Distribution Agreement
Exhibit 1.4
The Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Group, Inc.
Universal Warrants
Distribution Agreement
February 14,
2006
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.,
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and
sell from time to time its Universal Warrants (the “Securities”), in one or more series, and agrees
with each Agent as set forth in this Distribution Agreement (this “Agreement”). Each of the terms
“the Agents”, “such Agent”, “any Agent”, “an Agent”, “each Agent”, “the Purchasing Agent” and “the
Selling Agent”, when used in this Agreement or in any Terms Agreement (as defined below) or in the
Annexes hereto, shall mean Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. except at any time when more than one Agent is
acting as such hereunder, as contemplated in Section 10 hereof.
The Company acknowledges and agrees that Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. may use the Prospectus (as
defined below) in connection with offers and sales of the Securities as contemplated in the
Prospectus under the caption “Plan of Distribution — Market-Making Resales by Affiliates”
(“Secondary Market Transactions”). The Company further acknowledges and agrees that Xxxxxxx, Sachs
& Co. is under no obligation to effect any Secondary Market Transactions and, if it does so, it may
discontinue effecting such transactions at any time without providing any notice to the Company.
The term “Agent”, whenever used in this Agreement, shall include Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., whether
acting in its capacity as an Agent or acting in connection with a Secondary Market Transaction,
except as may be specifically provided otherwise herein.
Subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and to the reservation by the Company of the
right to sell Securities directly on its own behalf, the Company hereby (i) appoints each Agent as
an agent of the Company for the purpose of soliciting and receiving offers to purchase Securities
from the Company when and as instructed by the Company pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof and (ii)
agrees that, except as otherwise contemplated herein, whenever it determines to sell Securities
directly to any Agent as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement (each a “Terms
Agreement”), substantially in the form of Annex I hereto or in such other form as may be agreed by
the parties to that particular agreement, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 2(b)
hereof. This Agreement shall not be construed to create either an obligation on the part of the
Company to sell any Securities or an obligation of any of the Agents to purchase Securities as
principal.
The Securities will be issued under a warrant indenture, dated as of February 14, 2006 (as it
may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Indenture”), between the Company and The
Bank of New York, as trustee (including any successor trustee thereunder, the “Trustee”). The
Securities shall have the ranges of expiration dates relative to the time of original issuance,
redemption provisions and other terms set forth in the Prospectus referred to below as it may be
amended or supplemented from time to time. The Securities will be issued, and the terms and rights
thereof established, from time to time by the Company in accordance with the Indenture. The
Securities of any particular series may, but may not, have identical terms and rights and may, but
may not, be originally issued on the same date.
1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Agent that:
(a) An “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”) on Form S-3 (File No. 333-130074) in respect
of the Securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; such registration
statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, became effective on filing; and no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or any part thereof has
been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the
Commission, and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration
statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act
has been received by the Company (the base prospectus filed as part of such registration
statement, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on or
prior to the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any preliminary
prospectus (including any preliminary prospectus supplement) relating to the Securities
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act is hereinafter called a
“Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of such registration statement, including all
exhibits thereto but excluding all Forms T-1 and including any prospectus supplement
relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of Rule
430B to be part of such registration statement, each as amended at the time such part of the
registration statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively called the
“Registration Statement”; any reference herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference
therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date of such prospectus;
any supplement to the Prospectus that sets forth only the terms of a particular issue of the
Securities is hereinafter called a “Pricing Supplement”; any reference to any amendment or
supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and
include any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any prospectus
supplement relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act and any documents filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated therein, in each case after the date of such
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment
to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of
the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective
date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement; any reference to the “Prospectus as amended or supplemented”, other than in
Section 1(c)(i) hereof, shall be deemed to refer to and include the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented (including by the applicable Pricing Supplement filed in accordance with
Section 4(a) hereof and any other prospectus supplement specifically referred to in such
Pricing Supplement) in relation to the Securities to be sold pursuant to this
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Agreement, in the form filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Act and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof, including any
documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such filing);
(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any
“issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the
Securities (an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) has been issued by the Commission, and each
Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to
the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust
Indenture Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this
representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Agent
through Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein;
(c) (i) With respect to any issue of Securities to be sold pursuant to a Terms
Agreement, the “Applicable Time” will be such time on the date of such Terms Agreement as is
specified therein as the Applicable Time, and the “Pricing Disclosure Package” will be the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented at the Applicable Time together with (A) the
information referenced in Schedule II(b) to such Terms Agreement and (B) such other
documents, if any, as may be listed in Schedule II(a) to such Terms Agreement, taken
together; (ii) with respect to each such issue of Securities, the Pricing Disclosure
Package, as of the Applicable Time, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; and (iii) with respect
to each such issue of Securities, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule
II(a) to the applicable Terms Agreement, if any, will not conflict with the information
contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented and, taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable
Time, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they are made, not misleading; provided, however, that the representations and
warranties in clauses (ii) and (iii) of this Section 1(c) shall not apply to statements or
omissions made in any Pricing Disclosure Package or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any
Agent expressly for use therein;
(d) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may
be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act,
as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such
documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents
so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, or any further amendment or
supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission,
as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or
the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
and
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will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light
of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; provided, however, that this
representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Agent
expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to a particular
issuance of Securities; and no such documents will be filed with the Commission after the
Commission’s close of business on the business day immediately prior to the date of the
applicable Terms Agreement and prior to the date of execution of such Terms Agreement,
except as set forth on Schedule II(c) to such Terms Agreement;
(e) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any further amendments
or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will conform, in all material
respects to the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the
“Trust Indenture Act”), as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable filing date as to
the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and
warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Agent expressly for
use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented to relate to a particular issuance of
Securities;
(f) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries that are listed in the
Company’s latest annual report on Form 10-K pursuant to the requirements of Form 10-K and
Item 601(b)(21) of the Commission’s Regulation S-K and are “significant subsidiaries” as
defined in Rule 1-02(w) of the Commission’s Regulation S-X (the “Significant Subsidiaries”)
has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented any material loss or
interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not
covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or
decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented; and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, there has not been any
material adverse change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management,
financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, otherwise, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), than as set forth
or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(g) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate
and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented;
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(h) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have
been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(i) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when issued and delivered pursuant
to this Agreement and any Terms Agreement, will have been duly executed, authenticated,
issued and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; the Indenture has been duly
authorized and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes a valid and
legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to
enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;
and the Indenture conforms, and the Securities of any particular issuance of Securities will
conform, to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
to relate to such issuance of Securities;
(j) The issue and sale of the Securities, the compliance by the Company with all of the
provisions of the Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and any Terms Agreement and the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated herein and therein will not
conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or
to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, nor will such action
result in any violation of the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation or the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company or any statute or any
order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is
required for the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities, the issue and sale of the
Securities by the Company or the consummation by the Company of the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, any Terms Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have
been, or will have been prior to the Commencement Date (as defined in Section 3 hereof),
obtained under the Act or the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals,
authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or
Blue Sky laws in connection with the solicitation by such Agent of offers to purchase
Securities from the Company and with purchases of Securities by such Agent as principal, as
the case may be, in each case in the manner contemplated hereby;
(k) Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries is in violation of its
organizational documents or in default in the performance or observance of any material
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by
which it or any of its properties may be bound;
(l) The statements set forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented under the
captions “Description of Warrants We May Offer”, “Considerations Relating to Securities
Issued in Bearer Form” and “Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance”, insofar as they
purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the captions
“United
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States Taxation” and “Plan of Distribution”, insofar as they purport to describe the
provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair;
(m) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, there are no
legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject,
which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually
or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the current or future consolidated
financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are
threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(n) The Company is not and, after giving effect to each offering and sale of the
Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof, will not be an “investment company”,
as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment
Company Act”);
(o) (i) (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the
most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act
(whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus) and (C) at the time the
Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of
Rule 163(c) under the Act) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the
exemption of Rule 163 under the Act, the Company was a “well-known seasoned issuer” as
defined in Rule 405 under the Act; and (ii) at the earliest time after the filing of the
Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide
offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Securities, the Company
was not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act;
(p) The Company and its Significant Subsidiaries possess all authorizations issued by
the appropriate Federal, state and foreign governments, governmental or regulatory
authorities, self-regulatory organizations and all courts or other tribunals, and are
members in good standing of each Federal, state or foreign exchange, board of trade,
clearing house or association and self-regulatory or similar organization necessary to
conduct their respective businesses as described in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the prospects, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations
of the Company and its subsidiaries;
(q) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the
Company and its subsidiaries, and have audited the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting and management’s assessment thereof, are independent public accountants as
required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(r) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as
such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the
requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive
officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable
assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of
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financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented,
the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not
aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting; and
(s) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined
in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange
Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material
information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s
principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities;
and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
2. (a) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, and subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth, each of the Agents hereby severally and not jointly agrees,
upon receipt of instructions from the Company, to act as agent of the Company and to use its
reasonable efforts to solicit and receive offers to purchase a particular Security or Securities
from the Company upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented from time to time. Each Agent shall solicit offers to purchase only Securities having
such terms, and shall solicit such offers only during such periods, as the Company shall instruct
such Agent. So long as this Agreement shall remain in effect with respect to any Agent, the
Company shall not, without the consent of such Agent, solicit or accept offers to purchase, or
sell, any warrants with an expiration date of 18 months or more after the time of original issuance
except pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, or except in an offering of Securities
that are not and are not required to be registered under the Act or except in connection with a
firm commitment underwriting pursuant to an underwriting agreement that does not provide for a
continuous offering of warrants (other than in Secondary Market Transactions). However, the
Company reserves the right to sell, and may solicit and accept offers to purchase, Securities
directly on its own behalf in transactions with persons other than broker-dealers, and, in the case
of any such sale not resulting from a solicitation made by any Agent, no commission will be payable
with respect to such sale. These provisions shall not limit Section 4(f) hereof or any similar
provision included in any Terms Agreement.
Procedural details relating to the issue and delivery of Securities, the solicitation of
offers to purchase Securities and the payment in each case therefor shall be as set forth in the
Administrative Procedure attached hereto as Annex II as it may be amended from time to time by
written agreement between the Agents and the Company (the “Administrative Procedure”). The
provisions of the Administrative Procedure shall apply to all transactions contemplated hereunder
other than those made pursuant to a Terms Agreement. Each Agent and the Company agree to perform
the respective duties and obligations specifically provided to be performed by each of them in the
Administrative Procedure. The Company will furnish to the Trustee a copy of the Administrative
Procedure as from time to time in effect.
The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, at any time when the Company has
instructed any Agent to solicit offers to purchase the Securities, to instruct such Agent to
suspend, for any period of time or permanently, the solicitation of offers to purchase the
Securities. As soon as practicable, but in any event not later than one business day in New York
City, after receipt of notice from the Company, such Agent will suspend solicitation of offers to
purchase Securities from the Company until such time as the Company has instructed such Agent to
resume such solicitation. During such period, the Company shall not be required to comply with the
provisions of Sections 4(h), 4(i) and 4(j) with regard to such Agent. Upon advising such Agent
that such solicitation may be
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resumed, however, the Company shall simultaneously provide the documents (if any) required to
be delivered by Sections 4(h),
4(i) and 4(j), and such Agent shall have no obligation to solicit offers to purchase the Securities until such documents have been received by such Agent. In addition, any failure by the Company to comply with its obligations hereunder, including its obligations to deliver the documents required by Sections 4(h), 4(i) and 4(j), with regard to any Agent shall automatically terminate such Agent’s obligations hereunder, including its obligations to solicit offers to purchase the Securities hereunder as agent or to purchase Securities hereunder as principal.
