NORANDA ALUMINUM HOLDING CORPORATION (a Delaware corporation) 10,000,000 Shares of Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
(a Delaware corporation)
10,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
Dated: March 11, 2014
(a Delaware corporation)
10,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
March 11, 2014
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. LLC
0000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and Apollo Investment Fund VI, L.P. and Noranda Holdings, LP (collectively, the “Selling Shareholders”) confirm their respective agreements with Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. LLC (the “Underwriter”), with respect to the sale by the Selling Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, and the purchase by the Underwriter, of the respective numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) set forth in Schedule B hereto and (ii) the grant by the Selling Shareholders to the Underwriter of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 1,500,000 additional shares of Common Stock. The aforesaid 10,000,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriter and all or any part of the 1,500,000 shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are herein called, collectively, the “Securities.”
The Company and the Selling Shareholders understand that the Underwriter proposes to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Underwriter deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-172640) covering the public offering and sale of certain securities, including the Securities, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”), which shelf registration statement has been declared effective by the Commission. Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto to such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;” provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the Applicable Time, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of such registration statement with respect to the Securities within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B, including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under
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the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B. Each preliminary prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus, in the form furnished or made available to the Underwriter by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system) (“XXXXX”).
As used in this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means 7:00 A.M., New York City time, on, March 12, 2014 or such other time as agreed by the Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriter.
“General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the most recent preliminary prospectus (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time and the information included on Schedule C-1 hereto, all considered together.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company or (ii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule C-2 hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “1934 Act”), incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
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reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
For the avoidance of doubt, the $0.01 regular quarterly dividend per share of Common Stock to be paid on March 26, 2014 to shareholders of record as of March 3, 2014 shall be paid to the Selling Shareholders in respect of the Securities being sold under this Agreement, and the Underwriter shall return any amount of any such dividends received by the Underwriter in the event that any portion of any such dividend is inadvertently paid to the Underwriter. For the avoidance of doubt, the Underwriter shall not be responsible for any such dividend received by any person to whom the Underwriter resells Securities.
SECTION 1.Representations and Warranties.
(a)Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below), and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with the Underwriter, as follows:
(i)Registration Statement and Prospectuses. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated.
Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriter pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the 1933 Act Regulations, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriter for use in connection with this offering was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”).
At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
(ii)Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material
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fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such documents incorporated by reference were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) (including any prospectus wrapper) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the second, third and fourth paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting–Price Stabilization, Short Positions” and the information under the heading “Underwriting–Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares” in each case contained in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).
(i) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. No offer that is a written communication relating to the Securities made prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its behalf has been made by or on behalf of the Company.
(ii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent registered public accountants with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.
(iii) Financial Statements. The consolidated historical financial statements, together with the related schedules and notes, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the balance sheets, statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; except as disclosed in such financial
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statements or the notes thereto in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or elsewhere in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved; provided, however, that those financial statements that are unaudited, if any, do not contain all footnotes that may be required under GAAP for annual financial statements. The supporting schedules, if any, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects, and in accordance with GAAP (other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The pro forma financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, if any, present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements according to the requirements of Regulation S-X and have been compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable, in all material respects. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information called for in all material respects and have been prepared materially in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a prospective material adverse change in the business, properties, management, financial position or results of operations of the Company and the subsidiaries of the Company taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”), and (B) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.
(v) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or
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the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(vi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing or equivalent status under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim, other than as contemplated by the (1) Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated as of February 29, 2012, as amended, among the Company, Noranda Aluminum Acquisition Corporation, the lenders party thereto from time to time, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and the other parties thereto; (2) ABL Credit Agreement, dated as of February 29, 2012, as amended, among the Company, Noranda Aluminum Acquisition Corporation, the lenders party thereto from time to time, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and the other parties thereto; (3) Indenture, dated March 8, 2013, by and among Noranda Aluminum Acquisition Corporation, the Guarantors named therein, and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee; (4) liens, encumbrances or defects in place as of the date hereof in connection with other debt outstanding as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, in the case of each of (1) through (4) as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and (5) as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary were issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary.
