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EXHIBIT 1
2,300,000 Shares
MINDSPRING ENTERPRISES, INC.
Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
December ___, 1998
ING BARING XXXXXX XXXX LLC
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
X.X. XXXXXXXX & CO.
WHEAT FIRST SECURITIES, INC.
XXXXXXXXX & COMPANY, INC.
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto
c/o ING Baring Xxxxxx Xxxx LLC
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear Sirs:
MindSpring Enterprises, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"),
proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I
hereto (the "UNDERWRITERS") 2,000,000 shares of the common stock, par value
$0.01 per share, of the Company (the "FIRM SHARES"). The Company also proposes
to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional
300,000 shares of its common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the "ADDITIONAL
SHARES"), if requested by the Underwriters as provided in Section 2 hereof.
The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter referred to
collectively as the "SHARES." The shares of common stock of the Company to be
outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are
hereinafter referred to as the "COMMON STOCK."
SECTION 1. Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company has
prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"COMMISSION") in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
(collectively, the "ACT"), a registration statement on Form S-3, including a
prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement, as amended at
the time it became effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be
part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to
Rule 430A under the Act, is hereinafter referred to as the "REGISTRATION
STATEMENT"; and the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of
Shares is hereinafter referred to as the "PROSPECTUS" including, in the case of
all references to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, documents
incorporated therein by reference. If the Company has filed or is required
pursuant to the terms hereof to file a registration statement pursuant to
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Rule 462(b) under the Act registering additional shares of Common Stock (a
"RULE 462(B) REGISTRATION STATEMENT"), then, unless otherwise specified, any
reference herein to the term "Registration Statement" shall be deemed to
include such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The terms "SUPPLEMENT" and
"AMENDMENT" or "AMEND" as used in this Agreement with respect to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall include all documents
subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder (collectively, the "EXCHANGE ACT") that are deemed to
be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus.
SECTION 2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase and Lock-Up Agreements.
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement,
and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to issue and sell,
and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
Company at a price per Share of $_______ (the "PURCHASE PRICE") the number of
Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I
hereto.
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to issue
and sell the Additional Shares and the Underwriters shall have the right to
purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 300,000 Additional Shares from the
Company at the Purchase Price. Additional Shares may be purchased solely for
the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of
the Firm Shares. The Underwriters may exercise their right to purchase
Additional Shares in whole or in part from time to time by giving written
notice thereof to the Company within 30 days after the date of this Agreement.
You shall give any such notice on behalf of the Underwriters and such notice
shall specify the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased
pursuant to such exercise and the date for payment and delivery thereof, which
date shall be a business day (i) no earlier than two business days after such
notice has been given (and, in any event, no earlier than the Closing Date (as
hereinafter defined)) and (ii) no later than ten business days after such
notice has been given. If any Additional Shares are to be purchased, each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company the
number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate
fractional shares as you may determine) which bears the same proportion to the
total number of Additional Shares to be purchased from the Company as the
number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in
Schedule I bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
The Company hereby agrees not to (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to
sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract
to sell, grant any option,
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right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or
indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or
other arrangement that transfers all or a portion of the economic consequences
associated with the ownership of any Common Stock (regardless of whether any of
the transactions described in clause (i) or (ii) is to be settled by the
delivery of Common Stock, or such other securities, in cash or otherwise),
except to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, for a period of 90 days
after the date of the Prospectus without the prior written consent of ING
Baring Xxxxxx Xxxx LLC. Notwithstanding the foregoing, during such period (i)
the Company may grant stock options pursuant to the Company's existing stock
option plans and (ii) the Company may issue shares of Common Stock upon the
exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on
the date hereof. The Company also agrees not to file any registration
statement with respect to any shares of Common Stock or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock for a period
of 90 days after the date of the Prospectus without the prior written consent
of ING Baring Xxxxxx Xxxx LLC other than a registration statement on Form S-8
with respect to up to 383,332 shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to
the Company's 1995 Stock Option Plan. The Company shall, prior to or
concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, deliver an agreement
executed by each of the directors and officers of the Company and each
stockholder listed on Annex I hereto to the effect that such person will not,
during the period commencing on the date such person signs such agreement and
ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, without the prior written
consent of ING Baring Xxxxxx Xxxx LLC, (A) engage in any of the transactions
described in the first sentence of this paragraph or (B) make any demand for,
or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common
Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock.