4(i) and 4(j), and such Agent shall have no obligation to solicit offers to purchase the Securities until such documents have been received by such Agent. In addition, any failure by the Company to comply with its obligations hereunder, including its obligations to deliver the documents required by Sections 4(h), 4(i) and 4(j), with regard to any Agent shall automatically terminate such Agent’s obligations hereunder, including its obligations to solicit offers to purchase the Securities hereunder as agent or to purchase Securities hereunder as principal.
The Company agrees to pay each Agent a commission, at the time of settlement of any sale of a
Security by the Company as a result of a solicitation made by such Agent, in an amount equal to the
following applicable percentage of the issuance amount of such Security sold or in an amount as
agreed between the Agent and the Company:
Commission | ||||
(percentage of | ||||
aggregate | ||||
Range of Expiration Dates Relative | issuance amount | |||
to Time of Original Issuance | of Securities sold) | |||
Less than 1 year |
.050 | % | ||
From 1 year to less than 11/2 years |
.100 | % | ||
From 11/2 years to less than 2 years |
.150 | % | ||
From 2 years to less than 3 years |
.175 | % | ||
From 3 years to less than 4 years |
.250 | % | ||
From 4 years to less than 5 years |
.300 | % | ||
From 5 years to less than 6 years |
.350 | % | ||
From 6 years to less than 7 years |
.375 | % | ||
From 7 years to less than 10 years |
.400 | % | ||
From 10 years to less than 12 years |
.450 | % | ||
From 12 years to less than 15 years |
.475 | % | ||
From 15 years to less than 20 years |
.550 | % |
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Commission | ||||
(percentage of | ||||
aggregate | ||||
Range of Expiration Dates Relative to Time of Original | issuance amount | |||
Issuance | of Securities sold) | |||
From 20 years to less than 30 years |
.600 | % | ||
From 30 years to less than 40 years |
.750 | % | ||
40 years and more |
.900 | % |
(b) Each sale of Securities by the Company to any Agent as principal shall be made in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and (unless the Company and such Agent shall
otherwise agree) a Terms Agreement which will provide for the sale of such Securities by the
Company to, and the purchase thereof by, such Agent; a Terms Agreement may also specify
certain provisions relating to the reoffering of such Securities by such Agent; the
commitment of any Agent to purchase Securities as principal, whether pursuant to any Terms
Agreement or otherwise, shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the
representations and warranties of the Company herein contained and shall be subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth; each Terms Agreement shall specify the notional
amount of Securities to be purchased by any Agent pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to
the Company for such Securities, any provisions relating to rights of, and default by,
underwriters acting together with such Agent in the reoffering of the Securities and the
time and date and place of delivery of and payment for such Securities; such Terms Agreement
shall also specify any requirements for opinions of counsel, accountants’ letters and
officers’ certificates pursuant to Section 4 hereof and such Terms Agreement may also
include such other provisions (including provisions that modify this Agreement insofar as it
sets forth the agreement between the Company and such Agent) as the Company and such Agent
may agree upon. Unless otherwise specified in a Terms Agreement, each Agent proposes to
offer Securities purchased by it as principal from the Company for sale at prevailing market
prices or prices related thereto at the time of sale, which may be equal to, greater than or
less than the price at which such Securities are purchased by such Agent from the Company.
For each sale of Securities by the Company to an Agent as principal that is not made
pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the procedural details relating to the issue and delivery of
such Securities and payment therefor shall be as set forth in the Administrative Procedure.
For each such sale of Securities by the Company to an Agent as principal that is not made
pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company agrees to pay such Agent a commission (or grant
an equivalent discount) as provided in Section 2(a) hereof and in accordance with the
schedule set forth therein (or in such amount as may be agreed between such Agent and the
Company).
Each time and date of delivery of and payment for Securities to be purchased from the
Company by an Agent as principal, whether set forth in a Terms Agreement or in accordance
with the Administrative Procedure, is referred to herein as a “Time of Delivery”.
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(c) Each Agent agrees, with respect to any Security denominated in a currency other
than U.S. dollars, and whether acting as agent, as principal under any Terms Agreement or
otherwise (including, in the case of Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., in any Secondary Market
Transaction), not to solicit offers to purchase or otherwise offer, sell or deliver such
Security, directly or indirectly, in, or to residents of, the country issuing such currency,
except as permitted by applicable law.
3. If Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. requests that any documents be delivered pursuant to Section 6
hereof on the Commencement Date (as defined below), any such documents required to be so delivered
shall be delivered to the Agents at the offices of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, at such time, on such date, if any, as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. may specify to
the Company upon at least five business days prior notice, which date and time of such delivery may
be postponed by agreement between the Agents and the Company (such time and date being referred to
herein as the “Commencement Date”).
4. The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent:
(a) (i) To make no amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus (A) prior to the Commencement Date which shall be disapproved by any Agent
promptly after reasonable notice thereof, (B) after the date of any Terms Agreement
or other agreement by an Agent to purchase Securities as principal and prior to the
related Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by any Agent party to such Terms
Agreement or so purchasing as principal promptly after reasonable notice thereof or
(C) during the period beginning on the Commencement Date and continuing for as long
as may be required under applicable law, in the reasonable judgment of Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx
& Co. after consultation with the Company, in order to offer and sell any Securities
in Secondary Market Transactions as contemplated by the Prospectus (the “Secondary
Transactions Period”) which shall be disapproved by Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. promptly
after reasonable notice thereof;
(ii) to prepare, with respect to any Securities to be sold by the Company through
or to such Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Pricing Supplement with respect to
such Securities in a form previously approved by such Agent and to file such Pricing
Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) under the Act not later than the close of
business of the Commission on the fifth business day after the date on which such
Pricing Supplement is first used;
(iii) to make no amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, other than any Pricing Supplement, at any time prior to having afforded
each Agent a reasonable opportunity to review and comment thereon;
(iv) with respect to any issue of Securities to be sold pursuant to a Terms
Agreement, but only if requested by the Agents party to such Terms Agreement prior to
the Applicable Time, to prepare a final term sheet relating to such Securities in the
form set forth in Schedule III to such Terms Agreement and to file such term sheet
pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act within the time required by such rule;
(v) to file promptly all material required to be filed by the Company with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act;
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(vi) to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information
statements 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 subsequent to the date of the
Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the
notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required in connection with the
offering or sale of the Securities (including, in the case of Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.,
in any Secondary Market Transactions during the Secondary Transactions Period), and
during such same period to advise such Agent, promptly after the Company receives
notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been
filed or has become effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended
Prospectus (other than any Pricing Supplement that relates to Securities not
purchased through or by such Agent) has been filed with the Commission, of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending
the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the
Securities, of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule
401(g)(2) under the Act relating to the Securities, of the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request
by the Commission for the amendment or supplement of the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or for additional information;
(vii) in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order
preventing or suspending the use of any such prospectus or suspending any such
qualification, to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal; and
(b) If required by Rule 430B(h) under the Act, to prepare a form of prospectus in a
form approved by Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and to file such form of prospectus pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Act not later than may be required by Rule 424(b) under the Act; and to
make no further amendment or supplement to such form of prospectus which shall be
disapproved by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. promptly after reasonable notice thereof;
(c) If by the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date
of the Registration Statement, any of the Securities remain unsold by the Agents, the
Company will file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic
shelf registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form satisfactory to you. If
at the Renewal Deadline the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf
registration statement, the Company will, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf
registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form satisfactory to you and will
use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within
180 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all other action necessary or
appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as
contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Securities. References
herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration
statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be;
(d) Promptly from time to time to take such action as such Agent may reasonably request
to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such
jurisdictions as such Agent may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the
continuance of sales and dealings therein for as long as may be necessary to complete the
11
distribution or sale of the Securities (including, in the case of Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.,
in any Secondary Market Transactions during the Secondary Transactions Period); provided,
however, that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(e) (i) To furnish such Agent with copies of the Registration Statement and each
amendment thereto and with copies of the Prospectus as each time amended or
supplemented, other than any Pricing Supplement (except as provided in the
Administrative Procedure), in the form in which it is filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, and with copies of the documents incorporated by
reference therein, all in such quantities as such Agent may reasonably request from
time to time;
(ii) if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to
in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine
months after the time of issue of the applicable Pricing Supplement in connection
with the offering or sale of the Securities (including Securities purchased from the
Company by such Agent as principal and including, in the case of Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx &
Co., in any Secondary Market Transactions during the Secondary Transactions Period,
whether before or after such expiration) and if at such time any event shall have
occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice
referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for
any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement
the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or the
Trust Indenture Act, to notify such Agent and request such Agent, in its capacity as
agent of the Company, to suspend solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from
the Company (and, if so notified, such Agent shall cease such solicitations as soon
as practicable, but in any event not later than one business day in New York City
later); and if the Company shall decide to amend or supplement the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, to so advise such Agent
promptly by telephone (with confirmation in writing) and to prepare and cause to be
filed promptly with the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(iii) notwithstanding paragraph (ii) above, if during the period specified in
such paragraph such Agent continues to own Securities purchased from the Company by
such Agent as principal or such Agent is otherwise required to deliver a prospectus
(or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in respect
of transactions in the Securities (including, in the case of Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., in
any Secondary Market Transactions during the Secondary Transactions Period), to
promptly prepare and file with the Commission such an amendment or supplement and
furnish without charge to such Agent as many copies as it may from time to time
during such period reasonably request of such amendment or supplement; provided,
however, that the Company may elect, upon notice to Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., not to
comply with this paragraph (iii) with respect to any Secondary Market Transaction,
but
12
only for a period or periods that the Company reasonably determines are
necessary in order to avoid premature disclosure of material, non-public information,
unless, notwithstanding such election, such disclosure would otherwise be required
under this Agreement; and provided, further, that no such period or periods described
in the preceding proviso shall exceed 90 days in the aggregate during any period of
12 consecutive calendar months. Upon receipt of any such notice, Xxxxxxx, Sachs &
Co. shall cease using the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in
connection with Secondary Market Transactions until it receives notice from the
Company that it may resume using such document (or such document as it may be amended
or supplemented);
(f) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in
any event not later than 16 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement
(as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its
subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company,
Rule 158 under the Act);
(g) To pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the
time required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Act without regard to the proviso therein and
otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Act;
(h) So long as any Securities are outstanding, to furnish to such Agent copies of all
reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders generally,
and to deliver to such Agent (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and
financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities
exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional
information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as such Agent may
from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated
basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in
reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to the Commission);
(i) That, from the date of any Terms Agreement with such Agent or other agreement by
such Agent to purchase Securities as principal and continuing to and including the later of
(i) the termination of the trading restrictions for the Securities purchased thereunder, as
notified to the Company by such Agent, and (ii) the related Time of Delivery, the Company
will not, without the prior written consent of such Agent, offer, sell, contract to sell or
otherwise dispose of any warrants or other securities of the Company which both expire or
mature more than 18 months after such Time of Delivery and are substantially similar to the
Securities except pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, or except in an
offering of Securities that are not and are not required to be registered under the Act or
except in connection with a firm commitment underwriting pursuant to an underwriting
agreement that does not provide for a continuous offering of warrants or other securities
(other than in Secondary Market Transactions);
(j) That each acceptance by the Company of an offer to purchase Securities hereunder
(including any purchase from the Company by such Agent as principal not pursuant to a Terms
Agreement), and each execution and delivery by the Company of a Terms Agreement with such
Agent, shall be deemed to be an affirmation to such Agent that the
13
representations and warranties of the Company contained in or made pursuant to this
Agreement are true and correct as of the date of such acceptance or of such Terms Agreement,
as the case may be, as though made at and as of such date, and an undertaking that such
representations and warranties will be true and correct as of the settlement date for the
Securities relating to such acceptance or as of the Time of Delivery relating to such sale,
as the case may be, as though made at and as of such date (except that such representations
and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as
amended and supplemented relating to such Securities);
(k) That reasonably in advance of each time any annual report of the Company filed
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus and each time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal pursuant to
a Terms Agreement and such Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of an opinion or opinions
by Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such
Terms Agreement, the Company shall furnish to such counsel such papers and information as
they may reasonably request to enable them to furnish to such Agent the opinion or opinions
referred to in Section 6(b) hereof;
(l) That reasonably promptly after each time any annual report of the Company filed
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus, and each time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal pursuant
to a Terms Agreement and such Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of a letter under this
Section 4(l) as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement,
the Company shall cause the independent registered public accounting firm who have audited
the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement forthwith to furnish such Agent a letter, dated the
date of such amendment, supplement or incorporation or the Time of Delivery relating to
such sale, as the case may be, in form satisfactory to such Agent, of the same tenor as the
letter referred to in Section 6(d) hereof but modified to relate to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented to the date of such letter, with
such changes as may be necessary to reflect changes in the financial statements and other
information derived from the accounting records of the Company, to the extent such financial
statements and other information are available as of a date not more than five business days
prior to the date of such letter; provided, however, that, with respect to any financial
information or other matter, such letter may reconfirm as true and correct at such date as
though made at and as of such date, rather than repeat, statements with respect to such
financial information or other matter made in the letter referred to in Section 6(d) hereof
which was last furnished to such Agent;
(m) That reasonably promptly after each time any annual report of the Company filed
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus and each time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal and the
applicable Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of a certificate under this Section 4(m)
as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company
shall furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to such Agent a certificate, dated the date
of such supplement, amendment or incorporation or the Time of Delivery relating to such
sale, as the case may be, in such form and executed by such officers of the Company as shall
be satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect that the statements contained in the
certificate referred to in Section 6(i) hereof which was last furnished to such Agent are
true and correct at such
14
date as though made at and as of such date (except that such statements shall be deemed
to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to
such date), or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the
certificates referred to in said Section 6(i) but modified to relate to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date;
(n) To offer to any person who has agreed to purchase Securities from the Company as
the result of an offer to purchase solicited by such Agent the right to refuse to purchase
and pay for such Securities if, on the related settlement date fixed pursuant to the
Administrative Procedure, any condition set forth in Section 6(a), 6(e), 6(f), 6(g) or 6(h)
hereof shall not have been satisfied (it being understood that the judgment of such person
with respect to the impracticability or inadvisability of such purchase of Securities shall
be substituted, for purposes of this Section 4(n), for the respective judgments of an Agent
with respect to certain matters referred to in Sections 6(e) and 6(g) hereof, and that such
Agent shall have no duty or obligation whatsoever to exercise the judgment permitted under
such Sections 6(e) and 6(g) on behalf of any such person); and
(o) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities pursuant to
this Agreement in the manner specified in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented under
the caption “Use of Proceeds”.