(vii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement and the General Disclosure Package (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriter from the Selling Shareholders, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriter from the Selling Shareholders, were issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(viii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(ix) Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this Agreement, other
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than those rights that have been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have not been exercised.
(x) Description of the Securities. The Common Stock conforms in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same; no holder of the Securities will be subject to personal liability solely by reason of being such a holder.
(xi) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in (A) violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational documents or (B) default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the Agreements and Instruments, (ii) the charter, by-laws, or similar organizational instruments of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (iii) or any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their assets, properties or operations (a “Governmental Entity”); other than, with respect to (i) and (iii) such conflicts, breaches or defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that, singly or in the aggregate, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(xii) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent which would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiii) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which
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any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiv) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which have not been so described and there are no contracts or documents which are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been filed as required, except for those exhibits subject to a Confidential Treatment Request granted by the Commission on October 4, 2010.
(xv) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate under the control of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or such affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or which would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which has constituted, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(xvi) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property, and which infringement or conflict or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except (A) such as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 0000 Xxx, xxxxx securities or “Blue Sky” laws, in each case, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, (B) such as will have been obtained on or prior to the Closing Time or (C) such consents, approvals, authorizations, or orders as would not materially adversely affect the Underwriter and as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice of proceedings which are outstanding or unresolved relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(xix) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned in fee by the Company and its subsidiaries, and good title to all other tangible property owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances (except for customary easements and rights of way and permitted liens under the agreements described in clauses (1) – (3) of Section 1(a)(viii)) of any kind except (A) such as are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (B) for security interests securing Agreements and Instruments described in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (C) such as do not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the leases and subleases which are in the aggregate material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds tangible property described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice of any material claim that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, which claim would individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xx) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except for such matters as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, and (C) there are no pending administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(xxi) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, (1) there has not been determined to be a material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) there is no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting
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that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries employ disclosure controls and procedures (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.
(xxii) Compliance with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or in connection therewith, applicable to the Company, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(xxiii) Tax Matters. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect: (1) all tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except, in each case, with respect to matters contested in good faith or for which adequate reserves have been provided, in accordance with GAAP and (2) the charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and its subsidiaries in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate under GAAP.
(xxiv) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.
(xxv) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any third party statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required.
(xxvi) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the sale of the offered Securities as herein contemplated, will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
(xxvii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, controlling affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such
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term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, their affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(xxviii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions in which the Company and its subsidiaries do business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit, or proceeding by or before Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(xxix) Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company and its subsidiaries or any affiliate of the Company or its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any former or current director, officer, stockholder, customer or supplier of any of them (including any member of their immediate family), on the other hand, which is required by the 1933 Act or by the 1933 Regulations to be described in a registration statement on Form S-3 which is not so described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(xxx) Suppliers. No supplier of merchandise to the Company or any of its subsidiaries has ceased shipments to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, which cessation would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxxi) ERISA. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any liability for any prohibited transaction or accumulated funding deficiency or any complete or partial withdrawal liability with respect to any pension, profit sharing or other plan which is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries make a contribution and in which any employee of the Company or any such subsidiary is or has ever been a participant, which would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. With respect to such plans, the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of ERISA, except where the failure to so comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxxii) No Conflict with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or controlling affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any of its subsidiaries,
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joint venture partners or other person or entity, (i) to fund any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or is in Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan or in any other country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.
(b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder severally and not jointly represents and warrants to the Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time, as of the Closing Time, and any Date of Delivery, and agrees with the Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Accurate Disclosure. Each Selling Shareholder has reviewed and is familiar with the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and none of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, nor any amendments or supplements thereto includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, provided that the representations and warranties set forth in this subsection (b)(i) apply only to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Selling Shareholder furnished in writing to the Company by such Selling Shareholder specifically for use therein; it being understood that the only such information furnished in writing to the Company by the Selling Shareholders specifically for use therein is that information relating to the Selling Shareholders under the caption “Selling Stockholders” in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.
(ii) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder.