SECTION 3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you
that the Underwriters propose (i) to make a public offering of their respective
portions of the Shares as soon after the execution and delivery of this
Agreement as in your judgment is advisable and (ii) initially to offer the
Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.
SECTION 4. Delivery and Payment. The Shares shall be represented by
definitive certificates and shall be issued in such authorized denominations
and registered in such names as ING Baring Xxxxxx Xxxx LLC shall request no
later than two business days prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option
Closing Date (as defined below), as the case may be. The Company shall deliver
the Shares with any transfer taxes thereon duly paid by the Company, to ING
Baring Xxxxxx Xxxx LLC through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company
("DTC"), for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against
payment to the Company of the Purchase Price therefore by wire transfer of
Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City. The
certificates representing the Shares shall be made available for inspection not
later than 9:30 A.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the
Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, at the
office of DTC or its designated custodian (the "DESIGNATED OFFICE"). The time
and date of delivery and payment for the
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Firm Shares shall be 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on ___________, 1998 or
such other time on the same or such other date as ING Baring Xxxxxx Xxxx LLC
and the Company shall agree in writing. The time and date of delivery and
payment for the Firm Shares are hereinafter referred to as the "CLOSING DATE."
The time and date of delivery and payment for any Additional Shares to be
purchased by the Underwriters shall be 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the
date specified in the applicable exercise notice given by you pursuant to
Section 2 or such other time on the same or such other date as ING Baring
Xxxxxx Xxxx LLC and the Company shall agree in writing. The time and date of
delivery and payment for any Additional Shares are hereinafter referred to as
the "OPTION CLOSING DATE."
The documents to be delivered on the Closing Date or any
Option Closing Date on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 9 of
this Agreement shall be delivered at the offices of Xxxxxx & Bird LLP, 0000
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000-0000 and the Shares shall be
delivered at the Designated Office, all on the Closing Date or such Option
Closing Date, as the case may be.
SECTION 5. Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with you:
(a) To advise you promptly and, if requested by you, to confirm such
advice in writing, (i) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the
Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or for
additional information, (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the
suspension of qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction, or the initiation of any proceeding for such purposes, (iii) when
any amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective, (iv) if the
Company is required to file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement after the
effectiveness of this Agreement, when the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
has become effective and (v) of the happening of any event during the period
referred to in Section 5(d) below which makes any statement of a material fact
made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus untrue or which requires
any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in
order to make the statements therein not misleading. If at any time the
Commission shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, the Company will use its best efforts to obtain the
withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest possible time.
(b) To furnish you five (5) signed copies of the Registration
Statement as first filed with the Commission and of each amendment to it,
including all exhibits and documents incorporated therein by reference, and to
furnish to you and each Underwriter designated by you such number of conformed
copies of the Registration Statement as so filed and of each amendment to it,
without exhibits but including documents incorporated therein by reference, as
you may reasonably request.
(c) To prepare the Prospectus, the form and substance of which shall
be satisfactory to you, and to file the Prospectus in such form with the
Commission within
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the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Act; during the period
specified in Section 5(d) below, not to file any further amendment to the
Registration Statement and not to make any amendment or supplement to the
Prospectus of which you shall not previously have been advised or to which you
shall reasonably object after being so advised; and, during such period, to
prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon your reasonable request,
any amendment to the Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to the
Prospectus which may be necessary or advisable in connection with the
distribution of the Shares by you, and to use its best efforts to cause any
such amendment to the Registration Statement to become promptly effective.
(d) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the first business
day after the date of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter for such
period as a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with
sales by an Underwriter or a dealer, to furnish in New York City to each
Underwriter and any dealer as many copies of the Prospectus (and of any
amendment or supplement to the Prospectus) and any documents incorporated
therein by reference as such Underwriter or dealer may reasonably request.
