NORTEL NETWORKS CORPORATION Purchase Agreement
Exhibit 10.1
U.S.$500,000,000 1.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2012
U.S.$500,000,000 2.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014
U.S.$500,000,000 2.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014
NORTEL NETWORKS CORPORATION
March 22, 2007
[ ]
As Representatives of the
several Initial Purchasers listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o [ ]
[ ]
New York, New York [ ]
As Representatives of the
several Initial Purchasers listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o [ ]
[ ]
New York, New York [ ]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Nortel Networks Corporation, a Canadian corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and
sell to the several Initial Purchasers listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Initial Purchasers”), for
whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), U.S.$500,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of its 1.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2012 (the “2012 Firm Notes”) and
U.S.$500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 2.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014 (the
“2014 Firm Notes” and, together with the 2012 Firm Notes, the “Firm Notes”) and, at the election of
the Representatives, sell to the Initial Purchasers up to an additional U.S.$75,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of its 1.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2012 (the “2012 Optional Notes”) and/or
up to an additional U.S.$75,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 2.125% Convertible Senior
Notes due 2014 (the “2014 Optional Notes” and, together with the 2012 Optional Notes, the “Optional
Notes”), in each case to cover over-allotments, if any. The Firm Notes and the Optional Notes are
herein collectively called the “Notes.” The Notes will be convertible into common shares without
nominal or par value of the Company (the “Common Shares”, and such Common Shares issuable upon
conversion of the Notes, the “Underlying Shares”). The Notes will be issued pursuant to an
Indenture to be dated as of the First Closing Date (as defined below), as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time (the “Indenture”), among the Company, Nortel Networks Limited, a
Canadian corporation (“NNL”), and Nortel Networks Inc., a Delaware corporation (“NNI” and, together
with NNL, the “Guarantors”), and The Bank of New York, as trustee (the “Trustee”), and will be
guaranteed on an unsecured senior basis and on the other terms set forth in the Offering Memorandum
(as defined below) by NNL and initially by NNI (the “Guarantees” and, together with the Notes, the
“Securities”). The Firm Notes and the Guarantees are referred to herein together as the “Firm
Securities”
and the Optional Notes and the Guarantees are referred to herein together as the
“Optional Securities”. The Company and the Guarantors are referred to herein together as the
“Issuers”.
The Securities will be sold to the Initial Purchasers without being registered under the
United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in reliance upon an
exemption therefrom, and without the filing of a prospectus with any securities regulatory
authority in Canada (each, a “Canadian Securities Regulator” and, together, the “Canadian
Securities Regulators”) under the securities laws, rules, regulations and written policy statements
of any province or territory of Canada (collectively, the “Canadian Securities Laws”), in reliance
upon exemptions from the prospectus requirements of the applicable Canadian Securities Laws. The
Company has prepared a preliminary offering memorandum (including, with respect to sales in British
Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec (collectively, the “Relevant
Provinces”), the preliminary Canadian offering memorandum (the “Canadian Preliminary Offering
Memorandum”)) dated March 22, 2007 (the “Preliminary Offering Memorandum”) and will prepare an
offering memorandum (including, with respect to sales in the Relevant Provinces, a Canadian
offering memorandum (the “Canadian Offering Memorandum”)), dated the date hereof (including all
amendments and supplements thereto, the “Offering Memorandum”), setting forth information
concerning the Company, the Guarantors, the Securities and the Underlying Shares. Copies of the
Preliminary Offering Memorandum have been, and copies of the Offering Memorandum will be, delivered
by the Company to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The Issuers
hereby confirm that they have authorized the use of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the other
Time of Sale Information (as defined below) and the Offering Memorandum in connection with the
offering and resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers in the manner contemplated by this
Agreement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such
terms in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum. References herein to the Preliminary Offering
Memorandum, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum shall be deemed to refer to
and include all amendments and supplements thereto and any document incorporated by reference
therein.
At or prior to the time when sales of the Securities were first made (which is on the date of
this Agreement) (the “Time of Sale”), the following information shall have been prepared (as
supplemented and amended from time to time, collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”): the
Preliminary Offering Memorandum, as supplemented and amended by the written communications listed
on Part I of Annex A hereto and other written communications used in accordance with Section 4(c)
hereof.
Holders of the Securities (including the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect
transferees) will be entitled to the benefits of a Registration Rights Agreement to be dated the
First Closing Date (as defined below) and substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A
(the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Issuers will agree to file with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a shelf registration statement
under the Securities Act registering the Securities and the Underlying Shares.
Each Issuer hereby confirms its agreement with the several Initial Purchasers concerning the
purchase and resale of the Securities, as follows:
1. Purchase and Resale of the Securities.
(a) The Issuers agree to issue and sell the Firm Securities to the several Initial
Purchasers as provided in this Agreement, and each Initial Purchaser, on the basis of the
representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions
set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Issuers the
respective principal amount of Firm Securities set forth opposite such Initial Purchaser’s
name in Schedule 1 hereto at, in the case of the 2012 Firm Notes, a price equal to 100% of
the aggregate principal amount thereof and in the case of the 2014 Firm Notes, a price equal
to 100% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, plus, in each case, accrued interest, if
any, from March 28, 2007 to the First Closing Date. The Issuers will pay the several
Initial Purchasers a commission equal to 1.875% of the respective principal amounts of the
2012 Firm Notes and the 2014 Firm Notes set forth opposite the names of the several Initial
Purchasers in Schedule 1 hereto. The Issuers will not be obligated to deliver any of the
Firm Securities except upon payment for all the Firm Securities to be purchased as provided
herein.
(b) In addition, upon written notice from the Representatives given to the Company from
time to time, but not more than once for each of the 2012 Optional Notes and the 2014
Optional Notes, the Initial Purchasers may purchase, no later than April 13, 2007, all or
less than all of the 2012 Optional Notes at a price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal
amount thereof and the 2014 Optional Notes at a price equal to 100% of the aggregate
principal amount thereof, plus, in each case, accrued interest, if any, from March 28, 2007,
to the Option Closing Date (as defined below). The Optional Securities may be purchased
only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Securities by the Initial Purchasers.
