ITC HOLDINGS CORP. PURCHASE AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 99.1
EXECUTION COPY
$385,000,000
6.050% Senior Notes due 2018
January 15, 2008
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
As Representatives of the Several Initial Purchasers listed in Schedule A hereto,
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
As Representatives of the Several Initial Purchasers listed in Schedule A hereto,
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1. Introductory. ITC Holdings Corp., a Michigan corporation (the “Company”), proposes,
subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the several initial
purchasers named in Schedule A hereto (the initial “Purchasers”) for whom Xxxxxx Brothers
Inc. (“Xxxxxx”) and Credit Suisse (“Credit Suisse”) are acting as representatives (the
“Representatives”) U.S.$385,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.050% Senior Notes due 2018
(the “Offered Securities”) to be issued under an indenture (the “Original Indenture”), dated as of
July 16, 2003, between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. (as successor to
BNY Midwest Trust Company), as Trustee, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental
Indenture, dated as of July 16, 2003 (the “First Supplemental Indenture”), as amended and
supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 10, 2006 (the “Second
Supplemental Indenture”), and as proposed to be amended and supplemented by the Third Supplemental
Indenture, to be dated as of January 24, 2008 (the “Third Supplemental Indenture” and, together
with the First Supplemental Indenture, the Second Supplemental Indenture and the Original
Indenture, the “Indenture”). The United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules
and regulations thereunder are herein collectively referred to as the “Securities Act.”
The Offered Securities are being sold by the Company in connection with the acquisition (the
“Asset Acquisition”), pursuant to that certain asset sale agreement, dated as of January 18, 2007,
between the Company’s subsidiary, ITC Midwest LLC (“ITC Midwest”) and Interstate Power and Light
Company (“IP&L”) (the “Asset Sale Agreement”) and, together with the agreements ancillary thereto
necessary to transfer the assets and liabilities as contemplated by the Asset Sale Agreement and
the Distribution Interconnect Agreement, the Generator Interconnect Agreement and the Transition
Services Agreement (each as defined in the Asset Sale Agreement), the “Asset Acquisition
Documents.” Pursuant to the Asset Sale Agreement, ITC Midwest acquired all of the electric
transmission assets (the “Assets”) of IP&L, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation, in a
transaction valued at approximately $783
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million. In connection with the repayment of the bridge loan incurred by the Company to fund
the Asset Acquisition, (A) the Company will issue approximately 5,363,985 shares of its common
stock in a public offering (the “Common Stock Offering”), and (B) ITC Midwest will issue 6.150%
First Mortgage Bonds, Series A, due 2038 (the “Mortgage Bond Offering”). The Common Stock
Offering, the Mortgage Bond Offering and the issuance of Offered Securities contemplated hereby are
referred to as the “Financings.” The Asset Acquisition, the Financings and the related
transactions are referred to as the “Transactions.” This Agreement, the Asset Acquisition
Documents and the documents relating to the Financings are collectively referred to as the
“Transaction Documents.”
The Company hereby agrees with the several Purchasers as follows:
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and
agrees with, the several Purchasers that:
(a) A preliminary offering memorandum (the “Preliminary Offering Memorandum”) relating
to the Offered Securities and a final offering memorandum (the “Final Offering Memorandum”)
disclosing the offering price and other final terms of the Offered Securities and dated as
of the date of this Agreement (even if finalized and issued subsequent to the date of this
Agreement) have been or will be prepared by the Company. “General Disclosure Package” means
the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, together with any Issuer Free Writing Communication (as
hereinafter defined) existing at the Applicable Time (as hereinafter defined) and the
information which is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as
evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B to this Agreement (including the term
sheet listing the final terms of the Offered Securities and their offering, set forth in
Schedule C to this Agreement, which is referred to as the “Terms Communication”).
“Applicable Time” means 6:20 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on the date of this Agreement. As
of the date of this Agreement, the Final Offering Memorandum does not, and as of the Closing
Date (as hereinafter defined) will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. At the Applicable
Time neither (i) the General Disclosure Package, nor (ii) any individual Supplemental
Marketing Material (as hereinafter defined), when considered together with the General
Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding two sentences do
not apply to statements in or omissions from the Preliminary or Final Offering Memorandum,
the General Disclosure Package or any Supplemental Marketing Material based upon written
information furnished to the Company by any Purchaser through the Representatives
specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information
is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
“Free Writing Communication” means a written communication (as such term is defined in Rule
405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an
offer to buy the Offered Securities and is made by means other than the Preliminary Offering
Memorandum or the Final Offering Memorandum. “Issuer Free
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Writing Communication” means a Free Writing Communication prepared by or on behalf of the
Company, used or referred to by the Company or containing a description of the final terms
of the Offered Securities or of their offering, in the form retained in the Company’s
records. “Supplemental Marketing Material” means any Issuer Free Writing Communication other
than any Issuer Free Writing Communication specified in Schedule B to this
Agreement.
