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Exhibit 1
PROVANT, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
- Shares of Common Stock
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated: -, 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.................................. 4
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company............. 4
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements..... 4
(ii) Independent Accountants....................... 5
(iii) Financial Statements.......................... 5
(iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business........ 6
(v) Good Standing of the Company.................. 6
(vi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries................. 6
(vii) Capitalization................................ 7
(viii)Authorization of Agreement.................... 7
(ix) Authorization and Description of Securities... 7
(x) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts............. 7
(xi) Absence of Labor Dispute...................... 8
(xii) Absence of Proceedings........................ 8
(xiii)Accuracy of Exhibits.......................... 9
(xiv) Possession of Intellectual Property........... 9
(xv) Absence of Further Requirements............... 9
(xvi) Possession of Licenses and Permits............ 9
(xvii)Title to Property............................. 10
(xviii)Investment Company Act....................... 10
(xix) Environmental Laws............................ 10
(xx) Registration Rights........................... 11
(xxi) Distribution of Offering Material By the
Company....................................... 11
(xxii)Tax Law Compliance............................ 11
(xxiii)Stock Exchange Listing....................... 11
(xxiv)Exchange Act Filings.......................... 11
(b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling
Stockholders.................................. 12
(i) Accurate Disclosure........................... 12
(ii) Authorization of Agreements................... 12
(iii) Good and Marketable Title..................... 13
(iv) Due Execution of Power of Attorney and
Custody Agreement............................. 13
(v) Absence of Manipulation....................... 13
(vi) Absence of Further Requirements............... 14
(vii) Restriction on Sale of Securities............. 14
(viii)Certificates Suitable for Transfer............ 14
(ix) No Association with NASD...................... 14
(c) Officer's Certificates.................................... 14
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing...................... 15
(a) Initial Securities........................................ 15
(b) Option Securities......................................... 15
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(c) Payment................................................... 16
(d) Denominations; Registration............................... 16
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company........................................ 17
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission
Requests.................................................. 17
(b) Filing of Amendments...................................... 17
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements....................... 17
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses.................................. 18
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws................. 18
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications................................... 18
(g) Rule 158.................................................. 19
(h) Use of Proceeds........................................... 19
(i) Listing................................................... 19
(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities......................... 19
(k) Reporting Requirements.................................... 20
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses............................................. 20
(a) Expenses.................................................. 20
(b) Expenses of the Selling Stockholders...................... 20
(c) Termination of Agreement.................................. 20
(d) Allocation of Expenses.................................... 21
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations......................... 21
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement................... 21
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company............................ 21
(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Stockholders........... 21
(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters....................... 22
(e) Officers' Certificate..................................... 22
(f) Certificate of Selling Stockholders....................... 22
(g) Accountant's Comfort Letter............................... 22
(h) Bring-down Comfort Letter................................. 23
(i) Approval of Listing....................................... 23
(j) No Objection.............................................. 23
(k) Lock-up Agreements........................................ 23
(l) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities............... 23
(i) Officers' Certificate......................... 23
(ii) Certificate of Selling Stockholders........... 23
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Company................ 23
(iv) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling
Stockholders.................................. 24
(v) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters........... 24
(vi) Bring-down Comfort Letter..................... 24
(m) Additional Documents...................................... 24
(n) Termination of Agreement.................................. 24
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SECTION 6. Indemnification................................................. 24
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters........................... 25
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and
Selling Stockholders...................................... 26
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification..................... 26
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse........ 27
(e) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification.......... 27
SECTION 7. Contribution.................................................... 27
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery.. 29
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement........................................ 29
(a) Termination; General...................................... 29
(b) Liabilities............................................... 29
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters.................... 29
SECTION 11. Default by one or more of the Selling Stockholders or the
Company....................................................... 30
SECTION 12. Notices....................................................... 31
SECTION 13. Parties....................................................... 31
SECTION 14. Governing Law and Time........................................ 32
SECTION 15. Effect of Headings............................................ 32
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Draft of January 4, 1999
PROVANT, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
- Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
-, 1999
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
XXXXXXX XXXXX BARNEY INC.
XXXXX XXXXXXX INC.
BANCBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC.
as Representatives of the several Underwriters
x/x Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xx.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Provant, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), the subsidiaries of
the Company executing this Agreement and the persons listed in Schedule B hereto
(the "Selling Stockholders") confirm their respective agreements with Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx & Co., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated ("Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx") and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto
(collectively, the "Underwriters", which term shall also include any underwriter
substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc., Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Inc. and BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc. are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the
"Representatives"), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the Selling
Stockholders, acting severally and not jointly, and the purchase by the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of
shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company ("Common
Stock") set forth in Schedules A and B hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company
to the Underwriters, acting severally
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and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all
or any part of - additional shares of Common Stock to cover over-allotments, if
any. The aforesaid - shares of Common Stock (the "Initial Securities") to be
purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the - shares of Common
Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the "Option
Securities") are hereinafter called, collectively, the "Securities".
The Company and the Selling Stockholders understand that the Underwriters
propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the
Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and
delivered.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333--) covering the
registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses.
Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will either
(i) prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A
("Rule 430A") of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act
(the "1933 Act Regulations") and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule 424(b)") of
the 1933 Act Regulations or (ii) if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule
434 ("Rule 434") of the 1933 Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a
"Term Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b). The
information included in such prospectus or in such Term Sheet, as the case may
be, that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became
effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the
time it became effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred
to as "Rule 430A Information" or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is
referred to as "Rule 434 Information."
Each prospectus used before such registration statement became effective,
and any prospectus that omitted, as applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the
Rule 434 Information, that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the
execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a "preliminary
prospectus." Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto and
schedules thereto at the time it became effective and including the Rule 430A
Information and the Rule 434 Information, as applicable, is herein called the
"Registration Statement." Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule
462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein referred to as the "Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement," and after such filing the term "Registration Statement"
shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final prospectus in
the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the
offering of the Securities is herein called the "Prospectus." If Rule 434 is
relied on, the term "Prospectus" shall refer to the preliminary prospectus dated
-, 1999 together with the Term Sheet and all references in this Agreement to the
date of the Prospectus shall mean the date of the Term Sheet. For purposes of
this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, the Prospectus or any Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement to
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any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the
Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval
system ("XXXXX").
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents
and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Time
referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery (if any)
referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter, as
follows:
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements. Each of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has
become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to
the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any
request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been
complied with.
At the respective times the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became
effective and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are
purchased, at the Date of Delivery), the Registration Statement, the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto
complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of
the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and did not and will not contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements
thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement
was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are
purchased, at the Date of Delivery), included or will include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If Rule 434
is used, the Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 434 and the
Prospectus shall not be "materially different", as such term is used in
Rule 434, from the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at
the time it became effective. The representations and warranties in this
subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the
Registration Statement or Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any
Underwriter through Xxxxxxx Xxxxx expressly for use in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus.
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Each preliminary prospectus and the prospectus filed as part of the
Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment
thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act, complied when
so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each
preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters
for use in connection with this offering was identical to the
electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission
pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(ii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the
financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration
Statement are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act
and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(iii) Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company
and the separate financial statements of each of the Company's
subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, in
each case together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly
the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries
and each of such subsidiaries, respectively, at the dates indicated and
the statement of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the
Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and each of such subsidiaries
for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") applied
on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting
schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in
accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The
selected financial data and the summary financial information included in
the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been
compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial
statements included in the Registration Statement. The pro forma financial
statements and the related notes thereto included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein,
have been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and
guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been
properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used
in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein
are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances
referred to therein.
(iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in
the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and
its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in
the
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ordinary course of business (a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B) there have
been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which
are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered
as one enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of
any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital
stock.
(v) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly
organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under
the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to
own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as
described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations
under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign
corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other
jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of
the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except
where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result
in a Material Adverse Effect.
(vi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company
(each a "Subsidiary" and, 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, has corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign
corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of
the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except
where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result
in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the
Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of
each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully
paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through
subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge,
lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares of
capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive
or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only
subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to
the Registration Statement.
(vii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital
stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus in the column
entitled "Actual" under the caption "Capitalization" (except for
subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to
reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the
Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or
options referred to
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in the Prospectus). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock,
including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the
Selling Stockholders, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital
stock, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from
the Selling Stockholders, was issued in violation of the preemptive or
other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(viii)Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(ix) Authorization and Description of Securities. The Securities to
be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly
authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this
Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this
Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be
validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; the Common Stock
conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus
and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments
defining the same; no holder of the Securities will be subject to personal
liability by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance of the
Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any
securityholder of the Company.
(x) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any
of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or in
default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement,
covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or
instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or
by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property
or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively,
"Agreements and Instruments") except for such violations or defaults that
would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement (including the
issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the
sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption
"Use of Proceeds") and compliance by the Company with its obligations
hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and
do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or
passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or
default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the
creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any
property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the
Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches or
defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result in a
Material
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Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the
provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary or
any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or
decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of
their assets, properties or operations. As used herein, a "Repayment
Event" means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note,
debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such
holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or
repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any
subsidiary.
(xi) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees
of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the
Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or
imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any
subsidiary's principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors,
which, in either case, may reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(xii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding,
inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental
agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of
the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any
subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which might reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably
be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets
thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this
Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder;
the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which
the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of their
respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in
the Registration Statement, including ordinary routine litigation
incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result in
a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiii)Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents
which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so
described and filed as required.
(xiv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its
subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate
patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how
(including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable
proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures),
trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property
(collectively,
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"Intellectual Property") necessary to carry on the business now operated
by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received
any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with
asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of
any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property
invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject
of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or
inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(xv) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or
authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency
is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale
of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained
or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or
state securities laws.
