27,825,000 Shares Solutia Inc. Common Stock ($0.01 Par Value) EQUITY UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Execution Copy
27,825,000 Shares
Common Stock
($0.01 Par Value)
June 18, 2009
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc.
As Representative of the several Underwriters
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
As Representative of the several Underwriters
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Solutia Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several
underwriters (the “Underwriters”) named in Schedule I hereto for whom Jefferies &
Company, Inc. is acting as representative (the “Representative”), an aggregate of
20,564,891 shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value (the “Common Stock”); and
the stockholders of the Company named in Schedule II (collectively, the “Selling
Stockholders”), severally and not jointly, propose to sell to the several Underwriters an
aggregate of 7,260,109 shares of Common Stock. The 20,564,891 shares of Common Stock to be sold by
the Company and the 7,260,109 shares of Common Stock to be sold by the Selling Stockholders are
collectively called the “Firm Shares”. In addition, the Company has granted to the several
Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 4,173,750 shares of Common Stock as provided
in Section 2 (the “Option Shares”). The Firm Shares and the Option Shares (to the
extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are herein collectively called the “Shares”.
In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the interests of the parties
in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders.
A. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter and the Selling Stockholders, as of
the date hereof and as of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be (as such
dates are hereinafter defined), that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-151980) with respect to the Shares,
including a form of prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), has been prepared by the Company in
conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and
the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “Commission”) thereunder and has been filed with the Commission. The
Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements and comply with
the conditions for the use of Form S-3. The registration statement meets the requirements of Rule
415(a)(1)(x) under the Act and complies in all material respects with said rule. Copies of such
registration statement, including any amendments thereto, the Base Prospectus (meeting in all
material respects the requirements of the Rules and Regulations) contained therein and the
exhibits, financial statements and schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been
delivered by the Company to the Underwriters. Such registration statement, including any amendments
thereto, together with any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b)
under the Act, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement,” which term shall be
deemed to include all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rules 430A, 430B or 430C under
the Act and contained in the Prospectus referred to below. The Registration Statement has been
declared effective under the Act and no post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has
been filed as of the date of this Agreement. The Company has prepared a prospectus supplement (the
“Prospectus Supplement”) to the Base Prospectus setting forth the terms of the offering,
sale and plan of distribution of the Shares. “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus
together with the final Prospectus Supplement first filed with the Commission pursuant to and
within the time limits described in Rule 424(b) under the Act and in accordance with Section
4.A.(a) hereof. Any preliminary Prospectus Supplement relating to the Shares prior to the date
hereof is herein referred to as a “Preliminary Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the
Registration Statement, to any Preliminary Prospectus, to the Prospectus or to any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing documents shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents
incorporated by reference therein and, in the case of any reference herein to the Prospectus, also
shall be deemed to include any documents incorporated by reference therein, and any supplements or
amendments thereto, filed with the Commission after the date of filing of the Prospectus under Rule
424(b) under the Act, and prior to the termination of the offering of the Shares by the
Representative.
(b) As of the Applicable Time, the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date (each as defined
below), as the case may be, neither (i) the General Use Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined
below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below) and
the information included on Schedule III hereto, all considered together (collectively, the
“General Disclosure Package”), nor (ii) any individual Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus
(as defined below), when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included or will
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no
representations or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, (x) written information furnished to
the Company or the Underwriters by the Selling Stockholders, specifically for use therein, or (y)
written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative,
specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information
furnished to the Company by any Underwriter is that described in Section 13 herein. As used
in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means 7:00 pm (New York City time) on the date of this Agreement or
such other time as agreed to by the Company and the Representative.
“Statutory Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus, as amended and supplemented
immediately prior to the Applicable Time, including any document incorporated by reference therein
and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof.
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“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as
defined in Rule 433 under the Act, relating to the Shares in the form filed or required to be filed
with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records
pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Act.
“General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is
identified on Schedule IV to this Agreement.
“Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is
not a General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
(c) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own or
lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company has no significant subsidiaries (as
such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission) other than as
listed in Schedule V hereto (collectively, the “Subsidiaries”). Each of the
Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as an entity in good standing under
the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with all requisite power and
authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus except to the extent that the failure
to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). The Company and each of the Subsidiaries are duly
qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of their business requires
such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The outstanding shares of capital stock or ownership
interests of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid
and non-assessable and to the extent shown in Schedule V hereto are owned by the Company or
another Subsidiary free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and equities and claims; and no
options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other
rights to convert any obligations into shares of capital stock or ownership interests in the
Subsidiaries are outstanding.
(d) The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company (including the Shares owned by
Selling Stockholders) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable; the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have been duly authorized and when
issued and paid for as contemplated herein will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable;
and no preemptive rights of stockholders exist with respect to any of the Shares or the issue and
sale thereof. Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the
Shares as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than those which have been
waived or satisfied, for or relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock.
(e) The information set forth under the caption “Capitalization” in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus (and any similar section or information contained in the General Disclosure
Package) is true and correct in all material respects. All of the Shares conform to the
description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus.
(f) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus relating to the proposed offering
of the Shares, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act has been
instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. The Registration Statement
contains, and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will contain, all statements
which are required to be stated therein by, and will conform to, the requirements of the Act and
the Rules and
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Regulations. The documents incorporated, or to be incorporated, by reference in the Prospectus, at
the time filed with the Commission conformed or will conform, in all respects to the requirements
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”) or the Act, as
applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. The Registration Statement
does not and any amendment filed after the date hereof will not contain, any untrue statement of a
material fact and do not omit, and will not omit, to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any
amendments and supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue statement of a
material fact, and do not omit, and will not omit, to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or
warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, (i)
written information furnished to the Company or the Underwriters by the Selling Stockholders,
specifically for use therein, or (ii) written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through the Representative, specifically for use therein, it being understood and
agreed that the only such information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter is that described
in Section 13 herein.
(g) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times
through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares or until any earlier date that
the Company notified or notifies the Underwriters did not, does not and will not include any
information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein
that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing does not apply to statements or omissions
from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use
therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described in
Section 13 herein.
(h) The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any
offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) and other
materials, if any, permitted under the Act and consistent with Section 4.A.(b) below. The
Company will file with the Commission all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses in the time required
under Rule 433(d) under the Act.
(i) (i) 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 Shares and (ii) as of the date hereof (with such date being used as the
determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not, and shall not
be as of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, an “ineligible issuer”
(as defined in Rule 405 under the Act, without taking into account any determination by the
Commission pursuant to Rule 405 under the Act that it is not necessary that the Company be
considered an ineligible issuer), including, without limitation, for purposes of Rules 164 and 433
under the Act with respect to the offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Registration
Statement.
(j) The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, together with
related notes and schedules as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, present fairly the financial position
and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company and the consolidated Subsidiaries, at
the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements and related schedules
have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted principles of accounting (“GAAP”),
consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein, and all
adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for such periods have been made. The
summary and selected consolidated financial and statistical data included or
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incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus presents fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and such data has
been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books
and records of the Company. The pro forma financial statements and other pro forma financial
information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the
Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements, have been
properly compiled on the pro forma bases described therein, and, in the opinion of the Company, the
assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are
appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances referred to therein. All
disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the Rules and
Regulations) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the
Act, to the extent applicable. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material
liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or
any “variable interest entities” within the meaning of Financial Accounting Standards Board
Interpretation No. 46), not disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required
to be included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that
are not included as required.