(iii) Noncontravention. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and compliance by such Selling Shareholder with its obligations hereunder do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, (A) conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or any property or assets of such Selling Shareholder pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Shareholder is a party or by which such Selling Shareholder may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Shareholder is subject or (B) result in any violation of (1) the provisions of the charter or by-laws or other organizational instruments of such Selling Shareholder, if applicable, or (2) any applicable treaty, law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over such Selling Shareholder or any of its properties, except, in the cases of clauses (A) and (B)(2), for such conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults as would not adversely affect the ability of the Underwriter to consummate the transactions contemplated hereunder.
(iv) Valid Ownership. Such Selling Shareholder (x) is, and at the Closing Time and any Date of Delivery will be the sole legal, record and beneficial owner of the Securities to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date, and (y) has full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Securities to be delivered by
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such Selling Stockholder at the Closing Time or such Date of Delivery hereunder free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for any liens, encumbrances, equities or claims arising under this Agreement.
(v) Delivery of Securities. Upon payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Securities, as directed by the Underwriter, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (unless delivery of such Securities is unnecessary because such Securities are already in possession of Cede or such nominee), registration of such Securities in the name of Cede or such other nominee (unless registration of such Securities is unnecessary because such Securities are already registered in the name of Cede or such nominee), and the crediting of such Securities on the books of DTC to securities accounts (within the meaning of Section 8-501(a) of the UCC) of the Underwriter (assuming that neither DTC nor the Underwriter has notice of any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the UCC, to such Securities), (A) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriter will acquire a valid “security entitlement” in respect of such Securities and (B) no action (whether framed in conversion, replevin, constructive trust, equitable lien, or other theory) based on any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Securities may be asserted against the Underwriter with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, such Selling Stockholder may assume that when such payment, delivery (if necessary) and crediting occur, (I) such Securities will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (II) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, (III) appropriate entries to the accounts of the Underwriter on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC, (IV) to the extent DTC, or any other securities intermediary which acts as “clearing corporation” with respect to the Securities, maintains any “financial asset” (as defined in Section 8-102(a)(9) of the UCC in a clearing corporation pursuant to Section 8-111 of the UCC, the rules of such clearing corporation may affect the rights of DTC or such securities intermediaries and the ownership interest of the Underwriter, (V) claims of creditors of DTC or any other securities intermediary or clearing corporation may be given priority to the extent set forth in Section 8-511(b) and 8-511(c) of the UCC and (VI) if at any time DTC or other securities intermediary does not have sufficient Securities to satisfy claims of all of its entitlement holders with respect thereto then all holders will share pro rata in the Securities then held by DTC or such securities intermediary.
(vi) Absence of Manipulation. Such Selling Shareholder has not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or would reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(vii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations hereunder in connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except (A) such as have been obtained and made on or prior to the Closing Date, (B) such as may have previously been made or obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, state securities or “Blue Sky” laws, or the rules of FINRA and (C) such as have been obtained under the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside the United States in which the Securities are offered.
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(viii) No Free Writing Prospectuses. Such Selling Shareholder has not prepared or had prepared on its behalf or used or referred to, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405), and has not distributed any written materials in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.
(ix) No Association with FINRA. Neither such Selling Shareholder nor any of its affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with any member firm of FINRA, or is a person associated with a member (within the meaning of the FINRA By-laws) of FINRA, except for Apollo Global Securities, LLC, which will not be participating in any sale of the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.
(x) Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Selling Shareholders intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of the Underwriter.
(c) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriter shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any certificate signed by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder as such and delivered to the Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriter shall be deemed a representation and warranty by such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriter; Closing.
(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each Selling Shareholder, acting severally and not jointly, agrees to sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from each Selling Shareholder, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite the name of each Selling Shareholder.
(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Selling Shareholders, collectively but not individually, hereby grant an option to the Underwriter to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 shares of Common Stock, as set forth on Schedule B, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted may be exercised on or before the day that is 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time upon notice by the Underwriter to the Selling Shareholders setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the Underwriter is then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Underwriter, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time.
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Fried, Frank, Harris, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, Xxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, 00000, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company and the Selling Shareholders, at 9:00 a.m., (New York City time) on March 17, 2014, or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the
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Company and the Selling Shareholders in writing (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriter, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Underwriter to the Selling Shareholders.