(e) If during the period specified in Section 5(d), any event shall
occur or condition shall exist as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel
for the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading,
or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend
or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to
prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate amendment or supplement to
the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus, as so amended or
supplemented, will not in the light of the circumstances when it is so
delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with applicable
law, and to furnish to each Underwriter and to any dealer as many copies
thereof as such Underwriter or dealer may reasonably request.
(f) Prior to any public offering of the Shares, to cooperate with
you and counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the registration or
qualification of the Shares for offer and sale by the several Underwriters and
by dealers under the state securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as
you may request, to continue such registration or qualification in effect so
long as required for distribution of the Shares and to file such consents to
service of process or other documents as may be necessary in order to effect
such registration or qualification; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation in
any jurisdiction in which it is not now so qualified or to take any action that
would subject it to general consent to service of process or taxation other
than as to matters and transactions relating to the Prospectus, the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the offering or sale of
the Shares, in any jurisdiction in which it is not now so subject.
(g) To make generally available to its stockholders as soon as
practicable an earnings statement covering the twelve-month period ending
January 1, 2000 that shall
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satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act, and to advise you in
writing when such statement has been so made available.
(h) During the period of three years after the date of this
Agreement, to furnish to you as soon as available copies of all reports or
other communications generally furnished to the record holders of Common Stock
or furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities
exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed and such
other publicly available information concerning the Company as you may
reasonably request.
(i) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement
are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all
expenses incident to the performance of the Company's obligations under this
Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the
Company's counsel and the Company's accountants in connection with the
registration and delivery of the Shares under the Act and all other fees and
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, filing and distribution
of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits),
any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements
to any of the foregoing, including the mailing and delivering of copies thereof
to the Underwriters and dealers in the quantities specified herein, (ii) all
costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the
Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) all
costs of printing this Agreement and any other underwriting agreements or
documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale or delivery of the
Shares, (iv) all expenses in connection with the registration or qualification
of the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the
several states and all costs of printing or producing any Preliminary and
Supplemental Blue Sky Memoranda in connection therewith (including the filing
fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection
with such registration or qualification and memoranda relating thereto), (v)
the filing fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection
with the review and clearance of the offering of the Shares by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (vi) all costs and expenses incident
to the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market, (vii) the cost of
printing certificates representing the Shares, (viii) the costs and charges of
any transfer agent, registrar and/or depositary, and (ix) all other costs and
expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company
hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section.
(j) To use its best efforts to list for quotation the Shares on the
Nasdaq National Market and to maintain the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq
National Market or another national securities exchange for a period of three
years after the date of this Agreement.
(k) To use its best efforts to do and perform all things required or
necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by the Company prior to
the Closing Date
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or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and to satisfy all conditions
precedent to the delivery of the Shares.
(l) If the Registration Statement at the time of the effectiveness
of this Agreement does not cover all of the Shares, to file a Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement with the Commission registering the Shares not so
covered in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on
the date of this Agreement and to pay to the Commission the filing fee for such
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement at the time of the filing thereof or to give
irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b)
under the Act.
SECTION 6. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The
Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:
(a) The Registration Statement has become effective (other than
any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the
effectiveness of this Agreement); any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement filed
after the effectiveness of this Agreement will become effective no later than
10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement; and no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect,
and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the
Commission.
(b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the
Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus complied or will
comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act; (ii) the
Registration Statement (other than any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to be
filed by the Company after the effectiveness of this Agreement), when it became
effective, did not contain and, as amended, if applicable, will not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; (iii) the Registration Statement (other than any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the effectiveness of
this Agreement) and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if
applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Act; (iv) if the
Company is required to file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement after the
effectiveness of this Agreement, such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and
any amendments thereto, when they become effective (A) will not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading
and (B) will comply in all material respects with the Act and (v) the
Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable,
will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the
representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to
statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus based
upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in
writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.
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(c) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration
statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed
pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, complied when so filed in all material
respects with the Act, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and
warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions
in any preliminary prospectus based upon information relating to any
Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you
expressly for use therein.
(d) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
incorporation and has the corporate power and authority to carry on its
business as described in the Prospectus and to own, lease and operate its
properties, and is duly qualified and is in good standing as a foreign
corporation authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature
of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a
material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or
results of operations of the Company.