(k) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain of the financial statements filed with
the Commission as part of, or incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with
respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the applicable Rules
and Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the
“PCAOB”).
(l) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is aware of (i) any material weakness
in its internal control over financial reporting or (ii) change in internal control over financial
reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting.
(m) Solely to the extent that the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated by the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange thereunder (the
“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) has been applicable to the Company, there is and has been no failure
on the part of the Company to comply in all material respects with any provision of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that it is in compliance
with all provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act that are in effect and with which the Company is
required to comply.
(n) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries before any court or administrative agency
or otherwise which if determined adversely to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries would either
(i) have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects
of the Company and of the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (ii) prevent the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby (the occurrence of any such effect or any such prevention
described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being referred to as a “Material Adverse
Effect”), except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus.
(o) The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of the properties
and assets reflected in the consolidated financial statements hereinabove described or described in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subject to no lien,
mortgage,
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pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind except those reflected in such financial statements or
described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or which
are not material in amount. The Company and the Subsidiaries occupy their leased properties under
valid and binding leases conforming in all material respects to the description thereof set forth
in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(p) The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax
returns which have been required to be filed and have paid all taxes indicated by such returns and
all assessments received by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due and
are not being contested in good faith and for which an adequate reserve for accrual has been
established in accordance with GAAP, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect. All
material tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial statements of the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, and the Company does not know of any actual or proposed
additional material tax assessments.
(q) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as each may be amended or supplemented, there
has not been any Material Adverse Effect, whether or not occurring in the ordinary course of
business, and there has not been any material transaction entered into or any material transaction
that is probable of being entered into by the Company or the Subsidiaries, other than transactions
in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions described in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as each may be amended or
supplemented. The Company and the Subsidiaries have no material contingent obligations which are
not disclosed in the financial statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries which
are included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding
guarantees or other contingent obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary that could reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is or with the giving of notice or lapse
of time or both, will be, (i) in violation of its certificate or articles of incorporation,
by-laws, certificate of formation, limited liability agreement, partnership agreement or other
organizational documents or (ii) in violation of or in default under any agreement, lease,
contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any
of its properties, is bound and, solely with respect to this clause (ii), which violation or
default would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the fulfillment of the terms hereof by the Company and, to the
Company’s knowledge, the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict
with or result in a breach of (i) any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under,
any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any
Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective
properties is bound, (ii) the certificate or articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or
(iii) any law, order, rule or regulation judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Company
or any Subsidiary of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or
other governmental body having jurisdiction, except with respect to clauses (i) and (iii) to the
extent that such conflict, breach or default would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(s) The execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations
under, this Agreement has been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the
part of the Company, and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company.
(t) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation, declaration or filing by or
with any regulatory, administrative or other governmental body necessary in connection with the
execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
herein
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contemplated (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission, the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or such additional steps as may be necessary to
qualify the Shares for public offering by the Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws)
has been obtained or made and is in full force and effect.
(u) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries hold all material licenses, certificates and
permits from governmental authorities which are necessary to the conduct of their businesses; the
Company and the Subsidiaries each own or possess the right to use all patents, patent rights,
trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names, copyrights, license rights, know-how
(including trade secrets and other unpatented and unpatentable proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures) and other intellectual property rights (“Intellectual
Property”) necessary to carry on their business in all material respects; neither the Company
nor any of the Subsidiaries has infringed, and none of the Company or the Subsidiaries have
received notice of conflict with, any Intellectual Property of any other person or entity. The
Company has taken all reasonable steps necessary to secure interests in such Intellectual Property
from its contractors. There are no outstanding options, licenses or agreements of any kind
relating to the Intellectual Property of the Company that are required to be described in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described in
all material respects. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or
agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property of any other person or entity that are
required to be set forth in the Prospectus and are not described in all material respects. None of
the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in
violation of any material contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of its officers,
directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons; the Company has not
received any written or oral communications alleging that the company has violated, infringed or
conflicted with, or, by conducting its business as set forth in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, would violate, infringe or conflict with, any of the
Intellectual Property of any other person or entity, except to the extent such violation,
infringement or conflict would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(v) Neither the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates, has taken or
may take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or which has
constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation
of the price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares. The
Company acknowledges that the Underwriters may engage in passive market making transactions in the
Shares on the New York Stock Exchange in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
(w) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is or, after giving effect to the offering and sale
of the Shares contemplated hereunder and the application of the net proceeds from such sale as
described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be an “investment company”
within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as amended (the “1940
Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(x) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in
accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain
accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(y) The Company has established and maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined
in Rules 13a-14(c) and 15d-14(c) under the Exchange Act); the Company’s “disclosure controls
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and procedures” are reasonably designed to ensure that all information (both financial and
non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits
under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods
specified in the rules and regulations of the Exchange Act, and that all such information is
accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions
regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and
Chief Financial Officer of the Company required under the Exchange Act with respect to such
reports.
(z) The statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the
Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with
the sources from which they are derived.
(aa) The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all
times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the
Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering
statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering
Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency,
authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any or its subsidiaries with respect
to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened.
(bb) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any
director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the
U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the
proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any
subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the
activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(cc) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such
amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably deems adequate for the conduct of their
respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for
companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.
(dd) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, the Company and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with all
presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no
“reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as
defined in ERISA) for which the Company and each Subsidiary would have any liability; the Company
and each Subsidiary has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of
ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412
or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and each “pension plan” for which the Company or
any Subsidiary would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of
the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by
failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(ee) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, rule,
regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign,
relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the
protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances
(collectively, “Environmental Laws”),
8
owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to
Environmental Laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any
Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any Environmental Laws, which violation,
contamination, liability or claim would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which could reasonably be
expected to lead to such a claim.
(ff) The Shares have been approved for listing subject to notice of issuance on the New York
Stock Exchange.
(gg) There are no relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any of
the Subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been
described as required.
(hh) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has made any contribution or other
payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of
any law which violation is required to be disclosed in the Prospectus.
(ii) There is no document, contract or other agreement required to be described in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement
which is not described or filed as required by the Act or the Rules and Regulations. Each
description of a contract, document or other agreement in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus accurately reflects in all material respects the terms of the underlying contract,
document or other agreement.
(jj) Except for this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to
any contract, agreement or understanding with any person that would give rise to a valid claim
against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in
connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(kk) The Fifth Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code (the “Plan of Reorganization”) of the Company and its subsidiaries named
therein (collectively, the “Reorganizing Debtors”) was confirmed by order of the United
States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York entered on November 29, 2007, and no
party has appealed such confirmation order or moved for revocation or reconsideration thereof. The
Effective Date (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization) occurred on February 28, 2008 . Except
as provided in the Plan of Reorganization, all Claims (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization)
against the Reorganizing Debtors have been discharged in full. Except as provided in the Plan of
Reorganization, all Equity Interests (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization) of the Company have
been cancelled or discharged in full. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is
currently, or has in the past been, in default in any material respect, and no event has occurred
which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due
performance or observance of any material term, covenant or condition contained in the Plan of
Reorganization. There is no legal or governmental proceeding relating to the Plan of
Reorganization to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property
or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject; and to the best of the
Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental
authorities or threatened by others.