The Issuers agree to issue and sell the Optional Securities provided in such notice to the
Initial Purchasers as provided in this Agreement, and each Initial Purchaser, on the basis
of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the
conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
Issuers, ratably in accordance with the aggregate principal amount of Firm Securities to be
purchased by each of them, such Optional Securities. The Issuers will pay the several
Initial Purchasers a commission equal to 1.875% of the respective principal amounts of the
2012 Optional Notes and the 2014 Optional Notes purchased by the Initial Purchasers ratably
in accordance with the aggregate principal amount of Firm Securities to be purchased by each
of them. No Optional Securities shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities
previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the
Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the
extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by
the Representatives to the Company.
(c) The Issuers acknowledge and agree that the Initial Purchasers are acting solely in
the capacity of arm’s length contractual counterparties to the Issuers with respect to the
offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the
terms of the offering) and not as financial advisors or fiduciaries to, or as agents of, any
Issuer or any other person. Additionally, no Initial Purchaser is advising any Issuer or
any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any
jurisdiction. The Issuers shall consult with their own advisors concerning
such matters and shall be responsible for making their own independent investigation
and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Initial Purchasers shall have
no responsibility or liability to the Issuers with respect thereto. Any review by the
Initial Purchasers of the Issuers, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters
relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Initial
Purchasers and shall not be on behalf of the Issuers.
(d) The Issuers understand that the Initial Purchasers intend to offer the Securities
(and the Underlying Shares) for resale on the terms set forth in the Time of Sale
Information. Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents, warrants and
agrees that:
(i) it is a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A under the
Securities Act (a “QIB”) and an accredited investor within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under
the Securities Act and National Instrument 45-106-Prospectus and Registration Exemptions
(“NI 45-106”) of Canada;
(ii) it has not solicited offers for, or offered or sold, and will not solicit offers
for, or offer or sell, the Securities (or the Underlying Shares) by means of any form of
general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation
D under the Securities Act (“Regulation D”) or in any manner involving a public offering
within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act; and
(iii) it has not solicited offers for, or offered or sold, and will not solicit offers
for, or offer or sell, the Securities (or the Underlying Shares) as part of its initial
offering except:
(A) within the United States to persons whom it reasonably believes to be QIBs
in transactions pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“Rule 144A”) and in
connection with each such sale, it has taken or will take reasonable steps to ensure
that the purchaser of the Securities (and the Underlying Shares) is aware that such
sale is being made in reliance on Rule 144A; and
(B) within Canada, and to residents of Canada, who are accredited investors
within the meaning of NI 45 106, in transactions which are exempt from the
prospectus requirements of applicable Canadian Securities Laws and whom it
reasonably believes to be QIBs in transactions pursuant to Rule 144A and in
connection with each such sale, it has taken or will take reasonable steps to ensure
that the purchaser of the Securities (and the Underlying Shares) is aware that such
sale is being made in reliance on Rule 144A.
(e) The Issuers and the Initial Purchasers agree that each Note or Common Share
issuable upon conversion thereof, or an ownership statement issued under a direct
registration statement or other electronic book entry system acceptable to the Ontario
Securities Commission with respect to a Note or Common Share issuable upon conversion
thereof, will bear the following legend:
UNLESS PERMITTED UNDER CANADIAN SECURITIES LEGISLATION, THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY
MUST NOT TRADE THIS SECURITY IN CANADA BEFORE [the date that is four months and one
day following the closing date of the distribution of the applicable notes].
(f) Each Initial Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that the Company and, for purposes
of the opinions to be delivered to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to Sections 6(f) and 6(g)
(to the extent such opinions relate to exemptions from registration and prospectus
requirements under applicable law), counsel for the Company and counsel for the Initial
Purchasers, respectively, may rely upon the accuracy of the representations and warranties
of the Initial Purchasers, and compliance by the Initial Purchasers with their agreements,
contained in paragraph (d) above, and each Initial Purchaser hereby consents to such
reliance.
(g) Each Issuer acknowledges and agrees that the Initial Purchasers may offer and sell
Securities (and Underlying Shares) to or through any affiliate of an Initial Purchaser and
that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities (and Underlying Shares) purchased by
it to or through any Initial Purchaser so long as otherwise in compliance with the terms and
conditions of this Agreement.
(h) Each Initial Purchaser severally and not jointly represents and covenants that (i)
it has taken reasonable precautions to ensure that passwords to any website containing the
Electronic Roadshow are not provided to any prospective investor in the Securities (and the
Underlying Shares) that is a resident in, or acting on behalf of an entity resident in, any
of the provinces or territories of Canada and (ii) in order to obtain access to the
Electronic Roadshow on any website on which the Electronic Roadshow is made available to
potential investors, each potential investor is required to confirm electronically that it
is not a resident in, or acting on behalf of an entity resident in, any of the provinces or
territories of Canada.
2. Payment and Delivery.
(a) Payment for and delivery of the Firm Securities will be made at the offices of
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP at 9:30 A.M., New York City time, on March 28, 2007, or
at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth
business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing.
The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “First Closing
Date”.
(b) Payment for the Firm Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately
available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against
delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Initial
Purchasers, of global notes representing the Firm Securities (collectively, the “Firm Global
Notes”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Firm Securities
duly paid by the Company. The Firm Global Notes will be made available for inspection by
the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior
to the First Closing Date.
(c) Each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities, being herein
referred to as an “Option Closing Date”, which may be the First Closing Date (the First
Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Closing
Date”), shall be determined by the Representatives but shall not be earlier than the First
Closing Date (or, if notice is given following the First Closing Date, the second business
day after such notice is provided) nor later than the earlier of April 13, 2007 and seven
full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Securities is
given, or on such other date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in
writing. Payment for and delivery of the Optional Securities will be made at the offices of
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, or at such other place as the Representatives and the
Company may agree upon in writing.
(d) Payment for the Optional Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately
available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against
delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Initial
Purchasers, of global notes representing the Optional Securities (collectively, the
“Optional Global Notes”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the
Optional Securities duly paid by the Company. The Optional Global Notes will be made
available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City
time, on the business day prior to the applicable Option Closing Date.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Issuers. The Issuers represent and warrant,
jointly and severally, to, and agree with, the Initial Purchasers as of the Time of Sale and each
Closing Date (with respect to those representations and warranties made as of a Closing Date, after
giving effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) that:
(a) Preliminary Offering Memorandum, Time of Sale Information and Offering Memorandum.
