Photronics, Inc. 5.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 10.1

$50,000,000

Photronics, Inc.

5.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

September 10, 2009

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

0000 Xxxxxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Photronics, Inc., a Connecticut corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as manager (the “Manager”) $50,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 5.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014 (the “Firm Securities”) to be issued pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture dated as of September 16, 2009, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of September 16, 2009 (as so amended and supplemented, the “Indenture”) between us and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters up to an additional $7,500,000 aggregate principal amount of its 5.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014 (the “Additional Securities”) if and to the extent that you, as the Manager of the offering, shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase the Additional Securities granted to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Securities and the Additional Securities are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Securities.” The Securities will be convertible into shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Underlying Securities”). The shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company are hereinafter referred to as the Common Stock. Concurrently with the offering of the Securities, the Company proposes to issue and sell 9,638,554 shares of its Common Stock (the “Firm Shares”) and up to an additional 1,445,783 shares of its Common Stock (together with the Firm Shares, the “Shares”) if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full. Neither the offering of the Securities nor the offering of the Shares is conditioned upon the successful completion of the other offering.

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement (file number 333-160235), including a prospectus, on Form S-3, relating to securities (the “Shelf Securities”), including the Securities, to be issued from time to time by the Company and relating to shares of Common Stock to be sold from time to time by the selling shareholders named therein. The registration statement as amended to the date of this Agreement, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or

Rule 430B under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”, and the related prospectus covering the Shelf Securities dated June 25, 2009 in the form first used to confirm sales of the Securities (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Basic Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional securities pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. The Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities in the form first used to confirm sales of the Securities (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus,” and the term “preliminary prospectus” means any preliminary form of the Prospectus. For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by the preliminary prospectus supplement dated September 9, 2009 relating to the Securities in the form first made available to the Underwriters to offer the Securities, together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, each identified in Schedule II hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “Basic Prospectus,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date of this Agreement. The terms “supplement,” “amendment” and “amend” as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or free writing prospectus shall include all documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. The “Applicable Time” means 5:30 p.m. New York City Time, on September 10, 2009.

1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.

(b) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus

complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (i) each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, did not contain, and each such part, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any 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, (ii) the Registration Statement as of the date hereof does not contain any 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, (iii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply, and as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iv) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Securities in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (v) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (vi) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to (A) statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Manager expressly for use therein or (B) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), of the trustee named therein.

(c) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of Connecticut, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction. The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that

the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto forming part of the Time of Sale Prospectus, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

(d) Each significant subsidiary of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act (each a “Significant Subsidiary”, collectively the “Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, and has the power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction.

(e) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and all of the shares of capital stock of each other subsidiary that are owned by the Company, have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors’ qualifying shares and except as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except in the case of any shares pledged pursuant to the Credit Agreement, dated as of June 6, 2007, as amended, among the Company, the foreign subsidiary borrowers party thereto, the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, as amended (the “Credit Agreement”), or the Loan Agreement dated as of June 8, 2009, as amended, among the Company, the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association as administrative agent and collateral agent (the “Loan Agreement”).

(g) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(h) The Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement, will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; the Indenture has been duly authorized and, when executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, will constitute a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles and the Securities and the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(i) The Underlying Securities initially issuable upon conversion of the Securities have been duly and validly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and the Indenture, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and the issuance of the Underlying Securities will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights

(j) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture and this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not materially conflict with or result in a material breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a material default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other 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 property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except in the case of the Credit Agreement and the Loan Agreement as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any material violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities by the Company or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Indenture except (i) to the extent the failure to obtain such consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification would not materially adversely affect the ability of the Company to consummate the

transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Indenture; or (ii) such as have been obtained or made or such as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities by the Underwriters.

(k) Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus any material loss or interference with its business 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, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus; and, since the date as of which information is given in the Time of Sale Prospectus, there has not been any material change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any material adverse change, except for the sale of the Shares and the sale by the Company of the Securities hereunder, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

(l) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all material real property and good and marketable title to all material personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, except such as are described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or such as do not 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 and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries.