(xvi) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its
subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other
authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued by the
appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies
necessary to conduct the business now operated by them; the Company and
its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all
such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would
not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of
the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except
when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such
Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not have a
Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the
revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly
or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or
finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvii)Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good
and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its
subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each
case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests,
claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are
described in the Prospectus or (b) do not, singly or in the aggregate,
materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the
use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of
its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the
business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one
enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
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holds properties described in the Prospectus, are in full force and
effect, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of any
material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the
rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases or
subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the
Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or
subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.
(xviii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus
will not be, an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an
"investment company" as such terms are defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
(xix) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration
Statement and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a
Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign
statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common
law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including
any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment,
relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment
(including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater,
land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without
limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened
release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances,
hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively,
"Hazardous Materials") or to the manufacture, processing, distribution,
use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous
Materials (collectively, "Environmental Laws"), (B) the Company and its
subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under
any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their
requirements, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative,
regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims,
liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings
relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its
subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that might
reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or
remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or
governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of
its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental
Laws.
(xx) Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration or
other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for
sale under the
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Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this
Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
(xxi) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company
has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the
final Date of Delivery and the completion of the Underwriters'
distribution of the Securities, any offering material in connection with
the offering and sale of the Securities other than a preliminary
prospectus, the Prospectus or the Registration Statement.
(xxii)Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries have
filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax
returns and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if
due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied
against any of them. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and
reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section
1(a) (iii) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and
franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined. The
Company has no knowledge of any tax deficiency which might be asserted
against the Company or any of its subsidiaries which could result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii) Stock Exchange Listing. The Securities have been approved
for inclusion on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official
notice of issuance.
(xxiv)Exchange Act Filings. The Company has filed all reports it has
been required to file under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the
"Exchange Act"); such reports when filed conformed in all material
respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act; and none of such reports
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated therein to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Stockholders. Each
Selling Stockholder severally represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of
the date hereof, as of the Closing Time, and, if the Selling Stockholder is
selling Option Securities on a Date of Delivery, as of each such Date of
Delivery, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Accurate Disclosure. To the best knowledge of such Selling
Stockholder, the representations and warranties of the Company contained
in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct; such Selling Stockholder has
reviewed and is familiar with the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus and neither the Prospectus nor any
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amendments or supplements thereto includes any untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; such Selling Stockholder is not prompted to
sell the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder by
any information concerning the Company or any subsidiary of the Company
which is not set forth in the Prospectus; provided, however, the
representations and warranties contained in this Section 1(b)(i) are made
only by those Selling Stockholders who are officers, directors or
employees of the Company or one of its subsidiaries.
(ii) Authorization of Agreements. Each Selling Stockholder has the
full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, a Power of
Attorney (the "Power of Attorney") and a Custody Agreement (the "Custody
Agreement") and to sell, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by
such Selling Stockholder hereunder. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement, the Power of Attorney and the Custody Agreement and the sale
and delivery of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and compliance by
such Selling Stockholder with its obligations hereunder have been duly
authorized by such Selling Stockholder and do not and will not, whether
with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict
with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the
creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the
Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or any property or
assets of such Selling Stockholder pursuant to any contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or
other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party
or by which such Selling Stockholder may be bound, or to which any of the
property or assets of such Selling Stockholder is subject, nor will such
action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws
or other organizational instrument of such Selling Stockholder, if
applicable, or any applicable treaty, law, statute, rule, regulation,
judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government
instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over
such Selling Stockholder or any of its properties.
(iii) Good and Marketable Title. Such Selling Stockholder has and
will at the Closing Time and, if any Option Securities are purchased, on
the Date of Delivery have good and marketable title to the Securities to
be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, free and clear of any
security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, claim, equity or
encumbrance of any kind, other than pursuant to this Agreement; and upon
delivery of such Securities and payment of the purchase price therefor as
herein contemplated, assuming each such Underwriter has no notice of any
adverse claim, each of the Underwriters will receive good and marketable
title to the Securities purchased by
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it from such Selling Stockholder, free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind.
(iv) Due Execution of Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement. Such
Selling Stockholder has duly executed and delivered, in the form
heretofore furnished to the Representatives, the Power of Attorney with
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxx, or either of them, as attorneys-in-fact
(the "Attorneys-in-Fact") and the Custody Agreement with [Boston
Equiserve], as custodian (the "Custodian"); the Custodian is authorized to
deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder
and to accept payment therefor; and each Attorney-in-Fact is authorized to
execute and deliver this Agreement and the certificate referred to in
Section 5(f) or that may be required pursuant to Sections 5(l) and 5(m) on
behalf of such Selling Stockholder, to sell, assign and transfer to the
Underwriters the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder
hereunder, to determine the purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters
to such Selling Stockholder, as provided in Section 2(a) hereof, to
authorize the delivery of the Securities to be sold by such Selling
Stockholder hereunder, to accept payment therefor, and otherwise to act on
behalf of such Selling Stockholder in connection with this Agreement.
(v) Absence of Manipulation. Such Selling Stockholder has not taken,
and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to
or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or
result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of
the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(vi) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or consent,
approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or decree of,
any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, is
necessary or required for the performance by each Selling Stockholder of
its obligations hereunder or in the Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement, or in connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities
hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, except such as may have previously been made or obtained or as
may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state
securities laws.