4A.
(a) (i) The Company and each Agent agree that the Agents may prepare and use one or
more preliminary or final term sheets relating to the Securities containing customary
information;
(ii) Each Agent represents that, other than as permitted under subparagraph
(a)(i) above, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities
that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the
Act without the prior consent of the Company and Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and that, with
respect to any issue of Securities to be sold pursuant to a Terms Agreement, Schedule
II(a) to such Terms Agreement will be a complete list of any free writing
prospectuses for which the Agents have received such consent; and
(iii) The Company represents and agrees that it has not made and will not make
any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus without the prior consent of Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. and that, with respect
to any issue of Securities to be sold pursuant to a Terms Agreement, Schedule II(a)
to such Terms Agreement will be a complete list of any free writing prospectuses for
which the Company has received such consent;
(b) The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under
the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the
Commission or retention where required and legending; and
(c) The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or the Pricing Supplement or would
include an
15
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not
misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and, if
requested by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., will prepare and furnish without charge to each Agent an
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document which will correct such conflict, statement
or omission; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any
statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Agent through Xxxxxxx,
Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein.
5. The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent that the Company will pay or cause to be
paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and
accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any Pricing
Supplements and all other amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of
copies thereof to such Agent; (ii) the cost of printing, producing or reproducing this Agreement,
any Terms Agreement, any Indenture, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any
other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities;
(iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale
under state securities laws as provided in Section 4(b) hereof, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with such qualification and in connection
with the Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda; (iv) any fees charged by securities rating
services for rating the Securities; (v) any filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements
of counsel for the Agents in connection with, any required review by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Securities (other than, in the case of
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., in any Secondary Market Transactions); (vi) the cost of preparing the
Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any agent of the Trustee and any
transfer or paying agent of the Company and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee
or such agent in connection with the Indenture and the Securities; (viii) any advertising expenses
connected with the solicitation of offers to purchase and the sale of Securities so long as such
advertising expenses have been approved by the Company; and (ix) all other costs and expenses
incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this Section. Except as provided in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, each Agent shall pay
all other expenses it incurs.
6. The obligation of any Agent, as agent of the Company, at any time (“Solicitation Time”) to
solicit offers to purchase the Securities from the Company and the obligation of any Agent to
purchase Securities from the Company as principal, pursuant to any Terms Agreement or otherwise,
shall in each case be subject, in such Agent’s discretion, to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein (and, in the case of an
obligation of an Agent under a Terms Agreement, in or incorporated by reference in such Terms
Agreement) are true and correct at and as of the Commencement Date and any applicable date referred
to in Section 4(j) hereof that is prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case
may be, and at and as of such Solicitation Time or at and as of both such Time of Delivery and Time
of Sale, as the case may be (“Time of Sale” shall mean, with respect to any obligation of an Agent
to purchase Securities as principal, the time when the related Terms Agreement becomes effective or
if there is no Terms Agreement, the time when the Agent otherwise becomes committed to purchase the
Securities); the condition that prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case
may be, the Company
16
shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed; and the
following additional conditions:
(a) (i) With respect to any Securities sold at or prior to such Solicitation Time or
Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including
the Pricing Supplement) with respect to such Securities shall have been filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period
prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with
Section 4(a) hereof; (ii) the final term sheet contemplated by Section 4(a)(iv) hereof and
any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act
shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for
such filings by Rule 433; (iii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that
purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission and no notice of objection
of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment
thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act shall have been received; (iv) no stop
order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and (v) all requests
for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to
the reasonable satisfaction of such Agent;
(b) (i) If and to the extent requested by such Agent, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, acting
as counsel to the Company, shall have furnished to such Agent an opinion and a letter, dated
the Commencement Date, to the effect set forth in Annex III and (ii) if and to the extent
requested by such Agent, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, acting as counsel to the Company, shall
have furnished to such Agent, with respect to each applicable filing date and each
applicable sale date relating to such Agent referred to in Section 4(k) hereof that is after
the Commencement Date but is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as
the case may be, a letter or letters, dated such applicable filing date or the Time of
Delivery relating to such applicable sale date, as the case may be, to the effect that such
Agent may rely on the opinion and letter which were last furnished to such Agent pursuant to
this Section 6(b) to the same extent as though they were dated the date of such letter or
letters authorizing reliance (except that the statements in such last opinion and letter
shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and
supplemented to such date) or, in any case, in lieu of such an opinion and letter, an
opinion and letter of the same tenor as the opinion and letter referred to in clause (i) but
modified to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and
supplemented to such date; and in each case such counsel shall have received such papers and
information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) If and to the extent requested by such Agent, a General Counsel or Associate
General Counsel of the Company, or other counsel for the Company satisfactory to such Agent,
shall have furnished to such Agent such counsel’s written opinions, dated the Commencement
Date, in form and substance satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect set forth in Annex IV
hereto.
(d) If and to the extent requested by such Agent, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York
City time, on the Commencement Date and on each applicable date referred to in Section 4(l)
hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case
17
may be, the independent registered public accounting firm who have audited the
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement shall have furnished to such Agent a letter, dated
the Commencement Date or such applicable date, as the case may be, in form and substance
satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect set forth in Annex V hereto;
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated
by reference in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented any loss or interference with its
business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance,
or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than
as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and (ii) since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus as amended prior to the
date of the Pricing Supplement relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant
Time of Delivery there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt
of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any change, or any development
involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial
position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its Significant
Subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in
the judgment of such Agent so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the solicitation by such Agent of offers to purchase Securities
from the Company or the purchase by such Agent of Securities from the Company as principal,
as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus as first
amended or supplemented relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant Time of
Delivery;
(f) On or after the Applicable Time (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the
rating accorded the Company’s warrants or debt securities by any “nationally recognized
statistical rating organization”, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of
Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced
that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of
any of the Company’s warrants or debt securities;
(g) On or after the Applicable Time there shall not have occurred any of the following:
(i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York
Stock Exchange, (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s
securities on the New York Stock Exchange, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking
activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption
in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States,
(iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the
declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or (v) the occurrence of
any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in
the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or
(v) in the judgment of such Agent makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
solicitation of offers to purchase Securities or the purchase of the Securities from the
Company as principal pursuant to the applicable Terms Agreement or otherwise, as the case
may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus as first amended or
supplemented relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant Time of Delivery;
18
(h) (i) With respect to any Security denominated in a currency other than the U.S.
dollar, more than one currency or a composite currency or any Security the exercise value of
which is indexed to such currency, currencies or composite currency, on or after the date
hereof or of any applicable Terms Agreement there shall not have occurred a suspension or
material limitation in foreign exchange trading in such currency, currencies or composite
currency by a major international bank, a general moratorium on commercial banking
activities in the country or countries issuing such currency, currencies or composite
currency, the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving, the occurrence of any
material adverse change in the existing financial, political or economic conditions of, or
the declaration of war or a national emergency by, the country or countries issuing such
currency, currencies or composite currency or the imposition or proposal of exchange
controls by any governmental authority in the country or countries issuing such currency,
currencies or composite currency; and (ii) with respect to any Security linked to the
capital stock of an issuer other than the Company, additional conditions comparable to those
set forth in Sections 6(e), 6(f) and 6(g) shall have been satisfied with respect to such
issuer (with such additional conditions being identical to those in Sections 6(e), (f) and
(g), except that, for this purpose, all references to the Company in such sections shall be
deemed to mean such other issuer and, if the principal trading market for such other
issuer’s capital stock is not the New York Stock Exchange, the reference to the New York
Stock Exchange in Section 6(g)(i) shall be deemed to mean either the New York Stock Exchange
or such principal trading market and in Section 6(g)(ii) shall be deemed to mean only such
principal trading market), it being understood that nothing in this clause (ii) shall limit
or otherwise affect conditions in Sections 6(e), (f) and (g), which shall apply in addition
to any conditions applicable pursuant to this clause (ii); and
(i) If and to the extent requested by such Agent, the Company shall have furnished or
caused to be furnished to such Agent certificates of officers of the Company dated the
Commencement Date and each applicable date referred to in Section 4(j) hereof that is on or
prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, in such form and
executed by such officers of the Company as shall be satisfactory to such Agent, as to the
accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of the
Commencement Date or such applicable date, as the case may be (and in the case of any
certificates provided at a Time of Delivery, also at and as of the applicable Time of Sale),
as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at
or prior to the Commencement Date or such applicable date, as the case may be, as to the
matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section 6, and as to such other matters
as such Agent may reasonably request.