B. The Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, represent and warrant to each
Underwriter and the Company, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (as such date is
hereinafter defined), that:
9
(a) The execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Selling Stockholders of their
obligations under, this Agreement has been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of the Selling Stockholders, and this Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by the Selling Stockholders.
(b) The Selling Stockholders have, and on the Closing Date will have, good and valid title to,
or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform
Commercial Code in respect of, all of the Firm Shares which may be sold by such Selling
Stockholders pursuant to this Agreement on such date, free and clear of all security interests,
claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power and all authorization
and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver all of
the Firm Shares which may be sold by such Selling Stockholders pursuant to this Agreement or a
security entitlement in respect of such Firm Shares.
(c) Upon payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this
Agreement, delivery of such Firm Shares, as directed by the Representative, to Cede & Co.
(“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company
(“DTC”), registration of such Firm Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the
crediting of such Firm Shares on the books of DTC to a securities account of the Representative on
behalf of the several Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor such Representative has notice of
any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the
“UCC”)) to such Firm Shares and the Underwriters acquired the interest in the Firm Shares
they have purchased under this Agreement in good faith), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser”
of such Firm Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the
UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Firm Shares and
(C) no action based on any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such
Firm Shares may be asserted against any Underwriter with respect to such security entitlement; for
purposes of this representation, the Selling Stockholders may assume that when such payment,
delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Firm Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or
another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with
its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a
“clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries
to the account of the Representative on behalf of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC
will have been made pursuant to the UCC.
(d) The execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholders of, and the performance by such
Selling Stockholders of their obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene or conflict
with any provision of applicable law, or the limited liability company agreement or other
organizational documents of such Selling Stockholders or any other agreement or instrument to which
such Selling Stockholders are a party or by which they are bound or under which they are entitled
to any right or benefit that is material to the Selling Stockholders or that could adversely affect
the Selling Stockholders’ ability to fulfill their obligations hereunder, or any judgment, order,
decree or regulation applicable to such Selling Stockholders of any court, regulatory body,
administrative agency, governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over such Selling
Stockholders. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing
with, any court or other governmental authority or agency, is required for the consummation by such
Selling Stockholders of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, except such as have been
obtained or made and are in full force and effect under the Act and the Exchange Act, and
applicable state securities or blue sky laws or the rules and regulations of FINRA.
(e) The Selling Stockholders (i) do not have any registration or other similar rights to have
any equity or debt securities registered for sale by the Company under the Registration Statement
or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) do not have any preemptive right,
co-sale right
10
or right of first refusal or other similar right to purchase any of the Shares that are to be
sold by the Company or any of the other Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters pursuant to this
Agreement, except for such rights as such Selling Stockholders have waived prior to the date hereof
and as have been described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, and (iii) do not own any warrants, options or similar rights to acquire, and do not
have any right or arrangement to acquire, any capital stock, right, warrants, options or other
securities from the Company, other than those described in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(f) Except for such consents, approvals and waivers which have been obtained by the Selling
Stockholders on or prior to the date of this Agreement, no consent, approval or waiver is required
under any instrument or agreement to which the Selling Stockholders are a party or by which they
are bound or under which they are entitled to any right or benefit, in connection with the
offering, sale or purchase by the Underwriters of any of the Firm Shares which may be sold by the
Selling Stockholders under this Agreement or the consummation by the Selling Stockholders of any of
the other transactions contemplated hereby, except to the extent that the failure to obtain such
consent, approval or waiver would not materially adversely affect such Selling Stockholder’s
ability to fulfill its obligations hereunder or under any other transaction contemplated hereby.
(g) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended
or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, (ii) the General Disclosure Package does not, and at the time of each sale of the Firm
Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective
purchasers and at the Closing Date, the General Disclosure Package, as then amended or supplemented
by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading, (iii) each broadly available road show, if any, when
considered together with the General Disclosure Package, does not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (iv) the Prospectus does
not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the
representations and warranties set forth in this Section 1.B.(g) shall only apply to
statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, any broadly
available road show or the Prospectus based upon information relating to the Selling Stockholders
furnished by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders in writing expressly for use therein. The
Selling Stockholders confirm as accurate the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the Selling
Stockholders’ names in the Prospectus under the caption “Selling Stockholders” (both prior to and
after giving effect to the sale of the Firm Shares).
(h) The Selling Stockholders have not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or
that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price
of the Common Stock or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of
the Firm Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate
any provision of Regulation M.
(i) There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under federal law or the laws
of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the sale by the Selling Stockholders of the Firm
Shares.
(j) The Selling Stockholders have not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later
of (i) the expiration or termination of the option granted to the Underwriters under Section
2 and (ii) the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Firm Shares, any offering
material in connection with the
11
offering and sale of the Firm Shares other than the Registration Statement, a preliminary
prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus.
(k) The Firm Shares being offered and sold by the Selling Stockholders hereunder were acquired
by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to the Company’s emergence from Chapter 11 proceedings
pursuant to the Plan of Reorganization, and such Selling Stockholders will not take a contrary
position in any filing or application made with any governmental agency or body or any court having
jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholders.
Any certificate signed by the Selling Stockholders and delivered to the Underwriters or to
counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Selling
Stockholders to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
Such Selling Stockholders acknowledge that the Underwriters and, for purposes of the opinion
to be delivered pursuant to Section 6 hereof, counsel to the Selling Stockholders and
counsel to the Underwriters, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing
representations and hereby consent to such reliance.
2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Shares.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants herein contained, and
subject to the conditions herein set forth, (i) the Company agrees to sell to the several
Underwriters an aggregate of 20,564,891 Firm Shares and (ii) the Selling Stockholders, severally
and not jointly, agree to sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate of 7,260,109 Firm Shares,
with each Selling Stockholder selling the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite such Selling
Stockholder’s name on Schedule II. On the basis of the representations, warranties and
covenants herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company and the Selling Stockholders the respective
number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule I, subject to adjustments
in accordance with Section 9 hereof. The purchase price per Firm Share to be paid by the
several Underwriters to the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall be $4.80 per share.
(b) Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by the Company hereunder is to be made in Federal
(same day) funds to an account designated by the Company against delivery thereof to the
Representative for the accounts of the several Underwriters and payment for the Firm Shares to be
sold by the Selling Stockholders hereunder is to be made in Federal (same day) funds to an account
or accounts designated by the Selling Stockholders against delivery thereof to the Representative
for the accounts of the several Underwriters. Such payment and delivery are to be made through the
facilities of The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York at 10:00 a.m., New York City time,
on the fourth Business Day after the date of this Agreement or at such other time and date not
later than five Business Days thereafter as the Representative, the Company and the Selling
Stockholders shall agree upon, such time and date being herein referred to as the “Closing
Date.” As used herein, “Business Day” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange
is open for trading and on which banks in New York are open for business and are not permitted by
law or executive order to be closed.