(vii) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 120 days
from the date of the Prospectus, such Selling Stockholder will not,
without the prior written consent of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, (i) offer, pledge,
sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase
any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to
purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any
share of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the
1933 Act with respect to any of the
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foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any
transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly,
the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any
such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be
settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or
otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the Securities to be
sold hereunder.
(viii)Certificates Suitable for Transfer. Certificates for all of
the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this
Agreement, in suitable form for transfer by delivery or accompanied by
duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in blank with
signatures guaranteed, have been placed in custody with the Custodian with
irrevocable conditional instructions to deliver such Securities to the
Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.
(ix) No Association with NASD. Neither such Selling Stockholder nor
any of its affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control
with, or has any other association with (within the meaning of Article I,
Section 1(m) of the By-laws of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc.), any member firm of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., except as has been disclosed to the Company in writing.
(c) Officer's Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to
counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any
certificate signed by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders as such and
delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
each Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties
herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Company and each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, agree to sell
to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally
and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company and each Selling
Stockholder, at the price per share set forth in Schedule C, that proportion of
the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite the name of
the Company or such Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, which the number of
Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such
Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such
Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of
Section 10
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hereof, bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case,
to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives in their sole
discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional
securities.
(b) Option Securities. 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 Underwriters, severally
and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional - shares of Common Stock, as
set forth in Schedule B, at the price per share set forth in Schedule C, less an
amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company
and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.
The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be
exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering
over-allotments which may be made in connection with the offering and
distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Representatives to the
Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several
Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and
delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a "Date
of Delivery") shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be later
than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any
event prior to the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined. If the option is
exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of
the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of
Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter
bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in each case to such
adjustments as the Representatives in their discretion shall make to eliminate
any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of -, or
at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the
Company and the Selling Stockholders, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third
(fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day)
business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the
provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days
after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company
and the Selling Stockholders (such time and date of payment and delivery being
herein called "Closing Time").
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are
purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery
of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned
offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives
and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the
Representatives to the Company.
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Payment shall be made to the Company and the Selling Stockholders by wire
transfer of immediately available funds to bank accounts designated by the
Company and the Custodian pursuant to each Selling Stockholder's Custody
Agreement, as the case may be, against delivery to the Representatives for the
respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be
purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the
Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make
payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, individually
and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated
to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option
Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been
received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may
be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations
hereunder.
(d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial Securities
and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered
in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least one full
business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the
case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the
Representatives in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time)
on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery,
as the case may be.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each
Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The
Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A
or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and
confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement shall become effective, or any supplement to the
Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt
of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for
any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to
the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) of the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary
prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for
offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any
proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect the
filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps as it deems
necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for
filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the
event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will
make every reasonable effort to prevent the
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issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the
lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(b) Filing of Amendments. The Company will give the Representatives notice
of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement
(including any filing under Rule 462(b)), any Term Sheet or any amendment,
supplement or revision to either the prospectus included in the Registration
Statement at the time it became effective or to the Prospectus, will furnish the
Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time
prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or
use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the
Underwriters shall object.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will
deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge,
signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each
amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by
reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of
experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a
conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each
amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of
the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the
Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof
filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each
Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as
such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the
use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will
furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the
Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"), such number of copies of the Prospectus
(as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the
Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof
filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply
with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of
the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the
Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be
delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or
condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of
counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration
Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus
will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading
in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a
purchaser, or if it shall be necessary,
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in the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration
Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the
requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will
promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such
amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or
omission or to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with
such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number
of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably
request.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in
cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and
sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions
(domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such
qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the later
of the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a
foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it
is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing
business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each
jurisdiction in which the Securities have been so qualified, the Company will
file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such
jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for a period of not less
than one year from the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement.
(g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the
1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its
securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes
of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section
11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it
from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Prospectus under
"Use of Proceeds".
(i) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain
the quotation of the Securities on the Nasdaq National Market and will file with
the Nasdaq National Market all documents and notices required by the Nasdaq
National Market of companies that have securities that are traded in the
over-the-counter market and quotations for which are reported by the Nasdaq
National Market.
(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 120 days from
the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written
consent of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell,
contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option
or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise
transfer or dispose of any share of Common Stock or any securities convertible
into or exercisable or
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exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933
Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any
other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly
or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock,
whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to
be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or
otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be
sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the
exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on
the date hereof and referred to in the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common
Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing
employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Prospectus, (D) any
shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan
or dividend reinvestment plan or (E) any shares of Common Stock or other
securities issued in connection with the acquisition of additional training and
development companies, but only if the holders of such shares agree in writing
not to sell, offer, dispose of or otherwise transfer any such shares during such
120-day period without the prior written consent of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx (which consent
may be withheld at the sole discretion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx).