(b) The Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation in good
standing under the laws of the State of Michigan, with power and authority (corporate and
other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure
Package and the Final Offering Memorandum; and the Company is duly qualified to do business
as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership,
use or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except
where the failure to have all requisite power and authority or to be so qualified would not
reasonably be expected to (x) result, individually or in the aggregate, in a material
adverse effect on the properties, business, results of operations, condition (financial or
otherwise), or the affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (y)
interfere with the marketability of the Offered Securities or (z) draw into question the
validity of this Agreement or the Indenture or the transactions described in the Preliminary
Offering Memorandum or the Final Offering Memorandum (any of the events set forth in clauses
(x), (y) or (z), a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(c) Each of the Company’s subsidiaries, as that term is defined in Rule 405 of the
rules and regulations under the Securities Act, has been duly organized and is validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, with power
and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General
Disclosure Package and Final Offering Memorandum; and each of the Company’s subsidiaries is
duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which
its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification except where the failure to have all requisite power and authority or to be so
qualified would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding
shares of capital stock or other ownership interests of the Company’s subsidiaries have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned
directly or indirectly by the Company free from liens, encumbrances and defects, except as
described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum. The Company
is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”) and files reports with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on the Electronic Data Gathering,
Analysis and Retrieval (XXXXX) system.
(d) The Indenture has been duly authorized; the Offered Securities have been duly
authorized; and when the Offered Securities are delivered and paid for pursuant to this
Agreement on the Closing Date, the Indenture will have been duly executed and delivered by
the Company and such Offered Securities will have been duly executed, issued and delivered
by the Company and will be consistent with the information in the
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General Disclosure Package and will conform to the description thereof contained in the
Final Offering Memorandum; and the Indenture and such Offered Securities, when such Offered
Securities are authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered
against payment therefore in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute
valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their
terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium
and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to
general equity principles, and the Offered Securities will be entitled to the benefit and
security afforded by the Indenture.
(e) Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering
Memorandum, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and sufficient title to all real
properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, subject to the Permitted
Encumbrances (as defined in the Indenture) and to minor defects and irregularities
customarily found in properties of like size and character that do not materially impair the
use of the property affected thereby in the operation of the business of the Company; and
except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum, the
Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and
enforceable leases except where the failure to have such valid and enforceable leases would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(f) The capitalization of the Company is, as of the date specified, as set forth in the
section of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Final Offering Memorandum entitled
“Capitalization.”
(g) Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering
Memorandum, no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any
governmental agency or body, including the Michigan Public Service Commission, the Missouri
Public Service Commission, the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Minnesota Public Utilities
Commission, the Iowa Utilities Board or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or any
court is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this
Agreement or the Transaction Documents and the consummation by the Company of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
(h) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Indenture, this
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which the Company is a party and the
issuance and sale of the Offered Securities and compliance with the terms and provisions
hereof and thereof will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and
provisions of, or constitute a default under (i) any statute, rule, regulation or order of
any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over
the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (ii) any agreement or
instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is subject, or (iii) the charter or by-laws (or equivalent
documents) of the Company or its subsidiaries, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii)
above, for such breaches, violations or defaults that do not and would
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not
have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and the Company has
full power and authority to authorize, issue and sell the Offered Securities as contemplated
by this Agreement and the Indenture.
(i) The Company has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the
offering of the Offered Securities contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities
Act.
(j) None of the Company, its subsidiaries or the Assets has sustained, since the date
of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most
recent Preliminary Offering Memorandum, any loss or interference with their respective
businesses from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by
insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, in
each case that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as
disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum; and, since
such date, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering
Memorandum there has not been any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid of
made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, or any change in the capital stock or
material increase in long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any
material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change,
in or affecting the general affairs, consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity,
results of operations, properties or business of the Company and its subsidiaries.
(k) The Company and each of its subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in
such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their respective
businesses and the value of their respective properties, except where the failure to
maintain such insurance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(l) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (i)
the Company and each of its subsidiaries is in compliance with all presently applicable
provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the
regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no “reportable event” (as
defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries would have any liability; (ii) the Company and
its subsidiaries have not incurred and do not reasonably expect to incur liability under (A)
Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or
(B) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the
regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); (iii) each “pension plan”
for which the Company or any of its subsidiaries may have any liability that is intended to
be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter
from the Internal Revenue Service as to the qualification of such plan and nothing has
occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would reasonably be expected to
cause the loss of such qualification and (iv) the Company and each of its subsidiaries have
not incurred
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any unpaid liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (other than for
payment of premiums in the ordinary course of business).
(m) Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries reviewed or audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP and the audit committee of the
board of directors of the Company, (i) the Company has not been advised of (A) any
significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that could
adversely affect the ability of the Company and each of its subsidiaries to record, process,
summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal controls or (B)
any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a
significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of its subsidiaries; and
(ii) there has been no significant change in internal controls or in other factors that
could significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard
to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
(n) The offering and sale of the Offered Securities contemplated by this Agreement and
as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum will not
cause the Company or any of its subsidiaries to violate any provisions of the Federal Power
Act or any rule or regulation promulgated under the Federal Power Act or any order issued
pursuant to the Federal Power Act, including without limitation any order of the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries as of the
date hereof.
