EXHIBIT 1
4,000,000 Shares
DATASTREAM SYSTEMS, INC.
Common Stock
($.01 Par Value)
EQUITY UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
-----------------------------
July ___, 1998
BT Alex. Xxxxx Incorporated
Hambricht & Xxxxx LLC
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc.
The Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxxxxx Company, LLC
As Representatives of the
Several Underwriters
c/o BT Alex. Xxxxx Incorporated
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Datastream Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company") and the
stockholders of the Company named on Schedule II hereto (the "Selling
Stockholders") propose to sell to the several underwriters (the "Underwriters")
named in Schedule I hereto for whom you are acting as representatives (the
"Representatives") an aggregate of 4,000,000 shares of the Company's Common
Stock, $.01 par value (the "Firm Shares"), of which 3,500,000 shares will be
sold by the Company and 500,000 shares will be sold by the Selling Stockholders.
The respective amounts of the Firm Shares to be so purchased by the several
Underwriters are set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto, and the
respective amounts to be sold by the Selling Stockholders are set forth opposite
their names in Schedule II hereto. Selling Stockholders are sometimes referred
to herein collectively as the "Sellers." The Selling Stockholders also propose
to sell at the Underwriters' option an aggregate of up to 600,000 additional
shares of the Company's Common Stock (the "Option Shares") as set forth below.
As the Representatives, you have advised the Company and the Selling
Stockholders (a) that you are authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf
of the several Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are willing,
acting severally and not jointly, to purchase the numbers of Firm Shares set
forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I, plus their pro rata portion
of the Option Shares if you elect to exercise the over-allotment option in whole
or in part for the accounts of the several Underwriters. The Firm Shares and
the Option Shares (to the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are
herein collectively called the "Shares."
In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the
interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties
hereto agree as follows:
1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as
follows:
(i) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-57897) with
respect to the Shares has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the
Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and has been filed with the
Commission. The Company has complied with the conditions for the use of Form
S-3. Copies of such registration statement, including any amendments thereto,
the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of the Rules and
Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits, financial statements and
schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been delivered by the
Company to you. Such registration statement, together with any registration
statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462 (b) of the Act, herein
referred to as the "Registration Statement," which shall be deemed to include
all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in
the Prospectus referred to below, has become effective under the Act and no
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed as of the
date of this Agreement. "Prospectus" means the form of prospectus first filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b). Each preliminary prospectus
included in the Registration Statement prior to the time it becomes effective is
herein referred to as a "Preliminary Prospectus." Any reference herein to the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or to the Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein,
and, in the case of any reference herein to any Prospectus, also shall be deemed
to include any documents incorporated by reference therein, and any supplements
or amendments thereto, filed with the Commission after the date of filing of the
Prospectus under Rules 424(b) or 430A, and prior to the termination of the
offering of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(ii) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement. Each of the subsidiaries
of the Company as listed in Exhibit A hereto (collectively, the "Subsidiaries")
has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with corporate
power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as
described in the Registration Statement. The Subsidiaries are the only
subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company. The Company and each of the
Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in
which the conduct of their respective businesses require such qualification
except for failures that would not result in any material adverse change in the
financial position, results of
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operations, business or prospects of the Company (a "Material Adverse Change").
The outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been
duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are
owned by the Company or another Subsidiary free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances and claims; and no options, warrants or other rights to purchase,
agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any
obligations into shares of capital stock or ownership interests in the
Subsidiaries are outstanding.
(iii) The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company,
including all shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders, have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the portion
of the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have been duly authorized and
when issued and paid for as contemplated herein will be validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive rights of stockholders exist with
respect to any of the Shares or the issue and sale thereof. Neither the filing
of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares as
contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than those which
have been waived or satisfied, for or relating to the registration of any shares
of Common Stock.
(iv) The information set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in
the Prospectus is true and correct. All of the Shares conform to the
description thereof contained in the Registration Statement. The form of
certificates for the Shares conforms to the corporate law of the jurisdiction of
the Company's incorporation.
(v) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending
the use of any Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the Shares nor
instituted proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement contains,
and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will contain, all
statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will conform in all
material respects, to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time filed
with the Commission conformed, in all material respects to the requirements of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or the Act, as applicable, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder. When the Registration Statement and
any amendment thereto was, or is declared effective, and at each time of
delivery, do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue statement of a
material fact and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading. When the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto is
filed with the Commission under Rule 424(b), and at each time of delivery
thereof, do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue statement of material
fact; and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however,
that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to information
contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or
any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon, and in conformity with,
written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter
through the Representatives, specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
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(vi) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and the
Subsidiaries, together with related notes and schedules as set forth or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, present fairly the
financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company
and the consolidated Subsidiaries, at the indicated dates and for the indicated
periods. Such financial statements and related schedules have been prepared in
accordance with generally accepted principles of accounting, consistently
applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein, and, with
respect to the audited financial statements, all adjustments necessary for a
fair presentation of results for such periods have been made. The Company and
its Subsidiaries have no material contingent obligations which are not disclosed
in such financial statements. The summary financial and statistical data
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement presents
fairly the information shown therein and such data has been compiled on a basis
consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books and
records of the Company.
(vii) KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, who have certified certain of the
financial statements filed with the Commission as part of or incorporated by
reference in, the Registration Statement, are independent public accountants as
required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(viii) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries before any court or administrative agency or otherwise which if
determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries might result in
any Material Adverse Change in the Company and of the Subsidiaries taken as a
whole or to prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby,
except as set forth in the Registration Statement.