(k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the
Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will
file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934
Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company and the Selling Stockholders will pay or cause
to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under
this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as
originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing
and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among
Underwriters and such other documents as may be required in connection with the
offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the
preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the
Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other
duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the
Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel,
accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under
securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof,
including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation
of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and
delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Term
Sheets and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vii)
the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue
Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and expenses of any
transfer agent or registrar for the Securities and (ix) the
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filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to
the Underwriters in connection with, the review by NASD Regulation of the terms
of the sale of the Securities and (x) the fees and expenses incurred in
connection with the inclusion of the Securities in the Nasdaq National Market.
(b) Expenses of the Selling Stockholders. The Selling Stockholders,
jointly and severally, will pay all expenses incident to the performance of
their respective obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including (i) any stamp duties, capital duties
and stock transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities to the
Underwriters, and their transfer between the Underwriters pursuant to an
agreement between such Underwriters, and (ii) the fees and disbursements of
their respective counsel and accountants.
(c) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i)
or Section 11 hereof, the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall reimburse
the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
(d) Allocation of Expenses. The provisions of this Section shall not
affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Stockholders may make for
the sharing of such costs and expenses.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations.
The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the
accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling
Stockholders contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of
the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or on behalf of any Selling
Stockholder delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by
the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the
following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement,
including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and at
Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor
initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the
Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the
reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing
the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in
accordance with Rule 424(b) (or a post-effective amendment providing such
information shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with the
requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 434,
a Term Sheet shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule
424(b).
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(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the Representatives
shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Xxxxxx,
XxXxxxxxx & Fish, LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced
copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth
in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters
may reasonably request.
(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Stockholders. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing
Time, of [Xxxxxx, XxXxxxxxx & Fish, LLP], counsel for the Selling Stockholders,
in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together
with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other
Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto and to such further
effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing
Time, of Ropes & Xxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or
reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters with respect
to the matters set forth in clauses (i), (ii), (v), (vi) (solely as to
preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of law or under the
charter or by-laws of the Company), (viii) through (x), inclusive, (xii), (xiv)
(solely as to the information in the Prospectus under "Description of Capital
Stock--Common Stock") and the penultimate paragraph of Exhibit A hereto. In
giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the
laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
the federal law of the United States and the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the
Representatives. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion
involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon
certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of
public officials.
(e) Officers' Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not have been,
since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial
or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have
received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the Company and
of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of
Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse
change, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true
and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of
Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied
all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing
Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
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Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or are pending or are contemplated by the Commission.
(f) Certificate of Selling Stockholders. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received a certificate of an Attorney-in-Fact on
behalf of each Selling Stockholder, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that
(i) the representations and warranties of each Selling Stockholder contained in
Section 1(b) hereof are true and correct in all respects with the same force and
effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time and (ii) each Selling
Stockholder has complied in all material respects with all agreements and all
conditions on its part to be performed under this Agreement at or prior to
Closing Time.
(g) Accountant's Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this
Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP a
letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for
each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type
ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(h) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall
have received from KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time, to
the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished
pursuant to subsection of this Section, except that the specified date referred
to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
(i) Approval of Listing. At Closing Time, the Securities shall have been
approved for inclusion in the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official
notice of issuance.
(j) No Objection. The NASD has confirmed that it has not raised any
objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting
terms and arrangements.
(k) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives
shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto
signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.
(l) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the
Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase
all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties
of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained herein and the statements
in any certificates furnished by the Company, any subsidiary of the Company and
the Selling Stockholders hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of
Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have
received:
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(i) Officers' Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of
Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the
chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that
the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e)
hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii) Certificate of Selling Stockholders. A certificate, dated such
Date of Delivery, of an Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of each Selling
Stockholder confirming that the certificate delivered at Closing Time
pursuant to Section 5(f) remains true and correct as of such Date of
Delivery.
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. The favorable opinion of
Xxxxxx, XxXxxxxxx & Fish, LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and
substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of
Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date
of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by
Section 5(b) hereof.
(iv) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Stockholders. The favorable
opinion of [Xxxxxx, XxXxxxxxx & Fish, LLP], counsel for the Selling
Stockholders, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option
Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the
same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.
(v) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The favorable opinion of
Ropes & Xxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery,
relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery
and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d)
hereof.
(vi) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from KPMG Peat Marwick,
LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated
such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the
letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof,
except that the "specified date" in the letter furnished pursuant to this
paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior to such Date of
Delivery.
(m) Additional Documents. At Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery
counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and
opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to
evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the
fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings
taken by the Company and the Selling Stockholders in connection with the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein
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contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives
and counsel for the Underwriters.
(n) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section
shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this
Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities
on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the
several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be
terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or
prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as
provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any
such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. (1) The Company, its subsidiaries and
the Selling Stockholders, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold
harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act
as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information
and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or the omission or alleged
omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
included in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in
settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section
6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of
the Company and the Selling Stockholders; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including
the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx), reasonably
incurred in investigating,
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preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or
any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such
expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through Xxxxxxx Xxxxx expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and
the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto); provided, further, that the
liability of each Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Section 6(a) shall not
exceed the product of the number of Shares sold by such Selling Stockholder and
the public offering price of the Shares as set forth in the Prospectus.