(o) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(p) Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering
Memorandum, the Company and its subsidiaries possess adequate certificates, authorities or
permits issued by appropriate governmental agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the
business now operated by them and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to
the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit that, if
determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the
aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(q) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or its subsidiaries exists or,
to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened that would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms,
adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents,
copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively,
“intellectual property rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or
presently employed by them, and have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict
with asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if
determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(s) Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering
Memorandum, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any statute,
rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court,
domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic
substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure
to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “environmental laws”), own, have an interest
in or operate any real property that, to the knowledge of the Company, is contaminated with
any substance requiring investigation or remediation under any environmental laws, is, to
the knowledge of the Company, liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to
any environmental laws, or has received (or is aware of any pending investigation that would
lead to) any claim relating to any environmental laws, which violation, contamination,
liability or claim would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering
Memorandum, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings against or affecting the
Company, its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined
adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have
a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the
Company to perform its obligations under the Indenture or this Agreement, or which are
otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Offered Securities; and no such
actions, suits or proceedings are, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened.
(u) The historical consolidated financial statements (including the related notes and
supporting schedules) of the Company and International Transmission Company, LLC
(“Predecessor ITC Transmission”) in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering
Memorandum (in each case, as such terms are defined under the caption “Selected Financial
Data”) present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its
subsidiaries and Predecessor ITC Transmission, respectively, as of the dates shown and their
results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and, except as otherwise
disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, such financial statements have been prepared in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a
consistent basis; and the assumptions used in preparing the pro forma financial statements
included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum provide a
reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the
transactions or events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate
effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma columns therein reflect the proper
application of those adjustments to the corresponding historical financial statement
amounts. The pro forma financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package and
the Final Offering Memorandum comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act. The other financial data, the pro
forma financial information, operating data and statistical information with respect to the
Company, Predecessor ITC Transmission and IP&L included or incorporated by reference in the
General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum is presented fairly and has
been prepared on a basis consistent in all material respects with
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the consolidated financial statements and the books and records of the Company,
Predecessor ITC Transmission and IP&L.
(v) Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering
Memorandum, the Audited Statements of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed and the
Audited Statement of Revenues and Direct Expenses of IP&L (the “Business”) included or
incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering
Memorandum present fairly, in all material respects, the assets acquired and liabilities
assumed, as of the dates shown, and the revenues and direct expenses of the Business for the
periods shown, and, except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, have
been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United
States applied on a consistent basis; and the assumptions used in preparing the pro forma
financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering
Memorandum provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly
attributable to the transactions or events described therein, the related pro forma
adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma columns therein
reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the corresponding historical
financial statement amounts.
(w) Each of the Company, ITC Midwest, International Transmission Company
(“ITCTransmission”) and Michigan Electric Transmission Company, LLC (“METC”) are not and,
after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application
of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final
Offering Memorandum, will not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an
“investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
and the rules and regulations thereunder (collective, the “Investment Company Act”).
(x) No securities of the same class (within the meaning of Rule 144A(d)(3) under the
Securities Act) as the Offered Securities are listed on any national securities exchange
registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act, or quoted in a U.S. automated inter-dealer
quotation system.
(y) The offer and sale of the Offered Securities in the manner contemplated by this
Agreement will be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act by reason
of Section 4(2) thereof, Rule 144A (as hereinafter defined) or Regulation S thereunder; and
it is not necessary to qualify an indenture in respect of the Offered Securities under the
United States Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”).
(z) Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or
their behalf (i) has, within the six-month period prior to the date hereof, offered or sold
in the United States or to any U.S. person (as such terms are defined in Regulation S under
the Securities Act) the Offered Securities or any security of the same class or series as
the Offered Securities or (ii) has offered or will offer or sell the Offered Securities (A)
in the United States by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising
within the meaning of Rule 502(c) under the Securities Act or (B) with
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respect
to any such securities sold in reliance on Rule 903 of Regulation S (“Regulation S”) under the
Securities Act, by means of any directed selling efforts within the meaning of Rule 902(c)
of Regulation S. The Company, its affiliates and any person acting on its or their behalf
have complied and will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.
The Company has not entered and will not enter into any contractual arrangement with respect
to the distribution of the Offered Securities except for this Agreement.
(aa) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or
result, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, in the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered
Securities.
(bb) The Company (i) makes and keeps books, records, and accounts, which, in reasonable
detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the
Company and (ii) maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide
reasonable assurances that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorization; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles in the United States or any other criteria applicable to such statements and to
maintain accountability for assets; (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance
with management’s general or specific authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for
assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action
is taken with respect to any differences.
(cc) Deloitte & Touche LLP, the accountants who have audited certain financial
statements of the Company, whose reports appear in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and
the Final Offering Memorandum and who will deliver the letters referred to in Sections 7(a)
and (i) hereof, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company and IP&L,
respectively, as required by the Securities Act and the applicable published rules and
regulations thereunder.
(dd) No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined
for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act (i) has imposed (or has informed the
Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the
Company’s retaining any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of the Company or
(ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering (a) the downgrading, suspension, or
withdrawal of, or any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of
the possible change in, any rating so assigned or (b) any change in the outlook for any
rating of the Company, or any securities of the Company.
(ee) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the Offered Securities as set forth
under “Use of Proceeds” in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Final Offering
Memorandum.