(e) There are no outstanding subscriptions, rights, warrants,
options, calls, convertible securities, commitments of sale or liens granted or
issued by the Company relating to or entitling any person to purchase or
otherwise to acquire any shares of the capital stock of the Company, except as
otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement.
(f) All the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable
and not subject to any preemptive or similar rights; and the Shares to be
issued and sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued and
delivered to the Underwriters against payment therefor as provided by this
Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the
issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar
rights.
(g) The Company has no subsidiaries (as such term is defined in
the rules and regulations under the Act).
(h) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to
legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus. Except
as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and except for
investments in connection with cash management activities in the ordinary
course of business, the Company does not own, and at the Closing Date will not
own, directly or indirectly, any shares of stock or any other equity or debt
securities of any entity or have any other equity interest in any entity.
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(i) The Company is not in violation of its charter or by-laws; the
Company is not in violation or in default in the performance of any obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement,
mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a
party or by which the Company is bound and that is material to the Company.
(j) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by
the Company, the compliance by the Company with all the provisions hereof and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) require
any consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or qualification with,
any court or governmental body or agency (except such as may be required under
the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states), (ii) conflict with or
constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a default under,
the charter or by-laws of the Company or any indenture, loan agreement,
mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to the
Company, to which the Company is a party or by which the Company or any of its
property is bound, (iii) violate or conflict with any applicable law or any
rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court or any governmental
body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or its property or (iv)
result in the suspension, termination or revocation of any Authorization (as
defined below) of the Company or any other impairment of the rights of the
holder of any such Authorization.
(k) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or
threatened to which the Company is or, to the Company's knowledge, could be a
party or to which any of its property is or, to the Company's knowledge, could
be subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus and are not so described; nor are there any statutes,
regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement that are not so described or filed as required.
(l) The Company has complied in all material respects with all
material laws, regulations and orders applicable to it or its business.
(m) The Company has such permits, licenses, consents, exemptions,
franchises, authorizations and other approvals (each, an "AUTHORIZATION") of,
and has made all filings with and notices to, all governmental or regulatory
authorities and self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other
tribunals as are necessary to own, lease, license and operate its properties
and to conduct its business, except where the failure to have any such
Authorization or to make any such filing or notice would not, singly or in the
aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial
condition or results of operations of the Company. Each such Authorization is
valid and in full force and effect and the Company is in compliance with all
the material terms and conditions thereof and with the rules and regulations of
the authorities and governing bodies having jurisdiction with respect thereto;
and no event has occurred (including, without limitation, the receipt of any
notice from any authority or governing body) which allows or, after notice or
lapse of time or both, would allow, revocation, suspension or termination of
any
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such Authorization or results or, after notice or lapse of time or both, would
result in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such
Authorization; and such Authorizations contain no restrictions that are
burdensome to the Company; except where such failure to be valid and in full
force and effect or to be in compliance, the occurrence of any such event or
the presence of any such restriction would not, singly or in the aggregate,
have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition
or results of operations of the Company.
(n) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(o) Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP are independent public accountants with
respect to the Company as required by the Act.
(p) The financial statements included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto),
together with related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial
position, results of operations and changes in financial position of the
Company on the basis stated therein at the respective dates or for the
respective periods to which they apply; such statements and related schedules
and notes have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as
disclosed therein; the supporting schedules, if any, included in the
Registration Statement present fairly in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles the information required to be stated therein; and the
other financial and statistical information and data set forth in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement
thereto) are, in all material respects, accurately presented and prepared on a
basis consistent with such financial statements and the books and records of
the Company.
The pro forma financial statements and related notes thereto included
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or
supplement thereto) present fairly, in all material respects, the information
shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Act and the
Commission's rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial
statements, have been prepared on a basis consistent with the historical
financial statements of the Company, have been compiled on the pro forma bases
described therein, and (x) the assumptions underlying the pro forma adjustments
are reasonable, (y) such adjustments are appropriate to give effect to the
transactions or circumstances referred to therein and have been properly
applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of such statements and (z)
such statements fairly present, in all material respects, the pro forma
financial position and results of operations and other information purported to
be shown therein at the respective dates or for the respective periods therein
specified.