(ix) The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title
to all of the properties and assets reflected in the financial statements (or as
described in the Registration Statement) hereinabove described, subject to no
lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind except those reflected
in such financial statements (or as described in the Registration Statement) or
which are not material in amount. The Company and the Subsidiaries occupy their
leased properties under valid and binding leases conforming in all material
respects to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement.
(x) The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state,
local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and have paid
all taxes indicated by said returns and all assessments received by them or any
of them to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being
contested in good faith and for which an adequate reserve for accrual has been
established in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. All
tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial statements of
the Company, and the Company does not know of any actual or proposed additional
material tax assessments.
(xi) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented, there has not
been any Material Adverse Change or any development involving a prospective
Material Adverse Change in the
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Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not occurring in the
ordinary course of business, and there has not been any material transaction
entered into or any material transaction that is probable of being entered into
by the Company or the Subsidiaries, other than transactions in the ordinary
course of business and changes and transactions described in the Registration
Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented. The Company and the
Subsidiaries have no material contingent obligations which are not disclosed in
the Company's financial statements which are included in the Registration
Statement.
(xii) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is or with the
giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will be, in violation of or in
default under its Charter or By-Laws or under any agreement, lease, contract,
indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which
it is bound and which default would have a Material Adverse Change on the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. The execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated and
the fulfillment of the terms hereof will not conflict with or result in a breach
of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a material default under,
any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which
the Company or any Subsidiary is a party, or of the Charter or By-Laws of the
Company or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any
Subsidiary of any court or of any regulatory body or administrative agency or
other governmental body having jurisdiction.
(xiii) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the
Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated (except declaration of effectiveness of the Registration Statement
and such additional steps as may be required by the Commission, the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or such additional steps as
may be necessary to qualify the Shares for public offering by the Underwriters
under state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained or made and is in
full force and effect.
(xiv) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries holds all material
licenses, certificates and permits from governmental authorities which are
necessary to the conduct of their respective businesses. The Company and the
Subsidiaries own or possess sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights,
copyrights, licenses, trade secrets and other similar rights reasonably
necessary to conduct their respective businesses; and to the knowledge of the
Company neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has infringed any
patents, patent rights, trade names, trademarks or copyrights, which
infringement would have a Material Adverse Change on the Company and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole. The Company has received no written notice of
any material infringement by others of patents, patent rights, trade names,
trademarks or copyrights owned by or licensed to the Company.
(xv) Neither the Company nor to the Company's knowledge, any of its
affiliates, has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or
result in, or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to
constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the shares of
Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares. The
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Company acknowledges that the Underwriters may engage in passive market making
transactions in the Shares on the NASDAQ Stock Market in accordance with Rule
10b-6A under the Exchange Act.
(xvi) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is an "investment
company" within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of
1940, (as amended, the "1940 Act") and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder.
(xvii) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed
in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(xviii) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are
covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as management
reasonably believes is adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses
and the value of their respective properties.
(xix) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all
presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in ERISA) has occurred
with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company
would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and does not reasonably
expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to
termination of, or withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or
4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations
and published interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan"
for which the Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified
under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and,
to the Company's knowledge, nothing has occurred, whether by action or by
failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(xx) To the Company's knowledge, there are no affiliations or
associations between any member of the NASD and any of the Company's officers,
directors or 5% or greater securityholders, except as set forth in the
Registration Statement.
(xxi) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with
all federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations respecting employment
and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and
hours, except where the failure to so comply would not have a Material Adverse
Change on the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole. There are no
pending investigations involving the Company or its Subsidiaries by the U.S.
Department of Labor or any other governmental agency responsible for the
enforcement of
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such federal, state, local or foreign laws and regulations. There is no unfair
labor practice charge or complaint against the Company or its Subsidiaries
pending before the National Labor Relations Board or any strike, picketing,
boycott, dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or, to the Company's knowledge,
threatened against or involving the Company or its Subsidiaries. To the
Company's knowledge, no union representation efforts exist respecting the
employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and no collective bargaining
agreement or modification thereof is currently being negotiated by the Company
or its Subsidiaries. No grievance or arbitration proceeding is pending under any
expired or existing collective bargaining agreements of the Company or its
Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, no material labor dispute
with the employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries exists or, to the
knowledge of the Company, is imminent.
(xxii) Other than payments required or allowed by applicable law of
the United States, neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has, nor, to the
knowledge of the Company, has any officer, director or employee of the Company
or its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company or its
Subsidiaries, for the benefit of the Company or such Subsidiaries at any time
during the last five years, (i) made any unlawful gift or contribution to any
candidate for federal, state, local or foreign political office, or failed to
disclose fully any such gift or contribution in violation of law, or (ii) made
any payment to any federal, state, local or foreign governmental officer or
official, which would be reasonably likely to subject the Company or its
Subsidiaries to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental
litigation or proceeding (domestic or foreign). Each of the Company's and the
Subsidiaries' internal accounting controls are sufficient to cause the Company
and its Subsidiaries to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977,
as amended.