(c) In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants herein
contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to
the several Underwriters to purchase up to an aggregate of 4,173,750 Option Shares at the price per
share as set forth in paragraph (a) of this Section 2. The option granted hereby
may be exercised at any time and from time to time (but not more than twice), in whole or in part,
within 30 days after the date of this Agreement, upon written notice by the Representative to the
Company setting forth the number of Option Shares as to which the several Underwriters are
exercising the option, and the time and date at which such certificates are to be
12
delivered. The time and date at which certificates for Option Shares are to be delivered shall be
determined by the Representative but shall not be earlier than three nor later than 10 full
Business Days after the exercise of such option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Date (each
such time and date being herein referred to as an “Option Closing Date”). If the date of
exercise of the option is three or more days before the Closing Date, the notice of exercise shall
set the Closing Date as the Option Closing Date. The option with respect to the Option Shares
granted hereunder may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Shares by
the several Underwriters. If any Option Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares (subject to such adjustments to
eliminate fractional shares as the Representative may determine) that bears the same proportion to
the total number of Option Shares to be purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth on
Schedule I opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
The Representative may cancel such option at any time prior to its expiration by giving written
notice of such cancellation to the Company. To the extent, if any, that the option is exercised,
payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing Date in Federal (same day) funds
through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company in New York, New York drawn to the order of
the Company as set forth in paragraph (b) of this Section 2.
(d) Each Selling Stockholder hereby agrees that it will pay all stock transfer taxes, stamp
duties and other similar taxes, if any, payable upon the sale or delivery of the Firm Shares to be
sold by such Selling Stockholder to the several Underwriters, or otherwise in connection with the
performance of such Selling Stockholder’s obligations hereunder.
3. Offering by the Underwriters.
It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public offering of the Shares as
soon as the Representative deems it advisable to do so. The Shares are to be initially offered to
the public at the initial public offering price set forth in the Prospectus. The Representative
may from time to time thereafter change the public offering price and other selling terms.
It is further understood that Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc. will act as the Representative for the
several Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Shares in accordance with a Master Agreement
Among Underwriters entered into by Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc. and the several Underwriters.
4. Covenants of the Company and the Selling Stockholders.
A. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) The Company will (A) prepare and timely file with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under
the Act a Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative containing information previously
omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rules 430A, 430B
or 430C under the Act, (B) not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or distribute an
amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or document
incorporated by reference therein of which the Representative shall not previously have been
advised and furnished with a copy or to which the Representative shall have reasonably objected in
writing or which is not in compliance with the Rules and Regulations and (C) file on a timely basis
all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company
with the Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and prior to the termination of the
offering of the Shares by the Representative.
(b) The Company will (i) not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as
defined in Rule 405 under the Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission under
Rule 433 under the Act unless the Representative approves its use in writing prior to first use
(each, a “Permitted Free
13
Writing Prospectus”); provided that the prior written consent of the Representative
hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es)
included in Schedule IV hereto, (ii) treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (iii) comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 under the
Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including the requirements relating to timely
filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping and (iv) not take any action that would
result in the several Underwriters or the Company being required to file with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the
several Underwriters that the several Underwriters otherwise would not have been required to file
thereunder.
(c) The Company will advise the Representative promptly (A) when any post-effective amendment
to the Registration Statement shall have become effective, (B) of receipt of any comments from the
Commission, (C) of any request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or for
supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or for any additional information,
and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus,
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the institution of any proceedings for
that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act. The Company will use its reasonable best
efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting
thereof, if issued.
(d) The Company will cooperate with the Underwriters in endeavoring to qualify the Shares for
sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably have
designated in writing and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided, that the Company
shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service
of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to file such a consent.
The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such statements, reports, and other
documents, as are or may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as the Representative may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.
(e) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the Representative, from time to time,
as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the
Representative may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representative during the period when delivery of a Prospectus (or, in lieu thereof, the notice
referred to under Rule 173(a) under the Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”) is required
under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final form, or as thereafter amended or
supplemented, as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the
Representative at or before the Closing Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and
all amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to the
Representative such number of copies of the Registration Statement (including such number of copies
of the exhibits filed therewith that may reasonably be requested), including documents incorporated
by reference therein, and of all amendments thereto, as the Representative may reasonably request.
(f) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and the Exchange Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the completion of the
distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the
period in which a prospectus (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to under Rule 173(a) under
the Act) is required by law to be delivered by the Underwriters or any dealer, any event shall
occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the
Representative, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is
delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement
the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company promptly will either (i) prepare and file with
the Commission an appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the
14
Prospectus or (ii) prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate filing under the Exchange
Act which shall be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended
or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading,
or so that the Prospectus will comply with applicable law.
(g) If the General Disclosure Package is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a
time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur
as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the
Representative, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or to make the
statements therein not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement then
on file, or if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package to
comply with any law, the Company promptly will either (i) prepare, file with the Commission (if
required) and furnish to the Representative and any dealers an appropriate amendment or supplement
to the General Disclosure Package or (ii) prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate
filing under the Exchange Act which shall be incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure
Package so that the General Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light
of the circumstances, be misleading or conflict with the Registration Statement then on file, or so
that the General Disclosure Package will comply with applicable law.
(h) The Company will make generally available to its security holders, as soon as it is
practicable to do so, but in any event not later than 15 months after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail,
covering a period of at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the requirements of Section 11(a) of
the Act and Rule 158 under the Act.
(i) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any shares of Common Stock of the
Company or other securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common
Stock or derivative of Common Stock (or agreement for such) will be made for a period of 75 days
after the date of the Prospectus, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than hereunder
or with the prior written consent of the Representative. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to
(i) the sale of Shares to be sold hereunder, (ii) issuances by the Company of shares of Common
Stock upon the exercise of an option, warrant or a similar security or the conversion of a security
outstanding on the date hereof and reflected in the Prospectus, (iii) the grants by the Company of
options or stock, or the issuance by the Company of stock, under its benefits plans described in
the Prospectus, (iv) the issuance by the Company of up to 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock in
connection with the acquisition of, a joint venture with or a merger with, another company, and the
filing of a registration statement with respect thereto; provided that the recipient of such shares
agrees in writing with the Representative in an agreement in the form substantially identical to
Exhibit A hereto, not to offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract
to purchase, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer, directly
or indirectly, any such shares or options during such 75-day period without the prior written
consent of the Representative, (v) issuances by the Company to satisfy the Company’s funding
obligations to its pension plans, (vi) the filing by the Company of any registration statement with
the Commission, or (vii) transactions by any person other than the Company, relating to shares of
Common Stock or other securities acquired in the open market or other transactions after the
completion of this offering.
(j) The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to list the Shares on the New York Stock
Exchange and maintain the listing of the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange.
(k) The Company has caused each officer and director and specific shareholders of the Company
listed on Exhibit B to furnish to the Representative, on or prior to the date of this
Agreement, a letter or letters, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the
“Lockup Agreement”).
15
(l) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of the Shares as set forth in the
Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(m) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from
its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to
register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.
(n) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of
incorporation of the Company, a registrar for the Common Stock.
(o) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result
in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company.