The historical and pro forma financial information included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement
thereto) constitute all of the financial statements that are required to be
included in the Registration Statement
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and the Prospectus by the Act and the Commission's rules and guidelines with
respect thereto.
(q) The Company owns or possesses, or can acquire on reasonable
terms, all patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, rights of
inventorship, copyrights, rights of authorship, rights of attribution and
integrity, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or
unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures),
trademarks, service marks, certification marks, collective marks, trade dress,
trade names and all other intellectual property rights ("INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY") currently employed by it in connection with the business now
operated by it except where the failure to own or possess or otherwise be able
to acquire such intellectual property would not, singly or in the aggregate,
have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition
or results of operation of the Company; and the Company has not received any
notice of infringement or dilution of or conflict with asserted rights of
others with respect to any of such intellectual property which, singly or in
the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding,
would have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial
condition or results of operations of the Company.
(r) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described
in the Prospectus, will not be, an "investment company" as such term is defined
in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(s) The Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to all
real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by
them which is material to the business of the Company, in each case free and
clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in
the Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property
and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property
by the Company; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the
Company are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with
such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and
proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company, in each case
except as described in the Prospectus.
(t) The Company is insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent
and customary in the businesses in which it is engaged; and the Company (i) has
not received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that substantial
capital improvements or other material expenditures will have to be made in
order to continue such insurance or (ii) has no reason to believe that it will
not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage
expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers at a cost that
would not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial
conditions or results of operations of the Company.
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(u) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among
the Company on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders,
customers or suppliers of the Company on the other hand, which is required by
the Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which
is not so described.
(v) There is no (i) significant unfair labor practice complaint,
grievance or arbitration proceeding pending or threatened against the Company
before the National Labor Relations Board or any state or local labor relations
board, (ii) strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or threatened
against the Company or (iii) union representation question existing with
respect to the employees of the Company, except for such actions specified in
clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, which, singly or in the aggregate, would not
have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition
or results of operations of the Company. To the best of the Company's
knowledge, no collective bargaining organizing activities are taking place with
respect to the Company.
(w) The Company maintains a system 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; and (iii) assets are properly accounted for and
safeguarded against loss or unauthorized use.
(x) All material tax returns required to be filed by the Company
in any jurisdiction have been filed, other than those filings being contested
in good faith, and all material taxes, including withholding taxes, penalties
and interest, assessments, fees and other charges due pursuant to such returns
or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company have been paid, other
than those being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have
been provided.
(y) The statistical and market-related data included in the
Prospectus are based on or derived from independent sources which the Company
believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects or represents the
Company's good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from
such sources.
(z) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between
the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the
Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any
securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities
with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(aa) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Prospectus other than as set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement),
(i) there has not occurred any material adverse change or any development
involving a prospective material adverse change in
- 12 -
13
the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business, management or
operations of the Company, (ii) there has not been any material adverse change
or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the
capital stock or in the long-term debt of the Company and (iii) the Company has
not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent.
(bb) Each certificate signed by any officer of the Company and
delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed
to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to
the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 7. Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, its officers and each person, if
any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act
or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities and judgments (including, without limitation, any legal or
other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or defending any
matter, including any action, that could give rise to any such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or judgments) caused by any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or
any amendment thereto), the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto)
or any preliminary prospectus, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments are caused by any such untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon
information relating to any Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by
such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein provided, however, that
the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to any preliminary prospectus
shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter who failed to deliver a
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, (so long as the Prospectus and any
amendment or supplement thereto was provided by the Company to the several
Underwriters in the requisite quantity and on a timely basis to permit proper
delivery on or prior to the Closing Date) to the person asserting any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments caused by any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in such preliminary
prospectus, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, if such material misstatement or omission or alleged
material misstatement or omission was cured in the Prospectus, as so amended or
supplemented, and such Prospectus was required by law to be delivered at or
prior to the written confirmation of sale to such person.