(xxiii) Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has been notified or
is otherwise aware that it is potentially liable, under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, or
any similar law ("Environmental Laws"). The Company and the Subsidiaries are in
substantial compliance with all applicable existing Environmental Laws, except
for such instances of non-compliance which would not have a Material Adverse
Change. The term "Hazardous Material" means (i) any "hazardous substance" as
defined by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act of 1980, as amended, (ii) any "hazardous waste" as defined by the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, (iii) any petroleum or petroleum
product, (iv) any polychlorinated biphenyl and (v) any pollutant or contaminant
or hazardous, dangerous or toxic chemical, material, waste or substance
regulation under or within the meaning of any other Environmental Law. To the
best of the Company's knowledge, no disposal, release or discharge of "Hazardous
Material" has occurred on, in, at or about any of the facilities or properties
of the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(b) Each of the Selling Stockholders severally represents and warrants as
follows:
(i) Such Selling Stockholder now has and at the Closing Date and the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be (as such dates are hereinafter defined),
will have good and marketable title to the Firm Shares and the Option Shares to
be sold by such Selling Stockholder,
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free and clear of any liens, encumbrances, equities and claims, and full right,
power and authority to effect the sale and delivery of such Firm Shares and
Option Shares; and upon the delivery of, against payment for, such Firm Shares
and Option Shares pursuant to this Agreement, the Underwriters will acquire good
and marketable title thereto, free and clear of any liens, encumbrances,
equities and claims.
(ii) Such Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority to
execute and deliver this Agreement, the Power of Attorney, and the Custodian
Agreement referred to below and to perform its obligations under such
Agreements. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation
by such Selling Stockholder of the transactions herein contemplated and the
fulfillment by such Selling Stockholder of the terms hereof will not require any
consent, approval, authorization, or other order of any court, regulatory body,
administrative agency or other governmental body (except as may be required
under the Act, state securities laws or Blue Sky laws) and will not result in a
breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under,
organizational documents of such Selling Stockholder, if not an individual, or
any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which
such Selling Stockholder is a party, or of any order, rule or regulation
applicable to such Selling Stockholder of any court or of any regulatory body or
administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction.
(iii) Such Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not take,
directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or which has constituted, or
which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or
manipulation of the price of the Common Stock of the Company and, other than as
permitted by the Act, the Selling Stockholder will not distribute any prospectus
or other offering material in connection with the offering of the Shares.
(iv) Without having undertaken to determine independently the
accuracy or completeness of either the representations and warranties of the
Company contained herein or the information contained in the Registration
Statement, such Selling Stockholder has no reason to believe that the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Section 1 are
not true and correct, is familiar with the Registration Statement and has no
knowledge of any material fact, condition or information not disclosed in the
Registration Statement which has, or reasonably could be expected to have a
Material Adverse Change on the Company and the Subsidiaries; and the sale of the
Firm Shares and the Option Shares by such Selling Stockholder pursuant hereto is
not prompted by any information concerning the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries which is not set forth in the Registration Statement or the
documents incorporated by reference therein. The information pertaining to such
Selling Stockholder under the caption "Selling Stockholders" in the Prospectus
is complete and accurate in all material respects.
2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE FIRM SHARES.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants herein
contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Sellers agree to
sell to the Underwriters and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly,
to purchase, at a price of $_____ [net price] per share, the number of Firm
Shares set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in Schedule I
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hereof, subject to adjustments in accordance with Section 9 hereof. The number
of Firm Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter from each Seller shall be as
nearly as practicable in the same proportion to the total number of Firm Shares
being sold by each Seller as the number of Firm Shares being purchased by each
Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares to be sold hereunder. The
obligations of the Company and of each of the Selling Stockholders shall be
several and not joint.
(b) Certificates in negotiable form for the total number of the Shares to
be sold hereunder by the Selling Stockholders have been placed in custody with
Hunton & Xxxxxxxx as custodian (the "Custodian") pursuant to the Custodian
Agreement executed by each Selling Stockholder for delivery of all Firm Shares
and any Option Shares to be sold hereunder by the Selling Stockholders. Each of
the Selling Stockholders specifically agrees that the Firm Shares and any Option
Shares represented by the certificates held in custody for the Selling
Stockholders under the Custodian Agreement are subject to the interests of the
Underwriters hereunder, that the arrangements made by the Selling Stockholders
for such custody are to that extent irrevocable, and that the obligations of the
Selling Stockholders hereunder shall not be terminable by any act or deed of the
Selling Stockholders (or by any other person, firm or corporation including the
Company, the Custodian or the Underwriters) or by operation of law (including
the death of any Selling Stockholder) or by the occurrence of any other event or
events, except as set forth in the Custodian Agreement. If any such event
should occur prior to the delivery to the Underwriters of the Firm Shares or the
Option Shares hereunder, certificates for the Firm Shares or the Options Shares,
as the case may be, shall be delivered by the Custodian in accordance with the
terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such event has not occurred. The
Custodian is authorized to receive and acknowledge receipt of the proceeds of
sale of the Shares held by it against delivery of such Shares.
(c) Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold hereunder is to be made in
Federal (same day) funds to an account designated by the Company for the shares
to be sold by it and to an account designated by the Custodian for the shares to
be sold by the Selling Stockholders, in each case against delivery of
certificates therefor to the Representatives for the several accounts of the
Underwriters. Such payment and delivery are to be made through the facilities
of the Depository Trust Company at 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the third
business day after the date of this Agreement or at such other time and date not
later than five business days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree
upon, such time and date being herein referred to as the "Closing Date." (As
used herein, "business day" means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is
open for trading and on which banks in New York are open for business and not
permitted by law or executive order to be closed.)