B. The Selling Stockholders covenant and agree with each Underwriter that:
(a) Such Selling Stockholders will not, without the prior written consent of the
Representative (which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion), directly or indirectly,
sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell (including without limitation any short sale),
pledge, transfer, establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h)
under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock, options or warrants to
acquire shares of Common Stock, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into
shares of Common Stock currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially (as defined in
Rule 13d-3 under Exchange Act) by the Selling Stockholders, or publicly announce their intention to
do any of the foregoing, for a period of 75 days after the date of the Prospectus. The
restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph of this Section 4.B.(a) shall not apply
to (i) the shares of Common Stock to be sold hereunder, (ii) any bona-fide gift of the Common Stock
by the Selling Stockholders (iii) pledges by the Selling Stockholders of shares of Common Stock in
favor of a lender or other similar financing source, (iv) distributions by the Selling Stockholders
of the shares of Common Stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of Common Stock, or any
security exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Common Stock to the limited partners,
members or stockholders of the Selling Stockholders and (iv) any transfer to an affiliate of the
Selling Stockholders; provided, that in the case of any such transfer or distribution, (x) each
donee, distributee or transferee shall enter into a written agreement accepting the restrictions
set forth in this paragraph as if it were a Selling Stockholder and (y) other than in the case of
clause (iv) above, the such Selling Stockholder shall not be required to file, and shall not
voluntarily file, a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in
beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock, during the 75 day restricted period, and (z) in the
case of clause (iv) above, any report filed under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act in connection
with such transfer, discloses that the transfer is to an affiliate of the Selling Stockholder and
that the transferee will be bound by the restrictions set forth in the preceding paragraph and this
paragraph as if it were the Selling Stockholder.
(b) Such Selling Stockholders will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or
that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price
of the Common Stock or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of
the Firm Shares or otherwise, and such Selling Stockholders will, and shall cause each of their
affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M. If the limitations of Rule
102 do not apply with respect to the Common Stock or any other reference security pursuant to any
exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from the Representative
(or, if later, at the time stated in the notice), such Selling Stockholders will, and shall cause
each of their affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available but
the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply.
16
5. Costs and Expenses.
The Company agrees to pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the performance of their
obligations under this Agreement, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
following: accounting fees of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;
the cost of printing and delivering to, or as requested by, the Representative copies of the
Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses, the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, the
Prospectus, this Agreement, the Listing Application and any supplements or amendments thereto; the
filing fees of the Commission; the filing fees and reasonable expenses (including legal fees and
disbursements) incident to securing any required review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the
Shares; the Listing Fee of the New York Stock Exchange; and the costs and expenses (including
without limitation any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual
liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Shares made by the
Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation in Section 1.A.(b). The Company
shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the Underwriters’ expenses (other than those
related to qualification under FINRA regulation and State securities or Blue Sky laws) except that,
if this Agreement shall not be consummated because the conditions in Section 6 hereof are
not satisfied, or because this Agreement is terminated by the Representative pursuant to
Section 11 hereof, or by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the
Company to perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition of this Agreement or to comply with any
of the terms hereof on its part to be performed, unless such failure, refusal or inability is due
primarily to the default or omission of the Underwriters, the Company shall reimburse the
Underwriters for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel,
reasonably incurred in connection with investigating, marketing and proposing to market the Shares
or in contemplation of performing their obligations hereunder; but the Company shall not in any
event be liable to the Underwriters for damages on account of loss of anticipated profits from the
sale by them of the Shares.
The Selling Stockholders agree with each Underwriter and the Company to pay (directly or by
reimbursement) all fees and expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this
Agreement which are not otherwise specifically provided for herein, including but not limited to
(i) fees and expenses of counsel and other advisors for such Selling Stockholders, and (ii)
expenses and taxes incident to the sale and delivery of the Firm Shares to be sold by such Selling
Stockholders to the several Underwriters hereunder.
6. Conditions of Obligations of the Underwriters.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Shares on the Closing Date and the
Option Shares, if any, on the Option Closing Date, are subject to the accuracy, as of the
Applicable Time, the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, of the
representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained herein, and to
the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of their respective covenants and
obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments thereto shall have become
effective and the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus required shall have been filed
as required by Rules 424, 430A, 430B, 430C or 433 under the Act, as applicable, within the time
period prescribed by, and in compliance with, the Rules and Regulations, and any request of the
Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or otherwise)
shall have been disclosed to the Representative and complied with to its reasonable satisfaction.
No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to
time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under
the Act shall have been taken or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated or
threatened by the Commission and no injunction, restraining order or order of any nature by a
federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been
17
issued as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, which would prevent
the issuance of the Shares.
(b) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, the opinions of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company dated the Closing
Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Representative on behalf of
the several Underwriters in such form as shall be agreed to with the Representative.
(c) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date the opinions of (i) Xxxx,
Weiss, Rifkind, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Selling Stockholders, and (ii) Ogier,
special Cayman Islands counsel for the Selling Stockholders, dated the Closing Date, addressed to
the Representative on behalf of the several Underwriters in such form as shall be agreed to with
the Representative.
(d) The Representative shall have received from Xxxxxxx Procter LLP, counsel for the
Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in
such form as shall be agreed to with the Representative.
(e) The Representative shall have received, on each of the date hereof, the Closing Date and
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter dated the date hereof, the Closing Date and
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representative, of Deloitte & Touche LLP confirming that they are an independent registered public
accounting firm with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and
the applicable Rules and Regulations and the PCAOB and stating that in their opinion the financial
statements and schedules examined by them and included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related Rules and
Regulations; and containing such other statements and information as is ordinarily included in
accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain
financial and statistical information contained in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(f) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, a certificate or certificates of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief
Financial Officer of the Company to the effect that, as of the Closing Date and the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, each of them severally represents as follows:
(i) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or no order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued, and
no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act have been taken or are, to his
or her knowledge, contemplated or threatened by the Commission;
(ii) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1.A.
hereof are true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and
warranties of the Company which are qualified by materiality, in which case such representations
and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be;
(iii) The Company has satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
hereunder;
(iv) All filings required to have been made pursuant to Rules 424, 430A, 430B or 430C under
the Act have been made as and when required by such rules; and
18
(v) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, there has not been any Material Adverse Effect,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business.
(g) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, a Secretary’s Certificate of the Company.
(h) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, a certificate, executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and dated
the date thereof, in form and substance as substantially set forth on Exhibit C hereto and
reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
(i) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, a certificate or certificates of an officer or an authorized representative of the
Selling Stockholders to the effect that, as of the Closing Date, such person represents as follows:
(i) The representations, warranties and covenants of such Selling Stockholders set forth in
Section 1.B. hereof are true and correct in all material respects (except for those
representations and warranties of the Selling Stockholders which are qualified by materiality, in
which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the
Closing Date; and
(ii) Such Selling Stockholders have satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or
satisfied hereunder.
(j) The Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have furnished to the Representative such
further certificates and documents confirming the representations and warranties, covenants and
conditions contained herein and related matters as the Representative may reasonably have
requested.
(k) The Shares have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the New York Stock
Exchange.
(l) The Lockup Agreements described in Section 4.A.(k) shall have been delivered to
the Representative.