It is understood and agreed that the Company shall have no obligation to furnish or cause to
be furnished to any Agent any opinions, letters or certificates described in Section 4(k), (l) or
(m) or this Section 6, and no furnishing of any such opinions, letters or certificates to any Agent
shall be a condition to the obligations of any Agent, whether under this Agreement, any Terms
Agreement or otherwise, unless and to the extent that Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. requests that such
opinions, letters and certificates be so furnished to such Agent or unless and to the extent that a
Terms Agreement to which such Agent is a party provides for such opinions, letters and certificates
to be furnished to such Agent at the time of delivery specified therein. Any such request by
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. for furnishing on the Commencement Date or any subsequent date shall be made
at least five business days prior to such date.
19
7. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Agent against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Agent may become subject, under the
Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary
prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended
or supplemented, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the
Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, and will reimburse each such Agent for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as
such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any
such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is
based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or any such amendment
or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Agent expressly for use
therein.
(b) Each Agent will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise
out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any
other prospectus relating to the Securities, 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 to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other prospectus
relating to the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by such Agent expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in
respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify
the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any
indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be
brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and,
to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly
notified, to assume the defense thereof,
20
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 shall not be liable to such indemnified party under
such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof
other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the
written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent
to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in
respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought under this Section 7 (whether
or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless
such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not
include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or
on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in
respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
(or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and each Agent on the other from the
offering of the Securities to which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in
respect thereof) relates. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding
sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the
notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the
one hand and each Agent on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and each Agent on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of Securities (before deducting expenses)
received by the Company bear to the total commissions or discounts received by such Agent
from the Company in respect thereof. 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 on the one hand or by any Agent on the other and the parties’ relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission. The Company and each Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if
all Agents 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 above in this
subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in
this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such
action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), an Agent shall not
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total public
offering price at which
21
the Securities purchased by or through it were sold exceeds the amount of any damages
which such Agent has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The
obligations of each of the Agents under this subsection (d) to contribute are several in
proportion to the respective purchases made by or through it to which such loss, claim,
damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates and are not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any
liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and
conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Agent within the meaning of the Act and
each broker-dealer affiliate of any Underwriter; and the obligations of each Agent under
this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability which such Agent may otherwise have and
shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the
Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
8. Each Agent, in soliciting offers to purchase Securities from the Company and in performing
the other obligations of such Agent hereunder (other than in respect of any purchase by an Agent as
principal, pursuant to a Terms Agreement or otherwise), is acting solely as agent for the Company
and not as principal. Each Agent will make reasonable efforts to assist the Company in obtaining
performance by each purchaser whose offer to purchase Securities from the Company was solicited by
such Agent and has been accepted by the Company, but such Agent shall not have any liability to the
Company in the event such purchase is not consummated for any reason. If the Company shall default
on its obligation to deliver Securities to a purchaser whose offer it has accepted, the Company
shall (i) hold each Agent harmless against any loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of
such default by the Company and (ii) notwithstanding such default, pay to the Agent that solicited
such offer any commission to which it would be entitled in connection with such sale.
9. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements by
any Agent and the Company set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made
by or on behalf of any Agent or any controlling person of any Agent, or the Company, or any officer
or director or any controlling person of the Company, and shall survive each delivery of and
payment for any of the Securities.
10. (a) The provisions of this Agreement relating to the solicitation of offers to purchase
Securities from the Company may be suspended or terminated at any time by the Company as to
any Agent or by any Agent as to such Agent upon the giving of written notice of such
suspension or termination to such Agent or the Company, as the case may be. In the event of
such suspension or termination with respect to any Agent, (i) this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect with respect to any Agent as to which such suspension or termination
has not occurred, (ii) this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect with respect to
the rights and obligations of any party which have previously accrued or which relate to
Securities which are already issued, agreed to be issued or the subject of a pending offer
at the time of such suspension or termination (including all Securities that may be the
subject of a Secondary Market Transaction at any time during the Secondary Transactions
Period) and (iii) in any
22
event, this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect insofar as the fourth paragraph
of Section 2(a) and Sections 4(d),
4(e), 5, 7, 8 and 9 hereof are concerned.
4(e), 5, 7, 8 and 9 hereof are concerned.
(b) The Company, in its sole discretion, may appoint one or more additional parties to
act as Agents hereunder from time to time. Any such appointment shall be made in a writing
signed by the Company and the party so appointed. Such appointment shall become effective
in accordance with its terms after the execution and delivery of such writing by the Company
and such other party. When such appointment is effective, such other party shall be deemed
to be one of the Agents referred to in, and to have the rights and obligations of an Agent
under, this Agreement, subject to the terms and conditions of such appointment. The Company
shall deliver a copy of such appointment to each other Agent promptly after it becomes
effective.
(c) The Company, in its sole discretion, may increase the aggregate initial offering
price of the Securities from time to time without consent of, or notice to, any Agent.
(d) The Company and any Agent may amend any provision of this Agreement with respect to
such Agent without consent of, or notice to, any other Agent. Any such amendment shall be
made in a writing signed by the Company and each Agent that is a party to such amendment.
In the event of such amendment, this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect with
respect to any Agent that is not a party to such amendment (without giving effect to such
amendment with respect to such Agent) unless suspended or terminated with respect to such
Agent pursuant to clause (a) of this Section 10.
11. The following terms shall apply to any Terms Agreement if provided for therein:
(a) If any Agent shall default in its obligation to purchase the Securities which it
has agreed to purchase pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Representatives named in such
Terms Agreement may in their discretion arrange for the Representatives or another party or
other parties to purchase such Securities on the terms provided by such Terms Agreement. If
within thirty-six hours after such default by any Agent the Representatives do not arrange
for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period
of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to
the Representatives to purchase such Securities on such terms. In the event that, within
the respective prescribed periods, the Representatives notify the Company that they have so
arranged for the purchase of such Securities, or the Company notifies the Representatives
that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Securities, the Representatives or the
Company shall have the right to postpone the Time of Delivery for a period of not more than
seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the
Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus which in the Representatives’ opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term
“Agent” as used with respect to such Terms Agreement shall include any person substituted
under this Section 11 (if applicable) with like effect as if such person had originally been
a party to such Terms Agreement.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a
defaulting Agent or Agents by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection
(a) above, the aggregate notional amount of such Securities which remains
23
unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate notional amount of all the
Securities covered by such Terms Agreement, then the Company shall have the right to require
each non-defaulting Agent to purchase the notional amount of Securities which such Agent
agreed to purchase pursuant to such Terms Agreement and, in addition, to require each
non-defaulting Agent to purchase its pro rata share (based on the notional amount of
Securities which such Agent agreed to purchase pursuant to such Terms Agreement) of the
Securities of such defaulting Agent or Agents for which such arrangements have not been
made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Agent from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a
defaulting Agent or Agents by the Agents and the Company as provided in subsection (a)
above, the aggregate notional amount of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement which
remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate notional amount of all the
Securities under such Terms Agreement, or if the Company shall not exercise the right
described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Agents to purchase Securities of
a defaulting Agent or Agents, then such Terms Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without
liability on the part of any non-defaulting Agent or the Company, except for the expenses to
be borne by the Company and the Agents as provided in Section 5 hereof incorporated therein
by reference and the indemnity and contribution agreement in Section 7 hereof incorporated
therein by reference; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Agent from liability for
its default.
12. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or in the Administrative Procedure, all
statements, requests, notices and advices hereunder shall be in writing, or by telephone if
promptly confirmed in writing, and if to Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., shall be sufficient in all respects
when delivered or sent by facsimile transmission, personal delivery or registered mail to 00 Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Facsimile Transmission No. (000) 000-0000, Attention:
Registration Department; if to any Agent other than Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., shall be sufficient in
all respects when delivered or sent by facsimile transmission, personal delivery or registered mail
to the facsimile number or address provided by such Agent to the Company in the document appointing
such Agent as an Agent under this Agreement; and if to the Company, shall be sufficient in all
respects when delivered or sent by facsimile transmission, personal delivery or registered mail to
the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Facsimile No. (000) 000-0000,
Attention: Treasury Department. Any such statements, requests, notices or advices shall take
effect upon receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the
benefit of, each Agent and the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 7, 8 and 9 hereof,
the officers and directors of the Company and any person who controls any Agent or the Company, and
their respective personal representatives, successors and assigns, and no other person shall
acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement. No
purchaser of any of the Securities through or from any Agent hereunder shall be deemed a successor
or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence in this Agreement and any Terms Agreement. As used herein,
the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open
for business.
15. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement and any Terms Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial
24
transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Agents, on the other, (ii) in
connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Agent is acting solely
as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, (iii) no Agent has assumed an
advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering
contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Agent has advised
or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company
except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the Company has consulted its
own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company agrees that it
will not claim that the Agent, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or
respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or
the process leading thereto.
16. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement supersede all prior agreements and understandings
(whether written or oral) between the Company and the Agents, or any of them, with respect to the
subject matter hereof.
17. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the State of New York.
18. The Company and each of the Agents hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out
of or relating to this Agreement, any Terms Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
19. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties
hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of
such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
20. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company is authorized to disclose to
any persons the U.S. federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential
transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided
to the Company relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters imposing any
limitation of any kind. However, any information relating to the tax treatment and tax structure
shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply) to the extent necessary to
enable any person to comply with securities laws. For this purpose, “tax structure” is limited to
any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.
25
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us four
counterparts hereof, whereupon this letter and the acceptance by you thereof shall constitute a
binding agreement between the Company and you in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | |||||
The Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Group, Inc. | |||||
By: | /s/ XXXXXXXXX X. XXXXXX | ||||
Name: Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Title: Authorized Person |
Accepted in New York, New York,
as of the date hereof:
as of the date hereof:
/s/
XXXXXXX, SACHS & Co.
(Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.)
26
ANNEX I
The Xxxxxxx Sachs Group, Inc.
Universal Warrants
Terms Agreement
..., 200...
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.,
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
[Insert names of any other purchasers]
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
[Insert names of any other purchasers]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Xxxxxxx Sachs Group, Inc. (the “Company”) proposes, subject to the terms and conditions
stated herein and in the Distribution Agreement, dated ... ..., 20... (the “Distribution
Agreement”), between the Company on the one hand and Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. and any other party
acting as Agent thereunder on the other, to issue and sell to you the securities specified in the
Schedule I hereto (the “Purchased Securities”). Each of the provisions of the Distribution
Agreement not specifically related to the solicitation by the Agents, as agents of the Company, of
offers to purchase Securities is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be
deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set
forth in full herein. Nothing contained herein or in the Distribution Agreement shall make any
party hereto an agent of the Company or make such party subject to the provisions therein relating
to the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from the Company, solely by virtue of its
execution of this Terms Agreement. Each of the representations and warranties set forth therein
shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Terms Agreement, except that each
representation and warranty in Section 1 of the Distribution Agreement which makes reference to the
Prospectus shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty as of the date of the Distribution
Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as therein defined), and also a representation and
warranty as of the date of this Terms Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as amended and
supplemented to relate to the Purchased Securities.