The Preliminary Offering Memorandum, as of its date, did not, the Time of Sale Information,
taken as a whole, at the Time of Sale, did not, and at each Closing Date will not, and the
Offering Memorandum, as of its date and as of each Closing Date will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or 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 that the Issuers make no representation or warranty with
respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information relating to any Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by such
Initial Purchaser through the Representatives expressly for use in the Preliminary Offering
Memorandum, the other Time of Sale Information or the Offering Memorandum, it being
understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Initial Purchaser
consists of the information described in Section 7(b) below.
(b) Additional Written Communications. Other than the Preliminary Offering Memorandum
and the Offering Memorandum, the Issuers (including their agents and representatives, other
than the Initial Purchasers in their capacity as such) have not made, used, prepared,
authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or
refer to any written communication that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an
offer to buy the Securities other than the documents listed on Annex A
hereto, including a pricing supplement substantially in the form of Annex B hereto, and
other written communications used in accordance with Section 4(c) which have not been
reasonably objected to by the Representatives in accordance with Section 4(c).
(c) Incorporated Documents. Except as otherwise disclosed therein, the documents
incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, when
filed with the Commission and the Canadian Securities Regulators, conformed or will conform,
as the case may be, in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the United
States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and applicable Canadian Securities Laws, and did
not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements and the related notes
thereto of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in each of
the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum comply in all material respects
with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and applicable
Canadian Securities Laws and present fairly the consolidated financial position of the
Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations
and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements
have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United
States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby; the other
financial information included or incorporated by reference in each of the Time of Sale
Information and the Offering Memorandum has been derived from the accounting records of the
Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby; and the
“Summary consolidated financial data” set forth in the Time of Sale Information and the
Offering Memorandum is accurately presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis
consistent with the audited and unaudited historical consolidated financial statements from
which it has been derived.
(e) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent consolidated
financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Time of
Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement
thereto on or after the date of this Agreement), except in each case as otherwise disclosed
in, incorporated by reference in or contemplated by the Time of Sale Information and the
Offering Memorandum; (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term
debt of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of
any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of its
capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any event that could reasonably be
expected to result in a material adverse change in the business, properties, senior
management, financial condition, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) none of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement or incurred any liability or
obligations, direct or contingent, in each case, that is material to the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has
sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or
dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or
regulatory authority, in each case, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole.
(f) Organization and Good Standing. The Issuers (i) have each been duly organized and
are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions
of organization and (ii) have all corporate power and authority necessary to conduct their
businesses as described in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, except
where the failure to have such power or authority would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business,
properties, senior management, financial condition, stockholders’ equity or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the
Issuers of their obligations under the Securities (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(g) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum.
(h) Due Authorization. Each Issuer has the corporate power and authority to execute
and deliver this Agreement, the Notes, the Indenture (including the Guarantees set forth
therein) and the Registration Rights Agreement (the “Transaction Documents”), as applicable,
and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
(i) The Indenture. The execution and delivery of the Indenture has been duly
authorized by each Issuer and assuming due authorization thereof by the other parties
thereto, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the
parties thereto, will constitute a valid and binding agreement of each Issuer enforceable
against each such Issuer in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability
relating to or affecting creditors’ rights (including applicable non-U.S. laws or
governmental actions) and to general principles of equity (it being understood that the
enforceability thereof in Canada may be limited by the Currency Act (Canada), which
precludes Canadian courts from awarding a judgment for an amount expressed in a currency
other than Canadian Dollars and to the extent that any requirement to pay interest at a
greater rate after than before default may not be enforceable in Canada if the same is
construed by a Canadian court to constitute a penalty) (collectively, the “Enforceability
Exceptions”); and on each Closing Date, the Indenture will conform in all material respects
to the requirements of the United States Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust
Indenture Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission applicable to an indenture
that is qualified thereunder.
(j) The Notes and the Guarantees. The issuance and sale of the Notes have been duly
authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as
provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, the Notes will be duly issued and
will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability
Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture; and the execution and
delivery of each Guarantee has been duly authorized by the applicable Guarantor and, when
duly endorsed by such Guarantor as provided in the Indenture, each Guarantee will constitute
a valid and binding agreement of such Guarantor, enforceable against such Guarantor in
accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions.
(k) The Underlying Shares. The Underlying Shares have been duly authorized and
reserved for issuance upon conversion of the Notes and, when issued upon such conversion,
will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; and the shareholders of the Company
have no preemptive rights with respect to the Notes or the Underlying Shares.
(l) Purchase and Registration Rights Agreements. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement has been duly authorized by each Issuer; it has been duly executed and delivered
by each Issuer; and the Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized by each
Issuer and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the
parties thereto, will constitute a valid and binding agreement of each such Issuer
enforceable against each such Issuer in accordance with its terms, subject to the
Enforceability Exceptions, and except that rights to indemnity and contribution thereunder
may be limited by applicable law and public policy considerations.
(m) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. The Indenture conforms, and each of the
Registration Rights Agreement, the Securities and the Underlying Shares will conform, in all
material respects to the description thereof, contained in the Time of Sale Information and
the Offering Memorandum.
(n) Lock-Up Agreements. The Company has obtained for the benefit of the Initial
Purchasers the agreement (a “Lock-Up Agreement”), substantially in the form set forth as
Exhibit B hereto, of the individuals listed on Exhibit B-1 hereto.
(o) No Violation or Default. None of the Issuers is (i) in violation of its charter or
by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred and
is continuing that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default,
under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or
instrument to which such Issuer is bound or to which any of the property or assets of such
Issuer is subject; or (iii) in violation of any applicable law or statute or any applicable
judgment, order, rule or regulation of any relevant court or arbitrator or governmental or
regulatory authority, except, in each case as otherwise disclosed in, incorporated by
reference in or contemplated by the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum,
and except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation
that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(p) No Order or Proceedings. There is no order, ruling or direction of any Canadian
Securities Regulator which would deny the benefit of an exemption otherwise provided for
under applicable Canadian Securities Laws with respect to the distribution of the Securities
or the Underlying Shares, and no proceedings which would reasonably
be expected to result in any such order or ruling have been instituted or are pending
or, to the knowledge of the Issuers, threatened.