(d) In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein
contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Selling
Stockholders listed on Schedule II hereto hereby grants an option to the several
Underwriters to purchase the Option Shares at the price per share as set forth
in the first paragraph of this Section 2. The maximum number of Option Shares
to be sold by the Selling Stockholders is set forth opposite their respective
names on Schedule II hereto. The option granted hereby may be exercised in
whole or in part by giving
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written notice (i) at any time before the Closing Date and (ii) only once
thereafter within 30 days after the date of this Agreement, by you, as
Representatives of the several Underwriters, to the Company, the Attorney-in-
Fact, and the Custodian setting forth the number of Option Shares as to which
the several Underwriters are exercising the option, the names and denominations
in which the Option Shares are to be registered and the time and date at which
such certificates are to be delivered. If the option granted hereby is exercised
in part, the respective number of Option Shares to be sold by each of the
Selling Stockholders listed in Schedule II hereto shall be determined on a pro
rata basis in accordance with the percentages set forth opposite their names on
Schedule II hereto, adjusted by you in such manner as to avoid fractional
shares. The time and date at which certificates for Option Shares are to be
delivered shall be determined by the Representatives but shall not be earlier
than three nor later than 10 full business days after the exercise of such
option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Date (such time and date being
herein referred to as the "Option Closing Date"). If the date of exercise of the
option is three or more days before the Closing Date, the notice of exercise
shall set the Closing Date as the Option Closing Date. The number of Option
Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be in the same proportion to
the total number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Firm Shares
being purchased by such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares,
adjusted by you in such manner as to avoid fractional shares. The option with
respect to the Option Shares granted hereunder may be exercised only to cover
over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters. You, as
Representatives of the several Underwriters, may cancel such option at any time
prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the
Company and the Attorney-in-Fact. To the extent, if any, that the option is
exercised, payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing
Date in Federal (same day) funds drawn to the order of the Company for the
Option Shares to be sold by it and to the order of "Hunton & Xxxxxxxx, as
Custodian" for the Option Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders against
delivery of certificates therefor through the facilities of the Depository Trust
Company, New York, New York.
(e) If on the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any
Selling Stockholder fails to sell the Firm Shares or Option Shares which such
Selling Stockholder has agreed to sell on such date as set forth in Schedule II
-----------
hereto, the Company agrees that it will sell or arrange for the sale of that
number of shares of Common Stock to the Underwriters which represents Firm
Shares or the Option Shares which such Selling Stockholder has failed to so
sell, as set forth in Schedule II hereto, or such lesser number as may be
-----------
requested by the Representatives.
3. OFFERING BY THE UNDERWRITERS.
It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public
offering of the Firm Shares as soon as the Representatives deem it advisable to
do so. The Firm Shares are to be initially offered to the public at the initial
public offering price set forth in the Prospectus. To the extent, if at all,
that any Option Shares are purchased pursuant to Section 2 hereof, the
Underwriters will offer them to the public on the foregoing terms.
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It is further understood that you will act as the Representatives for the
Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Shares in accordance with a Master
Agreement Among Underwriters entered into by you and the several other
Underwriters.
4. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY AND THE SELLING STOCKHOLDERS.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(i) The Company will (A) use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely file with the
Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a Prospectus in a form
approved by the Representatives containing information previously omitted at the
time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations, and (B) not file any amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or document incorporated by reference
therein of which the Representatives shall not previously have been advised and
furnished with a copy or to which the Representatives shall have reasonably
objected in writing or which is not in compliance with the Rules and
Regulations, and (C) file on a timely basis all reports and any definitive proxy
or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the
Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and prior to the termination
of the offering of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(ii) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly (A) when
the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have
become effective, (B) of receipt of any comments from the Commission, (C) of any
request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or for
supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, and (D) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus or of the institution of any
proceedings for that purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent
the issuance of any such stop order preventing or suspending the use of the
Prospectus and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(iii) The Company will cooperate with the Representatives in
endeavoring to qualify the Shares for sale under the securities laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably have designated in writing
and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company
shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to
time, prepare and file such statements, reports, and other documents, as are or
may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as the Representatives may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.
(iv) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representatives, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus
as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or
upon the order of, the Representatives during the period when delivery of a
Prospectus is required under the Act, as many copies of the
11
Prospectus in final form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the
Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the
Representatives at or before the Closing Date, four signed copies of the
Registration Statement and all amendments thereto including all exhibits filed
therewith, and will deliver to the Representatives such number of copies of the
Registration Statement (including such number of copies of the exhibits filed
therewith that may reasonably be requested), including documents incorporated by
reference therein, and of all amendments thereto, as the Representatives may
reasonably request.
(v) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to
permit the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this
Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is
required by law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall
occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable
opinion of the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser,
not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the
Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company promptly will either (i) prepare
and file with the Commission an appropriate amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or (ii) prepare and file with the
Commission an appropriate filing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 which
shall be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as
so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when it
is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with the
law.
(vi) The Company will make generally available to its security
holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not later than
15 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earning
statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of
at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, which earning statement shall satisfy the requirements
of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will
advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available.
(vii) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company will furnish to the
Underwriters, as soon as they have been prepared by or are available to the
Company, a copy of any unaudited interim financial statements of the Company for
any period subsequent to the period covered by the most recent financial
statements appearing in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(viii) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any
shares of Common Stock of the Company or other securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivative of Common
Stock (or agreement for such) will be made for a period of 90 days after the
date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than
hereunder or with the prior written consent of BT Alex. Xxxxx Incorporated,
except (a) as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement, (b) pursuant to the
exercise of stock options or warrants outstanding as of the date of the
Agreement, or (c) grants and options to employees and directors under existing
stock option and stock purchase plans.