[Notwithstanding the foregoing, insofar as it is deemed to be incorporated in and made a part
of this Terms Agreement, the Distribution Agreement shall be subject to, and to the extent
necessary amended by, the Letter of Appointment pursuant to which we appointed each of you (other
than Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.) to act as an Agent under the Distribution Agreement on certain terms and
conditions specified in such letter. For all purposes of this Terms Agreement, references to the
“Agents” shall mean the Purchasing Agents, for which Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. is acting as
Representatives. Each of you agrees that all determinations to be made by the Purchasing Agents
under this Terms Agreement, including the determination whether or not the conditions in Section 6 of
1
the Distribution Agreement have been satisfied and, if not, whether or not any such conditions
shall be waived, shall be made solely by Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., on behalf of the Purchasing Agents.]
An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may
be, relating to the Purchased Securities, in the form hereafter delivered to you will be filed with
the Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Distribution Agreement
incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to [each of] you, and [each
of] you agree[s, severally and not jointly,] to purchase from the Company at the time and place and
at the purchase price set forth in Schedule I hereto, the notional amount of Purchased Securities
set forth [opposite your respective name] in Schedule I hereto. You further agree that any
Purchased Securities offered and sold by you to initial purchasers will be offered and sold at the
price to public, and in accordance with the provisions relating to commissions and fees, if any,
set forth in the Schedule hereto, unless you and the Company otherwise agree.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us ...... counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you [,on behalf of each of the Agents,] this
letter and such acceptance hereof, including those provisions of the Distribution Agreement
incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between [you] [each of the
Agents] and the Company. [It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each
of the Agents is or will be pursuant to authority granted to you by such Agent.]
Very truly yours, The Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Group, Inc. |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
Accepted in New York, New York,
as of the date hereof:
(Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.)
2
Schedule I to Annex I
Title of Purchased Securities:
Aggregate Notional Amount:
[$ or units of other Specified Currency]
Notional Amount of Each Purchased Security:
[$ or units of other Specified Currency]
Number of Purchased Securities Issued:
[ ]
Purchase Price Payable by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. [Name(s) of other purchasers]:
% of the notional amount of the Purchased Securities [and accrued amortization, if any, from
to
].
[Price to Public:]
Method of and Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:
[By certified or official bank check or checks, payable to the order of the Company, in [[New
York] Clearing House] [immediately available] funds]
[By wire transfer to a bank account specified by the Company in [next day] [immediately
available] funds]
Indenture:
Warrant Indenture, dated as of February 14, 2006, between the Company and The Bank of New
York, as Trustee
Applicable Time:
Time of Delivery:
Closing Location for Delivery of Securities:
Expiration Date(s):
Payment Date(s):
Payment Amount(s):
Exercise Right:
Documents to be Delivered:
The following documents referred to in the Distribution Agreement shall be delivered with
respect to the Purchased Securities at the Time of Delivery as a condition to the Closing:
[None]
[(1) The opinion and letter of counsel to the Company referred to in Section 4(k).]
[(2) The accountants’ letter referred to in Section 4(l).]
3
[(3) The officers’ certificate referred to in Section 4(m).]
Listing:
Calculation Agent:
CUSIP:
Other Provisions (including Syndicate Provisions, if applicable):
[The provisions of Section 11 of the Distribution Agreement shall apply with respect to this
Terms Agreement, and the Representatives referred to in Section 11 shall be Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.]
[expense reimbursement upon termination]
[With regard to the offering and sale of the Securities, all determinations and actions
required or permitted to be made pursuant to the Distribution Agreement or the Terms Agreement by
the Agent(s) or the Representatives (including determinations as to whether or not any closing
condition has been satisfied and whether or not any unsatisfied conditions shall be waived) shall
instead be made [solely] by [Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co. and] [Xxxxxxx Sachs International] on behalf of
all of the Agents or Representatives.]
4
Schedule II to Annex I
(a) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses:
• | Final term sheet in the form set forth in Schedule III hereto, but only if the Company is obligated to prepare and file such term sheet pursuant to Section 4(a)(iv) of the Distribution Agreement. |
(b) Additional Information in Pricing Disclosure Package:
In addition to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented at the Applicable Time, the
Pricing Disclosure Package consists of the following information:
• | The statements under the caption [“Specific Terms of the Warrants"] in, and the information [in the table] on the front cover of, the Pricing Prospectus. |
(c) Additional Documents Incorporated by Reference:
5
Schedule III to Annex I
[To be modified as appropriate and completed prior to execution of this Terms Agreement]
The Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Group, Inc.
Title of Purchased Securities:
Aggregate Notional Amount Offered:
Notional Amount of Each Purchased Security:
Price to Public:
Settlement Date:
Managing Underwriters:
Purchase Price by Underwriters:
Expiration Date(s):
Payment Date(s):
Payment Amount(s):
Redemption Provisions:
[Other Provisions:]
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the
offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in
that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete
information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting
XXXXX on the SEC Web site at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternately, the issuer, any underwriter or any
dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by
calling toll-free 0-000-000-0000.
6
ANNEX II
The Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Group, Inc.
Administrative Procedure
This Administrative Procedure relates to the Securities defined in the Distribution Agreement,
dated February 14, 2006 (the “Distribution Agreement”), between The Xxxxxxx Sachs Group, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”) on the one hand and Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. and any other party acting as
Agent thereunder, on the other, to which this Administrative Procedure is attached as Annex II.
Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings given such terms in
the Distribution Agreement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, the Indenture or the
Securities. To the extent the procedures set forth below conflict with the provisions of the
Securities, the Indenture or the Distribution Agreement, the relevant provisions of the Securities,
the Indenture and the Distribution Agreement shall control.
The procedures to be followed with respect to the settlement of sales of Securities directly
by the Company to purchasers solicited by an Agent, as agent, are set forth below. The terms and
settlement details related to a purchase of Securities by an Agent, as principal, from the Company
will be set forth in a Terms Agreement pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, unless the Company
and such Agent otherwise agree as provided in Section 2(b) of the Distribution Agreement, in which
case the procedures to be followed in respect of the settlement of such sale will be as set forth
below. An Agent, in relation to a purchase of a Security by a purchaser solicited by such Agent,
is referred to herein as the “Selling Agent” and, in relation to a purchase of a Security by such
Agent as principal other than pursuant to a Terms Agreement, as the “Purchasing Agent”.
The Company will advise each Agent in writing of those persons with whom such Agent is to
communicate regarding offers to purchase Securities and the related settlement details.
Each Security will be issued only in fully registered form and will be represented by either a
global security (a “Global Security”) delivered to the Trustee, as agent for Euroclear Bank
S.A./N.V. (the “Depositary”), and recorded in the book-entry system maintained by the Depositary (a
“Book-Entry Security”), or a certificate issued in definitive form (a “Certificated Security”)
delivered to a person designated by an Agent, as set forth in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
An owner of a Book-Entry Security will not be entitled to receive a certificate representing such a
Security, except as provided in the Indenture.
Book-Entry Securities will be issued in accordance with the Administrative Procedure set forth
in Part I hereof, and Certificated Securities will be issued in accordance with the Administrative
Procedure set forth in Part II hereof.
PART I: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR BOOK-ENTRY SECURITIES
In connection with the qualification of the Book-Entry Securities for eligibility in the
book-entry system maintained by the Depositary, the Trustee will perform the custodial, document
control and administrative functions described below, in accordance with its respective obligations
under a Letter of Representations from the Company and the Trustee to the Depositary, dated the
date of the Distribution Agreement, and a Warrant Certificate Agreement between the Trustee and the
Depositary, dated as of February 14, 2006 (the “Certificate Agreement”), and its obligations as a
II-1
participant in the Depositary, including the Depositary’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System
(“SDFS”).
Acceptance of Offers by the Company:
Each Agent will promptly advise the Company by telephone or other appropriate means of all
reasonable offers to purchase Book-Entry Securities, other than those rejected by such Agent. Each
Agent may, in its discretion reasonably exercised, reject any offer received by it in whole or in
part. Each Agent also may make offers to the Company to purchase Book-Entry Securities as a
Purchasing Agent. The Company will have the sole right to accept offers to purchase Book-Entry
Securities and may reject any such offer in whole or in part.
The Company will promptly notify the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, of
its acceptance or rejection of an offer to purchase Book-Entry Securities. If the Company accepts
an offer to purchase Book-Entry Securities, it will confirm such acceptance in writing to the
Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, and the Trustee.
Communication of Sale Information to the Company by Agent and Settlement Procedures:
A. After the acceptance of an offer by the Company, the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as
the case may be, will communicate promptly, but in no event later than the time set forth under
“Settlement Procedure Timetable” below, the following details of the terms of such offer (the “Sale
Information”) to the Company by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile transmission or
other acceptable written means:
(1) | Notional Amount of Book-Entry Securities to be purchased; | ||
(2) | Trade Date; | ||
(3) | Settlement Date; | ||
(4) | Expiration Date; | ||
(5) | Specified Currency and, if the Specified Currency is other than U.S. dollars, the applicable Exchange Rate for such Specified Currency (it being understood that currently the Depositary accepts deposits of Global Securities denominated in U.S. dollars only); | ||
(6) | The Exchange Rate Agent and the Exchange Rate Determination Date, if applicable; | ||
(7) | Issue Price; | ||
(8) | Selling Agent’s commission or Purchasing Agent’s discount, as the case may be; | ||
(9) | Net Proceeds to the Company; | ||
(10) | If a redeemable or repayable Book-Entry Security, such of the following as are applicable: |
II-2
(i) | Redemption Commencement Date, | ||
(ii) | Initial Redemption Price (% of par), | ||
(iii) | Amount (% of par) that the Redemption Price shall decline (but not below par) on each anniversary of the Redemption Commencement Date, | ||
(iv) | Repayment date, and | ||
(v) | Repayment price; |
(11) | Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent. |
B. After receiving the Sale Information from the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the
case may be, the Company will communicate such Sale Information to the Trustee by facsimile
transmission or other acceptable written means. The Trustee will assign a CUSIP number to the
Global Security representing such Book-Entry Security from a list of CUSIP numbers previously
delivered to the Trustee by the Company and then advise the Company and the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, of such CUSIP number.
C. The Trustee will enter a pending deposit message through the Depositary’s Participant
Terminal System, providing the following settlement information to the Depositary, and the
Depositary shall forward such information to such Agent and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (or
such other entity that assigns CUSIP numbers or any other identification designations being used
for the relevant Securities):
(1) | The applicable Sale Information; | ||
(2) | CUSIP number of the Global Security representing such Book-Entry Security; | ||
(3) | Whether such Global Security will represent any other Book-Entry Security (to the extent known at such time); and | ||
(4) | Number of the participant account maintained by the Depositary on behalf of the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be. |
D. The Trustee will complete and authenticate the Global Security previously delivered by the
Company representing such Book-Entry Security.
E. The Depositary will credit such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee’s participant account at
the Depositary.
F. The Trustee will enter an SDFS deliver order through the Depositary’s Participant Terminal
System instructing the Depositary to (i) debit such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee’s
participant account and credit such Book-Entry Security to such Agent’s participant account and
(ii) debit such Agent’s settlement account and credit the Trustee’s settlement account for an
amount equal to the price of such Book-Entry Security less such Agent’s commission or discount, as
the case may be. The entry of such a deliver order shall constitute a representation and warranty
by the Trustee to the Depositary that (a) the Global Security representing such Book-Entry Security
has been
II-3
issued and authenticated and (b) the Trustee is holding such Global Security pursuant to the
Certificate Agreement.