(q) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by each Issuer of each of
the Transaction Documents to which each is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities,
the issuance of the Underlying Shares and compliance by each Issuer with the terms thereof
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents by each
Issuer will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any
lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of any Issuer pursuant to, any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which
any Issuer is a party or by which any Issuer is bound or to which any of the property or
assets of any Issuer is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the
charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of any Issuer, or (iii) result in the
violation of any applicable law or statute or any applicable judgment, order, rule or
regulation of any relevant court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority;
except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach or
violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority in
the United States or Canada is required for the execution, delivery and performance by each
Issuer of each of the Transaction Documents to which each is a party, the issuance and sale
of the Securities and compliance by each Issuer with the terms thereof, the issuance of the
Underlying Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents, except for (i) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations
or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection
with the purchase and resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers, (ii) such
acceptance and approvals as may be required by the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”), (iii)
the delivery of the requisite number of copies of the Offering Memorandum to, and the
filing of the required reports in the prescribed form and executed in accordance with
applicable securities laws of the Relevant Provinces, together with the requisite filing
fees and, in the case of British Columbia, the requisite fee checklist, (iv) with respect to
the Securities and the Underlying Shares, such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders
and registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Securities Act, and
applicable state securities laws, as contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, (v)
such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may
be required with respect to the Securities and the Underling Shares, under applicable
provincial securities laws, and (vi) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and
registrations or qualifications as may be required under Part VIII of the Canada Business
Corporations Act.
(s) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in, incorporated by reference in or
contemplated by the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, (i) there is no
litigation, arbitration, legal proceeding or governmental or regulatory investigation
involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries that, if determined adversely to the
Company or such subsidiary, would individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect, and (ii) to the knowledge of the Issuers, no such litigation,
arbitration, proceeding or investigation is pending or threatened.
(t) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain
consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and NNL and its
subsidiaries, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries and NNL and its consolidated subsidiaries within the meaning of
Rule 101 of the Code of Professional Conduct of the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants and its interpretations and rulings thereunder; it being understood that the
Company announced on December 4, 2006 that the boards of directors of the Company and NNL
have selected KPMG LLP as the Company’s and NNL’s independent auditor commencing with the
fiscal year 2007. The engagement of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent auditor is
subject to approval of the Company’s shareholders at its next shareholders’ meeting.
(u) Title to Intellectual Property. Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale
Information and the Offering Memorandum, the Company and its subsidiaries maintain its
Material Intellectual Property (as defined below) in a commercially reasonable, prudent
manner consistent with its past practices and with respect to any Material Intellectual
Property that has been infringed, misappropriated or diluted, in each case in a material
respect, by a third party, the Company or the relevant subsidiary has, unless the Company or
such subsidiary has reasonably determined that such action would be of negligible value,
economic or otherwise, taken commercially reasonable steps consistent with its past
practices to sue for infringement, misappropriation or dilution and recovered any and all
damages for such infringement, misappropriation or dilution, and/or taken such other actions
as the Company or such subsidiary reasonably deemed appropriate under the circumstances to
protect such Material Intellectual Property.
“Material Intellectual Property” means, at the time of determination, any intellectual
property that is one of the 100 most valuable items of intellectual property owned by the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole at such time to the business of the Company
and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, as such business is presently conducted or proposed
to be conducted, as reasonably determined by the Company and its subsidiaries, acting in
their reasonable discretion.
(v) Investment Company Act. No Issuer is, and after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Notes and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Time of
Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, no Issuer will be, an “investment company” or
an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the United States
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder (collectively, “Investment Company Act”).
(w) Accounting Controls. The Company and NNL have each disclosed in the Time of Sale
Information and the Offering Memorandum and the documents incorporated by reference therein,
(x) all existing material weaknesses related to its internal control over financial
reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that it has identified or
that its independent public accountants have identified and disclosed to
the Company or NNL, as the case may be; (y) that its internal control over financial
reporting was not effective as at December 31, 2006; and (z) its disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) are not effective to
provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in the reports the
Company or NNL, as the case may be, files and submits under the Exchange Act is recorded,
processed, summarized and reported as and when required (most recently, as at December 31,
2006). Except as disclosed or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Information and
the Offering Memorandum, the Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of internal
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset
accountability; (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 the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken
with respect to any differences.
(x) No Unlawful Payments. The Company and NNL each has policies and procedures in
effect that prohibit the following activities by any director, officer, agent, employee or
other person associated with or acting on behalf of either of them or any of their
respective subsidiaries: (i) the use of corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift,
entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) any direct or
indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from
corporate funds; (iii) the violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act of 1977; or (iv) any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or
other unlawful payment.
(y) Solvency. Except as disclosed in or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale
Information and the Offering Memorandum, including without limitation in the risk factors
titled, “NNL’s guarantee may be unenforceable, subordinated or limited in scope under the
insolvency and creditor protection laws of Canada”, “NNI’s guarantee may be unenforceable
under U.S. federal and state fraudulent conveyance statutes” and “Material adverse legal
judgments, fines, penalties or settlements, including the global class action settlement,
could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial
condition and liquidity, which could be very significant and could prevent the issuers from
fulfilling, among other things, their obligations under the notes and the guarantees”,
immediately after each Closing Date, each Issuer (after giving effect to the issuance of the
Securities and the other transactions related thereto as described in the Time of Sale
Information and the Offering Memorandum) will be Solvent. As used in this paragraph, the
term “Solvent” means, (A) with respect to NNI on a particular date, that on such date (i)
the fair market value of the assets of NNI, at a fair valuation viewing NNI as a going
concern, exceeds its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise (in each
case determined on a consolidated basis); (ii) the present fair saleable value of the
property of NNI exceeds the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of
its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise (in each case
determined on a consolidated basis) as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and
matured; (iii) NNI will be able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated,
contingent or otherwise as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and
(iv) NNI will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in
which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and proposed to be conducted after the
Closing Date; and (B) with respect to the Company or NNL on a particular date, (i) the
aggregate property of the Company or NNL at fair valuation, or if disposed of at a fairly
conducted sale under legal process, is sufficient to enable payment of all its obligations,
due and accruing due; (ii) the property of the Company or NNL is, at a fair valuation,
greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of the
Company or NNL, as applicable; (iii) the Company or NNL has not ceased paying its current
obligations in the ordinary course of business as they generally become due; and (iv) the
Company or NNL is not for any reason unable to meet its obligations as they generally become
due; in each case, it being understood that the Issuers cannot be certain as to how a court
would apply the foregoing standards to any contingent liabilities in determining whether the
relevant Issuer was solvent at the relevant time.