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(ff) The Company (i) has delivered to the Purchasers a true and correct copy of the
Asset Sale Agreement that has been executed and delivered prior to the date of this
Agreement; and (ii) has delivered, or made available, on or prior to the Closing Date, each
other Transaction Document executed and delivered on or prior to the Closing Date, together
with all related agreements and all schedules and exhibits thereto, and as of the date
hereof there have been no amendments, alterations, modifications or waivers of any of the
provisions of any of the Transaction Documents since their date of execution or from the
form in which any such Transaction Document has been delivered or made available to the
Purchasers.
(gg) Each of the Transaction Documents conforms, or will conform as of the Closing
Date, in all material respects to the description thereof in the General Disclosure Package
and the Final Offering Memorandum.
(hh) Each of the Asset Acquisition Documents to which the Company is a party has been
duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, to the extent a party
thereto, and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by each other party
thereto, constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or
affecting creditors’ rights generally and general equitable principles, including, without
limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing (whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Purchasers or counsel
for the Purchasers in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities shall be deemed a
representation and warranty to the Purchasers as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date and
an agreement with the Purchasers.
3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Securities. On the basis of the representations,
warranties and agreements set forth herein, but subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Company agrees to sell to the Purchasers, and each Purchaser agrees, severally and not
jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of 98.94% of the principal amount of the
Offered Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from January 24, 2008 to the Closing Date (as
hereinafter defined), the respective principal amounts of Offered Securities set forth opposite the
names of the several Purchasers in Schedule A hereto.
The Company will deliver against payment of the purchase price the Offered Securities to be
offered and sold by the Purchasers in reliance on Regulation S (the “Regulation S Securities”) in
the form of one or more global securities in registered form without interest coupons (the “Offered
Regulation S Global Securities”) which will be deposited with the Trustee as custodian for The
Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for the respective accounts of the DTC participants for Xxxxxx
Guaranty Trust Company of New York, Brussels office, as operator of the Euroclear System
(“Euroclear”), and Clearstream Banking, société anonyme (“Clearstream, Luxembourg”) and registered
in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. The Company will deliver against payment of the
purchase price the Offered Securities to be purchased by the Purchasers hereunder and to be offered
and sold by the Purchasers in reliance
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on Rule 144A (“Rule 144A”) under the Securities Act (the “144A Securities”) in the form of one
or more permanent global securities in definitive form without interest coupons (the “Restricted
Global Securities”) deposited with the Trustee as custodian for DTC and registered in the name of
Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. The Offered Regulation S Global Securities and the Restricted
Global Securities shall be assigned separate CUSIP numbers. The Restricted Global Securities shall
include the legend regarding restrictions on transfer set forth under “Transfer Restrictions” in
the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Final Offering Memorandum. Until the termination of
the distribution compliance period (as defined in Regulation S) with respect to the offering of the
Offered Securities, interests in the Offered Regulation S Global Securities may only be held by the
DTC participants for Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg. Interests in any permanent global
Securities will be held only in book-entry form through Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or DTC,
as the case may be, except in the limited circumstances described in the Preliminary Offering
Memorandum and the Final Offering Memorandum.
Payment for the Regulation S Securities and the 144A Securities shall be made by the
Purchasers in Federal (same day) funds by official check or checks or wire transfer to an account
at a bank specified in writing by the Company, at the offices of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP,
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx at 10:00 a.m., (New York time), on January 24, 2008, or at
such other time not later than five full business days thereafter as the Representatives and the
Company jointly determine, such time being herein referred to as the “Closing Date,” against
delivery to the Trustee as custodian for DTC of (i) the Offered Regulation S Global Securities
representing all of the Regulation S Securities for the respective accounts of the DTC participants
for Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg and (ii) the Restricted Global Securities representing
all of the 144A Securities. The Offered Regulation S Global Securities and the Restricted Global
Securities will be made available for checking at the above offices of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx
LLP at least 24 hours prior to the Closing Date.
4. Representations by Purchasers; Resale by Purchasers. (a) Each Purchaser severally
represents and warrants to the Company that it is an “accredited investor” within the meaning of
Regulation D under the Securities Act.
(b) Each Purchaser severally acknowledges that the Offered Securities have not been
registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold within the United States
or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except in accordance with Regulation S
or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Each
Purchaser severally represents and agrees that it has offered and sold the Offered
Securities, and will offer and sell the Offered Securities (i) as part of its distribution
at any time and (ii) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the
offering and the Closing Date, only in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 144A. Accordingly,
neither such Purchaser nor its affiliates, nor any persons acting on its or their behalf,
have engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts with respect to the Offered
Securities, and such Purchaser, its affiliates and all persons acting on its or their behalf
have complied and will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.
Each Purchaser severally agrees that, at or prior to confirmation of sale of the Offered
Securities, other than a sale pursuant to Rule 144A, such Purchaser will have sent to each
distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling
11
concession, fee or other remuneration that purchases the Offered Securities from it
during the restricted period a confirmation or notice to substantially the following effect:
“The Securities covered hereby have not been registered under the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and may not be offered or sold
within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S.
persons (i) as part of their distribution at any time or (ii) otherwise
until 40 days after the later of the date of the commencement of the
offering and the closing date, except in either case in accordance with
Regulation S (or Rule 144A if available) under the Securities Act. Terms
used above have the meanings given to them by Regulation S.”
Terms used in this subsection (b) have the meanings given to them by Regulation S.
