Tudou Holdings Limited [—] American Depositary Shares Each Representing [—] Class B Ordinary Shares, Par Value US$0.0001 Per Share UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
Tudou Holdings Limited
[—] American Depositary Shares
Each Representing [—] Class B Ordinary Shares, Par Value US$0.0001 Per Share
, 2011
CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC
Eleven Madison Avenue,
U.S.A.
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
XXXXXXXXXXX & CO. INC.
[—]
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters,
Dear Sirs:
1. Introductory. Tudou Holdings Limited, a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability (the “Company”), agrees with the several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters”) to issue and sell to the several Underwriters [—] American depositary shares (the “ADSs”), each ADS representing [—] Class B ordinary shares of the Company at par value US$0.0001 per share (“Ordinary Shares”) and Xx. Xxxx Wei (together with First Easy Group Limited, a company duly incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (“First Easy”), which is wholly controlled by Xx. Xxxx Wei, the “Selling Shareholder”) agree severally with the Underwriters to sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate of [—] ADSs (such [—] ADSs being hereinafter referred to as the “Firm Securities”). The Company also agrees to issue and sell (as applicable) to the Underwriters, at the option of the Underwriters, an aggregate of not more than [—] additional ADSs (the “Optional Securities”). The Firm Securities and the Optional Securities, in each case including the underlying Ordinary Shares are herein collectively called the “Offered Securities”.
The Offered Securities purchased by the Underwriters will be evidenced by American depositary receipts (“ADRs”) to be issued pursuant to a deposit agreement dated as of [—], 2011 (the “Deposit Agreement”) to be entered into among the Company, The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary (the “Depositary”), and the holders from time to time of the ADRs. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. shall act as representative (the “Representatives”) of the Underwriters.
As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. (the “Designated Underwriter”) have agreed to reserve out of the Firm Securities purchased by them under this Agreement, an aggregate of not more than [—] ADSs, for sale to the Company’s directors, officers, employees and other parties associated with the Company (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in the Final Prospectus (as defined herein) under the heading “Underwriting” (the “Directed Share Program”). The Firm Securities to be sold by the Designated Underwriter pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the “Directed Shares”) will be sold by the Designated Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement at initial public offering price, subject to the terms of this Agreement, the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (the “FINRA”) and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations. Any Directed Shares not subscribed for by the end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholder.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:
(i) Filing and Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Certain Defined Terms. The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333- 170485) covering the registration of the Offered Securities under the Act, including a related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses. At any particular time, this initial registration statement, in the form then on file with the Commission, including all information contained in the registration statement (if any) pursuant to Rule 462(b) and then deemed to be a part of the initial registration statement, and all 430A Information and all 430C Information, that in any case has not then been superseded or modified, shall be referred to as the “Initial Registration Statement”. The Company may also have filed, or may file with the Commission, a Rule 462(b) registration statement covering the registration of Offered Securities. At any particular time, this Rule 462(b) registration statement, in the form then on file with the Commission, including the contents of the Initial Registration Statement incorporated by reference therein and including all 430A Information and all 430C Information, that in any case has not then been superseded or modified, shall be referred to as the “Additional Registration Statement”. A registration statement on Form F-6 (No. 333-[—]) relating to the ADSs has been filed with the Commission and has become effective (such registration statement on Form F-6, including all exhibits thereto, as amended at the time such registration becomes effective, being hereinafter called the “ADS Registration Statement”). No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post effective amendment thereto, the Additional Registration Statement, if any, or the ADS Registration is in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose is pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.
As of the time of execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Initial Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Act and is not proposed to be amended. Any Additional Registration Statement has or will become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) and is not proposed to be amended. The Offered Securities shall have been or will be duly registered under the Act pursuant to the Initial Registration Statement and, if applicable, the Additional Registration Statement.
For purposes of this Agreement:
“430A Information”, with respect to any registration statement, means information included in a prospectus and retroactively deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(b).
“430C Information”, with respect to any registration statement, means information included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430C.
“Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Applicable Time” means [7:00 pm] (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.
“Closing Date” has the meaning defined in Section 3 hereof.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Effective Time” with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or, if filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Additional Registration Statement means the date and time as of which such Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission or has become effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(c). If an Additional Registration Statement has not been filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement but the Company has advised the Representatives that it proposes to file one, “Effective Time” with respect to such Additional Registration Statement means the date and time as of which such Registration Statement is filed and becomes effective pursuant to Rule 462(b).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2
“Final Prospectus” means the Statutory Prospectus that discloses the public offering price, other 430A Information and other final terms of the Offered Securities and otherwise satisfies Section 10(a) of the Act.
“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being so specified in Schedule C to this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Offered Securities 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).
“Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not a General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
The Initial Registration Statement and the Additional Registration Statement are referred to collectively as the “Registration Statements” and individually as a “Registration Statement”. A “Registration Statement” with reference to a particular time means the Initial Registration Statement and any Additional Registration Statement as of such time. A “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such Registration Statement as of its Effective Time. For purposes of the foregoing definitions, 430A Information with respect to a Registration Statement shall be considered to be included in such Registration Statement as of the time specified in Rule 430A.
“Rules and Regulations” means the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act or the Exchange Act.
“Securities Laws” means, collectively, the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx”), the Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations, the auditing principles, rules, standards and practices applicable to auditors of “issuers” (as defined in Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and, as applicable the rules of the NASDAQ Global Market (“Exchange Rules”).
“Statutory Prospectus” with reference to a particular time means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any 430A Information or 430C Information with respect to such Registration Statement. For purposes of the foregoing definition, 430A Information shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus as of the actual time that form of prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or Rule 462(c) and not retroactively.
Unless otherwise specified, a reference to a “rule” is to the indicated rule under the Act.
(ii) Compliance with Securities Act Requirements. (A) (x) At their respective Effective Times, (y) on the date of this Agreement and (z) on each Closing Date, each of the Initial Registration Statement, the Additional Registration Statement (if any) and the ADS Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (B) on its date, at the time of filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (if no such filing is required) at the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement in which the Final Prospectus is included, and on each Closing Date, the Final Prospectus will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, and (C) on the date of this Agreement, at their respective Effective Times or issue dates and on each Closing Date, each Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, any Statutory Prospectus, any prospectus wrapper and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied or comply, and such documents and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Final Prospectus, any Statutory Prospectus, any prospectus wrapper or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any such document based upon written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(c) hereof.
3
(iii) Ineligible Issuer Status. (A) At the time of the initial filing of the Initial Registration Statement (and any post-effective amendment thereto) and (B) at the date of this Agreement, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, including (x) the Company or any other entity that at the time was a subsidiary of the Company in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 and (y) the Company or any of its predecessors in the preceding three years not having been the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar proceeding, not having had a registration statement be the subject of a proceeding under Section 8 of the Act and not being the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities, all as described in Rule 405.
(iv) General Disclosure Package. As of the Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the preliminary prospectus, dated [—], 2011 (which is the most recent Statutory Prospectus distributed to investors generally) and the other information, if any, stated in Schedule C to this Agreement to be included in the General Disclosure Package, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (B) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Statutory Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c) hereof.
(v) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representatives as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted conflicts or will conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus. 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 then contained in the Registration Statement or as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, 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 under which they were made, not misleading, (A) the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representatives and (B) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission; and no order preventing or suspending the use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission. The preceding two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c) hereof.
4
(vi) No Unapproved Marketing Documents. The Company has not distributed, directly or indirectly, and, prior to the later to occur of any delivery date and completion of the distribution of the Offered Securities, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities other than any preliminary prospectus, the prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representatives have consented in accordance with this Agreement and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth on Schedule C hereto.
(vii) Registration Statement Exhibits. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings or contracts or other documents of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, any Additional Registration Statement or the most recent preliminary prospectus or, in the case of documents, to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that are not described and filed as required (collectively, the “Filed Contracts”). Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has knowledge that any other party to any Filed Contract has any intention not to render full performance as contemplated by the terms thereof that (i) would, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, general affairs, management, shareholders equity, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (ii) prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (the occurrence of any such effect or any such prevention described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being referred to as a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(viii) Foreign Private Issuer. The Company is a “foreign private issuer” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.
(ix) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) Subsidiaries. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or entity other than as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; each subsidiary of the Company (including the Affiliated Consolidated Entities (as defined below)) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, and except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, has power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; and each subsidiary of the Company (including the Affiliated Consolidated Entities (as defined below)) is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital shares and/or equity interests, as the case may be, of each subsidiary of the Company (including the Affiliated Consolidated Entities (as defined below)) has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and the capital shares and/or equity interests, as the case may be, of each subsidiary owned by the Company (including the Affiliated Consolidated Entities (as defined below)), directly or through subsidiaries or nominee shareholders, are owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects, except for those encumbrances on the equity interests of the Affiliated Consolidated Entities (as defined below) as provided in the Contractual Arrangements (as defined below).