(z) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to
any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that
would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any
Initial Purchaser for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection
with the offering and sale of the Securities.
(aa) Rule 144A Eligibility. On each Closing Date, the Securities will not be of the
same class as securities listed on a U.S. national securities exchange registered under
Section 6 of the Exchange Act or quoted in a U.S. automated inter-dealer quotation system;
and each of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum, as of its
respective date, contains or will contain all the information that, if requested by a
prospective purchaser of the Securities, would be required to be provided to such
prospective purchaser pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
(bb) No Integration. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule
501(b) of Regulation D) has, directly or through any agent (other than the Initial
Purchasers, as to which no representation is made), sold, offered for sale, solicited offers
to buy or otherwise negotiated in respect of, any security (as defined in the Securities
Act), that is or will be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner that would
require registration of the Securities under the Securities Act.
(cc) No General Solicitation or Directed Selling Efforts. None of the Company or any
of its affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial
Purchasers, as to which no representation is made) has (i) solicited offers for, or offered
or sold, the Securities by means of (A) any form of general solicitation or general
advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D or (B) in any manner involving
a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, or (ii) engaged
in any directed selling efforts with respect to the Securities within the meaning of
Regulation S under the Securities Act (“Regulation S”), and all such persons have complied
with the offering restrictions requirements of Regulation S.
(dd) Securities Law Exemptions. Assuming the accuracy of the representations and
warranties of the Initial Purchasers contained in Section 1(d) and their compliance with
their agreements set forth therein, and except in connection with the transactions
contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement, it is not necessary, in connection with
the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers and the offer, resale and
delivery of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers in the manner contemplated by this
Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, to register the
Securities under the Securities Act, to comply with the prospectus requirements under
applicable Canadian Securities Laws or to qualify the Indenture under the Trust Indenture
Act.
(ee) No Stabilization. None of the Issuers has taken, directly or indirectly, any
action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any
stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
(ff) Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Notes nor the
application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Time of Sale
Information and the Offering Memorandum will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
(gg) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Time
of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum has been made or reaffirmed without a
reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(hh) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Issuers
that has caused the Issuers to believe that the statistical and market-related data included
or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum is
not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material
respects.
(ii) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. With respect to the period subsequent to the filing of the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, except as
disclosed in or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering
Memorandum, to the knowledge of the Company, there is and has been no failure on the part of
the Company or its subsidiaries or their respective directors or officers, in their
capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provision of the
United States Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in
connection therewith (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and
Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
4. Further Agreements of the Issuers. The Issuers jointly and severally covenant and
agree with each Initial Purchaser that:
(a) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver to the Initial Purchasers as many
copies of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, any other Time of Sale Information
and the Offering Memorandum (including all amendments and supplements thereto) as
the Representatives may reasonably request.
(b) Offering Memorandum, Amendments or Supplements. Before finalizing the Offering
Memorandum or making or distributing any amendment or supplement to any of the Time of Sale
Information or the Offering Memorandum or filing with the Commission any document that will
be incorporated by reference therein, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and
counsel for the Initial Purchasers a copy of the proposed Offering Memorandum or such
amendment or supplement or document to be incorporated by reference therein, for review, and
will not distribute any such proposed Offering Memorandum, amendment or supplement or file
any such document with the Commission to which the Representatives reasonably object.
(c) Additional Written Communications. Before using, authorizing, approving or
referring to any written communication (as defined in the Securities Act) that constitutes
an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (an “Issuer Written
Communication”) (other than written communications that are listed on Annex A hereto and the
Offering Memorandum), the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the
Initial Purchasers a copy of such written communication for review and will not use,
authorize, approve or refer to any such written communication to which the Representatives
reasonably object.
(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives
promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) of the issuance by any governmental or
regulatory authority of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Time of Sale
Information or the Offering Memorandum or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding
for that purpose; (ii) of the occurrence of any event at any time prior to the completion of
the initial offering of the Securities as a result of which any of the Time of Sale
Information, taken as a whole, or the Offering Memorandum as then amended or supplemented
would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
existing when the Time of Sale Information or the Offering Memorandum is delivered to a
purchaser, not misleading; and (iii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with
respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities (or the Underlying Shares)
for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding
for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any such order preventing or suspending the use of any of the Time of Sale
Information or the Offering Memorandum or suspending any such qualification of the
Securities (or the Underlying Shares) and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon
as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Ongoing Compliance of the Offering Memorandum and Time of Sale Information. (1) If
at any time prior to the earlier of (x) the completion of the initial offering of the
Securities and (y) the date that is nine months following the last Closing Date, (i) any
event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Offering Memorandum as
then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Offering Memorandum is
delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the
Offering Memorandum to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Initial
Purchasers thereof and promptly prepare and, subject to paragraph (b) above, furnish to the
Initial Purchasers such amendments or supplements to the Offering Memorandum (or any
document to be filed with the Commission or the Canadian Securities Regulators and
incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the
Offering Memorandum as so amended or supplemented (or including such document to be
incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when
the Offering Memorandum is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Offering
Memorandum will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the earlier of (x) the
completion of the initial offering of the Securities and (y) the date that is nine months
following the last Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a
result of which the Time of Sale Information, taken as a whole, as then amended or
supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or
supplement any of the Time of Sale Information in order to comply with law, the Company will
promptly notify the Initial Purchasers thereof and promptly prepare and, subject to
paragraph (b) above, furnish to the Initial Purchasers, such amendments or supplements to
the Time of Sale Information (or any document to be filed with the Commission or the
Canadian Securities Regulators and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so
that the statements in the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented (or
including such document to be incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or so that any of the Time of
Sale Information as so amended or supplemented will comply with law.
(f) Canadian Reports. The Issuers will file, within the time periods prescribed by the
applicable Canadian Securities Laws, such documents and reports as may be required to be
filed by the Issuers with Canadian Securities Regulators under the applicable Canadian
Securities Laws relating to the private placement of Securities by the Initial Purchasers;
provided that the Initial Purchasers have delivered a request to effect such filings
together with such information as to permit the Issuers to do so, and the Issuers will pay
any filing fee prescribed with respect thereto.