(m) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject II. other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Prospectus and proceedings that would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus or III. that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

(n) Each preliminary 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 Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(o) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities, will not be, an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(p) The Company and its Significant Subsidiaries and, to the Company’s knowledge, its other subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

(q) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of May 15, 2009 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) among the Company and the Holders named therein.

(r) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provision of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(s) Neither the Company nor any of the Significant Subsidiaries or affiliates of the Company, nor, any director, officer, employee, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent or representative of the Company nor any director, officer, employee, agent or representative of the Significant Subsidiaries

or the Company’s affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates, have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.

(t) The operations of the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries are in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(u) (i) Neither the Company nor any of the Significant Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Entity”), nor, any director, officer or, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, agent affiliate or representative of the Significant Subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:

(A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) or the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”) (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

(ii) The Entity represents and covenants that it will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

(iii) The Entity represents and covenants that, for the past 3 years, it has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Firm Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its name at a purchase price of 96.125% of the principal amount thereof (the “Purchase Price”) plus accrued interest, if any, from September 16, 2009.

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Securities, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to $7,500,000 aggregate principal amount of Additional Securities at the Purchase Price plus accrued interest from September 16, 2009. You may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the principal amount of Additional Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such Additional Securities are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Securities nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Securities may be purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments

made in connection with the offering of the Firm Securities. On each day, if any, that Additional Securities are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the principal amount of Additional Securities that bears the same proportion to the total principal amount of Additional Securities to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the principal amount of Firm Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total principal amount of Firm Securities.

The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Manager, it will not, during the period ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, (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, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such 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 sale of the Securities under this Agreement, or the Underlying Securities issuable upon conversion of the Securities; (B) the issuance or sale of Common Stock or the grant of options to purchase Common Stock by the Company in connection with employee benefit plans as in effect at the date of the Prospectus, (C) the Shares, (D) the filing of a registration statement under the Registration Rights Agreement, (E) the issuance of warrants to purchase up to 750,000 shares of Common Stock or the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants in connection with a technology alliance or (F) the issuance by the Company of any shares of common stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant, or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof of which the Underwriters have been advised.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day restricted period, the restrictions imposed by this paragraph shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable.

3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Firm Securities as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have

become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Company is further advised by you that the Securities are to be offered to the public upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.

4. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Securities shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Securities for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m. New York City time, on September 16, 2009, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than September 23, 2009, as the Manager and the Company agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

Payment for any Additional Securities shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Securities for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than ten business days after the date of such notice, as shall be designated in writing by you.

The Firm Securities and the Additional Securities shall be in global form, and registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Securities and the Additional Securities shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Securities to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor plus accrued interest, if any, from the date of payment and delivery.

5. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Company to sell the Securities to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Securities on the Closing Date are subject to the following conditions: (i) the Registration Statement shall have become effective, and the Underwriters shall have received notice thereof, not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date hereof; (ii) no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose shall be pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; and (iii) the Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act.

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Company’s securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and

(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus as of the date of this Agreement that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 5(a)(i) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date, and that the Company has complied in all material respects with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, New York counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i) assuming the Securities have been duly authorized and executed by the Company, and, when the Securities have been authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Securities will be the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by the effect of any

applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers) and by the effect of general principles of equity, including without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealings (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); provided that such counsel shall not be required to express an opinion with respect to any provisions of the Securities with respect to conversion rate adjustments in connection with a make-whole fundamental change at a rate or in an amount that a court would determine in the circumstances under applicable law to be commercially unreasonable or a penalty or forfeiture;

(ii) assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by each of the Company and the Trustee, the Indenture is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers) and by the effect of general principles of equity, including without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealings (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); provided that such counsel shall not be required to express an opinion with respect to any provisions of the Indenture with respect to conversion rate adjustments in connection with a make-whole fundamental change at a rate or in an amount that a court would determine in the circumstances under applicable law to be commercially unreasonable or a penalty or forfeiture;