12
(ix) The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice
of issuance, the Shares on the NASDAQ Stock Market.
(x) The Company has caused each officer and director and Xxxxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxx of the Company to furnish to you, on or prior to the date of this
agreement, a letter or letters, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, pursuant to which each such
person shall agree not to offer, sell, sell short or otherwise dispose of any
shares of Common Stock of the Company or other capital stock of the Company, or
any other securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares
or derivative of Common Shares owned by such person or request the registration
for the offer or sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which such person has
the right to direct the disposition of) for a period of 90 days after the date
of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, except with the prior written consent
of BT Alex. Xxxxx Incorporated ("Lockup Agreements").
(xi) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of the
Shares as set forth in the Prospectus and shall file such reports with the
Commission with respect to the sale of the Shares and the application of the
proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Act.
(xii) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds
received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would
require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to register as an investment
company under the 1940 Act.
(xiii) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary
under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar for the
Common Stock.
(xiv) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be
expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
securities of the Company.
(b) Each of the Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, covenants
and agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(i) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any shares
of Common Stock of the Company or other capital stock of the Company or other
securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock or
derivative of Common Stock owned by the Selling Stockholder or request the
registration for the offer or sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which the
Selling Stockholder has the right to direct the disposition of) will be made for
a period of 90 days after the date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, by
such Selling Stockholder otherwise than hereunder or with the prior written
consent of BT Alex. Xxxxx Incorporated.
(ii) In order to document the Underwriters' compliance with the
reporting and withholding provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility
Act of 1982 and the Interest and Dividend Tax Compliance Act of 1983 with
respect to the transactions herein contemplated,
13
each of the Selling Stockholders agrees to deliver to you prior to or at the
Closing Date a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department
Form W-8 or W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury
Department regulations in lieu thereof).
(iii) Such Selling Stockholder will not take, directly or indirectly,
any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any securities of the Company.
5. COSTS AND EXPENSES.
The Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the
performance of the obligations of the Sellers under this Agreement, including,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following: accounting
fees of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and
the Selling Stockholders; the cost of printing and delivering to, or as
requested by, the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, Preliminary
Prospectuses, the Prospectus, this Agreement, the Underwriters' Selling
Memorandum, the Underwriters' Invitation Letter, the Listing Application, the
Blue Sky Survey and any supplements or amendments thereto; the filing fees of
the Commission; the filing fees and expenses (including legal fees and
disbursements) incident to securing any required review by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") of the terms of the sale of
the Shares; the Listing Fee of the NASDAQ Stock Market; and the expenses,
including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, incurred
in connection with the qualification of the Shares under state securities or
Blue Sky laws. To the extent, if at all, that any of the Selling Stockholders
engage special legal counsel to represent them in connection with this offering,
the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be borne by such Selling
Stockholder. Any transfer taxes imposed on the sale of the Shares to the
several Underwriters will be paid by the Sellers pro rata. The Company agrees
to pay all costs and expenses of the Underwriters, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, incident to the offer and sale of
directed shares of the Common Stock by the Underwriters to employees and persons
having business relationships with the Company and its Subsidiaries. The
Company shall not, however, be required to pay for any other of the Underwriters
expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with the Offering, (other than those related to qualification under
NASD regulation and state securities or Blue Sky laws) except that, if this
Agreement shall not be consummated because the conditions in Section 6 hereof
are not satisfied, or because this Agreement is terminated by the
Representatives pursuant to Section 11 hereof, or by reason of any failure,
refusal or inability on the part of the Company or the Selling Stockholders to
perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition of this Agreement or to comply
with any of the terms hereof on their part to be performed, unless such failure
to satisfy said condition or to comply with said terms be due to the default or
omission of any Underwriter, then the Company shall reimburse the several
Underwriters for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and
disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in connection with investigating,
marketing and proposing to market the Shares or in contemplation of performing
their obligations hereunder; but the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall
not in any event
14
be liable to any of the several Underwriters for damages on account of loss of
anticipated profits from the sale by them of the Shares.
6. CONDITIONS OF OBLIGATION OF THE UNDERWRITERS.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm Shares on
the Closing Date and the Option Shares, if any, on the Option Closing Date are
subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company and the
Selling Stockholders contained herein, and to the performance by the Company and
the Selling Stockholders of their respective covenants and obligations hereunder
and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments thereto
shall have become effective and any and all filings required by Rule 424 and
Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations shall have been made, and any request of
the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the Representatives and
complied with to their reasonable satisfaction. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall
have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been taken or,
to the knowledge of the Company or the Selling Stockholders, shall be
contemplated by the Commission and no injunction, restraining order, or order of
any nature by a Federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been
issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance of the Shares.
(b) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Hunton & Xxxxxxxx,
counsel for the Company and the Selling Stockholders, dated the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters (and
stating that it may be relied upon by counsel to the Underwriters) to the effect
that:
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement; each of the Subsidiaries
has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with corporate
power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as
described in the Registration Statement; the Company and each of the
Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in
which the conduct of their business requires such qualification, or in which the
failure to qualify would have a Materially Adverse Change upon the Company and
the Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and the outstanding shares of capital stock
of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company or a Subsidiary; and,
to the best of such counsel's knowledge, the outstanding shares of capital stock
of each of the Subsidiaries are owned free and clear of all liens, encumbrances
and equities and claims, and no options, warrants or other rights to purchase,
agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any
obligations into any shares of capital stock or of ownership interests in the
Subsidiaries are outstanding.