5
(xi) Offered Securities. The Offered Securities, the Ordinary Shares and all other outstanding shares of the Company have been duly authorized; the authorized share capital of the Company is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; all outstanding shares of the Company are, and, when the Offered Securities have been issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement, as the case may be, on each Closing Date, such Offered Securities will have been, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will conform to the information in the General Disclosure Package and to the description of such Offered Securities contained in the Final Prospectus; the shareholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Offered Securities; and none of the outstanding shares of the Company, including the Ordinary Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder, have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder. The Offered Securities and the underlying Ordinary Shares to be sold by the Company, when issued and delivered against payment heretofore pursuant to this Agreement, will not be subject to any security interest, other encumbrance or adverse claims, and will have been issued in compliance with all U.S. federal, state and Cayman Island securities laws and will not have been issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right; upon payment of the purchase price in accordance with this Agreement on each Closing Date, the Depositary or its nominee, as the registered holder of the Ordinary Shares represented by the Offered Securities, will be, subject to the terms of the Deposit Agreement, entitled to all the rights of a shareholder conferred by the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company; except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and subject to the terms and provisions of the Deposit Agreement, there are no restrictions on transfers of Ordinary Shares represented by the Offered Securities or the Offered Securities under the laws of the Cayman Islands, the PRC or the United States, as the case may be; the Ordinary Shares represented by the Offered Securities may be freely deposited by the Company with the Depositary or its nominee against issuance of ADRs evidencing the Offered Securities as contemplated by the Deposit Agreement.
(xii) No Personal Liability. No holder of any of the Offered Securities after the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement is or will be subject to any personal liability in respect of any liability of the Company solely by virtue of its holding of the Offered Securities; and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no limitations on the rights of holders of the Ordinary Shares or the ADSs to hold, vote or transfer their securities.
(xiii) [Intentionally left blank.]
(xiv) No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company or any of its subsidiaries and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.
(xv) Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company or any of its subsidiaries and any person granting such person the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under the Act. (collectively, “registration rights”), and any person to whom the Company or any of its subsidiaries has granted registration rights has agreed not to exercise such rights until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period referred to in Section 5(l) hereof.
(xvi) Listing. The Offered Securities have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Global Market, subject to notice of issuance.
6
(xvii) Absence of Further Requirements. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no consent, clearance, approval or authorization from, or order of, or qualification by, or filing or registration with (a “Governmental Authorization”), any person (including any governmental agency or body or stock exchange authority or any court) (a “Governmental Agency”) is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement in connection with the offer, issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by the Company and the Selling Shareholder and the deposit of the Offered Securities with the Depositary against issuance of ADRs evidencing the ADSs, except such as have been obtained, or made and such as may be required under state securities laws. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no authorization, consent, approval, license, qualification or order of, or filing or registration with any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) in any foreign jurisdiction is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of the Directed Shares under the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction except such as have been obtained or made.
(xviii) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from any material liens, charges, encumbrances and defects, and the Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them.
(xix) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, and the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities, including the deposit of the Ordinary Shares with the Depositary and the issuance of the ADRs evidencing the ADSs and the listing of the Offered Securities on the NASDAQ Global Market, do not and will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject except in the cases of (ii) and (iii) such violation, breach or default, which would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, 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.
(xx) Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective memorandum and articles of association or equivalent constituent document or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxi) No Violations. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in breach of or in default under any laws, regulations, rules, orders, decrees, guidelines or notices of the PRC, the Cayman Islands or any other jurisdiction where it was incorporated or operates, or (B) in breach of or in default under any Governmental Authorization of any Governmental Agency in the PRC, the Cayman Islands or any other jurisdiction where it was incorporated or operates, except where such breach or default would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
7
(xxii) Validity of Contracts. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, (A) no Governmental Authorization of any Governmental Agency, is required for the validity, enforceability or effectiveness of any customer agreement, indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject (the “Company Contracts”) other than consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings or registrations that have been obtained or completed, or the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings or registrations would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (B) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the Company Contracts and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or to the best knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, any other party to any such contract or agreement, except such termination or non-renewal as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (C) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or to the best knowledge of the Company, any other party to any Company Contract is in violation or breach of any PRC, Cayman, national, provincial, municipal or other local law, regulation, statute, rule or order, which violation or breach could invalidate, impair or result in any fine, penalty or government sanction with regard to any Company Contract, except such violations or breaches that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xxiv) Authorization of the Deposit Agreement. The Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Depositary, constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity; upon due issuance by the Depositary of ADRs evidencing ADSs against the deposit of the Ordinary Shares in respect thereof in accordance with the Deposit Agreement, such ADRs will be duly and validly issued and the holders and beneficial owners thereof will be entitled to the rights specified therein and in the Deposit Agreement; and the Deposit Agreement and the ADRs conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.
(xxv) Validity of Choice of Law. The choice of laws of the State of New York as the governing law of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement is a valid choice of law under the laws of the Cayman Islands and, subject to the applicable provisions under the PRC civil law, the laws of the PRC and will be honored by courts in the Cayman Islands and, to the extent permitted under the PRC civil law and rules of civil procedures, will be honored by the courts in the PRC. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 16 of this Agreement and Section 19 of the Deposit Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the personal jurisdiction of each U.S. federal court and New York state court located in the Borough of Manhattan, in The City of New York, New York, U.S.A. (each, a “New York Court”), and the Company has the power to designate, appoint and authorize, and pursuant to Section 16 of this Agreement and Section [—] of the Deposit Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably designated, appointed and authorized an agent for service of process in any action arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement or the Offered Securities in any New York Court, and service of process effected on such authorized agent will be effective to confer valid personal jurisdiction over the Company as provided in Section 16 hereof.
8
(xxvi) No Immunity. Neither the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of their respective properties, assets or revenues has any right of immunity under Cayman Islands, PRC or New York law, from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from the giving of any relief in any such legal action, suit or proceeding, from set-off or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any Cayman Islands, PRC, New York or U.S. federal court, from service of process, attachment upon or prior to judgment, or attachment in aid of execution of judgment, or from execution of a judgment, or other legal process or proceeding for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of a judgment, in any such court, with respect to its obligations, liabilities or any other matter under or arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the Deposit Agreement; and, to the extent that the Company, or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or revenues may have or may hereafter become entitled to any such right of immunity in any such court in which proceedings may at any time be commenced, each of the Company and its subsidiaries waives or will waive such right to the extent permitted by law and has consented to such relief.
(xxvii) Enforceability of Civil Liabilities. Any final judgment for a fixed sum of money rendered by a New York Court having jurisdiction under its own domestic laws in respect of any suit, action or proceeding against the Company based upon this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement would be subject to enforcement proceedings against the Company as a debt in the Cayman Islands courts without re-examining the merits of the case under the common law doctrine of obligation; provided that (A) adequate service of process has been effected and the defendant has had a reasonable opportunity to be heard, (B) such judgments or the enforcement thereof are not contrary to natural justice or the law, public policy, security or sovereignty of the Cayman Islands, (C) such judgments were not obtained by fraudulent means and do not conflict with any other valid judgment in the same matter between the same parties, and (D) an action between the same parties in the same matter is not pending in any Cayman Islands court at the time the lawsuit is instituted in the foreign court; it is not necessary that this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the prospectus or any other document be filed or recorded with any court or other authority in the Cayman Islands or the PRC as of the date hereof or the Closing Date. Any judgment obtained in any New York Court arising out of or in relation to the obligations of the Company and the Selling Shareholder under this Agreement may be recognized in PRC courts subject to the applicable provisions of the Civil Procedure Law, the General Principles of Civil Law and any other applicable law of the PRC relating to the enforceability of foreign judgments and except as described under the heading “Enforceability of Civil Liabilities” in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.
(xxviii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries possess, and are in compliance with the terms of, all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits (“Licenses”) necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted by them.
(xxix) Absence of Labor Dispute. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the best knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent material labor disturbance by the employees of any of its subsidiaries, principal suppliers, contractors, clients or business partners.
(xxx) Possession of Intellectual Property. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, domain names, licenses, approvals, trade secrets, inventions, technology, know-how and other intellectual property and similar rights, including registrations and applications for registration thereof (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted by them. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and to the Company’s knowledge (A) there are no rights of third parties to any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company or its subsidiaries; (B) there is no material infringement, misappropriation breach, default or other violation, or the occurrence of any event that with notice or the passage of time would constitute any of the foregoing by the Company or its subsidiaries or, third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights of the Company or its subsidiaries; (C) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s or any subsidiary’s rights in or to, or the violation of any of the terms of, any of their Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts that would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (D) there is no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts that would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (E) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company or any subsidiary infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates or conflicts with any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any other fact that would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (F) none of the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or its subsidiaries in their businesses has been obtained or is being used by the Company or its subsidiaries in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of its subsidiaries in violation of the rights of any persons, except in each case covered by clauses (A) – (F) such as would not, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and (G) the Company has adopted and will maintain policies that comply with the “safe harbor” provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
9
(xxxi) Environmental Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any Environmental Laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim.
(xxxii) Accurate Disclosure. The statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Risk Factors,” “Dividend Policy,” “Enforceability of Civil Liabilities,” “Business,” “Regulation,” “Our Industry,” “Management,” “Related Party Transactions,” “Description of Share Capital,” “Description of American Depositary Shares,” “Share Eligible for Future Sale,” and “Taxation” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown therein.