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling
Stockholders. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company, its subsidiaries, its directors, each of its officers who signed
the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act,
and each Selling Stockholder and each person, if any, who controls any Selling
Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as
incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged
untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434
Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or
any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto)
or such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto).
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall
give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of
any action commenced against it in respect f which indemnity may be sought
hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such
indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not
materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it
from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above,
counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, and, in
the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the
indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may
participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided,
however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not
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29
(except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the
indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees
and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel)
separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with
any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with
respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in
respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this
Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual
or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i)
includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability
arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does
not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure
to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an
indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by
Section 6(a)(ii) or Section 6(a)(iii) effected without its written consent if
(i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such
indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall
have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to
such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not
have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to
the date of such settlement.
(e) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification. The provisions of
this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling
Stockholders with respect to indemnification.
SECTION 7. Contribution.
If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect
of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such
losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified
party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company, its subsidiaries and the Selling
Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the
offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation
provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause
(i) above but also the relative
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fault of the Company, its subsidiaries and the Selling Stockholders on the one
hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements
or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or
expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company, its subsidiaries and the
Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in
connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall
be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds
from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders and the total
underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on
the cover of the Prospectus, or, if Rule 434 is used, the corresponding location
on the Term Sheet bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the
Securities as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Company, its subsidiaries and the Selling
Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to
state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, its
subsidiaries or the Selling Stockholders or by the Underwriters and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission.
The Company, its subsidiaries, the Selling Stockholders and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the
Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method
of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses,
liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and
referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating,
preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public
were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
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31
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and
each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any
Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section
20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or
such Selling Stockholder, as the case may be. The Underwriters' respective
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion
to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in
Schedule A hereto and not joint.
The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the
Company, its subsidiaries and the Selling Stockholders with respect to
contribution.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery.
All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement
or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the
Selling Stockholders submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in
full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of
any Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company or the
Selling Stockholders, and shall survive delivery of the Securities to the
Underwriters.
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Representatives may terminate this
Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, at any time at
or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of
this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any
material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States, any
outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any
change or development involving a prospective change in national or
international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the
effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives,
impracticable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of
the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been
suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq National Market,
or if trading generally on the American
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32
Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National Market
has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for
trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any
of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or
(iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York
authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section,
such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party
except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6,
7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters.
If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of
Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase
under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"), the Representatives shall
have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more
of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all,
but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be
agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the
Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour
period, then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the
number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting
Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full
amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations
hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting
Underwriters, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of
Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any
Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Option Securities to be
purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on
the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of
this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing
Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities,
as the case may be, either the (i) Representatives or (ii) the Company and any
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33
Selling Stockholder shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the
relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven
days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term
"Underwriter" includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this
Section 10.
SECTION 11. Default by one or more of the Selling Stockholders or the Company.
(a) If a Selling Stockholder shall fail at Closing Time or at a Date of
Delivery to sell and deliver the number of Securities which such Selling
Stockholder or Selling Stockholders are obligated to sell hereunder, and the
remaining Selling Stockholders do not exercise the right hereby granted to
increase, pro rata or otherwise, the number of Securities to be sold by them
hereunder to the total number to be sold by all Selling Stockholders as set
forth in Schedule B hereto, then the Underwriters may, at option of the
Representatives, by notice from the Representatives to the Company and the
non-defaulting Selling Stockholders, either (a) terminate this Agreement without
any liability on the fault of any non-defaulting party except that the
provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8 shall remain in full force and effect or
(b) elect to purchase the Securities which the non-defaulting Selling
Stockholders and the Company have agreed to sell hereunder. No action taken
pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve any Selling Stockholder so defaulting
from liability, if any, in respect of such default.
In the event of a default by any Selling Stockholder as referred to in
this Section 11, each of the Representatives, the Company and the non-defaulting
Selling Stockholders shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or Date of
Delivery for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required
change in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements.
(b) If the Company shall fail at Closing Time or at the Date of Delivery
to sell the number of Securities that it is obligated to sell hereunder, then
this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of any
nondefaulting party; provided, however, that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6,
7 and 8 shall remain in full force and effect. No action taken pursuant to this
Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such
default.
SECTION 12. Notices.
All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard
form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the
Representatives at Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx
00000-0000, attention of -; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at
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34
00 Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, XX 00000, attention of -; and notices
to the Selling Stockholders shall be directed to -, attention of -.
SECTION 13. Parties.
This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective
successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or
shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the
Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective
successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in
Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any
provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions
hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective
successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their
heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or
corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to
be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 14. Governing Law and Time.
THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED
TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 15. Effect of Headings.
The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for
convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
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35
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Attorney-in-Fact for
the Selling Stockholders a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along
with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters,
the Company and the Selling Stockholders in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
PROVANT, INC.
By ________________________________________
Name:
Title:
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
By ________________________________________
As Attorney-in-Fact acting on behalf of the
Selling Stockholders named in Schedule B
hereto
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO.