(iii) except as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the execution and delivery by the Company of the Indenture and the Securities issued thereunder do not, and the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder will not, result in a breach of, a default under or the acceleration of (or entitle any party to accelerate) the maturity of any obligation of the Company under, or result in or require the creation of any lien upon or security interest in any property of the Company pursuant to the terms of, the Credit Agreement or the Loan Agreement;

(iv) the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Notes”,

“Description of Debt Securities” and “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations”, insofar as such statements constitute summaries of legal matters or documents referred to therein, fairly summarize in all material respects the legal matters or documents referred to therein;

(v) no authorization, approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any New York governmental authority or regulatory body, is required for the due execution, delivery or performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Indenture or the Securities, except as may be required under the securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in the United States in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities, by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or where the failure to obtain such authorization or approval, undertake such action, provide such notice or make such filing would have no more than an incidental effect on the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Indenture or the Securities;

(vi) in the opinion of such counsel, (A) each of the documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and other financial or statistical data contained therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), at the time it was filed with the Commission, appears on its face to have been appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and (B) each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and other financial or statistical data contained therein or omitted therefrom and the Trustee’s Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) appears on its face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

(vii) no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that caused such counsel to believe that (A) the Registration Statement (other than the financial statements and other financial or statistical data contained therein or omitted therefrom and the Trustee’s Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1, as to which such counsel has not been requested to comment), as of the date of the Applicable Time, 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, (B) the

Time of Sale Prospectus (other than the financial statements and other financial or statistical data contained therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel has not been requested to comment), as of the Applicable Time contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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; or (C) the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and other financial or statistical data contained therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel has not been requested to comment), as of the date of this Agreement or the Closing Date, contained or contains 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; and

(viii) the Company is not required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxxx LLP, Connecticut counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i) the Company is a corporation, duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Connecticut;

(ii) the Company has the requisite general power and authority to own and hold its property and conduct its business as such business has been described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(iii) the Company has the right, power and authority to enter into, execute and deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities;

(iv) the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities and the performance by the Company, of its obligations hereunder and thereunder, has been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action of the Company;

(v) each of this Agreement and the Indenture has been duly executed and delivered by the Company;

(vi) the authorized capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the descriptions thereof and the statements made with respect thereto in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Common Stock and Preferred Stock”;

(vii) the Securities have been duly and validly authorized and executed by the Company;

(viii) the Underlying Securities have been duly reserved for issuance upon conversion of the Securities and will, assuming valid exercise of the conversion rights under the Securities, when so issued, be validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable and will not, to our knowledge, be subject to any preemptive or similar right known to such counsel.;

(ix) the statements relating to Connecticut law, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and the Company’s By-laws included in the Registration Statement in Item 15 fairly summarize the matters referred to therein;

(x) neither the issue and sale of the Securities, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms of this Agreement, the Indenture or the Securities will conflict with, or result in a breach or violation of (a) any Connecticut law, statute, rule or regulation or (b) the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company;

(xi) no consent, approval, authorization or order of any Connecticut court or governmental agency or body of which such counsel has knowledge is required for issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by the Indenture and this Agreement, except such as may be required under state securities or the “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities and the Underlying Securities by the Underwriters, by Federal and state securities laws with respect to the Company’s obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement or by FINRA, or where the failure to obtain such consent, approval, authorization or order would have no more than an incidental effect on the transactions contemplated by the Indenture and this Agreement; and

(xii) there is no pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its

subsidiaries other than such as are disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or such as are not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Associate General Counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i) the Company is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(ii) each Significant Subsidiary has been duly organized, is validly existing and is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to own or lease its property and to carry on its business, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required;

(iii) except in the case of the Credit Agreement and the Loan Agreement as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, neither the issue and sale of the Securities, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms of this Agreement, the Indenture or the Securities will conflict with, or result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under (a) the terms of any agreement, contract, indenture, lease or other instrument known to such counsel to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject; or (b) any law, statute, rule or regulation, or any judgment, order, consent or memorandum of understanding known to such counsel of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties;