(xxxiii) Ownership Structure and Contractual Arrangements. (A)(x) The ownership structure (the “Ownership Structure”) of Quan Toodou Network Science and Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Suzao Network Science and Technology Co., Ltd. and Chengdu Gaishi Network Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (collectively, the “Affiliated Consolidated Entities”), as set forth in the section “Our Corporate Structure” in the Statutory Prospectus contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and (y) except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, each of the contractual arrangement (the “Contractual Arrangements”) among Reshuffle Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (the “WFOE”), each of the Affiliated Consolidated Entities and the respective shareholders of the Affiliated Consolidated Entities, as se forth in the section “Our Corporate Structure” in the Statutory Prospectus contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, complies with all applicable PRC laws, rules, regulations and neither the Ownership Structure nor the Contractual Arrangements violate, breach, contravene or otherwise conflict with any applicable PRC laws, rules or regulations; neither the Ownership Structure nor the Contractual Arrangements have been challenged by any PRC Governmental Agency and there are no legal, arbitral, governmental or other proceedings (including, without limitation, governmental investigations or inquiries) pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened or contemplated by any PRC Governmental Agency in respect of such Ownership Structure or Contractual Arrangements; (B) except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, all Governmental Authorization required under the PRC laws, rules and regulations in connection with the Ownership Structure and the Contractual Arrangements have been granted, duly made or unconditionally obtained in writing and are in full force and effect, except that the exercise of the call options under the exclusive call option agreements and the foreclosure of the pledge under the equity interest pledge agreements will need to be approved and/or registered by the relevant PRC Governmental Agency, and no such Governmental Authorization has been withdrawn or revoked or is subject to any condition precedent which has not been fulfilled or performed; (C) each of the WFOE, the Affiliated Consolidated Entities and the respective shareholders of the Affiliated Consolidated Entities has full power and authority to enter into and perform its, his or her obligations under each contract comprising the Contractual Arrangements (each, a “Contract”) to which it, he or she is a party; and each of the WFOE and the Affiliated Consolidated Entities has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of, and has duly authorized, executed and delivered, each Contract to which it is a party; and except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, each Contract constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of each party to such Contract under PRC laws, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforceability, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and (D) except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the execution and delivery by each of the WFOE, the Affiliated Consolidated Entities and the respective shareholders of the Affiliated Consolidated Entities, and the performance of its, his or her obligations under, each Contract to which it, he or she is a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated therein did not and will not (x) as to the WFOE and each of the Affiliated Consolidated Entities, result in any violation of the provisions of its articles of association, business license and other constituent documents; or (y) result in any violation of any PRC laws, rules or regulations except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; or (z) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of or constitute a default under arbitration award or judgment, order or decree of any court of the PRC having jurisdiction over the WFOE, each of the Affiliated Consolidated Entities, the respective shareholders of the Affiliated Consolidated Entities, any agreement or instrument to which it, he or she is a party or which is binding on it, him or her or any of its, his or her properties or assets or to which any of its, his or her properties or assets is subject, except for such violations, conflicts, breaches or defaults under clauses (y) and (z) above that would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.
10
(xxxiv) Other Share Issuance. In the past three years, except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares prior to the date hereof, including any sale pursuant to Rule 144A, Regulation D or Regulation S promulgated under the Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefits plans, qualified share option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.
(xxxv) Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
(xxxvi) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in a Registration Statement, a Statutory Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived. The Company has obtained written consents for the use of such data from such sources to the extent required and such consents have not been revoked.
(xxxvii) Internal Controls and Compliance with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, the Company, its subsidiaries and the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) are in compliance with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and all applicable Exchange Rules; the Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures, internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting, an internal audit function and legal and regulatory compliance controls (collectively, “Internal Controls”) that comply with the Securities Laws and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) and to maintain accountability for assets, (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (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, and (E) the Company has made and kept books, records and accounts which, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the Company and its subsidiaries. The Internal Controls are, or upon consummation of the offering of the Offered Securities will be, overseen by the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board in accordance with Exchange Rules. The Company has not publicly disclosed or reported to the Audit Committee or the Board, and within the next 135 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board, a significant deficiency, material weakness, change in Internal Controls or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in Internal Controls (each, an “Internal Control Event”), any violation of, or failure to comply with, the Securities Laws, or any matter which, if determined adversely, would have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Company’s independent directors meets the criteria for “independence” under the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the Exchange Rules.
11
(xxxviii) Absence of Accounting Issues. A member of the Audit Committee has confirmed to the Chief Executive Officer that the Audit Committee is not reviewing or investigating, and neither the Company’s independent auditors nor its internal auditors have recommended that the Board of Directors review or investigate, (A) adding to, deleting, changing the application of, or changing the Company’s disclosure with respect to, any of the Company’s material accounting policies; (B) any matter which could result in a restatement of the Company’s financial statements for any annual or interim period during the current or prior three fiscal years; or (C) any Internal Control Event.
(xxxix) Critical Accounting Policies. The section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus accurately and fully describes (A) accounting policies that the Company believes are the most important in the portrayal of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries and that require management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments (“Critical Accounting Policies”); (B) judgments and uncertainties affecting the application of Critical Accounting Policies; and (C) the likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions and an explanation thereof; and the Board and the Company’s management have reviewed and agreed with the selection, application and disclosure of the Critical Accounting Policies as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.
(xl) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations, shareholders equity and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP applied on a consistent basis; the schedules included in each Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement.
12
(xli) Independent Auditors. PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”) has certified the financial statements and supporting schedules filed with the Commission as part of the General Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time and the Registration Statements, and PWC is an independent public accounting firm as required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations and is registered with, and is independent in accordance with the requirements of, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(xlii) Litigation. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any Governmental Agency, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or, to the knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, any of their respective directors and officers that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its directors or officers, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Deposit Agreement or that are required to be described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and are not so described, or which are otherwise material in the context of the issuance, offer and sale of the Offered Securities; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any Governmental Agency domestic or foreign), to the Company’s knowledge, are threatened or contemplated.
(xliii) [Intentionally left blank].
(xliv) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package and, as amended, the Final Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”).
(xlv) PFIC Status. Based on the composition of the Company’s income and assets, the Company does not expect to be a “passive foreign investment company” as defined in Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for its current taxable year or in the foreseeable future.
(xlvi) Payments in Foreign Currency. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, under current laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the PRC and any political subdivision thereof, all dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the Offered Securities may be paid by the Company to the holder thereof in United States dollars that may be converted into foreign currency and freely transferred out of the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the PRC and all such payments made to holders thereof or therein who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the PRC will not be subject to income, withholding or other taxes under laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the PRC or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and will otherwise be free and clear of any other tax, duty, withholding or deduction in the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the PRC or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and without the necessity of obtaining any Governmental Authorization in the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the PRC or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein.
(xlvii) Insurance. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain comparable coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as currently conducted and at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has obtained directors’ and officers’ insurance in such amounts and scope of coverage as is customary in connection with an initial public offering of a PRC-based company in the United States and listing on a U.S. stock exchange.
13
(xlviii) Compliance with Anti-Bribery, Anti-Money Laundering and Related Laws. Each of the Company, its subsidiaries, and to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective officers and executive directors, and, to the knowledge of the Company, each of its affiliates, supervisors, managers, agents, or employees, has not violated, nor shall the Company’s participation in the offering will violate: (a) anti-bribery laws, including but not limited to, any applicable law, rule, or regulation of any locality, including but not limited to any law, rule, or regulation promulgated to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, signed December 17, 1997, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any other law, rule or regulation of similar purpose and scope under U.S federal, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong or PRC law (“Anti-Bribery Laws”), (b) anti-money laundering laws, including but not limited to, applicable U.S. federal, state, international, foreign or other laws, regulations or government guidance regarding anti-money laundering, including, without limitation, Title 18 U.S. Code sections 1956 and 1957, the Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and international anti-money laundering principals or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization, such as the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, of which the United States is a member and with which designation the United States representative to the group or organization continues to concur, all as amended, and any executive order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder (“Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) or (c) laws and regulations imposing U.S. economic sanctions measures, including, but not limited to, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trading with the Enemy Act, the United Nations Participation Act, and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act, all as amended, and any Executive Order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, including the regulations of the United States Treasury Department set forth under 31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder (“Sanctions Laws”). Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries does business with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba within the meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes and the Company agrees to comply with such Section if, prior to the completion of the distribution of the Offered Securities, it commences doing such business. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or 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. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”).
(xlix) Related Party Transactions. There are no material relationships or transactions within the past three years between the Company or any of its subsidiaries on one hand and their respective affiliates, directors or officers or 10% or greater shareholders, or any affiliates or members of the immediate families of such persons, on the other hand that are not disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.
(l) No Broker-Dealer Affiliation. Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and the Company or any of its subsidiaries or between any member of FINRA and any of the officers or directors of the Company, or holders of 5% or greater of the securities of the Company.
(li) Tax Filings. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all U.S. federal, state, local, Hong Kong, Cayman Islands, PRC and other non-U.S. tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect); except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have paid all taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties) required to be paid by them, except for any such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties currently being contested in good faith or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received a notice of deficiency with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and the provisions included in the audited consolidated financial statements contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus include appropriate provisions required under the U.S. GAAP for all taxation in respect of accounting periods needed on or before the accounting reference due to which such audited consolidated financial statements relate, for which the Company was then or might reasonably be expected thereafter to become or have become liable.
14
(lii) No Transaction or Other Taxes. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no transaction, stamp, capital or other issuance, registration, transaction, transfer or withholding taxes or duties are payable in the PRC and the Cayman Islands by or on behalf of the Underwriters to any PRC or Cayman Islands taxing authority in connection with (A) the issuance, sale and delivery of the Ordinary Shares represented by the Offered Securities by the Company and the Selling Shareholder, the issuance of the Offered Securities by the Depositary, and the delivery of the Offered Securities to or for the account of the Underwriters, (B) the purchase from the Company and the Selling Shareholder and the initial sale and delivery by the Underwriters of the Offered Securities to purchasers thereof, (C) the deposit of the Ordinary Shares with the Depositary and the Custodian (as defined in the Deposit Agreement) and the issuance and delivery of the ADRs evidencing the Offered Securities or (D) the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Deposit Agreement.