Payment shall be made to the Selling Shareholders by wire transfer of immediately available funds to bank accounts designated by the Selling Shareholders against delivery to the Underwriter of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them.
(d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Underwriter may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the Underwriter in The City of New York not later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company and the Selling Shareholders. The Company (and with respect to paragraphs (j) and (m) below, the Selling Shareholders) covenants with the Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify in writing the Underwriter promptly after receiving notice thereof, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement relating to the Securities shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Securities, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement, the filing of a new registration statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein or otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or for additional information related thereto, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or such new registration statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will use reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof as soon as reasonably practicable.
(b) Filing of Amendments and 1934 Act Documents. The Company will give the Underwriter notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing
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under Rule 462(b)) or any amendment, supplement or revision to either any preliminary prospectus (including any prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective) or to the Prospectus, and will furnish the Underwriter with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriter shall reasonably object. The Company will give the Underwriter notice of its intention to make any filings pursuant to the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Underwriter with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein) and, if requested, signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriter, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for the Underwriter. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to the Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as the Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the Prospectus is (but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading or to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Underwriter and, if requested by the Underwriter, promptly prepare and file with the Commission such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriter such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriter may reasonably request. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would
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conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement relating to the Securities or any preliminary prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriter, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Underwriter may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the later of the effective date of the Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
(g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriter the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) [Reserved].
(i) Listing. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the listing of the Common Stock (including the Securities) on the New York Stock Exchange.
(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 45 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company and each Selling Shareholder will not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including shares of Common Stock registered on any registration statement on Form S-8 under the 1933 Act with respect to the foregoing, (D) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan, including shares of Common Stock registered on any registration statement on Form S-8 under the 1933 Act with respect to the foregoing or (E) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company to owners of businesses which the Company may acquire in the future, whether by merger, acquisition of assets or capital stock or otherwise, as consideration for the acquisition of such businesses or to management employees of such businesses in connection with such acquisitions; provided that no more than an aggregate of 5% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the Closing
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Time are issued as consideration in connection with all such acquisitions; provided further, that the Underwriter receives a signed lock up agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto for the balance of the 45-day restricted period from the recipients receiving Common Stock in connection with such acquisitions, including such shares registered on Form S-4 under the 1933 Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, each Selling Shareholder may transfer the Securities without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, provided that (i) the Underwriter receives a signed lock-up letter agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit hereto, for the balance of the lockup period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be, (ii) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (iii) such transfers are not required to be reported with the Commission on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 of the 1934 Act and (iv) such Selling Shareholder does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfers: (a) as a bona fide gift or gifts, (b) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of such Selling Shareholder or the immediate family of such Selling Shareholder (for purposes of this section 3(i), “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin), (c) as a distribution to limited partners or stockholders or members of such Selling Shareholder or (d) to such Selling Shareholder’s affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by such Selling Shareholder.
(k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations.
(l) [Reserved].
(m) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Underwriter, and the Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and each Selling Shareholder, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433, provided that the Underwriter will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule C-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Underwriter. Any such free writing prospectus consented to or deemed consented to by the Company and the Underwriter is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” Each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and the Company agrees that it has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
(n) Tax Forms. Such Selling Stockholder has delivered or will deliver to the Underwriter prior to or at the Closing Time a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9
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or Form W-8, as applicable (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company, on behalf of the Company and the Selling Shareholders, will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company and the Selling Shareholders under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriter of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriter, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriter, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s and Selling Shareholders’ counsel, accountants and other advisors (for the avoidance of doubt, the Company will not be responsible for the fees and disbursements of the Underwriter’s counsel, except as provided in (v), (vii) and (x) below and Section 4(c) hereof), (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of a Blue Sky survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriter of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriter to investors, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriter of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (ix) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriter in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities and (x) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange.
(b) Expenses of the Selling Shareholders. The Company, on behalf of the Selling Shareholders, will pay all expenses incident to the performance of the Selling Shareholders’ obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement, including (i) any stamp duties, capital duties and stock transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities to the Underwriter and (ii) the fees and disbursements of their counsel and other advisors.