(iv) no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental agency or body of which such counsel has knowledge is required for the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Indenture or the Securities, except such as may be required under state securities or the “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities, by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or where the failure to obtain

such consent, approval, authorization or order would have no more than an incidental effect on the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture; and

(v) after due inquiry, such counsel does not know of any actions, suits or proceedings pending or threatened before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or of any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

(f) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, covering the matters referred to in Section 5(c)(i), Section 5(c)(ii), Section 5(c)(iv) (but only as to the statements in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Notes”, “Description of Debt Securities” and “Underwriting”) and clauses (c)(vi)(B) and (c)(vii) of Section 5.

With respect to Section 5(c)(vi) above, Shearman & Sterling LLP may state that their beliefs are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto (other than the documents incorporated therein by reference) and review and discussion of the contents thereof (including documents incorporated by reference), but are without independent check or verification, except as specified. With respect to clauses (c)(vi)(B) and (c)(vii) of Section 5 above, Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP may state that their beliefs are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the prospectus supplement and any amendments or supplements thereto (other than the documents incorporated by reference) and upon review and discussion of the contents of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus (including documents incorporated by reference), but are without independent check or verification, except as specified.

With respect to Section 5(d)(ii) above, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP may state that such opinion is intended to address the power and authority of corporations generally and no opinion is expressed or intended as to the power or authority of the Company to conduct any

business or activity where such business or activity is subject to the requirement that it be specially licensed, authorized or permitted under the laws, rules or regulations of the State of Connecticut or the United States of America or agencies or subdivisions thereof.

With respect to Section 5(e)(iv) above, Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx may state that such opinion is subject to exception for violations, breaches or defaults with respect to which consents, waivers or approvals have heretofore been obtained.

The opinions of Shearman & Sterling LLP, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxxx LLP and Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx described in Sections 5(c), 5(d) and 5(e), respectively, above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

(g) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants, 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 or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

(h) The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and the parties listed on Schedule III hereto relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of common stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(i) The Credit Agreement and the Loan Agreement, shall each have been amended to permit the issuance of the Securities, and the applicable amendment shall be in effect on the Closing Date.

The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Securities hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request, including with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due execution, authorization and authentication of the Additional Securities to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the execution and authentication of such Additional Securities.

6. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) To furnish to you, without charge, two signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto but including documents incorporated by reference) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, during the period mentioned in Section 6(e) or 6(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any documents incorporated therein by reference and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object except that the foregoing shall not apply to any documents required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

(c) To furnish to you a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which you reasonably object.

(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Securities at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or

supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters and counsel for the Company the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters and counsel for the Company, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Securities may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(g) To endeavor to qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request; provided that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation.

(h) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement covering the twelve-month period ending on or around October 31, 2010 that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(i) To prepare a final term sheet relating to the offering of the Securities, containing only information that describes the final terms of the offering in a form consented to by the Manager, and to file such final term sheet within the period required by Rule 433(d)(5)(ii) under the Securities Act following the date the final terms have been established for the offering of the Securities.

7. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Securities under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other similar taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 6(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Securities by FINRA, (v) all costs and expenses incident to listing the Underlying Securities on The Nasdaq Global Select Market, (vi) the cost, if any, of preparation, issuance and delivery of the Securities, (vii) the costs and charges of the Trustee and any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 9 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution”, and the last paragraph of Section 11 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Securities by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

8. Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter severally covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

9. Indemnity and Contribution.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter expressly for use therein.

(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the directors of the Company and the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 9(a) or 9(b) such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated by the Manager. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph (after having provided a reasonably detailed invoice of such fees and expenses to such indemnifying party), the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall

not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 9(a) or 9(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 9(d)(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 9(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that 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 Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand 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 by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of Securities they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.

(e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 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 that does not take account of the equitable

considerations referred to in Section 9(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, 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 that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 9 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Securities.

10. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange or The Nasdaq Stock Market, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over the counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

11. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Securities that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate principal amount of Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the principal amount of Firm Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate principal amount of Firm Securities set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the principal amount of Securities that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 11 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such principal amount of Securities without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Securities and the aggregate principal amount of Firm Securities with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of Firm Securities to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the purchase of such Firm Securities are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Securities and the aggregate principal amount of Additional Securities with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of Additional Securities to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Securities to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the principal amount of Additional Securities that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all

out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

12. Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Securities, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Underwriters with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Securities.

(b) The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Securities: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arms length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Securities.

13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

14. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

15. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

16. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to you in care of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Debt Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; and if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Photronics, Inc., 00 Xxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Associate General Counsel.


Very truly yours,

PHOTRONICS, INC.

By:		/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Name:		Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Title:		Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Underwriting Agreement: Debt


Accepted as of the date hereof

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated Acting severally on behalf of itself and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto.

By:		/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Name:		Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Title:		Managing Director

Underwriting Agreement: Debt

SCHEDULE I


Underwriter	Aggregate Amount of Firm Securities To Be Purchased

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated	$	35,000,000
Xxxxxxx & Company, LLC	$	5,000,000
X.X. Xxxxxxxx & Co.	$	5,000,000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated	$	5,000,000


Total Firm Securities:	$	50,000,000

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SCHEDULE II

Time of Sale Prospectus

1.	Basic Prospectus dated June 25, 2009 relating to the Shelf Securities

2.	The preliminary prospectus supplement dated September 9, 2009 relating to the Securities

3.	Free Writing Prospectus dated September 10, 2009

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SCHEDULE III

Lock-Up Signatories

Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx, General Partner, Macricostas Partners, XX

Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx

Soo Hong Xxxxx

Xxxx X. Xxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx

Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xx.

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EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER]

, 2009

Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated

0000 Xxxxxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated (“Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx”) proposes to enter into (i) an Underwriting Agreement (the “Equity Underwriting Agreement”) with Photronics, Inc., a Connecticut corporation (the “Company”), providing for the offering (the “Equity Offering”) by the Underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”) of shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) and (ii) an Underwriting Agreement (the “Debt Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company, providing for the concurrent offering (the “Debt Offering”) by the Underwriters of the Company’s 5.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014. The Equity Offering and the Debt Offering are referred to herein as the “Offerings.” Neither the Equity Offering nor the Debt Offering is conditioned upon the successful completion of the other offering.

To induce the Underwriters to continue their efforts in connection with the Offerings, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 90 days after (i) in the case of the Equity Offering, the date of the Equity Underwriting Agreement, and (ii) in the case of the Debt Offering, the date of the Debt Underwriting Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”) (1) 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, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the foregoing or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other

A-1

securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Offerings, (b) transactions under a trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), in existence as of the date of this letter, (c) transfers of Common Stock by gift, will or intestacy, including without limitation transfers by gift, will or intestacy to family members of the undersigned or to a settlement or trust established under the laws of any country, provided that in the event of any transfer pursuant to clause (c), (i) each transferee shall enter into a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this agreement covering the remainder of the restricted period referred to herein and (ii) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period referred to in the preceding sentence. In addition the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the Lock-Up Period, make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if:

(1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day lock-up period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or

(2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day lock-up period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day lock-up period, the restrictions imposed by this agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx on behalf of the Underwriters waives, in writing, such extension.

The undersigned shall not engage in any transaction that may be restricted by this agreement during the 34-day period beginning on the last day of the initial restricted period unless the undersigned requests and receives prior written confirmation from the Company or Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx on behalf of the Underwriters, that the restrictions imposed by this agreement have expired.

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The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of each Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

Whether or not the Offerings actually occur depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and Underwriters.


Very truly yours,

[For individuals signing the lock-up:]

Signature:

Print Name:


[For stockholders signing the lock-up that are not individuals:]

Macricostas Partners, L.P.

By:
Name:
Title:

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Photronics, Inc. 5.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

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