(g) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will arrange for the qualification of the
Securities and the Underlying Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky
laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue
such qualifications in effect so long as required for the offering and resale of the
Securities; provided that none of the Issuers shall be required to (i) qualify as a
foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction
where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to
service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such
jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(h) Clear Market. For a period of 60 days after the date of this Agreement (the “Clear
Market Period”), the Company will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise
dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement
relating to, any Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable
for Common Shares or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Shares, without the prior
written consent of the Representatives, or publicly disclose the intention to make any such
offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, other than (i) issuances of any Common Shares or
securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares or warrants,
options or other rights to purchase Common Shares, including restricted share units,
performance share units and other share units, pursuant to employee benefit arrangements,
employee share purchase plans or share incentive plans, and under the Nortel Networks
Corporation Directors Deferred Share Unit Plan and the Nortel Networks Limited Directors
Deferred Share Unit Plan, existing on the date hereof, (ii) issuances required in connection
with obligations incurred prior to the date hereof or upon the exercise of any outstanding
securities or rights convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares, including
the Company’s shareholder rights plan, (iii) the filing by the Company of a registration
statement in respect of the Securities and the Underlying Shares, (iv) contracting to issue
or sell Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for
Common Shares or warrants or other rights to purchase Common Shares as consideration for
purposes of business combinations, acquisitions of other businesses or assets or similar
transactions, it being understood that the Company shall not issue or sell such Common
Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares or
warrants or other rights to purchase Common Shares under this clause (iv) during the Clear
Market Period, (v) issuances in connection with the global class action settlement as
described in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum, including under the
heading “Summary” and in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2006, or (vi) any filing of a registration statement in connection with any of
the items listed in the foregoing clauses (i) to (v). The Company will not at any time
offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any
securities under circumstances where such offer, sale, pledge, contract or disposition would
cause the exemption afforded by the Securities Act to cease to be applicable to the offer
and sale of the Securities.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
Securities as described in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum under
the heading “Use of Proceeds”.
(j) Supplying Information. While the Securities remain outstanding and are “restricted
securities” within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act, the Issuers will,
during any period in which the Company is not subject to and in compliance with Section 13
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, furnish to holders of the Securities (or the Underlying
Shares) and prospective purchasers of the Securities (or the Underlying Shares) designated
by such holders, upon the request of such holders or such prospective purchasers, the
information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
(k) PORTAL and DTC. The Company will assist the Initial Purchasers in arranging for
the Securities to be designated Private Offerings, Resales and Trading through Automated
Linkages (“PORTAL”) Market securities in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted
by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”) relating to trading in the
PORTAL Market and for the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through The
Depository Trust Company (“DTC”).
(l) No Resales by the Company. During the period of two years that begins after the
last Closing Date, the Company will not, and will not permit any of its affiliates (as
defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) to, resell any of the Securities that have
been acquired by any of them, except for Securities purchased by the Company or any of its
affiliates and resold in a transaction registered under the Securities Act.
(m) No Integration. None of the Company, any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule
501(b) of Regulation D) or any person acting on behalf of the Company or such affiliate
will, directly or through any agent (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to which no
covenant is given), sell, offer for sale, solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in
respect of any security (as defined in the Securities Act), that is or will be integrated
with the sale of the Securities in a manner that would require registration of the
Securities under the Securities Act.
(n) No General Solicitation or Directed Selling Efforts. None of the Company or any of
its affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial
Purchasers, as to which no covenant is given) will (i) solicit offers for, or offer or sell,
the Securities by means of (A) any form of general solicitation or general advertising
within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D or (B) in any manner involving a public
offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, or (ii) engage in any
directed selling efforts with respect to the Securities within the meaning of Regulation S,
and all such persons will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.
The Company and its affiliates will not provide access to the Electronic Roadshow (as
defined in Annex A) to any prospective investor in the Securities that is a resident in, or
acting on behalf of an entity resident in, any of the provinces or territories of Canada (it
being understood that no covenant is made by the Company with respect to any action taken by
any Initial Purchaser).
(o) No Stabilization. None of the Issuers will take, directly or indirectly, any
action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any
stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities or the Common Shares.
5. Certain Agreements of the Initial Purchasers. Each Initial Purchaser hereby
represents and agrees that it has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate
in the planning for use of, any written communication that constitutes an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (or the Underlying Shares) other than (i) a written
communication that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the
Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the
Preliminary Offering Memorandum, (ii) any written communication listed on Annex A or prepared
pursuant to Section 4(c) above, (iii) any written communication prepared by such Initial Purchaser
and approved by
the Company in advance in writing or (iv) any written communication relating to or
that contains the terms of the Securities and/or other information that was included (including
through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum.
6. Conditions of Initial Purchasers’ Obligations. The obligation of each Initial
Purchaser to purchase the Firm Securities on the First Closing Date and the Optional Securities on
each Option Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance in all material respects
by each Issuer of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following
additional conditions:
(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of each Issuer
contained herein shall be true and correct at the Time of Sale and on and as of each Closing
Date; and the statements of each Issuer and their respective officers made in any
certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of
each Closing Date.
(b) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the Time of Sale, (i) no downgrading shall have
occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any other debt securities or preferred
stock issued or guaranteed by any Issuer, other than debt securities that are not guaranteed
by NNI, by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is
defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (ii)
no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review,
or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any other
debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by any Issuer (other than an
announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the Time of Sale, no event or condition
of a type described in Section 3(e) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event
or condition is not described in or contemplated by the Time of Sale Information (excluding
any amendment or supplement thereto or any document filed with the Commission after the Time
of Sale and incorporated by reference therein) and the Offering Memorandum (excluding any
amendment or supplement thereto or any document filed with the Commission after the date
hereof and incorporated by reference therein) and the effect of which in the reasonable
judgment of the Representatives, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by
this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum.
(d) Officers’ Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of each
Closing Date a certificate, on behalf of the Company, of either (A) the chief executive
officer and the chief financial officer of the Company or (B) one of the aforesaid officers
and any one of the Corporate Secretary, the Controller or the Treasurer of the Company (i)
confirming that such officers have reviewed the Offering Memorandum and, to the best
knowledge of such officers after reasonable investigation, the representation set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof is true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and
warranties of the Issuers in this Agreement are true and correct (in each case, if not
qualified as to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all material respects) and
that the Issuers have complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on
their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the applicable Closing Date
in all material respects and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) above.