(liii) Proper Form of Agreements. This Agreement and the Deposit Agreement are in proper form under the laws of the Cayman Islands for the enforcement thereof against the Company in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands and to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility into evidence in the Cayman Islands of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement; it is not necessary that this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement or any other document be filed or recorded with any Governmental Authority in the Cayman Islands or that any Cayman Islands stamp duty or similar tax be paid on or in respect of this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement or any other document to be furnished hereunder or thereunder (save and except that stamp duty may be payable in the event that this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement or such other documents are executed in or brought within the jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands).
(liv) No Trading. Except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is engaged in any trading activities involving credit default swaps, commodity contracts or other trading contracts which are not currently traded on a securities or commodities exchange and for which the market value cannot be determined.
(lv) Employee Benefits. Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has any obligation to provide retirement, death or disability benefits to any of the present or past employees of the Company or any subsidiary, or to any other person; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable laws relating to employee benefits in all material respects.
(lvi) SAFE Compliance. The Company has taken all reasonable steps to comply with, and to ensure compliance by all of the Company’s shareholders who are PRC residents or PRC citizens with any applicable rules and regulations of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (the “SAFE Rules and Regulations”), including without limitation, taking reasonable steps to require each shareholder that is, or, to the Company’s knowledge, is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or PRC citizen to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable SAFE Rules and Regulations. To the Company’s knowledge and except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, all current beneficial owners of the Company who are PRC residents or PRC citizens to the Company’s knowledge have complied with all registration and other procedures required under applicable SAFE Rules and Regulations.
15
(lvii) Compliance with Internal Policies. The sale of the Ordinary Shares by the Selling Shareholder does not violate any of the Company’s internal policies regarding the sale of shares by its affiliates.
(lviii) M&A Rules. The Company is aware of, and has been advised as to, the content of the Rules on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors jointly promulgated by the Ministry of Commerce, the State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the State Tax Administration, the State Administration of Industry and Commerce, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (“CSRC”) and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC on August 8, 2006, as amended on June 22, 2009 (the “M&A Rules”), in particular the relevant provisions thereof which purport to require offshore special purpose vehicles (“SPVs”) controlled directly or indirectly by PRC companies or individuals and formed for overseas listing purposes through acquisition of PRC domestic interests held by such PRC companies or individuals, to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of their securities on stock exchange located outside of the PRC; the Company has received legal advice specifically with respect to the M&A Rules from its PRC counsel and the Company understands such legal advice; and the Company has fully communicated such legal advice from its PRC counsel to each of its directors and officers that signed the Registration Statement and each such director and officer has confirmed that he or she understands such legal advice.
(lix) M&A Clarifications. Subject to the disclosures made in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the issuance and sale of the Ordinary Shares and the ADSs contemplated by this Agreement, the listing and trading of the Offered Securities on the NASDAQ Global Market or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement is not and will not be, as of the date hereof or at the first Closing Date and each Optional Closing Date, if any, adversely affected by the M&A Rules or any official clarifications, guidance, interpretations or implementation rules in connection with or related to the M&A Rules (collectively, the “M&A Rules and Related Clarifications”).
(lx) Non-applicability of M&A Rules. Subject to the disclosures made in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, as of the date of the most recent Statutory Prospectus and as of the date here of, the M&A Rules did not and do not require the Company to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the issuance and sale of the Ordinary Shares and the ADSs contemplated by this Agreement, the listing and trading of the Offered Securities on the NASDAQ Global Market, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement and the Power of Attorney (as defined below).
(lxi) Disclosure of M&A Rules. The statements set forth in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus under the captions “Risk Factors - The Approval of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, may be required in connection with this offering.” and “Regulation– Regulation on Overseas Listings” are fair and accurate summaries of the matters described therein, and nothing has been omitted from such summaries which would make the same misleading in any material respect.
(lxii) Representation of Officers. The officer’s certificate delivered to the Representatives as required or contemplated by Section 7(l) hereof or the Deposit Agreement shall constitute a representation and warranty hereunder by the Company, as to matters covered thereby or as excluded from or disclosed against therein, to each Underwriter.
(b) The Selling Shareholder represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:
(i) Due Organization. First Easy has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing as a company or a partnership, as the case may be, in its jurisdiction of formation.
16
(ii) Title to Securities. The Selling Shareholder has and on each Closing Date hereinafter mentioned will have valid and unencumbered title to the Offered Securities to be delivered by the Selling Shareholder on such Closing Date and full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Ordinary Shares underlying the Offered Securities to be delivered by the Selling Shareholder on such Closing Date hereunder; and upon the delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities on each Closing Date hereunder the several Underwriters will acquire valid and unencumbered title to the Offered Securities to be delivered by the Selling Shareholder on such Closing Date.
(iii) Security Interests. Upon payment for the Offered Securities sold by the Selling Shareholder under this Agreement and the delivery by the Selling Shareholder to DTC (as defined below) or its agent of the Offered Securities in book entry form to a securities account maintained by the Representatives at the DTC or its nominee, and payment therefor in accordance with this Agreement, the Underwriters will acquire a securities entitlement (within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”)) with respect to such Offered Securities, and no action based on an “adverse claim” (as defined in UCC Section 8-102) may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement if, at such time, the Underwriters do not have notice of any adverse claim within the meaning of UCC Section 8-105.
(iv) Ordinary Shares Freely Depositable. The Ordinary Shares represented by the Offered Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder may be freely deposited by the Selling Shareholder with the Depositary or with the Selling Shareholder Custodian as agent for the Depositary in accordance with the Deposit Agreement against the issuance of ADRs evidencing the Offered Securities representing such Ordinary Shares so deposited by the Selling Shareholder.
(v) Ordinary Shares Freely Transferable. The Offered Securities, as well as the Ordinary Shares, delivered at each Closing Date by the Selling Shareholder will be freely transferable by the Selling Shareholder.
(vi) Absence of Further Requirements. No Governmental Authorization of any Governmental Agency is required to be obtained or made by the Selling Shareholder for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Custody Agreement or this Agreement in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities sold by the Selling Shareholder, except such as have been obtained and made under the Act and such as may be required under state securities laws.
(vii) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the execution, delivery and performance of the Custody Agreement and this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions therein and herein contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Selling Shareholder pursuant to, any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over the Selling Shareholder or any properties of the Selling Shareholder or any agreement or instrument to which the Selling Shareholder is a party or by which the Selling Shareholder is bound or to which any of the properties of the Selling Shareholder is subject, or the charter or by-laws of the Selling Shareholder that is a corporation or the constituent documents of the Selling Shareholder that is not a natural person or a corporation.
(viii) Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement. The Power of Attorney (as defined below) and related Custody Agreement with respect to the Selling Shareholder has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Shareholder and constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of the Selling Shareholder enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.
17
(ix) Power-of-Attorney. The power of attorney (“Power of Attorney”), appointing certain individuals named therein as the Selling Shareholder’s attorneys-in-fact (each, an “Attorney-in-Fact”) relating to the transactions contemplated hereby and by the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, constitutes a valid instrument granting the Attorneys-in-Fact named in such Power of Attorney, the power and authority stated therein, and permits the Attorneys-in-Fact, singly or collectively, to bind the Selling Shareholder with respect to all matters granted, conferred and contemplated in such Power of Attorney and such Power of Attorney has not been revoked, cancelled or terminated at any time.
(x) Authorization of Agreements. Each of this Agreement, a Lock-up Agreement, a Power of Attorney and a Custody Agreement in connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Securities contemplated herein has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Shareholder.
(xi) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Shareholder.
(xii) Compliance with Internal Policies. The sale of the Ordinary Shares by the Selling Shareholder does not violate the Selling Shareholder’s internal policies regarding the sale of shares, if applicable.
(xiii) Accurate Disclosure. As of the date hereof, the Applicable Time and the Closing Date, the Selling Shareholder has reviewed the Registration Statement, any ADS Registration Statement, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the General Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, and the Final Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), and none of the foregoing includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(xiv) Selling Shareholder Questionnaire. The questionnaire containing certain information regarding the Selling Shareholder and the election form which sets forth the amount of Ordinary Shares the Selling Shareholder has elected to sell in the Offering (the “Questionnaire and Election Form”), completed by the Selling Shareholder and submitted to the Company on or before the date hereof does not and as of each applicable Closing Date will not contain any untrue statement of material fact nor does it omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and the Selling Shareholder’s election to sell the number of Ordinary Shares indicated in the Questionnaire and Election Form is valid and binding on the Selling Shareholder.
(xv) No Undisclosed Material Information. The sale of the Offered Securities by the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement is not prompted by any material information concerning the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is not set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.
(xvi) No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Selling Shareholder and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Selling Shareholder or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.
(xvii) Absence of Manipulation. The Selling Shareholder has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
18
(xviii) No FINRA Affiliations. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and/or the Questionnaire and Election Form, the Selling Shareholder has no affiliations or associations with any member of FINRA; and none of the proceeds received by the Selling Shareholder from the sale of the Offered Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder hereunder will be paid to a member of the FINRA or any affiliate (or person “associated with,” as such terms are used in the rules of the FINRA).
(xix) No Stamp or Transaction Taxes. No transaction, stamp, capital or other issuance, registration, transaction, transfer or withholding taxes or duties are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters in connection with (A) the sale and delivery of the Ordinary Shares represented by the Offered Securities by the Selling Shareholder, the issuance of such Offered Securities by the Depositary, and the delivery of such Offered Securities to or for the account of the Underwriters, (B) the purchase from the Selling Shareholder and the initial sale and delivery by the Underwriters of the Offered Securities to purchasers thereof, (C) the deposit by the Selling Shareholder of the Ordinary Shares with the Depositary and the Custodian and the issuance and delivery of the ADRs evidencing the Offered Securities, or (D) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Power of Attorney and the Custody Agreement.