15
(ii) The Company has authorized and outstanding capital stock as set
forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus; the authorized
shares of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized; the outstanding
shares of the Company's Common Stock, including the Shares to be sold by the
Selling Stockholders, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid and non-assessable; all of the Shares conform to the description thereof
contained in the Prospectus; the certificates for the Shares, assuming they are
in the form filed with the Commission, are in due and proper form; the shares of
Common Stock, including the Option Shares, if any, to be sold by the Company
pursuant to this Agreement have been duly authorized and will be validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable when issued and paid for as contemplated by this
Agreement; and no preemptive rights of stockholders exist with respect to any of
the Shares or the issue or sale thereof.
(iii) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus, to
the knowledge of such counsel, there are no outstanding securities of the
Company convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or
subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no
outstanding or authorized options, warrants or rights of any character
obligating the Company to issue any shares of its capital stock or any
securities convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase
or subscribe for any shares of such stock; and except as described in the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, no holder of any securities of the
Company or any other person has the right, contractual or otherwise, which has
not been satisfied or effectively waived, to cause the Company to sell or
otherwise issue to them, or to permit them to underwrite the sale of, any of the
Shares or the right to have any Common Shares or other securities of the Company
included in the Registration Statement or the right, as a result of the filing
of the Registration Statement, to require registration under the Act of any
shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company.
(iv) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act
and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order proceedings
with respect thereto have been instituted or are pending or threatened under the
Act.
(v) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each amendment or
supplement thereto and document incorporated by reference therein, as of their
respective effective or issue dates, complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Act or the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as applicable, and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder (except
that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements and
related schedules or incorporated by reference therein). The conditions for the
use of Form S-3, set forth in the General Instructions thereto, have been
satisfied.
(vi) The statements under the captions "Risk Factors--Shares Eligible
for Future Sale," and "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" in the Prospectus,
insofar as such statements constitute a summary of documents referred to therein
or matters of law, fairly summarize in all material respects the information
called for with respect to such documents and matters. In the course of such
counsel representation of the Company, nothing has come to the attention of such
counsel to believe that the statement under the caption "Business-Intellectual
Property" do not
16
fairly summarize in all material respects the information called for with
respect to such documents and matters.
(vii) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or documents
required to be filed as exhibits to or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus which are no so filed, incorporated by reference or described as
required, and such contracts and documents as are summarized in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus are fairly summarized in all material respects.
(viii) Such counsel knows of no material legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries
except as set forth in the Prospectus.
(ix) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not
conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, the Charter or By-Laws of the Company, or any
material agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or
any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries may be bound.
(x) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Company.
(xi) No approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body is necessary in connection with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated
(other than as may be required by the NASD or as required by State securities
and Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need express no opinion) except such
as have been obtained or made, specifying the same.
(xii) The Company is not, and will not become, as a result of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and application
of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, required to
register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.
(xiii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered on behalf of the Selling Stockholders.
(xiv) Each Selling Stockholder has full legal right, power and
authority, and any approval required by law (other than as required by State
securities and Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need express no opinion),
to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the portion of the Shares to be sold by
such Selling Stockholder.
(xv) The Custodian Agreement and the Power of Attorney executed and
delivered by each Selling Stockholder is valid and binding.
17
(xvi) The Underwriters (assuming that they are bona fide purchasers
within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code) have acquired good and
marketable title to the Shares being sold by each Selling Stockholder on the
Closing Date, and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, free and clear of
all liens, encumbrances, equities and claims.
In rendering such opinion Hunton & Xxxxxxxx may rely as to matters governed
by laws other than the law of the State of Georgia, the Delaware General
Corporation Law or Federal laws on local counsel in such jurisdictions and as to
the matters set forth in subparagraphs (xiii), (xiv) and (xv) on opinions of
other counsel representing the respective Selling Stockholders, provided that in
each case Hunton & Xxxxxxxx shall state that they believe that they and the
Underwriters are justified in relying on such other counsel. In addition to the
matters set forth above, such opinion shall also include a statement to the
effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which leads them
to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective
under the Act (but after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein
pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the
Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the
Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of
the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading (except that such
counsel need express no view as to financial statements, schedules and
statistical information therein). With respect to such statement, Hunton &
Xxxxxxxx may state that their belief is based upon the procedures set forth
therein, but is without independent check and verification.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx,
L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, substantially to the effect specified
in subparagraphs (ii), (iii), (iv), (ix) and (xi) of Paragraph (b) of this
Section 6, and that the Company is a duly organized and validly existing
corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware. In rendering such opinion
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, L.L.P. may rely as to all matters governed other than
by the laws of the State of Georgia, the Delaware General Corporation Law or
Federal laws on the opinion of counsel referred to in Paragraph (b) of this
Section 6. In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion shall also
include a statement to the effect that nothing has come to the attention of such
counsel which leads them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, or any
amendment thereto, as of the time it became effective under the Act (but after
giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A
under the Act) as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on
the date it was filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact, necessary in
order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances
18
under which they are made, not misleading (except that such counsel need express
no view as to financial statements, schedules and statistical information
therein). With respect to such statement, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, L.L.P. may
state that their belief is based upon the procedures set forth therein, but is
without independent check and verification.
(d) The Representatives shall have received at or prior to the Closing
Date from Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, L.L.P., a memorandum or summary, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representatives, with respect to the qualification
for offering and sale by the Underwriters of the Shares under the State
securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may
reasonably have designated to the Company.