(e) Comfort Letters. At the Time of Sale and on each Closing Date, Deloitte & Touche
LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters,
dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Initial Purchasers and
the Board of Directors of each of the Issuers, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily
included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to initial purchasers with respect to the
financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by
reference in the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum.
(f) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq., General
Counsel-Corporate and Corporate Secretary of the Company and NNL, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx LLP, special U.S. counsel for the Issuers, and Torys LLP, Canadian counsel for the
Issuers, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their
written opinion or letter, as the case may be, dated the applicable Closing Date and
addressed to the Initial Purchasers, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annexes C-1, C-2 and C-3, respectively, hereto.
(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Initial Purchasers. The
Representatives shall have received on and as of each Closing Date an opinion and 10b-5
statement from Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx llp, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, and
an opinion from Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, Canadian counsel for the Initial Purchasers,
with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel
shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable
them to pass upon such matters.
(h) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute,
rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any United States
federal or Canadian federal, state, provincial, territorial or foreign governmental or
regulatory authority that would, as of the applicable Closing Date, prevent the issuance or
sale of the Notes or the issuance of the Guarantees; and no injunction or order of any
United States federal or Canadian federal, state, provincial, territorial or foreign court
shall have been issued that would, as of the applicable Closing Date, prevent the issuance
or sale of the Notes or the issuance of the Guarantees.
(i) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of each Closing
Date evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives of the good standing of the
Issuers in their respective jurisdictions of organization and the jurisdictions of their
principal executive offices, in each case in writing or any standard form of
telecommunication, from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(j) Registration Rights Agreement. The Initial Purchasers shall have received a
counterpart of the Registration Rights Agreement that shall have been executed and delivered
by a duly authorized officer of each Issuer.
(k) PORTAL and DTC. The Securities shall have been approved by the NASD for trading in
the PORTAL Market and shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.
(l) Lock-Up Agreements. The Initial Purchasers shall have received each of the signed
Lock-Up Agreements referred to in Section 3(n) hereof, and each such Lock-Up Agreement shall
be in full force and effect on each Closing Date.
(m) Approval for Listing. The Company shall have caused the Underlying Shares to (i)
be approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on the New York Stock
Exchange and (ii) be conditionally approved for listing and, subject to satisfaction of
notice of issuance and other customary post-closing conditions imposed by the TSX, be posted
for trading on the TSX.
(n) Additional Documents. On or prior to each Closing Date, the Issuers shall have
furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the
Representatives may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this
Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Initial Purchasers.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Initial Purchasers. The Issuers, jointly and severally,
agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, directors and
officers and each person, if any, who controls such Initial Purchaser within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and
all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and
other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim
asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or
are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, any of the other Time of Sale Information,
the Electronic Roadshow, any Issuer Written Communication or the Offering Memorandum (or any
amendment or supplement thereto) or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or
omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity
with any information relating to any Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing
by such Initial Purchaser through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being
understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by
any Initial Purchaser consists of the information described as such in subsection (b)
below.
(b) Indemnification of the Issuers. Each Initial Purchaser agrees, severally and not
jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless each Issuer, each of the Issuer’s officers and
directors and each person, if any, who controls any Issuer within the meaning of Section 15
of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity
set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or
alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any
information relating to such Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by such
Initial Purchaser through the Representatives expressly for use in any of the Time of Sale
Information and the Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being
understood and agreed that the only such information consists of: the information contained
in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum (i) on the cover page: in
the second sentence of the penultimate paragraph, and (ii) in the “Plan of Distribution”
section: in the third sentence of the second paragraph, in the first, second and third
sentences of the paragraph under the caption “Notes are not being registered”, and in the
first and third paragraphs under the caption “Price Stabilization and short positions”;
provided, however, that the Initial Purchasers shall not be liable for any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising out of or based upon the Company’s failure to
amend or supplement any of the Time of Sale Information or the Offering Memorandum pursuant
to Section 4(b).
(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental
or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any
person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or
(b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against
whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing;
provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it
from any liability that it may have under this Section 7 except to the extent that it has
been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by
such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the
Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an
Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 7. If any such proceeding shall be
brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the
Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the
Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified
Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 that the
Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of
such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any
Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses
of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the
Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary;
(ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time after notice of the action
to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the named parties
in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties)
include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and the Indemnified
Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that
are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the
named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the
Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the
same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between
them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection
with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees
and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all
Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are
incurred. Any such separate firm for any Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, directors and
officers and any control persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by
the Representatives and any such separate firm for the Issuers, their respective officers
and directors and any control persons of the Issuers shall be designated in writing by the
Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding
effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but
if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the
Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or
liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No Indemnifying Person shall, without
the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or
threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a
party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person,
unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on
claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement
as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any
Indemnified Person.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above
is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such
paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Issuers on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other
from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Issuers on
the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Issuers on the one
hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective
proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the
sale of the Securities and the total discounts and commissions received by the Initial
Purchasers in connection therewith, as provided in this Agreement, bear to the aggregate
offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Issuers on the one hand and the
Initial Purchasers on the other 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 any
Issuer or by the Initial Purchasers and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) Limitation on Liability. The Issuers and the Initial Purchasers agree that it
would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined
by pro rata allocation (even if the Initial Purchasers were treated as one
entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of
the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable
by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred
to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth
above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with
any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event
shall an Initial Purchaser be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by
which the total discounts and commissions received by such Initial Purchaser with respect to
the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Initial Purchaser
has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Initial Purchasers’
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their
respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not
exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any
Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
8. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the
Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and prior to the First Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially
limited on the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market, the Toronto Stock Exchange or the
over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by any Issuer shall
have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium
on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by New York, Ontario, United States
federal or Canadian federal authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or
escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either
within or outside the United States or Canada, that, in the reasonable judgment of the
Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with
the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by
this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum.