(xx) No Other Marketing Documents. The Selling Shareholder has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the latest Closing Date and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares by the Selling Shareholder, including any free writing prospectus.
(xxi) No Registration Rights. Other than as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Selling Shareholder does not have any registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale by the Company under the Registration Statement or included in the offering of the Offered Securities.
(xxii) No Pre-emptive Rights. The Selling Shareholder does not have, or has waived prior to the date hereof, any preemptive right, co-sale right or right of first refusal or other similar right to purchase any of the Shares that are to be sold by the Company or any other Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement; and the Selling Shareholder does not own any warrants, options or similar rights to acquire, and does not have any right or arrangement to acquire, any capital shares, right, warrants, options or other securities from the Company, other than those described in the most recent preliminary prospectus.
(xxiii) Business Practices. Neither the Selling Shareholder nor any director, officer, agent, employee affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Selling Shareholder has offered, promised, authorized or made, directly or indirectly, (A) any unlawful payments or (B) payments or other inducements (whether lawful or unlawful) to any Government Official (as defined below) or his or her relative or related person, with the intent or purpose of: (w) influencing any act or decision of such Government Official in his or her official capacity, (x) inducing such Government Official to do or omit to do any act in violation of the lawful duty of such Government Official, (y) securing any improper advantage for the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (z) inducing such Government Official to use his or her influence with a government or instrumentality thereof, political party or international organization to affect or influence any act or decision of such government or instrumentality, political party or international organization, in order to assist the Company or any of its subsidiaries in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to, any person. Neither the Selling Shareholder nor any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Selling Shareholder has offered, promised, authorized or made, directly or indirectly, any payments or other inducements specified in the proceeding sentence to a Government Official in violation of anti-bribery laws, including but not limited to, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any other law, rule or regulation of similar purpose and scope under U.S. federal, Cayman Islands, or PRC law. Notwithstanding provisions under the proceeding sentences, any facilitating or expediting payment made to a Government Official for the purpose of expediting or securing the performance of a routine governmental action by a Government Official shall not constitute a breach of the representation made in this subsection.
19
(xxiv) Sanctioned Activities. (A) Neither the Selling Shareholder nor any of its respective officers, employees, directors, representatives, consultants or agents or any person acting on behalf of the Selling Shareholder does business with, invests in, sponsors, provides assistance or support to, or engages in any other transactions with, any Person of or located in any country, or with any other Person, targeted by (x) Sanctions Laws, or (y) any of the economic sanctions that may be adopted by resolution of the United Nations Security Council or imposed by the government authorities of other relevant countries or jurisdictions (together with the OFAC Sanctions, the “Sanctions”); (B) none of the Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates is owned or controlled (within the meaning of the regulations promulgating any Sanctions or the laws authorizing such promulgation) by any Person that is targeted by the Sanctions; and (C) the proceeds from the offering of the Offered Securities will not be used to fund any operations in, finance any investments or activities in or make any payments to, any country, or to fund, finance or make any payments to any Person, targeted by the Sanctions.
(xxv) Anti-Money Laundering Laws. None of the Selling Shareholder, its subsidiaries or any of their respective officers and executive directors has violated, and the Selling Shareholder’s participation in this offering will not violate any Anti-Money Laundering Laws.
(xxvi) Validity of Choice of Law. The choice of law set forth in Section 16 hereof as the governing law of this Agreement is a valid choice of law and will be recognized and given effect to in any action brought before a court of competent jurisdiction in the jurisdiction in which the Selling Shareholder is organized and has its principal place of business if not a natural person, or in the jurisdiction in which such person resides if a natural person. The courts of any such jurisdiction will recognize as a valid judgment, a final and conclusive judgment in personam obtained in U.S. courts against the Selling Shareholder based upon this Agreement. Judgments obtained in U.S. courts will be recognized by courts, subject to compliance with relevant procedural requirements (which do not involve a re-examination of the merits of the claim).
(xxvii) No Immunity. Neither the Selling Shareholder nor its properties, assets or revenues has any right of immunity under the laws of the State of New York, the Cayman Islands, and the PRC (as relevant to the Selling Shareholder), from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from the giving of any relief in any such legal action, suit or proceeding, from set-off or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any New York or U.S. federal court or any court of any such other jurisdiction, from service of process, attachment upon or prior to judgment, or attachment in aid of execution of judgment, or from execution of a judgment, or other legal process or proceeding for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of a judgment, in any such court, with respect to its obligations, liabilities or any other matter under or arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement; and, to the extent that the Selling Shareholder or any of its properties, assets or revenues may have or may hereafter become entitled to any such right of immunity in any such court in which proceedings may at any time be commenced, the Selling Shareholder waives or will waive such right to the extent permitted by law and has consented to such relief and enforcement as provided in Section 16 hereof.
(xxviii) Representation of Officer and/or Director. Any certificate signed by any officer or director of the Selling Shareholder and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters as required or contemplated by this Agreement shall constitute a representation and warranty hereunder by the Selling Shareholder, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company and the Selling Shareholder agree, severally and not jointly, to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company and the Selling Shareholder, at a purchase price of $[—] per ADS, that number of Firm Securities (rounded up or down, as determined by the Representatives in their discretion, in order to avoid fractions) obtained by multiplying [—] Firm Securities in the case of the Company and [—] Firm Securities in the case of the Selling Shareholder, in each case by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A hereto and the denominator of which is the total number of Firm Securities.
20
Executed transfer forms for the Ordinary Shares represented by the Offered Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder hereunder have been placed in custody, for delivery under this Agreement, under Custody Agreements made with the Company, as custodian (in such capacity, the “Selling Shareholder Custodian”). The Selling Shareholder agrees that the Ordinary Shares represented by the transfer forms held in custody for the Selling Shareholder under such Custody Agreements are subject to the interests of the Underwriters hereunder, that the arrangements made by the Selling Shareholder for such custody are to that extent irrevocable, and that the obligations of the Selling Shareholder hereunder shall not be terminated by operation of law, whether by the death of the Selling Shareholder or the occurrence of any other event, or in the case of a trust, by the death of any trustee or trustees or the termination of such trust. If the Selling Shareholder or any such trustee or trustees should die, or if any other such event should occur, or if any of such trusts should terminate, before the delivery of the Offered Securities hereunder, such Offered Securities shall be delivered by the Selling Shareholder Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such death or other event or termination had not occurred, regardless of whether or not the Selling Shareholder Custodian shall have received notice of such death or other event or termination.
The Company and the Selling Shareholder Custodian will deliver the Firm Securities to or as instructed by the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representatives against payment of the purchase price in Federal (same day) funds by wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representatives drawn to the order of the Company for itself and as Selling Shareholder Custodian on behalf of the Selling Shareholder, as the case may be, at the office of O’Melveny & Xxxxx LLP, [—] at 10:00 A.M., New York time, on [—], 2011, or at such other time not later than seven full business days thereafter as the Representatives and the Company determine, such time being herein referred to as the “First Closing Date”. For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act, the First Closing Date (if later than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the settlement date for payment of funds and delivery of securities for all the Offered Securities sold pursuant to the offering. The ADRs evidencing the Firm Securities will be in definitive form, in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives request. The ADRs will be made available for checking and packaging at the above office or such other place designated by the Representatives at least 24 hours prior to the First Closing Date.
In addition, upon written notice from the Representatives given to the Company from time to time not more than 30 days subsequent to the date of the Final Prospectus, the Underwriters may purchase all or less than all of the Optional Securities at the purchase price per Offered Security to be paid for the Firm Securities. The Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the number of Optional Securities specified in such notice and the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase such Optional Securities. Such Optional Securities shall be purchased for the account of each Underwriter in the same proportion as the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name bears to the total number of Firm Securities (subject to adjustment by the Representatives to eliminate fractions) and may be purchased by the Underwriters only for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the sale of the Firm Securities. No Optional Securities shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Representatives to the Company.
Each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities, being herein referred to as an “Optional Closing Date”, which may be the First Closing Date (the First Closing Date and each Optional Closing Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Closing Date”), shall be determined by the Representatives but shall be not later than five full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Securities is given. The Company will deliver the Optional Securities being purchased on each Optional Closing Date to or as instructed by the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representatives, against payment of the purchase price therefor in Federal (same day) funds by official bank check or checks or wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representatives drawn to the order of the Company, at the above office of O’Melveny & Xxxxx LLP. The ADRs evidencing the Optional Securities will be in definitive form, in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives request. The ADRs will be made available for checking and packaging, at the above office or such other place designated by the Representatives at least 24 hours prior to such Optional Closing Date.
21
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Offered Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
5. Certain Agreements of the Company and the Selling Shareholder.
(a) The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(i) Additional Filings. Unless filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) as part of the Additional Registration Statement in accordance with the next sentence, the Company will file the Final Prospectus, in a form approved by the Representatives, with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with subparagraph (1) (or, if applicable and if consented to by the Representatives, subparagraph (4)) of Rule 424(b) not later than the earlier of (A) the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement or (B) the fifteenth business day after the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of any such filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and provide satisfactory evidence to the Representatives of such timely filing. If an Additional Registration Statement is necessary to register a portion of the Offered Securities under the Act but the Effective Time thereof has not occurred as of the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will file the Additional Registration Statement or, if filed, will file a post-effective amendment thereto with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 462(b) on or prior to 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement or, if earlier, on or prior to the time the Final Prospectus is finalized and distributed to any Underwriter, or will make such filing at such later date as shall have been consented to by the Representatives.