G. Such Agent will enter an SDFS deliver order through the Depositary’s Participant Terminal
System instructing the Depositary (i) to debit such Book-Entry Security to such Agent’s participant
account and credit such Book-Entry Security to the participant accounts of the participants with
respect to such Book-Entry Security and (ii) to debit the settlement accounts of such participants
and credit the settlement account of such Agent for an amount equal to the price of such Book-Entry
Security.
H. Transfers of funds in accordance with SDFS deliver orders described in Settlement
Procedures “F” and “G” will be settled in accordance with SDFS operating procedures in effect on
the settlement date.
I. Upon confirmation of receipt of funds, the Trustee will transfer to the account of the
Company maintained at Citibank, N.A., New York, New York, or such other account as the Company may
have previously specified to the Trustee, funds available for immediate use in the amount
transferred to the Trustee in accordance with Settlement Procedure “F”.
J. Upon request, the Trustee will send to the Company a statement setting forth the notional
amount of Book-Entry Securities outstanding as of that date under the Indenture.
K. Such Agent will confirm the purchase of such Book-Entry Security to the purchasers either
by transmitting to the participants with respect to such Book-Entry Security a confirmation order
or orders through the Depositary’s institutional delivery system or by mailing a written
confirmation to such purchasers.
L. The Depositary will, at any time, upon request of the Company or the Trustee, promptly
furnish to the Company or the Trustee a list of the names and addresses of the participants for
whom the Depositary has credited Book-Entry Securities.
Preparation of Pricing Supplement:
If the Company accepts an offer to purchase a Book-Entry Security, it will prepare a Pricing
Supplement reflecting the terms of such Book-Entry Security and arrange to have delivered to the
Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, at least ten copies of such Pricing
Supplement, not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the business day following the Trade
Date (as defined below), or if the Company and the purchaser(s) agree to settlement on the business
day following the date of acceptance of such offer, not later than noon, New York City time, on
such date. The Company will arrange to have the Pricing Supplement filed with the Commission not
later than the close of business of the Commission on the fifth business day following the date on
which such Pricing Supplement is first used.
Delivery of Confirmation and Prospectus to Purchasers by Selling Agent:
The Selling Agent will deliver to each purchaser of a Book-Entry Security a written
confirmation of the sale and delivery and payment instructions. In addition, the Selling Agent
will deliver to such purchaser or its agent the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including
the
II-4
Pricing Supplement) in relation to such Book-Entry Security prior to or together with the
earlier of the delivery to such purchaser or its agent of (a) the confirmation of sale or (b) the
Book-Entry Security.
Date of Settlement:
The receipt by the Company of immediately available funds in payment for a Book-Entry Security
and the authentication and issuance of the Global Security representing such Book-Entry Security
shall constitute “settlement” with respect to such Book-Entry Security. All orders of Book-Entry
Securities solicited by a Selling Agent or made by a Purchasing Agent and accepted by the Company
on a particular date (the “Trade Date”) will be settled on a date (the “Settlement Date”) which is
the third business day after the Trade Date pursuant to the “Settlement Procedure Timetable” set
forth below, unless the Company and the purchaser(s) agree to settlement on another business day
which shall be no earlier than the next business day after the Trade Date.
Settlement Procedure Timetable:
For orders of Book-Entry Securities solicited by a Selling Agent and accepted by the Company
for settlement on the third business day after the Trade Date, Settlement Procedures “A” through
“I” set forth above shall be completed as soon as possible but not later than the respective times
(New York City time) set forth below:
Settlement | ||||
Procedure | Time | |||
A
|
5:00 p.m. | on the business day following the Trade Date or 10:00 a.m. on the business day prior to the Settlement Date, whichever is earlier | ||
B
|
12:00 noon | on the second business day immediately preceding the Settlement Date | ||
C
|
2:00 p.m. | on the second business day immediately preceding the Settlement Date | ||
D
|
9:00 a.m. | on the Settlement Date | ||
E
|
10:00 a.m. | on the Settlement Date | ||
F-G
|
2:00 p.m. | on the Settlement Date | ||
H
|
4:45 p.m. | on the Settlement Date | ||
I
|
5:00 p.m. | on the Settlement Date |
Settlement Procedure “H” is subject to extension in accordance with any extension of Fedwire
closing deadlines and in the other events specified in the SDFS operating procedures in effect on
the Settlement Date.
If settlement of a Book-Entry Security is rescheduled or canceled, the Trustee, upon obtaining
knowledge thereof, will deliver to the Depositary, through the Depositary’s Participation Terminal
System, a cancellation message to such effect by no later than 2:00 p.m. on the business day
immediately preceding the scheduled Settlement Date.
Failure to Settle:
II-5
If the Trustee fails to enter an SDFS deliver order with respect to a Book-Entry Security
pursuant to Settlement Procedure “F”, the Trustee may deliver to the Depositary, through the
Depositary’s Participant Terminal System, as soon as practicable a withdrawal message instructing
the Depositary to debit such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee’s participant account, provided
that the Trustee’s participant account contains a notional amount of the Global Security
representing such Book-Entry Security that is at least equal to the notional amount to be debited.
If a withdrawal message is processed with respect to all the Book-Entry Securities represented by a
Global Security, the Trustee will xxxx such Global Security “canceled”, make appropriate entries in
the Trustee’s records and send such canceled Global Security to the Company. The CUSIP number
assigned to such Global Security shall, in accordance with CUSIP Service Bureau procedures, be
canceled and not immediately reassigned. If a withdrawal message is processed with respect to one
or more, but not all, of the Book-Entry Securities represented by a Global Security, the Trustee
will exchange such Global Security for two Global Securities, one of which shall represent such
Book-Entry Security or Securities and shall be canceled immediately after issuance and the other of
which shall represent the remaining Book-Entry Securities previously represented by the surrendered
Global Security and shall bear the CUSIP number of the surrendered Global Security.
If the purchase price for any Book-Entry Security is not timely paid to the participants with
respect to such Book-Entry Security by the beneficial purchaser(s) thereof (or a person or persons,
including an indirect participant in the Depositary, acting on behalf of such purchaser(s)), such
participants and, in turn the Agent for such Book-Entry Security may enter deliver orders through
the Depositary’s Participant Terminal System debiting such Book-Entry Security to such
participants’ accounts and crediting such Book-Entry Security to such Agent’s account and then
debiting such Book-Entry Security to such Agent’s participant account and crediting such Book-Entry
Security to the Trustee’s participant account and shall notify the Company and the Trustee thereof.
Thereafter, the Trustee will (i) immediately notify the Company of such order and the Company
shall transfer to such Agent funds available for immediate use in an amount equal to the price of
such Book-Entry Security which was credited to the account of the Company maintained at the Trustee
in accordance with Settlement Procedure I, and (ii) deliver the withdrawal message and take the
related actions described in the preceding paragraph. If such failure shall have occurred for any
reason other than default by the applicable Agent to perform its obligations hereunder or under the
Distribution Agreement, the Company will reimburse such Agent on an equitable basis for its loss of
the use of funds during the period when the funds were credited to the account of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon any failure to settle with respect to a Book-Entry
Security, the Depositary may take any actions in accordance with its SDFS operating procedures then
in effect. In the event of a failure to settle with respect to one or more, but not all, of the
Book-Entry Securities to have been represented by a Global Security, the Trustee will provide, in
accordance with Settlement Procedure “D”, for the authentication and issuance of a Global Security
representing the other Book-Entry Securities to have been represented by such Global Security and
will make appropriate entries in its records. The Company will, from time to time, furnish the
Trustee with a sufficient quantity of Securities.
II-6
PART II: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR CERTIFICATED SECURITIES
Acceptance of Offers by Company:
Each Agent will promptly advise the Company by telephone or other appropriate means of all
reasonable offers to purchase Certificated Securities, other than those rejected by such Agent.
Each Agent may, in its discretion reasonably exercised, reject any offer received by it in whole or
in part. Each Agent also may make offers to the Company to purchase Certificated Securities as a
Purchasing Agent. The Company will have the sole right to accept offers to purchase Certificated
Securities and may reject any such offer in whole or in part.
The Company will promptly notify the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, of
its acceptance or rejection of an offer to purchase Certificated Securities. If the Company
accepts an offer to purchase Certificated Securities, it will confirm such acceptance in writing to
the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, and the Trustee.
Communication of Sale Information to Company by Agent:
After the acceptance of an offer by the Company, the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the
case may be, will communicate the following details of the terms of such offer (the “Sale
Information”) to the Company by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile transmission or
other acceptable written means:
(1) | Notional Amount of Certificated Securities to be purchased; | ||
(2) | Trade Date; | ||
(3) | Settlement Date; | ||
(4) | Expiration Date; | ||
(5) | Specified Currency and, if the Specified Currency is other than U.S. dollars, the applicable Exchange Rate for such Specified Currency; | ||
(6) | The Exchange Rate Agent and the Exchange Rate Determination Date, if applicable; | ||
(7) | Issue Price; | ||
(8) | Selling Agent’s commission or Purchasing Agent’s discount, as the case may be; | ||
(9) | Net Proceeds to the Company; | ||
(10) | If a redeemable or repayable Certificated Security, such of the following as are applicable: |
(i) | Redemption Commencement Date, | ||
(ii) | Initial Redemption Price (% of par), |
II-7
(iii) | Amount (% of par) that the Redemption Price shall decline (but not below par) on each anniversary of the Redemption Commencement Date, | ||
(iv) | Repayment date, and | ||
(v) | Repayment price; |
(11) | Name, address and taxpayer identification number of the registered owner(s); | ||
(12) | Denomination of certificates to be delivered at settlement; and | ||
(13) | Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent. |
Preparation of Pricing Supplement by Company:
If the Company accepts an offer to purchase a Certificated Security, it will prepare a Pricing
Supplement reflecting the terms of such Certificated Security and arrange to have delivered to the
Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, at least ten copies of such Pricing
Supplement, not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the business day following the Trade
Date, or if the Company and the purchaser(s) agree to settlement on the date of acceptance of such
offer, not later than noon, New York City time, on such date. The Company will arrange to have the
Pricing Supplement filed with the Commission not later than the close of business of the Commission
on the fifth business day following the date on which such Pricing Supplement is first used.
Delivery of Confirmation and Prospectus to Purchaser by Selling Agent:
The Selling Agent will deliver to each purchaser of a Certificated Security a written
confirmation of the sale and delivery and payment instructions. In addition, the Selling Agent
will deliver to such purchaser or its agent the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including
the Pricing Supplement, as applicable) in relation to such Certificated Security prior to or
together with the earlier of the delivery to such purchaser or its agent of (a) the confirmation of
sale or (b) the Certificated Security.
Date of Settlement:
All offers of Certificated Securities solicited by a Selling Agent or made by a Purchasing
Agent and accepted by the Company will be settled on a date (the “Settlement Date”) which is the
third business day after the date of acceptance of such offer, unless the Company and the
purchaser(s) agree to settlement (a) on another business day after the acceptance of such offer or
(b) with respect to an offer accepted by the Company prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on
the date of such acceptance.
Instruction from Company to Trustee for Preparation of Certificated Securities:
After receiving the Sale Information from the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case
may be, the Company will communicate such Sale Information to the Trustee by telephone (confirmed
in writing) or by facsimile transmission or other acceptable written means.
