Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Merrill Lynch World Headquarters 4 World Financial Center New York, N.Y. 10080 STANDARD DEALER AGREEMENT
Revised July 16, 2001
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx & Co.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx World Headquarters
4 World Financial Center
New York, N.Y. 10080
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx World Headquarters
4 World Financial Center
New York, N.Y. 10080
Dear Sirs:
In connection with public offerings of securities underwritten by us, or by a group of
underwriters (the “Underwriters”) represented by us, you may be offered the opportunity to purchase
a portion of such securities, as principal, at a discount from the offering price representing a
selling concession or reallowance granted as consideration for services rendered by you in the sale
of such securities. We request that you agree to the following terms and provisions, and make the
following representations, which, together with any additional terms and provisions set forth in
any wire or letter sent to you in connection with a particular offering, will govern all such
purchases of securities and the reoffering thereof by you.
Your subscription to, or purchase of, such securities will constitute your reaffirmation of
this Agreement.
1. When we are acting as representative (the “Representative”) of the Underwriters in offering
securities to you, it should be understood that all offers are made subject to prior sale of the
subject securities, when, as and if such securities are delivered to and accepted by the
Underwriters and subject to the approval of legal matters by their counsel. In such cases, any
order from you for securities will be strictly subject to confirmation and we reserve the right in
our uncontrolled discretion to reject any order in whole or in part. Upon release by us, you may
reoffer such securities at the offering price fixed by us. With our consent, you may allow a
discount, not in excess of the reallowance fixed by us, in selling such securities to other
dealers, provided that in doing so you comply with the Conduct Rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”). Upon our request, you will advise us of the identity of any
dealer to whom you allow such a discount and any Underwriter or dealer from whom you receive such a
discount. After the securities are released for sale to the public, we may vary the offering price
and other selling terms.
2. You represent that you are a dealer actually engaged in the investment banking or
securities business and that you are either (i) a member in good standing of the NASD or (ii) a
dealer with its principal place of business located outside the United States, its territories or
possessions and not registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (a “non-member foreign
dealer”) or (iii) a bank not eligible for membership in the NASD. If you are a non-member foreign
dealer, you agree to make no sales of securities within the United States, its territories or its
possessions or to persons who are nationals thereof or residents therein. Non-member foreign
dealers and banks agree, in making any sales, to comply with the NASD’s interpretation with respect
to free-riding and withholding. In accepting a selling concession where we are acting as
Representative of the Underwriters, in accepting a reallowance from us whether or not we are acting
as such Representative, and in allowing a discount to any other person, you agree to comply with
the provisions of Rule 2740 of the Conduct Rules of the NASD, and, in addition, if you are a
non-member foreign dealer or bank, you agree to comply, as though you were a member of the NASD,
with the provisions of Rules 2730 and 2750 of such Conduct Rules and to comply with Rule 2420
thereof as that Rule applies to a non-member foreign dealer or bank. You represent that you are
fully familiar with the above provisions of the Conduct Rules of the NASD.
3. If the securities have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”),
in offering and selling such securities, you are not authorized to give any information or make any
representation not contained in the prospectus relating thereto. You confirm that you are familiar
with the rules and policies of the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the distribution
of preliminary and final prospectuses, and you agree that you will comply therewith in any offering
covered by this Agreement. If we are acting as Representative of the
Underwriters, we will make available to you, to the extent made available to us by the issuer
of the securities, such number of copies of the
prospectus or offering documents, for securities
not registered under the 1933 Act, as you may reasonably request.
4. If we are acting as Representative of the Underwriters of securities of an issuer that is
not required to file reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”), you agree
that you will not sell any of the securities to any account over which you have discretionary
authority.
5. We shall have authority to make appropriate arrangements for payment for and/or delivery
through the facility of The Depository Trust Company or any such other depository or similar
facility for the securities. In the event the securities are not eligible for clearance through a
depository, payment for securities purchased by you is to be made at our office, 4 World Financial
Center, New York, N.Y. 10080 (or at such other place as we may advise), at the offering price less
the concession allowed to you, on such date as we may advise, in immediately available funds as we
may advise, payable to our order, against delivery of the securities to be purchased by you.
6. In the event that, prior to the completion of the distribution of securities covered by
this Agreement, we purchase in the open market or otherwise any securities delivered to you, if we
are acting as Representative of the Underwriters, you agree to repay to us for the accounts of the
Underwriters the amount of the concession allowed to you plus brokerage commissions and any
transfer taxes paid in connection with such purchase.
7. At any time prior to the completion of the distribution of securities covered by this
Agreement you will, upon our request as Representative of the Underwriters, report to us the amount
of securities purchased by you which then remains unsold and will, upon our request, sell to us for
the account of one or more of the Underwriters such amount of such unsold securities as we may
designate, at the offering price less an amount to be determined by us not in excess of the
concession allowed to you.
8. If we are acting as Representative of the Underwriters, upon application to us, we will
inform you of the states and other jurisdictions of the United States in which it is believed that
the securities being offered are qualified for sale under, or are exempt from the requirements of,
their respective securities laws, but we assume no responsibility with respect to your right to
sell securities in any jurisdiction. We shall have authority to file with the Department of State
of the State of New York a Further State Notice with respect to the securities, if necessary.
9. You agree that in connection with any offering of securities covered by this Agreement you
will comply with the applicable provisions of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act and the applicable
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, the applicable rules
and regulations of the NASD, and the applicable rules of any securities exchange having
jurisdiction over the offering.
10. We shall have full authority to take such action as we may deem advisable in respect of
all matters pertaining to any offering covered by this Agreement. We shall be under no liability
to you except for our lack of good faith and for obligations assumed by us in this Agreement,
except that you do not waive any rights that you may have under the 1933 Act or the rules and
regulations thereunder.
11. Any notice from us shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any
standard form of written telecommunications to you at the above address or at such other address as
you shall specify to us in writing.
12. With respect to any offering of securities covered by this Agreement, the price
restrictions contained in Paragraph 1 hereof and the provisions of Paragraphs 6 and 7 hereof shall
terminate as to such offering at the close of business on the 45th day after the securities are
released for sale or, as to any or all such provisions, at such earlier time as we may advise. All
other provisions of this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect with respect
to such offering.
13. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
Please confirm your agreement hereto by signing the enclosed duplicate copy hereof in the
place provided below
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and returning such signed duplicate copy to us at World Headquarters, 4 World
Financial Center, New York, N.Y. 10080, Attention: Syndicate Operations. Upon receipt thereof,
this instrument and such signed duplicate copy will evidence the agreement between us.
Very truly yours, Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx | |||
Authorized Signatory | ||||
Confirmed and accepted as of the
day of ,
20
Name of Dealer
Authorized Officer or Partner
(if not Officer or Partner, attach copy of
Instrument of Authorization)
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The
significant changes from the old SDA to the new are outlined below. Other changes were made to change Xxxxxxx Xxxxx’x address and to revise Section 5 to reflect the
fact that the vast majority of deals settle thru DTC.
Old Reference
|
New Reference | |
- NASD Rules of Fair Practice
|
- NASD Conduct Rules | |
- Article III, Sec. 25
|
- Rule 2420 | |
(Dealing with Non-members) |
||
- Article III, Sec. 8
|
- Rule 2730 | |
(Securities Taken in Trade) |
||
- Article III, Sec. 24
|
- Rule 2740 | |
(Selling Concessions, Discounts & other Allowances) |
||
- Article III, Sec. 36
|
- Rule 2750 | |
(Transactions with Related Persons) |
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