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED
XXXXXXX XXXXX BARNEY INC.
XXXXX XXXXXXX INC.
BANCBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC.
By: XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED
By _____________________________________
Authorized Signatory
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto.
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The undersigned join this Agreement solely for the purposes of Sections 6,
7, 8 and 9 of the Agreement.
AMERICAN MEDIA INCORPORATED
By:___________________________________
BEHAVIORAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
By:___________________________________
XXXXXX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
By:____________________________________
EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVES, INC.
By:___________________________________
GULLIVER RITCHIE ASSOCIATES, INC.
By:___________________________________
X. XXXXXX & ASSOCIATES, INC.
By:____________________________________
KC RESOURCES CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, INC.
By:___________________________________
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37
LEARNING SYSTEM SCIENCES, INC.
By:____________________________________
XXXX RETAIL LEARNING SYSTEMS, INC.
By:____________________________________
NOVATIONS GROUP, INC.
By:____________________________________
STAR MOUNTAIN, INC.
By:____________________________________
STRATEGIC INTERACTIVE, INC.
By:___________________________________
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SCHEDULE A
Name of Underwriter Number of
------------------- Initial Securities
------------------
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated....................
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Barney Inc..............................
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Inc.....................................
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.....................
------------
Total...........................................
============
1
39
SCHEDULE B
Number of Initial Maximum Number of Option
Securities to be Sold Securities to Be Sold
--------------------- ---------------------
PROVANT, Inc.
Selling Stockholders
Total.....................
Sch B - 1
40
SCHEDULE C
PROVANT, INC.
- Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
1. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities,
determined as provided in said Section 2, shall be $-.
2. The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the
several Underwriters shall be $-, being an amount equal to the initial public
offering price set forth above less $- per share; provided that the purchase
price per share for any Option Securities purchased upon the exercise of the
over-allotment option described in Section 2(b) shall be reduced by an amount
per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and
payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.
Sch C - 1
41
[SCHEDULE D]
[List of persons and entities
subject to lock-up]
Sch D - 1
42
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY'S COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease and
operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Purchase
Agreement. The Company and its subsidiaries have all necessary authorizations,
approvals, consents, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all Federal
and state governmental or regulatory bodies or officials, to conduct all the
activities conducted by them, to own or lease all the assets owned or leased by
them and to conduct their businesses, all as described in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and no such authorization, approval, consent,
order, license, certificate or permit contains a materially burdensome
restriction other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.
(iii) The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact
business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or
to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company
is as set forth in the Prospectus in the column entitled "Actual" under the
caption "Capitalization" (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to
the Purchase Agreement or pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee
benefit plans referred to in the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of
convertible securities or options referred to in the Prospectus); the shares of
issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to
be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Stockholders, have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and none of
the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation
of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(v) The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company
have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to
the Purchase Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to
the Purchase Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth in the
Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued and fully
A-1
43
paid and non-assessable and no holder of the Securities is or will be subject to
personal liability by reason of being such a holder.
(vi) The issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company and the sale
of the Securities by the Selling Stockholders is not subject to the preemptive
or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(vii) Each Subsidiary has been duly incorporated and is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is
duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether
by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business,
except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not
result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the
Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each
Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and
non-assessable and, to the best of our knowledge, is owned by the Company,
directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding
shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the
preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary.
(viii)The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(ix) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, has been declared effective under the 1933 Act; any required filing
of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within
the time period required by Rule 424(b); and, to the best of our knowledge, no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened
by the Commission.
(x) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, as
applicable, the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, as of their respective effective or issue dates (other
than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or
omitted therefrom, as to which we need express no opinion) complied as to form
in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations.
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(xi) If Rule 434 has been relied upon, the Prospectus was not "materially
different," as such term is used in Rule 434, from the prospectus included in
the Registration Statement at the time it became effective.
(xii) The form of certificate used to evidence the Common Stock complies
in all material respects with all applicable statutory requirements, with any
applicable requirements of the charter and by-laws of the Company and the
requirements of the Nasdaq National Market.
(xiii)To the best of our knowledge, there is not pending or threatened any
action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to which the Company or any
subsidiary is a party, or to which the property of the Company or any subsidiary
is subject, before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body,
domestic or foreign, which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement or the performance by the
Company of its obligations thereunder.
(xiv) The information in the Prospectus under "Description of Capital
Stock", "Business--Legal Proceedings", and "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" and
in the Registration Statement under Items 14 and 15, to the extent that it
constitutes matters of law, summaries of legal matters, the Company's charter
and bylaws or legal proceedings, or legal conclusions, has been reviewed by us
and is correct in all material respects.
(xv) To the best of our knowledge, there are no statutes or regulations
that are required to be described in the Prospectus that are not described as
required.
(xvi) All descriptions in the Registration Statement of contracts and
other documents to which the Company or its subsidiaries are a party are
accurate in all material respects; to the best of our knowledge, there are no
franchises, contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or
other instruments required to be described or referred to in the Registration
Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other than those described or
referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto,
and the descriptions thereof or references thereto are correct in all material
respects.