II-8
The Company will instruct the Trustee by facsimile transmission or other acceptable written
means to authenticate and deliver the Certificated Securities no later than 2:15 p.m., New York
City time, on the Settlement Date. Such instruction will be given by the Company prior to 3:00
p.m., New York City time, on the business day immediately preceding the Settlement Date unless the
Settlement Date is the date of acceptance by the Company of the offer to purchase Certificated
Securities, in which case such instruction will be given by the Company by 11:00 a.m., New York
City time.
Preparation and Delivery of Certificated Securities by Trustee and Receipt of Payment Therefor:
The Trustee will prepare each Certificated Security and appropriate receipts that will serve
as the documentary control of the transaction.
In the case of a sale of Certificated Securities to a purchaser solicited by a Selling Agent,
the Trustee will, by 2:15 p.m., New York City time, on the Settlement Date, deliver the
Certificated Securities to the Selling Agent for the benefit of the purchaser(s) of such
Certificated Securities against delivery by the Selling Agent of a receipt therefor. On the
Settlement Date the Selling Agent will deliver payment for such Certificated Securities in
immediately available funds to the Company in an amount equal to the issue price of the
Certificated Securities less the Selling Agent’s commission; provided that the Selling Agent
reserves the right to withhold any payment for which it has not received funds from the
purchaser(s). The Company shall not use any proceeds advanced by a Selling Agent to acquire
securities.
In the case of a sale of Certificated Securities to a Purchasing Agent, the Trustee will, by
2:15 p.m., New York City time, on the Settlement Date, deliver the Certificated Securities to the
Purchasing Agent against delivery of payment for such Certificated Securities in immediately
available funds to the Company in an amount equal to the issue price of the Certificated Securities
less the Purchasing Agent’s discount.
Failure of Purchaser to Pay Selling Agent:
If a purchaser (other than a Purchasing Agent) fails to make payment to the Selling Agent for
a Certificated Security, the Selling Agent will promptly notify the Trustee and the Company thereof
by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile transmission or other acceptable written means.
The Selling Agent will immediately return the Certificated Security to the Trustee. Immediately
upon receipt of such Certificated Security by the Trustee, the Company will return to the Selling
Agent an amount equal to the amount previously paid to the Company in respect of such Certificated
Security. The Company will reimburse the Selling Agent on an equitable basis for its loss of the
use of funds during the period when the funds were credited to the account of the Company.
The Trustee will cancel the Certificated Security in respect of which the failure occurred,
make appropriate entries in its records and, unless otherwise instructed by the Company, destroy
the Certificated Security.
II-9
ANNEX III
Form of Opinion of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP
[date]
To Each of the Agents Under the
Distribution Agreement Specified Below.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
[Use the following if the opinion is not being delivered at a Time of Delivery — We refer to
the Warrant Distribution Agreement, dated ......., 20... (the “Distribution Agreement”), between
you and The Xxxxxxx Sachs Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), relating to the
Company’s universal warrants, which are hereinafter referred to individually as a “Security” and
collectively as the “Securities”. The Securities are to be issued in one or more series from time
to time (each, a “Series”), and the Securities of each Series may be originally issued on the same
date or from time to time on different dates. The Securities are to be issued pursuant to the
Warrant Indenture, dated as of [February Ÿ, 2006] (the “Indenture”), between the Company and
The Bank of New York, as Trustee (the “Trustee”), and are to be offered for sale, individually or
in series, pursuant to the Distribution Agreement. We,]
[Use the following if the opinion is being delivered at a Time of Delivery — In connection
with the [several] purchase[s] today by you [and the other Agents named in Schedule I to][pursuant
to] the Terms Agreement, dated ........, 200... (the “Terms Agreement”), between The Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Group,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company”), and you (the “Agent[s]”), of $....... notional amount of
the Company’s [name of applicable warrants] expiring (the “Securities”) issued pursuant to the
Warrant Indenture, dated as of [February Ÿ, 2006] (the “Indenture”), between the Company and
The Bank of New York, as Trustee (the “Trustee”), we,] as counsel for the Company, have examined such corporate records, certificates and other documents,
and such questions of law, as we have considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this
opinion. Upon the basis of such examination, it is our opinion that:
(1) The Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation in
good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(2) The [Distribution Agreement has] [Distribution Agreement and the Terms
Agreement have] been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(3) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and constitutes a
valid and legally binding obligation of the Company enforceable in accordance with
its 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.
[Use the following if the opinion is not being delivered at a Time of Delivery
— (4) The Securities have been duly authorized and, when the terms of a particular
Security and of its issuance and sale have been duly authorized and
III-1
established by all necessary corporate action in conformity with the Indenture,
and such Security has been duly prepared, executed, authenticated and issued in
accordance with the Indenture and delivered against payment in accordance with the
Distribution Agreement, such Security will constitute a valid and legally binding
obligation of the Company enforceable in accordance with its 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. We note that, if the holder of a Security has obligations
thereunder, such as an obligation to pay an exercise price or to deliver warrant
property, the Company’s obligation thereunder may be subject to the performance of
the holder’s obligations.]
[Use the following if the opinion is being delivered at a Time of Delivery —
(4) The Securities have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and
delivered and constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company
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. We note that the holder of a Security may have certain obligations
thereunder, such as an obligation to [pay the exercise price] [deliver the warrant
property], and that the Company’s obligation thereunder may be subject to the
performance of the holder’s obligations.]
(5) All regulatory consents, authorizations, approvals and filings required to
be obtained or made by the Company under the Federal laws of the United States, the
laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware for the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities by the Company to [or
through] the Agents, in each case in accordance with the Distribution Agreement and
any applicable Terms Agreement, have been obtained or made[; provided,
however, that for the purposes of this paragraph (5), we express no opinion with
respect to Federal or state securities laws or any law that may apply by reason of
the fact that an issuance, sale or delivery of Securities is made through an Agent,
as agent, rather than to an Agent, as principal.]
(6) The issuance of the Securities in accordance with the Indenture, the sale
of the Securities by the Company to [or through] the Agents pursuant to the
Distribution Agreement and [any applicable] [the] Terms Agreement, the performance by
the Company of its obligations under the Securities, the Indenture, the Distribution
Agreement and [any applicable][the] Terms Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions therein contemplated, in each case with respect to the Securities, will
not, (a) violate the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Amended
and Restated By-laws of the Company, (b) result in a default under or breach of the
agreements filed as exhibits nos. ...... through ......, inclusive, to the Company’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended ........, 200...
[and exhibits nos. ..... through .....,
inclusive, to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter
ended ......., 200...] [and exhibit[s] no[s]. • to the Company’s Current Report on Form
8-K filed •, 20...], (c) violate any court orders listed in the certificate of [a][an
Associate] General Counsel of the Company, dated the date and time of delivery of
this letter and delivered to you in connection with the offering of the Securities
[(there are no court orders listed in such certificate)] or (d) violate any
III-2
Federal law of the United States or law of the State of New York applicable to
the Company; provided, however, that for the purposes of this paragraph (6), we
express no opinion with respect to Federal or state securities laws, fraudulent
transfer laws, other antifraud laws and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974 and related laws; and provided, further, that insofar as the performance by
the Company of its obligations under the Securities, the Indenture, the Distribution
Agreement and [any applicable][the] Terms Agreement is concerned, we express no
opinion as to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights.
(7) The Company is not an “investment company” as such term is defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940.
[Use the following if the opinion is not being delivered at a Time of Delivery —
In
connection with our opinion set forth in paragraphs (4), (5) and (6) above, we have assumed that at
the time of the issuance, sale and delivery of each particular Security the authorization of the
Series will not have been modified or rescinded and the Company will comply with the limits on the
incurrence of indebtedness that it has adopted pursuant to such authorization, as those limits may
be modified from time to time, and that, with respect to each Security, that such Security will
conform to one of the two forms of Securities (call warrant, put warrant) that are included in the
Indenture or to any substantially similar form.
In connection with our opinion set forth in paragraph (4) above, we have assumed that at the
time of the issuance, sale and delivery of each particular Security there will not have occurred
any change in law affecting the validity, legally binding character or enforceability of such
Security and that the issuance, sale and delivery of such Security, all of the terms of such
Security and the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder will comply with
applicable law and with each requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body
having jurisdiction over the Company and will not result in a default under or a breach of any
agreement or instrument then binding upon the Company.
In connection with our opinion set forth in paragraph (5) above, we have assumed with respect
to each particular Security that the inclusion of any alternative or additional terms in such
Security that are not currently specified in the forms of Securities examined by us would not
require the Company to obtain any regulatory consent, authorization or approval or make any
regulatory filing in order for the Company to issue, sell and deliver such Security.
Also, in connection with our opinion set forth in paragraph (6) above, we have assumed with
respect to each particular Security that the inclusion of any alternative or additional terms in
such security that are not currently specified in the forms of Securities examined by us will not
cause the issuance, sale or delivery of such Security, or the compliance of the Company with such
terms, to violate the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Amended and
Restated By-laws or any of the court orders or laws specified in paragraph (6) above or to result
in a default under or a breach of any of the agreements specified in paragraph (6) above.]
[Use the following if the opinion is not being delivered at a Time of Delivery or if the
Securities are denominated in a non-U.S. dollar currency — In connection with our opinion set
forth in paragraph (4) above, we note that, as of the date of this opinion, a judgment for money in
an action based on Securities denominated in foreign currencies or currency units in a Federal or
state
III-3
court in the United States ordinarily would be enforced in the United States only in U.S.
dollars. The date used to determine the rate of conversion of the foreign currency or currency
unit in which a particular Security is denominated into U.S. dollars will depend upon various
factors, including which court renders the judgment. In the case of a Security denominated in a
foreign currency, a state court in the State of New York rendering a judgment on such Security
would be required under Section 27 of the New York Judiciary Law to render such judgment in the
foreign currency in which the Security is denominated, and such judgment would be converted into
U.S. dollars at the exchange rate prevailing on the date of entry of the judgment.]
The foregoing opinion is limited to the Federal laws of the United States, the laws of the
State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and we express no
opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction. In addition, we are expressing no
opinion as to the effect of laws that restrict transactions between United States persons and
citizens or residents of certain foreign countries or specially designated nationals and
organizations.
Also, we have relied as to certain matters upon information obtained from public officials,
officers of the Company and other sources believed by us to be responsible, and we have assumed
that the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee [Insert the
following if the opinion is being delivered at a Time of Delivery — , that the Securities conform
to the specimens thereof examined by us, that the Trustee’s certificates of authentication of the
Securities have been manually signed by one of the Trustee’s authorized officers] and that the
signatures on all documents examined by us are genuine, assumptions which we have not independently
verified.
Very truly yours,
III-4
Form of Letter of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP
[date]
To Each of the Agents Under the
Distribution Agreement, dated [ ], 200[5][6],
Relating to the Securities Specified Below.
Distribution Agreement, dated [ ], 200[5][6],
Relating to the Securities Specified Below.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This is with reference to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”) and
offering of [Use the following if the letter is not being delivered at a Time of Delivery — [an
indeterminate aggregate notional amount of] universal warrants][Use the following if the letter is
being delivered at a Time of Delivery —
$ notional amount of [name of applicable warrants]
expiring ...] (the “Securities”) of The Xxxxxxx Sachs Group, Inc. (the “Company”).