(c) Each Purchaser severally agrees that it and each of its affiliates has not entered
and will not enter into any contractual arrangement with respect to the distribution of the
Offered Securities except for any such arrangements with the other Purchasers or affiliates
of the other Purchasers or with the prior written consent of the Company.
(d) Each Purchaser severally agrees that it and each of its affiliates will not offer
or sell the Offered Securities in the United States by means of any form of general
solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) under the Securities
Act, including, but not limited to (i) any advertisement, article, notice or other
communication published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over
television or radio or (ii) any seminar or meeting whose attendees have been invited by any
general solicitation or general advertising. Each Purchaser severally agrees, with respect
to resales made in reliance on Rule 144A of any of the Offered Securities, to deliver either
with the confirmation of such resale or otherwise prior to settlement of such resale a
notice to the effect that the resale of such Offered Securities has been made in reliance
upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Rule
144A.
(e) Each Purchaser severally represents and agrees that (i) in relation to each Member
State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a
“Relevant Member State”), each initial purchaser has represented and agreed that with effect
from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that
Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”) it has not made and will not make
an offer of notes to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a
prospectus in relation to such notes which has been approved by the competent authority in
that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State
and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance
with the Prospectus Directive, except that it may, with effect from and including the
Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of notes to the public in that Relevant Member
State at any time: (A) to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in
the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is
solely to invest in securities;
12
(B) to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250
employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000
and (3) an annual net turnover of more than €50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or
consolidated accounts; (C) to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than qualified
investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive) subject to obtaining prior consent of the
manager for any such offer; or (D) in any other circumstances which do not require the
publication by the Company of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus
Directive. For the purposes of this provision the expression of an “offer of notes to the
public” in relation to any notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any
form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to
be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for such notes, as
may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in
that Member State and the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC and
includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State); (ii) it has only
communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be
communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the
meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Xxx 0000 (the “FSMA”) received
by it in connection with the issue or sale of any notes in circumstances in which section
21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to ITC Holdings; and (iii) it has complied and will comply
with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation
to any notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
5. Certain Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the several Purchasers that:
(a) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of any proposal to amend or
supplement the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or Final Offering Memorandum and will not
effect such amendment or supplementation without the consent of the Representatives, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. If, at any time prior to the
completion of the resale of the Offered Securities by the Purchasers, any event occurs as a
result of which the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, Final Offering Memorandum or any
document included in the General Disclosure Package or any Supplemental Marketing Material
included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the Company promptly will
notify the Representatives of such event and promptly will prepare, at its own expense, an
amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission. Neither the consent
of the Representatives to, nor the Purchasers’ delivery to offerees or investors of, any
such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in
Section 7. The first sentence of this subsection does not apply to statements in or
omissions from the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Memorandum or any document included
in the General Disclosure Package or any Supplemental Marketing Material made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only
such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
13
(b) The Company will furnish to the Representatives copies of the Preliminary Offering
Memorandum, the Final Offering Memorandum and each document comprising a part of the General
Disclosure Package and each item of Supplemental Marketing Material, if any, in each case as
soon as available and in such quantities as the Representatives reasonably request. At any
time when the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company
will promptly furnish or cause to be furnished, upon the written request of the
Representatives, to the Representatives and, upon request of holders and prospective
purchasers of the Offered Securities, to such holders and purchasers, copies of the
information required to be delivered to holders and prospective purchasers of the Offered
Securities pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act (or any successor provision
thereto) in order to permit compliance with Rule 144A in connection with resales by such
holders of the Offered Securities. The Company will pay the expenses of printing and
distributing to the Purchasers all such documents.
(c) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Offered Securities for sale
and the determination of their eligibility for investment under the laws of such
jurisdictions in the United States and Canada as the Representatives designate and will
continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the resale of the Offered
Securities by the Purchasers, provided that the Company will not be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any such state or
jurisdiction.
(d) During the period of two years after the Closing Date, the Company will, upon
request, furnish to the Representatives and any holder of Offered Securities a copy of the
restrictions on transfer applicable to the Offered Securities.
(e) During the period of two years after the Closing Date, the Company will not, and
will not permit any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) to,
resell any of the Offered Securities that have been reacquired by any of them.
(f) The Company will pay all expenses incidental to the performance of its obligations
under this Agreement and the Indenture including (i) the fees and expenses of the Trustee
and its professional advisers; (ii) all expenses in connection with the execution, issue,
authentication, packaging and initial delivery of the Offered Securities, the preparation
and printing of this Agreement, the Offered Securities, the Indenture, the Preliminary
Offering Memorandum, any other documents comprising part of the General Disclosure Package,
the Final Offering Memorandum, all amendments and supplements thereto, each item of
Supplemental Marketing Material and any other document relating to the issuance, offer, sale
and delivery of the Offered Securities; (iii) the cost of any advertising approved by the
Company in connection with the issue of the Offered Securities; (iv) for any expenses
(including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred in connection with
qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions in the
United States and Canada as the Representatives designate and the printing of memoranda
relating thereto; (v) for any fees charged by investment rating agencies for the rating of
the Offered Securities; and (vi) for expenses incurred in distributing the Preliminary
Offering Memorandum, any other documents
14
comprising part of the General Disclosure Package, the Final Offering Memorandum
(including any amendments and supplements thereto) and any Supplemental Marketing Materials
to the Purchasers. The Company will also reimburse the Purchasers (to the extent incurred
by them) for all reasonably incurred travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees
and any other expenses of the Company in connection with attending or hosting meetings with
prospective purchasers of the Offered Securities from the Purchasers; provided that the
Company shall not pay, or reimburse the Purchasers for, any fees or expenses of or relating
to any consultants or more than 50% of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with
such meetings. Such amount may be deducted from the purchase price for the Offered
Securities set forth in Section 3 hereof.