(xvii)To the best of our knowledge, neither the Company nor any subsidiary
is in violation of its charter or by-laws and no default by the Company or any
subsidiary exists in the due performance or observance of any material
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or
instrument that is described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.
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(xviii) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license,
order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental
authority or agency, domestic or foreign (other than under the 1933 Act and the
1933 Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be required under the
securities or blue sky laws of the various states, as to which we need express
no opinion) is necessary or required in connection with the due authorization,
execution and delivery of the Purchase Agreement or for the offering, issuance,
sale or delivery of the Securities.
(xix) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement
and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the
Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as
described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use Of Proceeds") and compliance
by the Company with its obligations under the Purchase Agreement do not and will
not, whether with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both,
conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as
defined in Section 1(a)(x) of the Purchase Agreement) under or result in the
creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to any contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or any other
agreement or instrument, known to us, to which the Company or any subsidiary is
a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the
property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (except for such
conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not
have a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of
the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary, or
any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree,
known to us, of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their
respective properties, assets or operations.
(xx) To the best of our knowledge, there are no persons with registration
rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the
Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the 0000
Xxx.
(xxi) The Company is not an "investment company" or an entity "controlled"
by an "investment company," as such terms are defined in the 1940 Act.
(xxii)The Securities have been approved for inclusion on the Nasdaq
National Market.
(xxiii) Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe
that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, including the Rule
430A Information and Rule 434 Information (if applicable), (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time such
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Registration Statement or any such amendment became effective, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading
or that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for
financial statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or
omitted therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time the
Prospectus was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus
was issued or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact
(but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on
certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. Such
opinion shall not state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is
otherwise subject to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to
legal opinions, including, without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the
ABA Section of Business Law (1991).
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Exhibit B
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
(i) No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, license, order,
registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or
agency, domestic or foreign, (other than the issuance of the order of the
Commission declaring the Registration Statement effective and such
authorizations, approvals or consents as may be necessary under state securities
laws, as to which we need express no opinion) is necessary or required to be
obtained by the Selling Stockholders for the performance by each Selling
Stockholder of its obligations under the Purchase Agreement or in the Power of
Attorney and Custody Agreement, or in connection with the offer, sale or
delivery of the Securities.
(ii) Each Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement have been duly executed
and delivered by the respective Selling Stockholders named therein and
constitute the legal, valid and binding agreements of such Selling Stockholder.
(iii) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by or on behalf of each Selling Stockholder.
(iv) Each Attorney-in-Fact has been duly authorized by the Selling
Stockholders to deliver the Securities on behalf of the Selling Stockholders in
accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement.
(v) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement and
the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement and the sale and delivery of the
Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase
Agreement and in the Registration Statement and compliance by the Selling
Stockholders with its obligations under the Purchase Agreement have been duly
authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Selling Stockholders and
do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of
time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under or
result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance
upon the Securities or any property or assets of the Selling Stockholders
pursuant to, any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit
agreement, note, license, lease or other instrument or agreement to which any
Selling Stockholder is a party or by which they may be bound, or to which any of
the property or assets of the Selling Stockholders may be subject nor will such
action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of
the Selling Stockholders, if applicable, or any law, administrative regulation,
judgment or order of any governmental agency or body or any
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administrative or court decree having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder
or any of its properties.
(vi) To the best of our knowledge, each Selling Stockholder has valid and
marketable title to the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, free and clear of any pledge, lien, security
interest, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind, and has full right,
power and authority to sell, transfer and deliver such Securities pursuant to
the Purchase Agreement. By delivery of a certificate or certificates therefor
such Selling Stockholder will transfer to the Underwriters who have purchased
such Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (without notice of any defect
in the title of such Selling Stockholder and who are otherwise bona fide
purchasers for purposes of the Uniform Commercial Code) valid and marketable
title to such Securities, free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest,
charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind.
(vii) Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us [to believe
that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, including the Rule
430A Information and Rule 434 Information (if applicable), (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time such Registration
Statement or any such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus
was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued
or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
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[FORM OF LOCK-UP FROM DIRECTORS, OFFICERS OR OTHER STOCKHOLDERS PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(k)]
Exhibit C
-, 1999
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Barney Inc.
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Inc.
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
as Representatives of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Purchase Agreement
x/x Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xx.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Re: Proposed Public Offering by PROVANT, Inc.
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, a stockholder [and an officer and/or director] of
PROVANT, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), understands that Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx & Co., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated ("Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx"), Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc., Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Inc. and BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc. propose to enter into a Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase
Agreement") with the Company and the Selling Stockholders providing for the
public offering of shares (the "Securities") of the Company's common stock, par
value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"). In recognition of the benefit that
such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a stockholder [and an
officer and/or director] of the Company, and for other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the
undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Purchase Agreement
that, during a period of 120 days from the date of the Purchase Agreement, the
undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx,
directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any
option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant
any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or
transfer any shares of the Company's Common Stock or any securities convertible
into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether
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now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the
undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file any
registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with
respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other
agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or
indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether
any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or
other securities, in cash or otherwise.
Very truly yours,
Signature:___________________________
Print Name:__________________________
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