(c) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Underwriter in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or Section 11 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriter for all of its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter incurred by the Underwriter in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities not so delivered.
(d) Allocation of Expenses. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Shareholders may make for the sharing of such costs and expenses.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriter’s Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholders delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and each of the Selling Shareholders of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
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(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become effective, and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. A prospectus containing the Rule 430B Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B.
(b) Opinion Letter of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the opinion letter (which shall include negative assurance language), dated as of the Closing Time, of Wachtell, Lipton, Xxxxx & Xxxx, special counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter.
(c) Opinion Letter of General Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the opinion letter, dated as of the Closing Time, of the General Counsel of the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter.
(d) Opinion Letter of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders. At Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the opinion letter, dated as of the Closing Time, of Wachtell, Lipton, Xxxxx & Xxxx, special counsel for the Selling Shareholders, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter.
(e) Opinion Letter of Counsel for Underwriter. At Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the opinion letter, dated as of the Closing Time, of Fried, Frank, Harris, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter. Such counsel may state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries, certificates of the Selling Shareholders and certificates of public officials.
(f) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, any Material Adverse Effect, and the Underwriter shall have received a certificate of an executive officer of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied in all respects with all agreements and satisfied in all respects all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated by the Commission.
(g) Certificates of the Selling Shareholders. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received a certificate from each Selling Shareholder, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of each Selling Shareholder contained in Section 1(b) hereof are true and correct in all respects with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time and (ii) such Selling Shareholder has complied in all respects with all agreements and satisfied in all respects all conditions on its part to be performed under this Agreement at or prior to Closing Time.
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(h) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in an accountant’s “comfort letter” with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(i) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (h) of this Section, except that it shall cover the financial information contained and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
(j) Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
(k) No Objection. FINRA has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities.
(l) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.
(m) Maintenance of Rating. Since the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) under the 0000 Xxx) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.
(n) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriter exercises its option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company and each of the Selling Shareholders contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company or any of its subsidiaries and each of the Selling Shareholders hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Underwriter shall have received:
(i) Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of an executive officer of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii) Certificates of the Selling Shareholders. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, from each Selling Shareholder confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(iii) Opinion Letter of Counsel for Company. The opinion letter of Wachtell, Lipton, Xxxxx & Xxxx, special counsel for the Company, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.
(iv) Opinion Letter of General Counsel for the Company. The opinion letter of the General Counsel of the Company, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to
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be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5I.
(v) Opinion Letter of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders. The opinion letter of Wachtell, Lipton, Xxxxx & Xxxx, special counsel for the Selling Shareholders, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) thereof.
(vi) Opinion Letter of Counsel for Underwriter. The opinion letter of Fried, Frank, Harris, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(e) hereof.
(vii) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from Ernst & Young LLP, dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriter pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(o) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriter shall have been furnished with such documents as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained.
(p) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the Underwriter to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 18 and 19 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriter by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents, directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the express approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (“Marketing Materials”), including any investor presentations made
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to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Underwriter), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any Marketing Materials in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(b) Indemnification of the Underwriter by the Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its Affiliates and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the extent and in the manner set forth in clauses (a)(i), (ii) and (iii) above; provided, however, that each Selling Shareholder shall be liable 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 General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance on and in conformity with written information provided by such Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (the “Selling Shareholder Information”), it being understood that the only such information furnished by the Selling Shareholders consists of the statements relating to the Selling Shareholders under the caption “Principal and Selling Shareholders” in any Registration Statement as of any time and the caption “Selling Stockholders” in the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; provided, further, that the liability under this subsection of each Selling Shareholder shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate gross proceeds after underwriting commissions and discounts, but before expenses, to such Selling Shareholder from the sale of Securities sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder.