(g) In connection with the offering, until the Representatives shall have notified the
Company of the completion of the resale of the Offered Securities, neither the Company nor
any of its affiliates has or will, either alone or with one or more other persons, bid for
or purchase for any account in which it or any of its affiliates has a beneficial interest
any Offered Securities or attempt to induce any person to purchase any Offered Securities;
and neither it nor any of its affiliates will make bids or purchases for the purpose of
creating actual, or apparent, active trading in, or of raising the price of, the Offered
Securities.
(h) For a period of 30 days after the date of the initial offering of the Offered
Securities by the Purchasers, the Company will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or
otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration
statement under the Securities Act relating to, any United States dollar-denominated debt
securities issued or guaranteed by the Company and having a maturity of more than one year
from the date of issue, or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale,
pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
The Company will not at any time offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose
of, directly or indirectly, any securities under circumstances where such offer, sale,
pledge, contract or disposition would cause the exemption afforded by Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act or the safe harbor of Regulation S thereunder to cease to be applicable to
the offer and sale of the Offered Securities.
6. Free Writing Communications. (a) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it
obtains the prior consent of Xxxxxx, and each Purchaser represents and agrees that, unless it
obtains the prior consent of the Company and Xxxxxx, it has not made and will not make any offer
relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Communication.
(b) The Company consents to the use by any Purchaser of a Free Writing Communication
that contains only (A) information describing the preliminary terms of the Offered
Securities or their offering or (B) information that describes the final terms of the
Offered Securities or their offering and, in each case that is included in the Terms
Communication or is included in the Final Offering Memorandum, it being understood and
agreed that any such Free Writing Communication (other than the Terms Communication) shall
not be an Issuer Free Writing Communication for purposes of this Agreement.
15
7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Purchasers. The obligations of the several Purchasers
to purchase and pay for the Offered Securities will be subject, after giving effect to the
Transactions, to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company
herein, to the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the
provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the
following additional conditions precedent:
(a) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Purchasers shall have received a
letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Representatives, addressed to the Purchasers and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that
they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in
compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants
under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof
(or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as
of which specified financial information is given in the most recent Preliminary Offering
Memorandum, as of a date not more than three (3) days prior to the date hereof), the
conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other
matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection
with registered public offerings.
(b) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have
occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the
condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the Company
and its subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Representatives, is
material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with completion of
the offering or the sale of and payment for the Offered Securities; (ii) any downgrading in
the rating of any debt securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical
rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Securities Act), or
any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its
rating of any debt securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive
implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such
rating); (iii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic
conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls as would, in the judgment of the
Representatives, be likely to prejudice materially the success of the proposed issue, sale
or distribution of the Offered Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of
dealings in the secondary market; (iv) any material suspension or material limitation of
trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, or any setting of minimum
prices for trading on such exchange, or any suspension of trading of any securities of the
Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (v) any banking moratorium
declared by U.S. Federal or New York authorities; (vi) any major disruption of settlements
of securities or clearance services in the United States or (vii) any attack on, outbreak or
escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration
of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the
judgment of the Representatives, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act,
declaration, calamity or emergency makes it impractical or
16
inadvisable to proceed with completion of the offering or sale of and payment for the
Offered Securities.
(c) The Purchasers shall have received an opinion and negative assurance letter, each
dated the Closing Date, of the General Counsel of the Company, substantially in the form set
forth in Exhibit A-1 and Exhibit A-2 hereto.
(d) The Purchasers shall have received an opinion and negative assurance letter, each
dated the Closing Date, of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company,
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B-1 and Exhibit B-2 hereto.
(e) The Purchasers shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx PLLC, Michigan counsel for the Company, substantially in the form set forth in
Exhibit C hereto.
(f) The Purchasers shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, P.C., federal energy regulatory counsel for the Company, substantially in
the form set forth in Exhibit D hereto.
(g) The Purchasers shall have received from Milbank, Tweed, Xxxxxx & XxXxxx LLP,
counsel for the Purchasers, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect
to the validity of the Offered Securities, the General Disclosure Package and the Final
Offering Memorandum, the exemption from registration for the offer and sale of the Offered
Securities by the Company to the Purchasers and the resales by the Purchasers as
contemplated hereby and other related matters as the Representatives may require, and the
Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for
the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(h) The Purchasers shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of the
Chief Executive Officer or any Vice President and a principal financial or accounting
officer of the Company in which such officers, to the best of their knowledge after
reasonable investigation, shall state that the representations and warranties of the Company
in this Agreement are true and correct, that the Company has complied with all agreements
and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior
to the Closing Date, and that, subsequent to the date of the most recent financial
statements in the General Disclosure Package there has been no material adverse change, nor
any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition
(financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the
Final Offering Memorandum.