The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance
with the provisions hereof only if they are in all material respects satisfactory to the
Representative and to Xxxxxxx Procter LLP, counsel for the Underwriters.
If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6 shall not have
been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be fulfilled, the obligations of the
Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representative by notifying the Company and the
Selling Stockholders of such termination in writing or by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date
or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be. In such event, the Company, the Selling
Stockholders and the several Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to each other (except
to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8 hereof).
19
7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholders.
The obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholders to sell and deliver the portion of
the Shares required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are subject to the
conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and in effect or
proceedings therefor initiated or threatened.
8. Indemnification.
(a) The Company agrees:
(1) to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and the Selling Stockholders, the
directors and officers of each Underwriter and the Selling Stockholders and each person, if any,
who controls any Underwriter and the Selling Stockholders within the meaning of either Section 15
of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to
which any Underwriter or the Selling Stockholders or any controlling person of any Underwriter or
the Selling Stockholders may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are
based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in
the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made; provided,
however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such
loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such amendment or
supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by
the Selling Stockholders or any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use
therein, as applicable, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by
any Underwriter through the Representative consists of the information described as such in
Section 13 herein; and
(2) to reimburse each Underwriter and the Selling Stockholders, the directors and officers of
each Underwriter and the Selling Stockholders and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
or the Selling Stockholders upon demand for any legal or other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably
incurred by any Underwriter or the Selling Stockholders or such controlling person of any
Underwriter or the Selling Stockholders in connection with investigating or defending any such
loss, claim, damage or liability, action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or
governmental inquiry related to the offering of the Shares, whether or not any Underwriter or the
Selling Stockholders or any controlling person of any Underwriter or the Selling Stockholders is a
party to any action or proceeding. In the event that it is finally judicially determined that any
Underwriter or the Selling Stockholders, as applicable, were not entitled to receive payments for
legal and other expenses pursuant to this subparagraph, such Underwriter or the Selling
Stockholders, as applicable, will promptly return all sums that had been advanced pursuant hereto.
(b) Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
each Underwriter and the Company, the directors and officers of each Underwriter and the Company
and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter or the Company within the meaning of Section
15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities
to which any Underwriter or the Company or any controlling person of any Underwriter or the Company
may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any
untrue statement or alleged untrue
20
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus,
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii)
the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made; provided, however, that each Selling Stockholder will be liable in each case
to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Selling
Stockholder specifically for use therein; provided, further, that the liability of each Selling
Stockholder under this subsection (b) shall not exceed the amount by which the net proceeds of the
offering received by such Selling Stockholder exceeds the amount of any damages which such Selling
Stockholder had otherwise paid or become liable to pay as a result of such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission.
(c) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
each of its directors, each of its officers who have signed the Registration Statement, the Selling
Stockholders and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Stockholder within
the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or
any such director or officer, any Selling Stockholder, or any controlling person may become subject
under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or
proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made; and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by the Company or any such director or officer, any Selling Stockholder or any controlling
person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability,
action or proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in
each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus or such amendment or
supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by
any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and
agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representative
consists of the information described as such in Section 13 herein. This indemnity
agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have.
(d) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted
involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Section
8, such person (the “Indemnified Party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom
such indemnity may be sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing. No indemnification
provided for in Section 8(a), (b) or (c) shall be available to any party
who shall fail to give notice as provided in this Section 8(d) if the party to whom notice
was not given was unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was
materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to give such notice shall
not relieve the Indemnifying Party or parties from any liability which it or they may have to the
Indemnified Party for contribution or otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section
8(a), (b) or (c). In case any such proceeding shall be brought against any
Indemnified Party and it shall notify the Indemnifying Party of the commencement thereof, the
Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish,
jointly with any other Indemnifying Party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such Indemnified Party and shall pay as incurred the fees and disbursements
of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Party shall
have the right to retain its own counsel at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Indemnifying Party shall pay
21
as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the reasonable fees and expenses of the counsel
retained by the Indemnified Party in the event (i) the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified
Party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any
such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Party and the
Indemnified Party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due
to actual or potential differing interests between them or (iii) the Indemnifying Party shall have
failed to assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the Indemnified Party within a
reasonable period of time after notice of commencement of the action. It is understood that the
Indemnifying Party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm for all
such Indemnified Parties. Such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representative in the
case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a) or (b), by the Selling
Stockholders in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(c) and by the Company
in case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(c). The Indemnifying Party shall not
be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent but if settled
with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Party agrees
to indemnify the Indemnified Party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
settlement or judgment. In addition, the Indemnifying Party will not, without the prior written
consent of the Indemnified Party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in
any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which indemnification may be sought
hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Party is an actual or potential party to such claim,
action or proceeding) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional
release of each Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or
proceeding.
(e) To the extent the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to
or insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnified Party under Section 8(a), (b) or
(c) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or
proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute
to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the
Underwriters from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the
immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law then each Indemnifying Party
shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company,
the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters in connection with the statements or omissions which
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect
thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received
by the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the
Company, the Selling Stockholders and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by
the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The
relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material
fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriters
and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission.
The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(e) were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to above in this Section 8(e). The amount paid or payable by an
Indemnified Party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or
proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section 8(e) shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection
with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
22
Section 8(e), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of
the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares purchased by such Underwriter,
(ii) each Selling Stockholder shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount of the net proceeds of the offering received by such Selling Stockholder and (iii) no person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
The Underwriters’ obligations in this Section 8(e) to contribute are several in proportion
to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(f) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto, each party
against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby consents to the
jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other contributing party, agrees that
process issuing from such court may be served upon it by any other contributing party and consents
to the service of such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join it as an
additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing party is a party.
(g) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an Indemnified Party is
entitled to indemnification or contribution under this Section 8 shall be paid by the
Indemnifying Party to the Indemnified Party as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses are incurred. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section
8 and the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders set forth
in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its respective directors or officers, or any
person controlling such Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any persons
controlling the Company or the Selling Stockholders, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment
therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to any Underwriter,
its respective directors or officers, or any person controlling such Underwriter, or to the
Company, its directors or officers, or any person controlling the Company or the Selling
Stockholders, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement
agreements contained in this Section 8.
9. Default by Underwriters.
If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter shall
fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Shares which such Underwriter has agreed to
purchase and pay for on such date (otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of the
Company), the Representative, on behalf of the several Underwriters, shall use its reasonable
efforts to procure within 36 hours thereafter the other Underwriter, or any others, to purchase
from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms set forth herein, the Shares
which such defaulting Underwriter failed to purchase. If during such 36 hours the Representative
shall not have procured such other Underwriter, or any others, to purchase the Shares agreed to be
purchased by the defaulting Underwriter, then (a) if the aggregate number of shares with respect
to which such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Shares to be purchased on the Closing
Date or the Option Closing date, as the case may be, the other Underwriter shall be obligated to
purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter failed to purchase, or (b) if the aggregate
number of shares with respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Shares to be
purchased on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company or the
Representative will have the right, by written notice given within the next 36-hour period to the
parties to this Agreement, to terminate this Agreement without liability on the part of the
non-defaulting Underwriter, the Selling Stockholders or the Company except to the extent provided
in Sections 5 and 8 hereof. In the event of a default by any Underwriter who is
obligated to purchase more than 10% of the Shares, the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, may be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as the Representative may
determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package or in the Prospectus
23
or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. The term “Underwriter” includes any
person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter. Any action taken under this Section 9
shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such
Underwriter under this Agreement.