(ii) Filing of Amendments: Response to Commission Requests. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives of any proposal to amend or supplement at any time the Initial Registration Statement, any Additional Registration Statement, any ADS Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus and will not effect such amendment or supplementation without the Representatives’ consent; and the Company will also advise the Representatives promptly of (A) the effectiveness of any Additional Registration Statement (if its Effective Time is subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement), (B) any amendment or supplementation of a Registration Statement, any ADS Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus, (C) any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment to any Registration Statement, or any ADS Registration Statement for any supplement to any Statutory Prospectus (including any prospectus wrapper) or for any additional information, (D) the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of a Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement or the threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, and (E) the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Offered Securities in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(iii) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act by any Underwriter or dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives of such event and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and the dealers and any other dealers upon request of the Representatives, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance. Neither the Representatives’ consent to, nor the Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof. 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 or the ADS Registration Statement relating to the Offered Securities 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, prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives 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.
22
(iv) Rule 158. As soon as practicable, but not later than the Availability Date (as defined below), the Company will make generally available to its security holders an earnings statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement (or, if later, the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement) which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act. For the purpose of the preceding sentence, “Availability Date” means the 45th day after the end of the fourth fiscal quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes such Effective Time, except that, if such fourth fiscal quarter is the last quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, “Availability Date” means the 90th day after the end of such fourth fiscal quarter.
(v) Furnishing of Prospectuses. The Company will furnish to the Representatives copies of each Registration Statement (of which each will be signed and will include all exhibits), each related Statutory Prospectus and all amendments and supplements thereto, and, so long as a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act and in no event exceeding nine months, the Final Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Final Prospectus shall be so furnished on or prior to 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement. All other such documents shall be so furnished as soon as available. The Company and the Selling Shareholder will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the Underwriters all such documents.
(vi) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives designate and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution.
(vii) Reporting Requirements. During the period of five years hereafter, the Company will furnish (A) to the Representatives and, upon request, to each of the other Underwriters, as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of its annual report to shareholders for such year; and (B) to the Representatives (x) as soon as available, a copy of each report and any definitive proxy statement of the Company filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act or mailed to shareholders, and (y) from time to time, such other information concerning the Company as the Representatives may reasonably request. However, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and is timely filing reports with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“XXXXX”), it is not required to furnish such reports or statements to the Underwriters.
(viii) [Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including but not limited to any filing fees and other expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) incurred in connection with qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives designates and the preparation and printing of memoranda relating thereto, costs and expenses related to the review by FINRA of the Offered Securities (including filing fees and the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such review), costs and expenses relating to investor presentations or any “road show” in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities including, without limitation, any travel and lodging expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any other expenses of the Company including the chartering of airplanes, fees and expenses incident to listing the Offered Securities on the NASDAQ Global Market, fees and expenses in connection with the registration of the Offered Securities under the Exchange Act, any transfer taxes on the sale by the Selling Shareholder of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters and expenses incurred in preparing, printing and distributing preliminary prospectuses and the Final Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto) to the Underwriters and for expenses incurred for preparing, printing and distributing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses to investors or prospective investors.]
23
(ix) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it in connection with this offering in the manner described in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter or to fund any operations in, to finance any investments, projects or activities in, or to make any payments to, any country, or to make any payments to, or finance any activities with, any person, targeted by the Sanctions; and the Company will maintain and implement adequate internal controls and procedures to monitor and audit transactions that are reasonably designed to detect and prevent any use of funds that is inconsistent with any of the Company’s representations and obligations under the immediately preceding sentence.
(x) Absence of Manipulation. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
(xi) Taxes. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters against any documentary, stamp or similar issue tax, including any interest and penalties, on the creation, issue and sale of the Offered Securities and on the execution and delivery of this Agreement. All payments to be made by the Company hereunder shall be made without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties or governmental charges whatsoever except for taxes that are imposed on net income, unless the Company is compelled by law to deduct or withhold such taxes, duties or charges. In that event, except with respect to taxes that are imposed on net income, the Company shall pay such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the net amounts received after such withholding or deduction shall equal the amounts that would have been received if no withholding or deduction had been made; provided, however, that no such increase in amount shall be payable to the extent that such taxes, duties or charges would not have been imposed but for the failure of the payee to comply with any certification, identification or other reporting requirements concerning nationality, residence, identity or connection with the relevant taxing jurisdiction if such compliance is required or imposed by law as a precondition to an exemption from, or reduction in, such taxes, duties or charges.
(xii) Restriction on Sale of Securities by Company. For the period specified below (the “Lock-Up Period”), the Company will not, directly or indirectly, take any of the following actions with respect to its ADSs, Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of its ADSs or Ordinary Shares (“Lock-Up Securities”): (A) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of Lock-Up Securities, (B) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, contract to purchase or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase Lock-Up Securities, (C) enter into any swap, hedge or any other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequences of ownership of Lock-Up Securities, (D) establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in Lock-Up Securities within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (E) file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to Lock-Up Securities, or publicly disclose the intention to take any such action, without the prior written consent of the Representatives. The forgoing restrictions shall not apply to (a) the issuance of Ordinary Shares represented by the Offered Securities and the sale of the Offered Securities hereunder; (b) the grants of options or equity based awards pursuant to the terms of the Company’s existing share incentive plans and the issuance by the Company of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof, (c) the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 in connection with the registration of Ordinary Shares issuable under the Company’s existing share incentive plans. The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date hereof and continue for 180 days after the date of the Final Prospectus or such earlier date that the Representatives consent to in writing; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the occurrence of the materials news or material event, as applicable, unless the Representatives waive, in writing, such extension. The Company will provide the Representatives with notice of any announcement described in clause (2) of the preceding sentence that gives rise to an extension of the Lock-Up Period.
24
(xiii) Transfer Restrictions. In connection with the Directed Share Program, the Company will ensure that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent required by the FINRA or the FINRA rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Designated Underwriter will notify the Company as to which Participants will need to be so restricted. The Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon such securities for such period of time.
(xiv) Payment of Expenses Related to Directed Share Program. The Company will pay all fees and disbursements of counsel (including non-U.S. counsel) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program.
(xv) Compliance with Foreign Laws. The Company will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations in each foreign jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.
(xvi) Listing of Securities. The Company will use its best efforts to have the Offered Securities accepted for listing on the NASDAQ Global Market and maintain the listing of the Offered Securities on the NASDAQ Global Market.
(xvii) Filing of Reports. The Company, during the period when a prospectus (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required to be delivered under the Act in connection with the offer or sale of the Offered Securities, will file all reports and other documents required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations within the time periods required thereby.
(xviii) SAFE Compliance. The Company shall comply with the SAFE Rules and Regulations, and shall use reasonable efforts to cause its shareholders and option holders that are, or, to the Company’s knowledge, that are directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, PRC residents or PRC citizens, to comply with the SAFE Rules and Regulations applicable to them in connection with the Company, including without limitation, requesting each shareholder and option holder, that is, or, to the Company’s knowledge, is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or PRC citizen to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable SAFE Rules and Regulations.
(xix) Local Securities Laws. The Company shall arrange for the qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the foreign or state securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives designate and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution.
25
(xx) Transfer Restrictions. The Company shall at all times maintain transfer restrictions (including the inclusion of legends in share certificates, as may be required) with respect to the Company’s Ordinary Shares which are subject to transfer restrictions pursuant to this Agreement and the Lock-Up Agreements and shall ensure compliance with such restrictions on transfer of restricted Ordinary Shares. The Company shall retain all share certificates which are by their terms subject to transfer restrictions until such time as such transfer restrictions are no longer applicable to such securities.
(xxi) Deposit Agreement. The Company will deposit the Ordinary Shares with the custodian for the Depositary in compliance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement and instruct the Depositary at the applicable Closing Date to deliver ADRs representing the ADSs representing such Ordinary Shares to participant accounts within DTC in accordance with the written instructions of each of the Underwriters.
(xxii) Cayman Islands Approvals. The Company agrees (A) not to attempt to avoid any judgment obtained by it or denied to it in a court of competent jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands; (B) following the consummation of the offering of the Offered Securities, it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain all approvals required in the Cayman Islands (if any) to pay and remit outside the Cayman Islands all dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Ordinary Shares; and (C) it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain all approvals required in the Cayman Islands (if any) for the Company to acquire sufficient foreign exchange for the payment of dividends and all other relevant purposes.
(xxiii) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx. The Company will use its best efforts to comply with Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx, and use its best efforts to cause the Company’s directors and officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx.
(xxiv) OFAC. The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the Offered Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(xxv) [Intentionally left blank.]
(xxvi) Compliance with Rule 433. The Company will comply with Rule 433(d) (without reliance on Rule 164(b)) and Rule 433(g).
(xxvii) Use of Prospectus. The Company will not, at any time at or after the execution of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, offer or sell any Offered Securities by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act), or use any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Offered Securities, in each case other than the then most recent prospectus included in the Registration Statement.
(xxviii) Issue of Press Releases. The Company will not, prior to the delivery of the Offered Securities on each Closing Date, issue any press release or other communication directly or indirectly and will hold no press conferences with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, assets or liabilities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or the offering or sale of the Offered Securities, without the Representatives’ prior consent.
(xxix) [Intentionally left blank.]