(c) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling Shareholders by the Underwriter. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and each Selling Shareholders, its directors, each of its officers and each person, if any, who controls any Selling Shareholder within the meaning
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of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) or 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Underwriter, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(c) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party may elect in writing to assume the defense of such action or proceeding, and upon such election, the indemnified party shall not be liable for any legal costs subsequently incurred by any indemnified party (other than reasonable costs of investigation and providing evidence) in connection therewith, unless (i) the indemnifying party has failed to provide counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party in a timely manner, (ii) counsel reasonably determines that its representation of such indemnified parties could potentially or would present it with a conflict of interest or (iii) the indemnified parties reasonably determine that there may be legal defenses available to the indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any one local counsel in each jurisdiction) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(e) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(f) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification. The provisions of this Section 6 shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to indemnification.
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SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and of the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total aggregate gross proceeds after underwriting commissions and discounts, but before expenses, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement received by the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriter, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.
The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholders on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Shareholders or by the Underwriter and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Each Selling Shareholder shall not be required to contribute (x) in any circumstances in which the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses arose from matters other than the Selling Shareholder Information or (y) any amount in excess of the amount by which the aggregate gross proceeds after underwriting commissions and discounts, but before expenses, to such Selling Shareholder from the sale of Securities sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder exceed the amount of any damages which the Selling Shareholder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
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No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and the Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as the Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or the Selling Shareholders, as the case may be.
The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to contribution.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of the Selling Shareholders submitted pursuant hereto shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling the Underwriter, its officers or directors, any person controlling the Company or any person controlling the Selling Shareholders and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination. The Underwriter may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Underwriter, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (iv) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or (v) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18 and 19 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. [Reserved].
SECTION 11. Default by one or more of the Selling Shareholders. If a Selling Shareholder shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery, as the case may be, to sell and deliver the number of Securities which such Selling Shareholder is obligated to sell hereunder, and the remaining Selling Shareholder does not exercise the right hereby granted to increase the number of Securities to be sold by it hereunder to the
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total number to be sold by all Selling Shareholders as set forth in Schedule B hereto, then the Underwriter may, at its option, by notice to the Company and the non-defaulting Selling Shareholder either (i) terminate this Agreement without any liability on the fault of any non-defaulting party except that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18 and 19 shall remain in full force and effect or (ii) elect to purchase the Securities which the non-defaulting Selling Shareholder and the Company have agreed to sell hereunder. No action taken pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve such Selling Shareholder so defaulting from liability, if any, in respect of such default. In the event of a default by any Selling Shareholder as referred to in this Section 11, each of the Underwriter, the Company and the non-defaulting Selling Shareholder shall have the right to postpone the Date of Delivery with respect to the Option Securities, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.
SECTION 12. Tax Disclosure. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, immediately upon commencement of discussions with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company and the Selling Shareholders (and each employee, representative or other agent of the Company and the Selling Shareholders) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Company and the Selling Shareholders relating to such tax treatment and tax structure. For purposes of the foregoing, the term “tax treatment” is the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the term “tax structure” includes any fact that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transactions contemplated hereby.
SECTION 13. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriter shall be directed to it at Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. LLC, Attention Global Capital Markets Syndicate Desk, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to Fried, Frank, Harris, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, Xxx Xxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, attention of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq. Notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, attention of Xxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq. with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to Wachtell, Lipton, Xxxxx & Xxxx, 00 X. 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, attention of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Esq. and notices to the Selling Shareholders shall be directed to Apollo Management, L.P., 0 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, attention of Xxxx X. Press and the Company at 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, attention of Xxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq., with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to Wachtell, Lipton, Xxxxx & Xxxx, 00 X. 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, attention of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Esq.
SECTION 14. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. Each of the Company and the Selling Shareholders acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, the Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any Selling Shareholders, or its respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) the Underwriter has not assumed and will not assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or any Selling Shareholder with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any Selling Shareholder on other matters) and the Underwriter has no obligation to the Company or any Selling
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Shareholder with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriter and its affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of each of the Company and each Selling Shareholder, and (e) the Underwriter has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company and each of the Selling Shareholders has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
SECTION 15. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriter with respect to the subject matter hereof.
SECTION 16. Parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from the Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 17. Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates), each of the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriter hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
SECTION 18. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan, unless any such Federal court determines that it lacks jurisdiction over a Related Proceeding in which case such Related Proceeding shall be instituted in the courts of the State of New York, in each case located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party not located in the United States irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System as its agent to receive service of process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and County of New York. With respect to any Related Proceeding, each party irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction, service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the
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Specified Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as amended.