(i) With respect to the letter of Deloitte & Touche LLP referred to in paragraph (a)
and delivered to the Purchasers concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the
“Initial Letter”), the Purchasers shall have received letters (each, a “Bring-Down Letter”)
of such accountants, addressed to the Purchasers and dated the Closing Date (i) confirming
that they are independent public accountants within the
17
meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements
relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the
Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the Bring-Down Letter (or, with respect to
matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified
financial information is given in the Final Offering Memorandum, as of a date not more than
three (3) days prior to the date of the Bring-Down Letter), the conclusions and findings of
such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the Initial
Letter and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth
in the Initial Letter.
(j) The Asset Acquisition shall have closed or close concurrently with the sale of the
Offered Securities and each condition to the closing thereof contemplated by the Asset
Acquisition Documents will, on or prior to the Closing Date, have been satisfied or waived.
The Purchasers shall have received conformed copies of the Asset Acquisition Documents.
The Company will furnish the Purchasers with such conformed copies of such opinions,
certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives shall reasonably request. The
Representatives may in their sole discretion waive on behalf of the Purchasers compliance with any
conditions to the obligations of the Purchasers hereunder.
8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each
Purchaser, its respective affiliates, its respective directors, officers, employees and each
person, if any, who controls the Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act,
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which that Purchaser,
affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the
Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact
contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Final Offering Memorandum, in each case as
amended or supplemented, or any Issuer Free Writing Communication at any time, or arise out of or
are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, including any losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising out of or based upon the
Company’s failure to perform its obligations under Section 5(a) of this Agreement, and will
reimburse each Purchaser, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person for any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Purchaser, affiliate, director, officer,
employee or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will
not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises
out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged
omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by any Purchaser through the Representatives specifically for use therein,
it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described
as such in subsection (b) below. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability
which the Company may otherwise have to any Purchaser, or to any affiliate, director, officer,
employee or controlling person of that Purchaser.
18
(b) Each Purchaser will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise
out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material
fact contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or Final Offering Memorandum, in each
case as amended or supplemented, or any Issuer Free Writing Communication at any time, or
arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein 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 each case to the extent, but
only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by such Purchaser through the Representatives specifically for use
therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company
in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such
information furnished by such Purchaser consists of the following information in the
Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Final Offering Memorandum: under the caption “Plan
of Distribution” the fourth sentence of paragraph six and paragraph ten; provided, however,
that the Purchaser shall not be liable for any losses, claims, damages or liabilities
arising out of or based upon the Company’s failure to perform its obligations under Section
5(a) of this Agreement.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to
be made against the indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying
party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a) or (b)
above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of
substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to
notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an
indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action
is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to
the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified,
to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who
shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying
party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred
by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs
of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, (i) without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of
which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been
sought
19
hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement includes (x) an
unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are
the subject matter of such action and (y) does not include a statement as to or an admission
of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party or (ii) be
liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the
indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment of the plaintiff in any such action, the
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and
against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment to the extent
provided in this Section 8.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient
to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party
as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or
(b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the Purchasers on the other from the offering of the
Offered Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted
by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative
benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the
one hand and the Purchasers on the other in connection with the statements or omissions
which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and
the Purchasers on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net
proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the
total discounts and commissions received by the Purchasers from the Company under this
Agreement. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the
Purchasers and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an
indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in
the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or
defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding
the provisions of this subsection (d), no Purchaser shall be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which the total discounts and commission received by such
Purchaser exceeds the amount of any damages which such Purchaser has otherwise been required
to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
The Purchasers’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion
to their respective purchase obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section shall be in addition to any
liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and
conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Purchaser within the meaning of the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act; and the obligations of each Purchaser
20
under this Section shall be in addition to any liability which such Purchasers may
otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any,
who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
9. Default of Purchasers. If any Purchaser defaults in its obligations to purchase Offered
Securities hereunder and the aggregate principal amount of Offered Securities that such defaulting
Purchaser agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total principal amount of
Offered Securities, the Representatives may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the
purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons, including any Purchaser, but if no such
arrangements are made by the Closing Date, the non-defaulting Purchaser shall be obligated to
purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Purchaser agreed but failed to purchase. If
any Purchaser so defaults and the aggregate principal amount of Offered Securities with respect to
which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total principal amount of Offered
Securities and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of
such Offered Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default, this
Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Purchaser or the
Company, except as provided in Section 10. As used in this Agreement, the term “Purchaser”
includes any person substituted for a Purchaser under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a
defaulting Purchaser from liability for its default.
10. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities,
agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company or its officers and of
the several Purchasers set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force
and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on
behalf of any Purchaser, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or
directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered
Securities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 or if for any reason the
purchase of the Offered Securities by the Purchasers is not consummated, the Company shall remain
responsible for the expenses to be paid or reimbursed by it pursuant to Section 5 and the
respective obligations of the Company and the Purchasers pursuant to Section 8 shall remain in
effect. If the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Purchasers is not consummated for any
reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9 or the
occurrence of any event specified in clause (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) or (vii) of Section 7(b), the
Company will reimburse the Purchasers for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and
disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the
Offered Securities.