26
(xxx) Performance of Obligations. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to do and perform all things required to be done or performed under this Agreement by the Company prior to each Closing Date and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Offered Securities.
(xxxi) Use of Trademarks etc. Upon request of any Underwriter, the Company will furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Offered Securities.
(b) The Selling Shareholder agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(i) Payment of Expenses. The Selling Shareholder will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its respective obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including (A) any stamp duties, capital duties and share transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Offered Securities by the Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters, (B) the fees and disbursements of its respective local counsel and accountants, except for the fees and expenses, if any, incurred by the Company’s counsel on behalf of the Selling Shareholder which will be borne by the Company, (C) to the extent applicable, any fees and expenses of the authorized agent for service of process in the State of New York, County of New York in any action arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and (D) all other expenses and taxes incident to the sale and delivery of the Offered Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder hereunder, to the extent not covered by the foregoing or required to be paid for by the Company hereunder.
(ii) Stamp and Other Taxes. The Selling Shareholder will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters against any documentary, stamp or similar issue tax, including any interest and penalties, on the creation, issue and sale of the Offered Securities by the Selling Shareholder and on the execution and delivery of this Agreement. All payments to be made by the Selling Shareholder hereunder shall be made without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties or governmental charges whatsoever unless the Selling Shareholder or the Company is compelled by law to deduct or withhold such taxes, duties or charges. In that event, a Selling Shareholder shall pay such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the net amounts received after such withholding or deduction shall equal the amounts that would have been received if no withholding or deduction had been made.
(iii) Restrictions on Sale of Company Securities. The Selling Shareholder agrees, during the relevant Lock-Up Period, not to (A) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of Lock-Up Securities, (B) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, contract to purchase or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase Lock-Up Securities, (C) enter into any swap, hedge or any other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequences of ownership of Lock-Up Securities, (D) establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in Lock-Up Securities within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (E) demand the filing with the Commission of a registration statement under the Act relating to Lock-Up Securities, or publicly disclose the intention to take any such action, without the prior written consent of the Representatives. The initial Lock-Up Period for the Selling Shareholder will commence on the date hereof and will continue and include the date 180 days after the date of the Final Prospectus or such earlier date that the Representatives consent to in writing; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless the Representatives waive, in writing, such extension. Prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this Section 5(b)(iii) during the period from the date of this Agreement to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as may have been extended pursuant to Section 5(b)(iii)), it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period (as may have been extended pursuant to Section 5(b)(iii)) has expired. A transfer of Lock-Up Securities to immediate family members, trusts, partners, members, shareholders, affiliates (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) or a personal holding company wholly owned by the Selling Shareholder, by gift, will, intestacy or as part of a distribution without consideration by the Selling Shareholder to its equity holders may be made, provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing to the terms of this Section 5(b)(iii) prior to such transfer and no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer (other than a filing on a Schedule 13D or 13G to the extent required by law).
27
(iv) W-9 / W-8 Form. The Selling Shareholder agrees to procure delivery to the Representatives on or prior to the First Closing Date a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 or applicable Form W-8 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).
(v) Interest of Underwriters. The Offered Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder hereunder are subject to the interest of the Underwriters and the obligations of the Selling Shareholder hereunder shall not be terminated by any act of the Selling Shareholder, by operation of law, by the death or incapacity of any individual Selling Shareholder or, in the case of a trust, by the death or incapacity of any executor or trustee or the termination of such trust, or the occurrence of any other event.
(vi) Material Event. To notify promptly the Company and the Representatives if, at any time prior to the date on which the distribution of the Offered Securities as contemplated herein and in the prospectus or Registration Statement has been completed, as determined by the Representatives, the Selling Shareholder has knowledge of the occurrence of any event relating to the Selling Shareholder as a result of which the prospectus or the Registration Statement, in each case as then amended or supplemented, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement), in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading.
(vii) Deposit of Ordinary Shares. Prior to the delivery of the Offered Securities on each Closing Date, the Selling Shareholder will deposit, or cause to be deposited on its behalf, Ordinary Shares with the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement and otherwise to comply with the Deposit Agreement so that ADRs evidencing the Offered Securities will be executed (and, if applicable, countersigned) and issued by the Depositary against receipt of such Ordinary Shares and delivered to the Underwriters.
(viii) Absence of Manipulation. The Selling Shareholder will not (and will cause its affiliates not to) take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which constitutes or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
(ix) Others. The Selling Shareholder will advise the Representatives promptly and, if requested by the Representatives, confirm such advice in writing, so long as a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of ADSs by the Selling Shareholder hereunder, of (A) any material change in condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, general affairs, management, shareholders equity, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, which has come to the attention of the Selling Shareholder, (B) any change in information contained in the Registration Statements, any Statutory Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, relating to the Selling Shareholder or (C) any new material information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries or relating to any matter stated in the Registration Statements, any Statutory Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, which has come to the attention of the Selling Shareholder.
28
(x) Further Agreement. The Selling Shareholder will cooperate to the extent necessary to cause the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto to become effective at the earliest practical time and to do and perform all things to be done and performed under this Agreement prior to any Optional Closing Date and to satisfy all conditions precedent of the Selling Shareholder to the delivery of the Offered Securities and the Offered Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement.
(xi) Use of Proceeds. The Selling Shareholder will not, directly or indirectly, use any of the proceeds it will receive from the sale of the Offered Securities contemplated hereby (A) to fund any operations in, to finance any investments, projects or activities in, or to make any payments to, any country, or to make any payments to, or finance any activities with, any Person, targeted by the Sanctions, or (B) in any manner that is not in compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations of any Governmental Agency having jurisdiction over the Selling Shareholder, including, without limitation, the requirement for PRC residents or citizens to repatriate the net proceeds received by the Selling Shareholder into the PRC under the applicable regulations of the PRC Ministry of Commerce and the SAFE.
6. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company and Selling Shareholder represent and agree that, unless they obtain the prior consent of Representatives, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” Each of the Company and the Selling Shareholder represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping. The Company represents that is has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions in Rule 433 to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show.
7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities on the First Closing Date and the Optional Securities to be purchased on each Optional Closing Date will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholder herein (as though made on such Closing Date), to the accuracy of the statements of Company officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling Shareholder of their obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:
(a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. The Representatives shall have received letters, dated, respectively, the date hereof and each Closing Date, of PWC confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm and independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Laws and substantially in the form of Schedule F hereto (except that, in any letter dated a Closing Date, the specified date referred to in Schedule F hereto shall be a date no more than three days prior to such Closing Date).
(b) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. If the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement (if any) is not prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, such Effective Time shall have occurred not later than 10:00 P.M., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or, if earlier, the time the Final Prospectus is finalized and distributed to any Underwriter, or shall have occurred at such later time as shall have been consented to by the Representatives. The Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and Section 5(a) hereof. Prior to such Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the ADS Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Selling Shareholder, the Company or the Representatives, shall be contemplated by the Commission.
29
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, general affairs, shareholders equity, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Offered Securities; (ii) any change in either U.S., the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the PRC or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical to market or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market; (iii) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (iv) or any suspension of or limitation of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (v) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal, Xxx Xxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxx or PRC authorities; (vi) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment or clearance services in the United States, the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, the PRC or any other country where such securities are listed or (vii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong or the PRC, or any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Representatives, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it impractical or inadvisable to market the Offered Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities.
(d) Opinion of U.S. Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx, U.S. counsel for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex A. In rendering such opinion, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx may rely as to all matters governed by Cayman Islands law upon the opinion of Xxxxxx and Calder referred to above and all matters governed by PRC law upon the opinion of Fangda Partners referred to above.
(e) Opinion of Cayman Islands Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Xxxxxx and Xxxxxx, Cayman Islands counsel for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex B.
(f) Opinion of Hong Kong Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of [—], Hong Kong counsel for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex C.
(g) Opinion of PRC Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Fangda Partners, PRC counsel for the Company substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex D. The Representatives shall have received a consent letter, dated such Closing Date, from Fangda Partners, addressed to the Company authorizing the Company to deliver its opinion to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
(h) Opinion of Local Counsel for the Selling Shareholder. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of local counsel for the Selling Shareholder, addressed to the Underwriters substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex E.
(i) Opinion of Depositary’s Counsel. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of [—], counsel to the Depositary, addressed to the Underwriters substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex F.
(j) Opinion of British Virgin Islands Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of [—], British Virgin Islands counsel for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex G.
(k) Opinion of U.S. Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received from O’Melveny & Xxxxx LLP, U.S. counsel to the Underwriters such opinion or opinion, dated such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may require, and the Company and the Selling Shareholder shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters. In rendering such opinion, O’Melveny & Xxxxx LLP may rely as to all matters governed by Cayman Islands law upon the opinion of Xxxxxx and Calder referred to above and all matters governed by PRC law upon the opinion of King & Wood referred to above.
30
(l) Opinion of PRC Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received from King & Wood, PRC counsel to the Underwriters such opinion or opinion, dated such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may require, and the Selling Shareholder and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(m) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated such Closing Date, of an executive officer of the Company and a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company in which such officers shall state that: the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct; the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to the best of their knowledge and after reasonable investigation, is contemplated by the Commission; the Additional Registration Statement (if any) satisfying the requirements of subparagraphs (1) and (3) of Rule 462(b) was timely filed pursuant to Rule 462(b), including payment of the applicable filing fee in accordance with Rule 111(a) or (b) of Regulation S-T of the Commission; and, subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the General Disclosure Package, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, general affairs, management, shareholders equity, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package or as described in such certificate.