10. Notices.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided herein,
will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or telegraphed and confirmed as follows: (a) if to the
Underwriters, to the Representative c/x Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel, and with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice)
Xxxxxxx Procter LLP, The New York Times Building, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000,
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq.; (b) if to the Company, to Solutia Inc., 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Drive, X.X. Xxx 00000, Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel, with a copy to
(which shall not constitute notice) Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx
00000, Attention: Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq.; and (c) if to the Selling Stockholders, to Harbinger
Capital Partners, 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel, with a
copy to (which shall not constitute notice) Xxxx, Weiss, Rifkind, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, 0000
Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000, Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Esq.
11. Termination.
This Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company and the
Selling Stockholders:
(a) at any time prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date (if different from the
Closing Date and then only as to Option Shares) if any of the following has occurred: (i) since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or declaration of war
or national emergency or other national or international calamity or crisis (including, without
limitation, an act of terrorism) or change in economic or political conditions if the effect of
such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change on the financial
markets of the United States would, in the Representative’s judgment, make it impracticable or
inadvisable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares, (iii)
suspension of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE Amex or the
Nasdaq Global Market or limitation on prices (other than limitations on hours or numbers of days of
trading) for securities on any such trading market, (iv) the declaration of a banking moratorium by
United States or New York State authorities, (v) any downgrading, or placement on any watch list
for possible downgrading, in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the
Exchange Act); or (vi) the suspension of trading of the Company’s common stock by the New York
Stock Exchange, the Commission, or any other governmental authority if the effect of such
suspension would, in the Representative’s judgment, make it impracticable or inadvisable to market
the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares; or
(b) as provided in Sections 6, 9 and 14 of this Agreement.
12. Successors.
This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company
and the Selling Stockholders, and their respective successors, executors, administrators, heirs and
assigns, and the officers, directors and controlling persons referred to herein, and no other
person will have
24
any right or obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Shares from the Underwriters shall
be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such purchase.
13. Information Provided by the Underwriters.
The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that the only
information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter to the Company for inclusion in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the
Prospectus consists of the information set forth under the caption “Underwriting” in the fourth and
thirteenth through nineteenth paragraphs in the Prospectus.
14. Failure of One or More of the Selling Stockholders to Sell and Deliver Firm Shares.
If one or more of the Selling Stockholders shall fail to sell and deliver to the Underwriters
the Firm Shares to be sold and delivered by such Selling Stockholders at the Closing Date pursuant
to this Agreement, then the Representative may at its option, by written notice to the Company and
the Selling Stockholders, terminate this Agreement with respect to such Selling Stockholder without
any liability on the part of the Underwriters or the Company with respect to such Selling
Stockholder, and upon such termination such Selling Stockholder shall not be under any obligation
to the Company and the Underwriters (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and
8 hereof). If one or more of the Selling Stockholders shall fail to sell and deliver to
the Underwriters the Firm Shares to be sold and delivered by such Selling Stockholders pursuant to
this Agreement at the Closing Date, then the Representative shall have the right, by written notice
to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for
longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
15. Miscellaneous.
The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements contained in this Agreement and
the representations, warranties and covenants in this Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect regardless of (a) any termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on
behalf of the Underwriters or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or its
directors or officers, or the Selling Stockholders, and (c) delivery of and payment for the Shares
under this Agreement.
The Company and the Selling Stockholders acknowledge and agree that the Underwriters in
providing investment banking services to the Company and the Selling Stockholders in connection
with the offering, including in acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, have acted and are
acting as independent contractors and not as fiduciaries and the Company and the Selling
Stockholders do not intend the Underwriters to act in any capacity other than as independent
contractors, including as fiduciaries or in any other position of higher trust.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an
original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of
New York, including, without limitation, Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law.
25
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and
return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the
Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||||||||
SOLUTIA INC. | ||||||||
By: | ||||||||
Title: | ||||||||
HARBINGER CAPITAL PARTNERS SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUND, L.P. | ||||||||
By: | Harbinger Capital Partners Special Situations GP, LLC, its general partner |
|||||||
By: | ||||||||
Title: | ||||||||
HARBINGER CAPITAL PARTNERS MASTER FUND I, LTD. | ||||||||
By: | Harbinger Capital Partners LLC, its investment manager |
|||||||
By: | ||||||||
Title: |
The foregoing Equity Underwriting Agreement
is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.
is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.
XXXXXXXXX & COMPANY, INC.
Acting as Representative of the several Underwriters named in the attached Schedule I
Acting as Representative of the several Underwriters named in the attached Schedule I
By |
||||
26
SCHEDULE I
UNDERWRITERS
Number of Firm Shares | ||||
Underwriter | to be Purchased | |||
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc. |
26,155,500 | |||
BB&T Capital Markets,
a division of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxxxxxxx, LLC |
1,669,500 | |||
Total: |
27,825,000 |
SCHEDULE II
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
Selling Stockholder | Number of Firm Shares | |||
Harbinger Capital Partners Master Fund I, Ltd. |
3,701,857 | |||
Harbinger Capital Partners Special Situations Fund, L.P. |
3,558,252 | |||
Total: |
7,260,109 |
SCHEDULE III
PRICING INFORMATION
Shares of Common Stock offered by Solutia Inc.: 20,564,891
Shares of Common Stock in the over-allotment option offered by Solutia Inc.: 4,173,750
Shares of Common Stock offered by the Selling Stockholders: 7,260,109
Shares of Common Stock offered in the over-allotment option by the Selling Stockholders: 0
The price of the Shares to the public is $5.00 per Share
The underwriting discount is 4.0%
Gross Proceeds to the Company: $102,824,455
Gross Proceeds to the Selling Stockholders: $36,300,545
Settlement date: June 24, 2009
Shares reserved for Board and Management: 90,000
Underwriters: Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc. and BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxxxxxxx, LLC
SCHEDULE IV
ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS
None.