11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Purchasers
or any Purchaser will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to the Purchasers c/o (a)
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Debt Capital Markets,
Global Power Group (with a copy to the General Counsel at the same address) and (b) Credit Suisse
Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000, Attention: LCD IBD, or, if
sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at ITC Holdings
Corp., 00000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx.
21
12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties
hereto and their respective successors and the controlling persons referred to in Section 8, and no
other person will have any right or obligation hereunder, except that holders of Offered Securities
shall be entitled to enforce the agreements for their benefit contained in the second and third
sentences of Section 5(b) hereof against the Company as if such holders were parties thereto.
13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the
same Agreement.
14. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) The Purchasers have been retained solely to act as purchasers in connection with
the sale of the Company’s Offered Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency
relationship between the Company and the Purchasers has been created in respect of any of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Purchasers have
advised or are advising the Company on other matters;
(b) The price of the Offered Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by
the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Purchasers, and the
Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms,
risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) It has been advised that the Purchasers and their affiliates are engaged in a broad
range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and
that the Purchasers have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the
Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and
(d) It waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against
the Purchasers for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees
that the Purchasers shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in
respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on
behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the
Company.
15. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
the laws of the State of New York.
The Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts
in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
22
If the foregoing is in accordance with the Purchasers’ understanding of our agreement, kindly
sign and return to us one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement
between the Company and the several Purchasers in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, ITC Holdings Corp. |
||||
By | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Vice President and General Counsel | |||
The foregoing Agreement
is hereby confirmed and accepted
as of the date first above written.
is hereby confirmed and accepted
as of the date first above written.
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
For themselves and as Representatives
of the several Initial Purchasers named
in Schedule A hereto
of the several Initial Purchasers named
in Schedule A hereto
Xxxxxx brothers inc.
By | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx | |||
Title: | Managing Director | |||
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
By | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxx Xxxxx | |||
Title: | Director | |||
23
SCHEDULE A
Principal Amount of | ||||
Initial Purchaser | Offered Securities | |||
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. |
$ | 154,000,000 | ||
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
$ | 134,750,000 | ||
Banc of America Securities LLC |
$ | 38,500,000 | ||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. |
$ | 38,500,000 | ||
Comerica Securities, Inc. |
$ | 19,250,000 | ||
Total |
$ | 385,000,000 |
24
SCHEDULE B
List of Issuer Free Writing Communications, including documents delivered with
the Preliminary Offering Memorandum
List of Issuer Free Writing Communications, including documents delivered with
the Preliminary Offering Memorandum
1. Terms Communication set forth on Schedule C
25
Final Terms
Issuer: | ||
Security Type: | Senior Notes |
|
Legal Format: | Rule 144A/Regulation S |
|
Ratings: | Moody’s: Baa3/positive |
|
Standard & Poor’s: BBB-/positive |
||
Trade Date: | January 15, 2008 |
|
Settlement Date: | January 24, 2008 (T+6) |
|
Principal Amount: | $385,000,000 |
|
Coupon Dates: | January 31 and July 31 each year |
|
Interest Accrual Commencement Date: |
January 24, 2008 |
|
First Payment Date: | July 31, 2008 |
|
Final Maturity: | January 31, 2018 |
|
Call Date & Terms: | Make-Whole Call at T + 35 bps |
|
UST Benchmark: | UST 4.25% due November 15, 2017 |
|
Treasury Price: | 104-14+ |
|
Treasury Yield: | 3.705% |
|
Re-offer Spread: | T + 240 bps |
|
Re-offer Yield to Investor: | 6.105% |
|
Coupon: | 6.050% |
26
Price to Investor: | 99.590% |
|
Day Count: | 30/360 |
|
Denominations: | $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof |
|
Joint Book-Running Managers: |
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
|
Co-managers: | Banc
of America Securities LLC Comerica Securities, Inc. |
|
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. |
||
CUSIPS: | 144A:
465685 AE5 Regulation S: U4501W AD4 |
The senior notes have not been registered under the Securities Act. The notes may not be
offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons except to qualified institutional
buyers in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A and to certain non-U.S.
persons in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S. You are hereby notified that sellers
of the notes may be relying on the exemption from the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities Act
provided by Rule 144A. You may obtain a copy of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Final
Offering Memorandum (when available) for this transaction by calling your Xxxxxx Brothers or Credit
Suisse sales representatives to request it.
27
EXHIBIT A-1
FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXXX XXXXXXX, GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE
COMPANY
COMPANY
28
EXHIBIT A-2
FORM OF NEGATIVE ASSURANCE LETTER OF XXXXXX XXXXXXX, GENERAL
COUNSEL OF THE COMPANY
29
EXHIBIT B-1
FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXXXX XXXXXXX & XXXXXXXX LLP, COUNSEL FOR
THE COMPANY
THE COMPANY
30
EXHIBIT B-2
FORM OF NEGATIVE ASSURANCE LETTER OF XXXXXXX XXXXXXX & XXXXXXXX,
COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
31
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXXX XXXXXXX PLLC, MICHIGAN COUNSEL TO
THE COMPANY
THE COMPANY
32
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXXX, XXXXX & XXXXXXXX, P.C., FEDERAL ENERGY
REGULATORY COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY
REGULATORY COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY
33