(n) Selling Shareholder’ Certificate. The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated such Closing Date, of an authorized representative of the Selling Shareholder in which such authorized representative shall state that the representations and warranties of the Selling Shareholder in this Agreement are true and correct and the Selling Shareholder have complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date.
(o) Lock-Up Agreements. On or prior to the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received lockup letters from each of the executive officers and directors of the Company, all of the existing shareholders and all of the option holders (and, if different, the beneficial owners) of the Company.
(p) Depositary’s Certificate. The Depositary shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Underwriters a certificate satisfactory to the Representative of one of its authorized officers with respect to the deposit with it of the Ordinary Shares represented by the Offered Securities against issuance of the ADRs evidencing the Offered Securities, the execution, issuance, countersignature and delivery of the ADRs evidencing the Offered Securities pursuant to the Deposit Agreement and such other matters related thereto as the Representative may reasonably request.
(q) Execution of Deposit Agreement. The Company and the Depositary shall have executed and delivered the Deposit Agreement and the Deposit Agreement shall be in full force and effect and the Company and the Depositary shall have taken all action necessary to permit the deposit of the Ordinary Shares and the issuance of the Offered Securities in accordance with the Deposit Agreement.
(r) [Intentionally left blank.]
(s) [Intentionally left blank.]
(t) [Intentionally left blank.]
(u) [Intentionally left blank.]
31
(v) Listing. The Offered Securities shall have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Global Market.
(w) DTC Eligibility. On or prior to the First Closing Date, the Offered Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of DTC.
(x) Use of Offering Materials. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Statutory Prospectus or amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus shall have been filed to which the Representatives shall have objected in writing.
(y) No Objection. The FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(z) CEO and CFO Certificate. The Representatives shall have received, on the date hereof and each Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate dated such date and signed by each of the chief executive officer and chief financial officer attesting to the matters specified therein, in their respective capacities, as such on behalf of the Company in form and substance substantially similar to Annex H hereto attesting to the portions of the Registration Statement identified therein.
The Company, and the Selling Shareholder will furnish the Representatives with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives reasonably request. The Representatives may in their sole discretion waive on behalf of the Underwriters compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, whether in respect of an Optional Closing Date or otherwise.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters by the Company and the Selling Shareholder. The Company and the Selling Shareholder, jointly and severally, will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other U.S. federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statement, any ADS Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the General Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, the Final Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Designated Underwriter and its affiliates and each person, if any, who controls the Designated Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (the “Designated Entities”), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i) arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program arising out of or based upon any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) arising out of or based upon the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) arising out of, related to or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Designated Entities. The liability of the Selling Shareholder under the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to the net proceeds received by it from the sale of ADSs by the Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters under this Agreement.
32
(b) [Intentionally left blank.]
(c) Indemnification of Company and Selling Shareholder. Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and each of its officers who signs a Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the Selling Shareholder (each, an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”) against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other U.S. federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any ADS Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Statutory Prospectus at any time, the General Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Final Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the [fourth] paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”.
33
(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if indemnity may be sought pursuant to the last paragraph in Section 8(a) hereof in respect of such action or proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm for the indemnified parties, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Designated Underwriter for the defense of any losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising out of the Directed Share Program, and all persons, if any, who control the Designated Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action 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 an indemnified party.
(e) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a), (b) or (c) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Shareholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Offered Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Shareholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Shareholder bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Selling Shareholder or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (e). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (e), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter from the offering. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (e) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. The Company, the Selling Shareholder and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Subsection 8(e) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Subsection 8(e).
34
9. Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their obligations to purchase Offered Securities hereunder on either the First or any Optional Closing Date and the aggregate number of Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total number of Offered Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, the Representatives may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate number of Offered Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total number of Offered Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives, and the Company and the Selling Shareholder for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Shareholder, except as provided in Section 10 hereof (provided that if such default occurs with respect to the Optional Securities after the First Closing Date, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities or any Optional Securities purchased prior to such termination). As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 9. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company or its officers, the Selling Shareholder and the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company, the Selling Shareholder or, in each case, any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities. If the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the Company and the Selling Shareholder will, jointly and severally, reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities, and the respective obligations of the Company, the Selling Shareholder and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8 hereof shall remain in effect. In addition, if any Offered Securities have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in Section 2 hereof and all obligations under Section 5 hereof shall also remain in effect.
11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered by hand or sent via facsimile and confirmed to the Representatives, at Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010-3629 U.S.A., Attention: LCD-IBD, fax number: [—], and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, X.X. 00000 X.X.X, Attention: Equity Capital Markets Syndicate, fax number: (000) 000-0000, or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered by hand or sent via facsimile and confirmed to it at [—] Attention: [—], fax number: [—], or, if sent to the Selling Shareholder, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to [—] at [—], fax number: [—]]; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 hereof will be mailed, delivered by hand or sent via facsimile and confirmed to such Underwriter.
12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section [7] hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
13. Representation. The Representatives will act for the several Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and any action under this Agreement taken by the Representatives jointly or by either Representative severally will be binding upon all the Underwriters. [—] will act for the Selling Shareholder in connection with such transactions, and any action under or in respect of this Agreement taken by [—] will be binding upon all the Selling Xxxxxxxxxxx.
00
00. 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.
15. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company and the Selling Shareholder acknowledge and agree that:
(a) No Other Relationship. The Representatives have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company or the Selling Shareholder, on the one hand, and the Representatives, on the other, has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Representatives have advised or is advising the Company or the Selling Shareholder on other matters;
(b) Arms’ Length Negotiations. The price of the Offered Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by the Company and the Selling Shareholder following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Shareholder are capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) Absence of Obligation to Disclose. The Company and the Selling Shareholder have been advised that the Representatives and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company or the Selling Shareholder and that the Representatives have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company or the Selling Shareholder by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and
(d) Waiver. The Company and the Selling Shareholder waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims they may have against the Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agree that the Representatives shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company or the Selling Shareholder in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company or the Selling Shareholder, including the respective shareholders, employees or creditors of the Company.
16. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
The Company and the Selling Shareholder hereby submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company and the Selling Shareholder irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in U.S. federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plea or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company irrevocably appoints, and the Selling Shareholder appoints, CT Corporation System, as their respective authorized agent in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York upon which process may be served in any such suit or proceeding, and agrees that service of process upon such agent, and written notice of said service to the Company the Selling Shareholder by the person serving the same to the address provided in Section 10 hereof, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company and the Selling Shareholder in any such suit or proceeding. The Company and the Selling Shareholder further agree to take any and all action as may be necessary to maintain such designation and appointment of such agent in full force and effect for a period of seven years from the date of this Agreement.
The obligation of the Company and the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any sum due to any Underwriter shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first business day, following receipt by such Underwriter of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency, on which (and only to the extent that) such Underwriter may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency; if the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to such Underwriter hereunder, the Company and the Selling Shareholder agree, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Underwriter against such loss. If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to such Underwriter hereunder, such Underwriter agrees to pay to the Company or the Selling Shareholder an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to such Underwriter hereunder.
36
If the foregoing is in accordance with the Representatives’ understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company, the Selling Shareholder and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||
TUDOU HOLDINGS LIMITED | ||
By |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
37
SELLING SHAREHOLDER | ||||
By |
| |||
Name: |
38
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.
Acting on behalf of themselves and as the Representatives of the several Underwriters
BY CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC | ||
By |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
BY DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. | ||
By |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
BY XXXXXXXXXXX & CO. INC. | ||
By |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
39
SCHEDULE A
Underwriters |
Number of Firm Securities to be Purchased | |
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
||
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
||
Xxxxxxxxxxx & Co. Inc. |
||
| ||
Total |
||
|
SCHEDULE B
[intentionally left blank]
SCHEDULE C
1. | General Use Free Issuer Writing Prospectuses (included in the General Disclosure Package) |
“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” includes each of the following documents:
[If any]
2. | Other Information Included in the General Disclosure Package |
The following information is also included in the General Disclosure Package:
1. The initial price to the public of the Offered Securities: US$[—] per ADS.
SCHEDULE D
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT FOR DIRECTORS, OFFICERS,
SHAREHOLDERS AND CERTAIN OPTION HOLDERS
(TO COME)
SCHEDULE E
LIST OF OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, SHAREHOLDERS
AND CERTAIN OPTION HOLDERS
(TO BE UPDATED)
Name |
Xxxx Xxx (Xxxx Xxxx) |
Xxxx Xxxxx |
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx van der Chijs |
FIRST EASY GROUP LIMITED, a company duly incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands which is wholly controlled by Xxxx Xxx |
FAST ACTION MANAGEMENT LIMITED, a company duly incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands which is wholly owned by Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx van der Chijs |
[ALL OTHERS TO COME] |
SCHEDULE F
FORM OF COMFORT LETTER
ANNEX A
FORM OPINION OF U.S. COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
(TO COME)
ANNEX B
FORM OPINION OF CAYMAN ISLANDS COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
(TO COME)
ANNEX C
[FORM OPINION OF HONG KONG COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY]
(TO COME)
ANNEX D
FORM OPINION OF PRC COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
(TO COME)
ANNEX E
FORM OPINION OF LOCAL COUNSEL FOR THE SELLING SHAREHOLDER
(TO COME)
ANNEX F
FORM OPINION OF DEPOSITARY’S COUNSEL
(TO COME)
ANNEX G
FORM OPINION OF BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY
(TO COME)
ANNEX H
FORM OF CEO AND CFO CERTIFICATE
(TO COME)