The Registration Statement relating to the Securities (File No. 333-[ ]) was filed
on Form S-3 in accordance with procedures of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) permitting a delayed or continuous offering of securities pursuant thereto and, if
appropriate, a post-effective amendment or prospectus supplement that provides information relating
to the terms of the Securities and the manner of their distribution. [Use the following if the
letter is not being delivered at a Time of Delivery — The Securities are being offered by the
Prospectus dated December 1, 2005 (the “Base Prospectus”). The Base Prospectus will be
supplemented by prospectus supplements, each of which will be dated approximately as of the date of
sale of the particular Securities and will furnish information as to the specific terms
thereof.][Use the following if the letter is being delivered at a Time of Delivery — The
Securities have been offered by the Prospectus dated December 1, 2005 (the “Base Prospectus”), as
supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement No. ... dated
,
(the “Prospectus Supplement”).] The
Base Prospectus, as so supplemented, does not necessarily contain a current description of the
Company’s business and affairs since, pursuant to Form S-3, it incorporates by reference certain
documents filed with the Commission which contain information as of various dates.
As counsel for the Company, we reviewed the Registration Statement [and][,] the Base
Prospectus [and the Prospectus Supplement], [Use the following if the letter is being delivered at
a Time of Delivery and if applicable — and the documents listed in Schedule A hereto (those
documents taken together with the Base Prospectus, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”),] participated
in discussions with representatives of Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. and of the Company, its counsel and its
accountants and advised the Company as to the requirements of the Act and the applicable rules and
regulations thereunder. [Use the following if the letter is being delivered at a Time of Delivery
— Between the date of the Prospectus Supplement and the time of delivery of this letter, we
participated in further discussions with representatives of Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and those of the
Company, its counsel and its accountants in which the contents of certain portions of the Base
Prospectus, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, and the Pricing Disclosure Package and
certain related matters were discussed, and we reviewed certificates of certain officers of the
Company [and a letter addressed to you from the Company’s independent accountants].]
III-5
On the basis of the information that we gained in the course of the performance of the
services referred to above, considered in the light of our understanding of the applicable law
(including the requirements of Form S-3 and the character of the prospectus contemplated thereby)
and the experience we have gained through our practice under the Act, we confirm to you that, in
our opinion, each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, and the Base
Prospectus, as of [Use the following if the letter is not being delivered at a Time of Delivery or
in connection with the filing of an annual report on Form 10-K of the Company — the date and time
of delivery of this letter][Use the following if the letter is being delivered in connection with
the filing of an annual report on Form 10-K of the
Company —
, , the date of filing of the
Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
,
][Use the following if the
letter is being delivered at a Time of Delivery — the date of the Prospectus Supplement], appeared
on their face to be appropriately responsive, in all material respects relevant to the offering of
the Securities, to the requirements of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and the applicable
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Further, nothing that came to our attention in
the course of such review has caused us to believe that, insofar as relevant to the offering of the
Securities,
(a) any part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or
[Use the following if the letter is being delivered at a Time of Delivery — (b) the Pricing
Disclosure Package, as of [___:00]
[A/P].M. on
,
. (which you have informed us is a time prior to
the time of the first sale of the Securities by any Agent), when considered together with the
statements made under the caption [“Specific Terms of the Warrants"] in, and the information [in
the table] on the front cover of, the Prospectus Supplement, contained 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 or]
[(c)]
the Base Prospectus, as of [the date and time of the
delivery of this
letter][ ,
][the date of the Prospectus Supplement], contained 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.
[Use the following if the letter is being delivered at a Time of Delivery — Also, nothing that has
come to our attention in the course of the procedures described in the last sentence of the prior
paragraph has caused us to believe that the Base Prospectus, as supplemented by the Prospectus
Supplement, as of the date and time of delivery of this letter, contained 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.]
In addition, we do not know of any litigation or any governmental proceeding instituted or
threatened against the Company that would be required to be disclosed in the Base Prospectus, and
is not so disclosed. We call to your attention, however, the fact that the Company has an internal
legal department and that, while we represent the Company on a regular basis, our engagement has
been limited to specific matters as to which we were consulted by the Company and, accordingly, our
knowledge with respect to litigation and governmental proceedings instituted or threatened against
the Company is similarly limited. [Also, insofar as the offering of the Securities is concerned,
we do not know of any documents that, as of the date and time of delivery of this letter, are
required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement and are not so filed.]
III-6
In addition, insofar as the offering of the Securities is concerned, we do not know of any
documents that, as of the date and time of delivery of this letter, are required to be filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement and are not so filed.
The limitations inherent in the independent verification of factual matters and the character
of determinations involved in the registration process are such, however, that we do not assume any
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the
Registration Statement [or][,] the Base Prospectus [or][,][the Prospectus Supplement][or the
Pricing Disclosure Package] except for those made under the captions “Description of Warrants We
May Offer”, “Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance” and “Plan of Distribution” in the Base
Prospectus [and “Description of the Warrants” and “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” in the
Prospectus Supplement], in each case insofar as they relate to provisions, therein described, of
the Securities, the Indenture under which the Securities are to be issued [and][,] the Distribution
Agreement [and the Terms Agreement relating to the Securities], and except for those made under the
caption “United States Taxation” in the Base Prospectus[ and the Prospectus Supplement], insofar as
they relate to provisions of U.S. Federal income tax law therein described. Also, we do not
express any opinion or belief as to the financial statements or other financial data derived from
accounting records contained in the Registration Statement [or][,] the Base Prospectus [or][,][the
Prospectus Supplement] [or the Pricing Disclosure Package], or as to the report of management’s
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting or the auditor’s
attestation report thereon, each as included in the Registration Statement [or][,] the Base
Prospectus [or][,][the Prospectus Supplement] [or the Pricing Disclosure Package], or as to the
statement of the eligibility of the Trustee under the Indenture.
This letter is furnished by us, as counsel for the Company, to you, as Representatives of the
Agents, solely for the benefit of the Agents in their capacity as such, and may not be relied on by
any other person. This letter may not be quoted, referred to or furnished to any purchase or
prospective purchaser of the Securities and may not be used in furtherance of any offer or sale of
the Securities for any other purpose.
Very truly yours, |
III-7
Schedule A
[List documents other than the Base Prospectus that are included in the Pricing Disclosure
Package]
III-8
ANNEX IV
Form of Opinion of General Counsel or Associate General Counsel
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware;
(ii) The Warrant Distribution Agreement, dated ... ..., 20..., between the
Company and Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. (the “Distribution Agreement”) has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; and
(iii) The Warrant Indenture, dated February 14, 2006, between the Company and
The Bank of New York (the “Indenture”), has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company and the Series has been duly authorized and established in
conformity with the Indenture.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may state that he expresses no opinion as to the laws
of any jurisdiction other than the Federal laws of the United States, the laws of the State of New
York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware; that he expresses no opinion as to
the effect of laws that restrict transactions between United States persons and citizens or
residents of certain foreign countries or specially designated nationals and organizations; that,
insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, he has relied upon certificates of officers of
the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials and other sources believed by
such counsel to be responsible; and that he has assumed that the signatures on all documents
examined by him (or members of the Company’s legal department acting under his supervision) are
genuine (assumptions that he has not independently verified). In addition, such counsel may state
that he has examined, or has caused members of the Company’s legal department to examine, such
corporate and partnership records, certificates and other documents, and such questions of law, as
he has considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of such opinion.
III-9
ANNEX V
Accountants’ Letter
Pursuant to Sections 4(j) and 6(d), as the case may be, of the Distribution Agreement, dated
February 14, 2006, between the Company and Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., the Company’s independent
certified public accountants shall furnish letters to the effect that:
(i) They are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to
the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and
regulations thereunder adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)
and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”);
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary financial
information and schedules (and, if applicable, financial forecasts and/or pro forma
financial information) audited or examined by them and included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act or the
Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related published rules and regulations
thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in accordance with standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the
consolidated interim financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma
financial information, financial forecasts and/or condensed financial statements
derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods specified in
such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which have been
furnished to the Agents;
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the unaudited condensed
consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated
statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or included in the Company’s
Quarterly Report(s) on Form 10-Q covering periods after the latest full fiscal year
and incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as indicated in their reports
thereon, copies of which have been furnished to the Agents; and on the basis of
specified procedures including inquiries of officials of the Company who have
responsibility for financial and accounting matters regarding whether the unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements referred to in paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the related published rules and
regulations, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that the
unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the
Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to the
consolidated results of operations and financial position of the Company for the five
most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus and/or included or incorporated
by reference in Item 6 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most
recent
V-1
fiscal year agrees with the corresponding amounts (after restatement where
applicable) in the audited consolidated financial statements for such fiscal years;
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under selected captions
with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and on the basis of limited
procedures specified in such letter nothing came to their attention as a result of
the foregoing procedures that caused them to believe that this information does not
conform in all material respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302
and 503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an examination in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, consisting of a reading of the
unaudited financial statements and other information referred to below, a reading of
the latest available interim financial statements of the Company and its
subsidiaries, inspection of the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries
since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, inquiries of officials of the
Company and its subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and
such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing came
to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included in the Prospectus and/or included or incorporated by reference
in the Company’s Quarterly Report(s) on Form 10-Q incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange
Act and the related published rules and regulations, or (ii) any
material modifications should be made to the unaudited condensed
consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and
consolidated statements of cash flows included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus and/or included in the Company’s Quarterly
Report(s) on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus for
them to be in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding
items in the unaudited consolidated financial statements from which
such data and items were derived, and any such unaudited data and items
were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with the basis
for the corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Company’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included in
the Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited condensed
financial statements referred to in clause (A) and any unaudited income
statement data and balance sheet items included in
V-2
the Prospectus as most recently amended or supplemented and
referred to in clause (B) were not determined on a basis substantially
consistent with the basis for the audited financial statements included
or incorporated by reference in the Company’s Annual Report on Form
10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do
not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the published rules and
regulations thereunder, or the pro forma adjustments have not been
properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those
statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the
date of such letter, there have been any changes in the consolidated
capital stock (other than issuances or forfeitures of restricted stock
units issued under the Company’s Stock Incentive Plan and repurchases
of common stock in accordance with the Company’s common stock
repurchase program or issuances of stock associated with the Company’s
employee stock option plans) or any increase in the consolidated
long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in
consolidated total current assets or stockholders’ equity or other
items specified by the Agents, or any increases in any items specified
by the Agents, in each case as compared with amounts shown in the
latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus, except in each case for changes, increases or decreases
which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are
described in such letter; and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to
the specified date referred to in clause (E) there were any decreases
in consolidated total revenues or consolidated revenues, net of
interest expense, pre-tax earnings or net earnings or other items
specified by the Agents, or any increases in any items specified by the
Agents, in each case as compared with the comparable items in the
comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period of
corresponding length specified by the Agents, except in each case for
increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or
may occur or which are described in such letter [insert if applicable
— and except that, because no final consolidated income statement
information was available for that period, the accountants are unable
to provide an opinion as to whether there have been any such decreases
or increases]; and
(vii) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s) included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited procedures, inspection of
minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (vi)
V-3
above, they have carried out certain specified procedures, not constituting an
audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to
certain amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the Agents which
are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries
which appear in the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by reference), or in
Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by
the Agents or in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by
the Agents, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages and financial
information with the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and have
found them to be in agreement.
All references in this Annex III to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus
(including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as defined in the Distribution
Agreement as of the Commencement Date referred to in Section 6(d) thereof and to the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as of the date
of the amendment, supplement or incorporation or the Time of Delivery relating to the Terms
Agreement requiring the delivery of such letter under Section 4(j) thereof.
V-4