FEATURES WILL BE DESCRIBED IN THE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT FOR THE
OFFERING.
ANNEX III
Form of letter of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP
to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(h)
Pursuant to Section 7(h) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect
to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and
the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any
supplementary financial information and schedules (and, if applicable,
financial forecasts and/or pro forma financial information) examined by
them and included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or the
Registration Statement comply as to form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act,
as applicable, and the related published rules and regulations
thereunder, and, if applicable, they have made a review in accordance
with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants of the consolidated interim financial statements, selected
financial data, pro forma financial information, financial forecasts
and/or condensed financial statements derived from audited financial
statements of the Company for the periods specified in such letter, as
indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which have been separately
furnished to the representatives of the Underwriters (the
"Representatives");
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of
the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated
balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the
Prospectus and/or the Company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as indicated in their
reports thereon copies of which have been separately furnished to the
Representatives; and on the basis of specified procedures including
inquiries of officials of the Company who have responsibility for
financial and accounting matters regarding whether the unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements referred to in paragraph
(vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and
the related published rules and regulations, nothing came to their
attention that caused them to believe that the unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements do not comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
and the Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to
the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the
Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus
and included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year agrees with
the corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in the
audited consolidated financial statements for such five fiscal years
which were included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual
Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and
on the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came
to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused
them to believe that this information does not conform in all material
respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and
503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of
the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of
the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and
its subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and
such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter,
nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of
income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or included or
incorporated by reference in the Company's Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply
as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Exchange Act and the related published rules
and regulations, or (ii) any material modifications should be made
to the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash
flows included in the Prospectus or included in the Company's
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus for them to be in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the
corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated financial
statements from which such data and items were derived, and any
such unaudited data and items were not determined on a basis
substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding
amounts in the audited consolidated financial statements included
or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included
in the Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited
condensed financial statements referred to in clause (A) and any
unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items included in
the Prospectus and referred to in clause (B) were not determined on
a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the audited
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal
year;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published
rules and regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have
not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the
compilation of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the
date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital stock
upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights, upon
earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of convertible
securities, in each case which were outstanding on the date of the
latest financial statements included or incorporated by reference
in the Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated long-term
debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in
consolidated net current assets or stockholders' equity or other
items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any
items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared
with amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, except in each case
for changes, increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses
have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;
and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
to the specified date referred to in clause (E) there were any
decreases in consolidated net revenue or operating profit or the
total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or other
items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any
items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared
with the comparable period in the preceding year and with any other
period of corresponding length specified by the Representatives,
except in each case for increases or decreases which the Prospectus
discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such
letter; and
(vii) In addition to the examination referred to in their report(s)
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited
procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures
referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out
certain specified procedures, not constituting an examination in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to
certain amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the
Representatives which are derived from the general accounting records of
the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus
(excluding documents incorporated by reference), or in Part II of, or in
exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the
Representatives or in documents incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus specified by the Representatives, and have compared certain
of such amounts, percentages and financial information with the
accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and have found
them to be in agreement.
All references in this Annex III to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as
defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered on
the date of the Pricing Agreement and to the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) for the
purposes of the letter delivered either (i) on the effective date of any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of the Underwriting
Agreement or (ii) at the Time of Delivery, as the case may be.