(e) You shall have received, on each of the dates hereof, the Closing Date
and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter dated the date hereof,
the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and
substance satisfactory to you, of KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP confirming that they
are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Act and the
applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder and stating that in their
opinion the financial statements and schedules examined by them and included in
the Registration Statement comply in form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published Rules
and Regulations; and containing such other statements and information as is
ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial and statistical
information contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.
(f) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or certificates of the
Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to the
effect that, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, each of them severally represents as follows:
(i) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registrations Statement has
been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been taken or are, to his
knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;
(ii) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in
Section 1 hereof are true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be;
(iii) All filings required to have been made pursuant to Rules 424 or
430A under the Act have been made;
(iv) He or she has carefully examined the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus and, in his or her opinion, as of the effective date of the
Registration Statement, the statements contained in the Registration Statement
were true and correct in all material respects, and such Registration Statement
and Prospectus did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and
since
19
the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which
should have been set forth in a supplement to or an amendment of the Prospectus
which has not been so set forth in such supplement or amendment; and
(v) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been any Material
Adverse Change or any development involving a prospective Material Adverse
Change in the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
(g) The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders shall have
furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents
confirming the representations and warranties, covenants and conditions
contained herein and related matters as the Representatives may reasonably have
requested.
(h) The Firm Shares and Option Shares, if any, have been approved for
designation upon notice of issuance on the NASDAQ Stock Market.
(i) The Lockup Agreements described in Section 4(x) are in full force
and effect.
The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be deemed
to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in all material
respects satisfactory to the Representatives and to Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxx,
L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters.
If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6 shall
not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be fulfilled,
the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the
Representatives by notifying the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders of
such termination in writing or by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be. In such event, the Selling
Stockholders, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be under any obligation
to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8 hereof).
7. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE SELLERS.
The obligations of the Sellers to sell and deliver the portion of the
Shares required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are
subject to the conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
as the case may be, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened.
8. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Company agrees:
(1) to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person,
if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act, against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter or any
such controlling person may
20
become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise
out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto, (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading any act or failure to act, or (iii) any alleged act
or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any
manner to, the Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is
included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or
action arising out of or based upon matters covered by clause (i) or (ii)
above (provided, that the Company shall not be liable under this clause
(iii) to the extent that it is determined in a final judgment by a court of
competent jurisdiction that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action
resulted directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or
omitted to be taken by such Underwriter through its gross negligence or
willful misconduct); provided, however, that the Company will not be liable
in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such amendment or
supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives specifically for
use in the preparation thereof.
(2) to reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person
upon demand for any legal or other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably
incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage or liability,
action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or governmental inquiry
related to the offering of the Shares, whether or not such Underwriter or
controlling person is a party to any action or proceeding. In the event
that it is finally judicially determined that the Underwriters were not
entitled to receive payments for legal and other expenses pursuant to this
subparagraph, the Underwriters will promptly return all sums that had been
advanced pursuant hereto.
(b) Each of the Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, agree to
indemnify the Underwriters and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which such Underwriter or controlling person may become subject
under the Act or otherwise to the same extent as indemnity is provided by the
Company pursuant to Section 8(a) above. In no event, however, shall the
liability of any Selling Stockholder for indemnification under this Section 8(a)
exceed the proceeds received by such Selling Stockholder from the Underwriters
in the offering. This indemnity obligation will be in addition to any liability
which the Company may otherwise have.
(c) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have
signed the Registration Statement, the Selling Stockholders, and each person, if
any, who controls the Company or the Selling Stockholders within the meaning of
the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to
21
which the Company or any such director, officer, Selling Stockholder or
controlling person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made; and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by the Company or any such director, officer, Selling Stockholder or
controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss,
claim, damage, liability, action or proceeding; provided, however, that each
Underwriter will be liable in each case to the extent, but only to the extent,
that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and
in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or through
the Representatives specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter
may otherwise have.
(d) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person (the "indemnified party") shall
promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the
"indemnifying party") in writing. No indemnification provided for in Section
8(a), (b) or (c) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice
as provided in this Section 8(d) if the party to whom notice was not given was
unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was
materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to
give such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party or parties from any
liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party for contribution or
otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section 8(a), (b) or (c). In
case any such proceeding shall be brought against any indemnified party and it
shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the
indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent
that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly
notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such
indemnified party and shall pay as incurred 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 at its own expense.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or
within 30 days of presentation) the reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel
retained by the indemnified party in the event (i) the indemnifying party and
the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such
counsel, (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 or (iii) the indemnifying
party shall have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to
the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after notice of
commencement of the action. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall
not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the
22
same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than
one separate firm for all such indemnified parties. Such firm shall be
designated in writing by you in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
Section 8(a) or (b) and by the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders in
the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(c). 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. In addition, the indemnifying party will not, without the prior
written consent of the indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the
entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding
of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified
party is an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding)
unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release
of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action
or proceeding.
(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable
to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a), (b)
or (c) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling
Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering
of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately
preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law then each indemnifying
party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits
but also the relative fault of the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders
on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the
statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company and each of the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the
total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the
Company and each of the Selling Stockholders bear to the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set
forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission
to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or any
of the Selling Stockholders on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and
the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity
to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company, each of the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree
that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this
Section 8(e) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters
were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred
23
to above in this Section 8(e). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified
party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or
proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section 8(e) shall be
deemed to include 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 subsection (e), (i) no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares purchased by
such Underwriter, (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within
the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation, and (iii) no
Selling Stockholder shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
proceeds received by such Selling Stockholder from the Underwriters in the
offering. The Underwriters' obligations in this Section 8(e) to contribute are
several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not
joint.