9. Defaulting Initial Purchaser.
(a) If, on the First Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, any Initial Purchaser
defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase
hereunder on either the First Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting
Initial Purchasers may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities
by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If,
within 36 hours after any such default by any Initial Purchaser, the non-defaulting Initial
Purchasers do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be
entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory
to the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers to purchase such Securities on such terms. If
other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Initial
Purchaser, either the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers or the Company may postpone such
Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the
opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Initial Purchasers may be necessary in
the Time of Sale Information, the Offering Memorandum or in any other document or
arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the
Time of Sale Information or the Offering Memorandum that effects any such changes. As used
in this Agreement, the term “Initial Purchaser” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement
unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that,
pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Securities that a defaulting Initial Purchaser agreed
but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a
defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers by the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers
and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such
Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal
amount of all the Securities that the Initial Purchasers are obligated to purchase on such
Closing Date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Initial
Purchaser to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Initial Purchaser agreed
to purchase hereunder plus such Initial Purchaser’s pro rata share (based on
the principal amount of Securities that such Initial Purchaser agreed to purchase hereunder)
of the Securities that such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but
failed to purchase on such Closing Date for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a
defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers by the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers
and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such
Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount
of all the Securities that the Initial Purchasers are obligated to purchase on such Closing
Date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then
this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Initial
Purchasers (provided that if such default occurs with respect to Optional Securities
after the First Closing Date, this Agreement shall not terminate as to the Firm Securities
or any Optional Securities purchased prior to such termination). Any termination of this
Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of the Issuers,
except that the Issuers will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth
in Section 10(a) hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not
terminate and shall remain in effect.
(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Initial Purchaser of any
liability it may have to the Company, the Guarantor or any non-defaulting Initial Purchaser
for damages caused by its default.
10. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or
this Agreement is terminated, the Issuers, jointly and severally, agree to pay or cause to
be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of their respective obligations
hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization,
issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and the Underlying Shares; (ii)
the costs incident to the preparation and printing of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum,
any other Time of Sale Information and the Offering Memorandum (including any amendment or
supplement thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and
distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Issuers’
counsel and independent accountants; (v) the reasonable fees and expenses incurred in
connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for
investment of the Securities and the Underlying Shares under the laws of such jurisdictions
as the Representatives may reasonably designate and the preparation, printing and
distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the reasonable related fees and expenses of
counsel for the Initial Purchasers); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the
Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including
related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (viii) all expenses and
application fees incurred in connection with the application for the inclusion of the
Securities on the PORTAL Market and the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer
by DTC; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show”
presentation to potential investors.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8(ii), (ii) the Company for
any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Initial Purchasers or (iii)
the Initial Purchasers decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under
this Agreement, the Issuers, jointly and severally, agree to reimburse the Initial
Purchasers for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the reasonable fees and
expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Initial Purchasers in connection with
this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
11. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and any
controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates, officers and directors of each Initial
Purchaser and the respective officers and directors of the Issuers referred to in Section 7 hereof.
Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained
herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Initial Purchaser shall be deemed to be a successor
merely by reason of such purchase.
12. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations,
warranties and agreements of the Issuers, and the Initial Purchasers contained in this Agreement or
made by or on behalf of the Issuers, or the Initial Purchasers pursuant to this Agreement or
any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the
Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this
Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Issuers or the Initial Purchasers.
13. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise
expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities
Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or
required to be closed in New York City; (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule
405 under the Securities Act; and (d) the term “written communication” has the meaning set forth in
Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
14. Miscellaneous.
(a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Initial Purchasers hereunder
may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Initial Purchasers, and any such action
taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Initial Purchasers.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any
standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Initial Purchasers shall be given to the
Representatives c/o [ ], [ ], New York, New York
[ ] (fax: [ ]); Attention: [ ], with a copy to Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Esq., Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx llp, 00 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx
00000 (fax: (000) 000-0000). Notices to the Company shall be given to it at 000 Xxx Xxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx M9C 5K1 (fax: (000) 000-0000) (or such other address and fax
number as shall be furnished to the Representatives); Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, with a
copy to Xxxxx X. Xxxx, Esq. and Xxxxxx X. Xxxx, Esq., Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP,
Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (fax: (000) 000-0000).
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York.
(d) Judgment Currency. The Issuers shall, jointly and severally, indemnify each
Initial Purchaser, their respective affiliates, each person, if any, who controls any of
such parties within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and each of their
respective officers, directors, employees and agents against any loss incurred by such party
as a result of any judgment or order being given or made in favor of such party for any
amount due under this Agreement and such judgment or order being expressed and paid in a
currency (the “Judgment Currency”) other than United States dollars and as a result of any
negative variance between (i) the rate of exchange at which the United States dollar amount
is converted into the Judgment Currency for the purpose of such judgment or order and (ii)
the spot rate of exchange in The City of New York at which such party on the date of payment
of such judgment or order is able to purchase United States dollars with the amount of the
Judgment Currency actually received by such party. The foregoing indemnity shall continue
in full force and effect notwithstanding any such judgment or order as aforesaid. The term
“spot rate of exchange” shall include any
premiums and costs of exchange payable in connection with the purchase of, or conversion
into, United States dollars.
(e) Consent to Jurisdiction. Any suit, action or proceeding seeking to enforce any
provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement,
the Transactions Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby may be brought
in any federal or New York State court located in New York City, New York County, and each
of the Issuers hereby consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate
appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waives,
to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to
the laying of the venues of any such suit, action or proceeding in any such court or that
any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an
inconvenient form. Process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on any of
the Issuers anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such
court. Without limiting the foregoing, each Issuer agrees that service of process on any
such Issuer as provided in clause (b) above shall be deemed effective service of process on
such Issuer.
(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include
counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an
original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(g) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement,
nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective
unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(h) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and
are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this
Agreement.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of
this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
Very truly yours, | ||||
NORTEL NETWORKS CORPORATION | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx | ||||
Title: Treasurer | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||
Title: General Counsel—Corporate and Corporate Secretary |
||||
NORTEL NETWORKS LIMITED | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx | ||||
Title: Treasurer | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||
Title: General Counsel—Corporate and Corporate Secretary |
||||
NORTEL NETWORKS INC. | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx | ||||
Title: Vice President, Finance |
Accepted: March 22, 2007
[ ],
as Representatives of the Several Initial Purchasers listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.
BY: [ ],
on behalf of the Representatives
By:
|
||||
Authorized Signatory |