SECTION 19. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.
SECTION 20. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 21. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
SECTION 22. Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriter is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies its clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of its clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriter to properly identify its clients.
SECTION 23. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by telecopier, facsimile or other electronic transmission (i.e., a “pdf,” “jpeg” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof.
SECTION 24. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Selling Shareholders a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Shareholders in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Chief Administrative Officer, Vice President of Human Resources, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Chief Administrative Officer, Vice President of Human Resources, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
APOLLO INVESTMENT FUND VI, L.P.
By: Apollo Advisors VI, L.P., its general Partner
By: Apollo Capital Management VI, LLC, its general partner
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
NORANDA HOLDINGS, L.P.
By: Noranda Holdings LLC, its general partner
By: Apollo Management VI, L.P., its manager
By: AIF VI Management, LLC, its general partner
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
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CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
By: XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. LLC
By: /s/ Xxxxxx XxxXxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx XxxXxxxx
Title: Executive Director
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SCHEDULE A
The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the Underwriter shall be $4.50.
For the avoidance of doubt, the $0.01 regular quarterly dividend per share of Common Stock to be paid on March 26, 2014 to shareholders of record as of March 3, 2014 shall be paid to the Selling Shareholders in respect of the Securities being sold under this Agreement, and the Underwriter shall return any amount of any such dividends received by the Underwriter in the event that any portion of any such dividend is inadvertently paid to the Underwriter. For the avoidance of doubt, the Underwriter shall not be responsible for any such dividend received by any person to whom the Underwriter resells Securities. | |
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SCHEDULE B
Number of Initial Securities to be Sold | Maximum Number of Option Securities to Be Sold | |
Apollo Investment Fund VI, L.P. | 5,205,030 | 780,755 |
Noranda Holdings, L.P. | 4,794,970 | 719,245 |
Total | 10,000,000 | 1,500,000 |
Sch B
SCHEDULE C-1
10,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
Pricing Terms
1. The Selling Shareholders are selling 10,000,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock.
2. The Selling Shareholders have granted an option to the Underwriter to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock.
3. The public offering price is, as to each investor, the price paid by such investor.
SCHEDULE C-2
Free Writing Prospectuses
None.
Sch C
SCHEDULE D
Apollo Alternative Assets, L.P.
Apollo Management VI, L.P.
Apollo Investment Fund VI, L.P.
Noranda Holdings, L.P.
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[Form of lock-up letter]
Exhibit A
____________, 2014
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. LLC
0000 Xxxxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Re: Proposed Public Offering of Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation Common Stock
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, a [ ] of Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), understands that Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. LLC (the “Underwriter”) proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company and the Selling Shareholders providing for the public offering of shares (the “Securities”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) by the Selling Shareholders named in the Underwriting Agreement. In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a stockholder, officer and/or director of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with the Underwriter that, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the date that is 45 days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of the Company’s Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”), or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any of the Lock-up Securities, or file or cause to be filed any registration statement in connection therewith, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer the Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, provided that (1) the Underwriter receives a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the lockup period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be, (2) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (3) such transfers are not required to be reported with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and (4) the undersigned does not voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfers:
(e) | as a bona fide gift or gifts; or |
(f) | to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); or |
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(g) | as a distribution to limited partners, members or stockholders of the undersigned; or |
(h) | to the undersigned’s affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may sell Lock-Up Securities pursuant to any transfer of shares of Securities by the undersigned to the Company deemed to occur upon the cashless exercise of stock options granted pursuant to the Company’s employee benefit plans existing as of the date hereof, provided that any shares of Securities received upon such exercise will be subject to the provisions and restrictions herein.
Furthermore, the undersigned may sell during the 45 day lockup period shares of Common Stock of the Company purchased by the undersigned on the open market following the offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement if and only if (i) such sales are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities Exchange Commission, or otherwise and (ii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales.
The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for, and delivery of, the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this lock-up agreement.
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 Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
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Very truly yours,
Signature:
Print Name:
[Signature Page to Lock-Up Letter]