(f) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto,
each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby
consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other
contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be served
upon him or it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of
such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join him or it as
an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing
party is a party.
(g) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an
indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this
Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling
any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any persons
controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment therefor
hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to any
Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity,
contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 8.
9. DEFAULT BY UNDERWRITERS.
If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any
Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Shares which
such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date (otherwise than
by reason of any default on the part of the Company or a Selling Stockholder),
you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, shall use your reasonable efforts
to procure within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the other Underwriters, or
any others, to purchase from the Company and the Selling Stockholders such
amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms set forth herein, the Firm
Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, which the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters failed to purchase. If during such 36
24
hours you, as such Representatives, shall not have procured such other
Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as
the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of shares with respect to which
such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares or Option
Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase
hereunder, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if
the aggregate number of shares of Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may
be, with respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm
Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the Company and the
Selling Stockholders or you as the Representatives of the Underwriters will have
the right, by written notice given within the next 36-hour period to the parties
to this Agreement, to terminate this Agreement without liability on the part of
the non-defaulting Underwriters or of the Company or of the Selling Stockholders
except to the extent provided in Section 8 hereof. In the event of a default by
any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing
Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, may be postponed for such
period, not exceeding seven days, as you, as Representatives, may determine in
order that the required changes in the Registration Statement or in the
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. The term
"Underwriter" includes any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter. Any
action taken under this Section 9 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter
from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this
Agreement.
10. NOTICES.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except as otherwise
provided herein, will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or telegraphed and
confirmed as follows: if to the Underwriters, to BT Alex. Xxxxx Incorporated,
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000; Attention:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx; with a copy to BT Alex. Xxxxx Incorporated, One Bankers Trust
Plaza, 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel;
if to the Company or the Selling Stockholders, to
Datastream Systems, Inc.
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Chief Executive Officer
25
with a copy to: Hunton & Xxxxxxxx
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention: B. Xxxx Xxxxx, Esq.
11. TERMINATION.
(a) This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to the Sellers at
any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the following has occurred: (i)
since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Change or any development
involving a prospective Material Adverse Change in the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or declaration of war
or national emergency or other national or international calamity or crisis or
change in economic or political conditions if the effect of such outbreak,
escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change on the financial
markets of the United States would, in your reasonable judgment, make it
impracticable or inadvisable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for
the sale of the Shares, or (iii) suspension of trading in securities generally
on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or limitation on
prices (other than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) for
securities on either such Exchange, (iv) the enactment, publication, decree or
other promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or
other governmental authority which in your opinion has, or could reasonably be
expected to have, a Material Adverse Change on the Company and the Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, (v) declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or
New York State authorities, (vi) any downgrading, or placement on any watch list
for possible downgrading, in the rating of the Company's debt securities by any
"nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as defined for purposes
of Rule 436(g) under the Exchange Act); (vii) the suspension of trading of the
Company's common stock by the NASDAQ Stock Market, the Commission, or any other
governmental authority, or (viii) the taking of any action by any governmental
body or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your
reasonable opinion has a material adverse effect on the securities markets in
the United States; or
(b) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.
12. SUCCESSORS.
This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the
Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective
successors, executors, administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers,
directors and controlling persons referred to herein, and no other person will
have any right or obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Shares from
any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such
purchase.
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13. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY UNDERWRITERS.
The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters acknowledge and
agree that the only information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter
to the Company for inclusion in any Prospectus or the Registration Statement
consists of the information set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover
page (insofar as such information relates to the Underwriters), legends required
by Item 502(d) of Regulation S-K under the Act and the information under the
caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus.
14. MISCELLANEOUS.
The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements contained in
this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants in this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of (a) any
termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or
its directors or officers, and (c) delivery of and payment for the Shares under
this Agreement.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and
the same instrument.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the
laws of the State of Maryland.
If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof,
whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Selling Stockholders, the
Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Any person executing and delivering this Agreement as Attorney-in-Fact for
a Selling Stockholder represents by so doing that he has been duly appointed as
Attorney-in-Fact by such
27
Selling Stockholder pursuant to a validly existing and binding Power of Attorney
which authorizes such Attorney-in-Fact to take such action.
Very truly yours,
DATASTREAM SYSTEMS, INC.
By: _______________________________________
Selling Stockholders listed on Schedule II
By: _______________________________________
Attorney-in-Fact
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement
is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.
BT ALEX. XXXXX INCORPORATED
HAMBRICHT & XXXXX LLC
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
XXXXXXX XXXXX & ASSOCIATES, INC.
THE XXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXX COMPANY, LLC
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I
By: BT Alex. Xxxxx Incorporated
By: ______________________________
Authorized Officer
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SCHEDULE I
SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS
Number of Firm Shares
Underwriter to be Purchased
----------- ------------------------
BT Alex. Xxxxx Incorporated
Hambricht & Xxxxx LLL
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc.
The Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxxxxx Company, LLC
__________
Total __________
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SCHEDULE II
SCHEDULE OF SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
Number of Firm Shares Number of Option Shares
Selling Stockholder to be Sold to be Sold
------------------- --------------------- -----------------------
__________ __________
Total __________ __________
30