SCHEDULE V
SUBSIDIARIES
Percentage of | ||||||
Voting Power | Jurisdiction | |||||
Owned by | of | |||||
Name | Solutia | Incorporation | ||||
Monchem International, Inc.
|
100 | % | Delaware | |||
Solutia Systems, Inc.
|
100 | % | Delaware | |||
Solutia Europe SPRL/BVBA
|
100 | % | Belgium | |||
Solutia Services International SCA/Comm, VA
|
100 | % | Belgium | |||
CPFilms Inc.
|
100 | % | Delaware | |||
Solchem Netherlands C.V.
|
100 | % | Netherlands | |||
Flexsys Coordination Center N.V.
|
100 | % | Belgium | |||
Flexsys Holdings B.V
|
100 | % | Netherlands | |||
Solutia U.K. Investments Limited
|
100 | % | South Wales | |||
Flexsys N.V.
|
100 | % | Belgium | |||
Solutia U.K. Limited
|
100 | % | South Wales | |||
Solutia Netherlands Holdings B.V
|
100 | % | Netherlands | |||
Flexsys America L.P.
|
100 | % | Delaware | |||
Solutia U.K. Holdings Limited
|
100 | % | South Wales | |||
Flexsys Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungsgesellschaft (VuB) GmbH
|
100 | % | Germany | |||
Solutia Investment LLC
|
100 | % | Delaware | |||
Flexsys Chemicals (M) Sdn Bhd
|
100 | % | Malaysia | |||
Flexsys Verkauf GmbH
|
100 | % | Germany | |||
Solutia Tlaxcala S.A de C.V.,
|
100 | % | Mexico | |||
Solutia Performance Products Suzhou Co., Limited
|
100 | % | People’s Republic of China | |||
Flexsys KKzx
|
100 | % | Japan | |||
Flexsys AGzx
|
100 | % | Switzerland | |||
Solutia Brasil Ltda.
|
100 | % | Brazil | |||
Flexsys SARL
|
100 | % | France | |||
Solutia Singapore Pte. Limited
|
100 | % | Singapore | |||
Solutia Canada Inc.
|
100 | % | Canada | |||
Flexsys S.p.A.
|
100 | % | Italy | |||
Flexsys Industria e Comercio Ltda
|
100 | % | Brazil | |||
Solutia Therminol Co., Ltd.
|
60 | % | People’s Republic of China | |||
Solutia Greater China, Inc.
|
100 | % | Delaware | |||
Solutia Chemicals India Private
|
100 | % | India | |||
Flexsys Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd
|
100 | % | Malaysia |
EXHIBIT A
LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
As of , 2009
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc.
As Representative of the several Underwriters
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
As Representative of the several Underwriters
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc. (the “Representative”), on
behalf of the several underwriters (the “Underwriters”), proposes to enter into an Equity
Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Solutia Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering by the Underwriters of
common stock, par value $0.01 (the “Common Stock”), of the Company (the “Public
Offering”).
To induce the Underwriters to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering,
the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, the
undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell, pledge, contract to sell (including any
short sale), grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock
(including, without limitation, shares of Common Stock of the Company which may be deemed to be
beneficially owned by the undersigned on the date hereof in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, shares of Common Stock which may be issued
upon exercise of a stock option or warrant and any other security convertible into or exchangeable
for Common Stock) or enter into any Hedging Transaction (as defined below) relating to the Common
Stock (each of the foregoing referred to as a “Disposition”) during the period specified in
the following paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”). The foregoing restriction is expressly
intended to preclude the undersigned from engaging in any Hedging Transaction or other transaction
which is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in a Disposition during the
Lock-Up Period even if the securities would be disposed of by someone other than the undersigned.
“Hedging Transaction” means any short sale (whether or not against the box) or any
purchase, sale or grant of any right (including, without limitation, any put or call option) with
respect to any security (other than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes, relates to
or derives any significant part of its value from the Common Stock.
The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date hereof and continue until, and include,
the date that is 75 days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering
(the “Initial Lock-Up Period”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer (a) shares of Common Stock
acquired in open market transactions by the undersigned after the completion of the Public
Offering, (b) any or all of the shares of Common Stock or other Company securities if the transfer
is by (i) gift, will or intestacy, or (ii) distribution to partners, members or shareholders of the
undersigned, and (c) shares of Common Stock
surrendered in payment of taxes due on vested restricted stock; provided, however,
that in the case of a transfer pursuant to clause (b) above, it shall be a condition to the
transfer that the transferee execute an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and
holding the securities subject to the provisions of this Lock-Up Agreement.
The undersigned agrees that the Company may, and that the undersigned will, (i) with respect
to any shares of Common Stock or other Company securities for which the undersigned is the record
holder, cause the transfer agent for the Company to note stop transfer instructions during the
Lock-Up Period with respect to such securities on the transfer books and records of the Company and
(ii) with respect to any shares of Common Stock or other Company securities for which the
undersigned is the beneficial holder but not the record holder, cause the record holder of such
securities to cause the transfer agent for the Company to note stop transfer instructions during
the Lock-Up Period with respect to such securities on the transfer books and records of the
Company.
In addition, the undersigned hereby waives any and all notice requirements and rights with
respect to registration of securities pursuant to any agreement, understanding or otherwise setting
forth the terms of any security of the Company held by the undersigned, including any registration
rights agreement to which the undersigned and the Company may be party; provided that such
waiver shall apply only to the proposed Public Offering, and any other action taken by the Company
in connection with the proposed Public Offering.
The undersigned hereby agrees that, to the extent that the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement
conflict with or are in any way inconsistent with any registration rights agreement to which the
undersigned and the Company may be a party, this Lock-Up Agreement supersedes such registration
rights agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and
authority to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be
conferred shall survive the death or incapacity of the undersigned and any obligations of the
undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of
the undersigned.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the closing of the Public Offering has not
occurred prior to July 31, 2009, this agreement shall be of no further force or effect.
Signature: | ||||||
Print Name: | ||||||
2
EXHIBIT B
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
EXECUTING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS
EXECUTING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxx III
Xxxxxx X. XxXxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxx X. xxXxxx, Xx.
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
W. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxx III
Xxxxxx X. XxXxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxx X. xxXxxx, Xx.
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
W. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER CERTIFICATE
I, Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, do hereby certify that I am the Chief Financial Officer of Solutia Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and, in my capacity as Chief Financial Officer, do hereby
certify that:
1. I am providing this certificate in connection with the offering (the “Offering”) by the
Company of shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value (the “Common Stock”) as described
in that certain Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-151980), including the preliminary
prospectus supplement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on June
18, 2009 and the final prospectus supplement filed with the Commission on June 19, 2009 pursuant to
Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act (the “Registration Statement”).
2. I am familiar with the accounting, operations and records systems of the Company.
3. I have supervised the compilation of and reviewed the circled information contained on the
attached Exhibit A, which is included and/or incorporated by reference into the
Registration Statement. I have performed the following procedures with respect to the circled
information identified on Exhibit A, which were applied as indicated below and, to my
knowledge, such information is accurate in all material respects:
A. Compared the amount to, or recalculated such amount from, the Company’s audited
consolidated financial statements or related notes to the audited consolidated financial statements
and found it to be in agreement.
B. Compared the amount to, or recalculated such amount from, the Company’s unaudited
consolidated financial statements or related notes to the unaudited consolidated financial
statements and found it to be in agreement.
C. Compared the amount to, or recalculated such amount from, the Company’s general ledger or
other accounting books and records for periods indicated and found it to be in agreement.
D. Compared the amount to, or recalculated such amount from, a schedule or report prepared by
the Company from the Company’s accounting records and found it to be in agreement.
4. I have reviewed the circled estimates contained on the attached Exhibit B, which
are included and/or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, and such estimates
have been prepared in good faith and on a reasonable basis consistent with past practice, and
represent the Company’s best estimates based on the information available to the Company at such
time.
This certificate is being furnished to Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc. as representative of the several
underwriters for the Offering, solely to assist the underwriters in conducting their investigation
of the Company in connection with the Offering. This certificate shall not be used, quoted or
otherwise referred to without the prior written consent of the Company.