(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign
the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act
to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such
Underwriter but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter
furnished in writing to the Company by such Underwriter by or through
- 13 -
14
you expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto),
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any preliminary
prospectus.
(c) In case any action shall be commenced involving any person in
respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 7(a) or 7(b) (the
"INDEMNIFIED PARTY"), the indemnified party shall promptly notify the person
against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "INDEMNIFYING PARTY") in writing
and the indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such action, including
the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party and
the payment of all fees and expenses of such counsel, as incurred (except that
in the case of any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant
to both Sections 7(a) and 7(b), the Underwriter shall not be required to assume
the defense of such action pursuant to this Section 7(c), but may employ
separate counsel and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel, except as provided below, shall be at the expense of
such Underwriter). Any indemnified party shall have the right to employ
separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but
the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the
indemnified party unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been
specifically authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (ii) the
indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense of such action or
employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iii) the
named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both
the indemnified party and the indemnifying party, and the indemnified party
shall have been advised by such counsel that there may be one or more legal
defenses available to it which are different from or additional to those
available to the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party shall
not have the right to assume the defense of such action on behalf of the
indemnified party). In any such case, the indemnifying party shall not, in
connection with any one action or separate but substantially similar or related
actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate
firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) for all indemnified
parties and all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are
incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by ING Baring Xxxxxx Xxxx
LLC, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(a), and by the
Company in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(b). The
indemnifying party shall indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified party from
and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments by
reason of any settlement of any action (i) effected with its written consent or
(ii) effected without its written consent if the settlement is entered into
more than twenty business days after the indemnifying party shall have received
a request from the indemnified party for reimbursement for the fees and
expenses of counsel (in any case where such fees and expenses are at the
expense of the indemnifying party) and, prior to the date of such settlement,
the indemnifying party shall have failed to comply with such reimbursement
request. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, effect any settlement or compromise of, or consent to the
entry of judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action in respect
of which the indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity or
contribution may be or could have been sought hereunder by the
- 14 -
15
indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes
an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability on claims
that are or could have been the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not
include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to
act, by or on behalf of the indemnified party.
(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in this Section
7 is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to therein, then
each indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments (i) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the
offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 7(d)(i)
above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 7(d)(i) above
but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted
in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be deemed
to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (after
deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, but before deducting
expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriters, bear to the total price to the public
of the Shares, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the
Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7(d) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of
the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding
paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of
the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to in the
immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the
limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any matter,
including any action, that could have given rise to such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or judgments. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess
of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it
and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of
any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay
- 15 -
16
by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters'
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7(d) are several in
proportion to the respective number of Shares purchased by each of the
Underwriters hereunder and not joint.
(e) The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive
and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to
any indemnified party at law or in equity.
SECTION 8. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The several
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm Shares under this
Agreement are subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:
(a) All the representations and warranties of the Company
contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct on the Closing Date with
the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date.
(b) If the Company is required to file a Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement after the effectiveness of this Agreement, such Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., New York City
time, on the date of this Agreement; and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been commenced or shall be pending
before or contemplated by the Commission.
(c) You shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate
dated the Closing Date, signed by Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, in
their capacities as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of
the Company, confirming the matters set forth in Sections 6(aa), 8(a) and 8(b)
and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all
of the conditions herein contained and required to be complied with or
satisfied by the Company on or prior to the Closing Date.
(d) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Prospectus other than as set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement),
(i) there shall not have occurred any change or any development involving a
prospective change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings,
business, management or operations of the Company, (ii) there shall not have
been any change or any development involving a prospective change in the
capital stock or in the long-term debt of the Company and (iii) the Company
shall not have incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, the
effect of which, in any such case described in clause 8(d)(i), 8(d)(ii) or
8(d)(iii), in your judgment, is material and adverse and, in your judgment,
makes it impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus.
- 16 -
17
(e) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion
(satisfactory to you and counsel for the Underwriters), dated the Closing Date,
of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx L.L.P. counsel for the Company, substantially in the form of
Exhibit A hereto.
(f) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion, dated
the Closing Date, of Xxxxxx & Bird LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, as to
certain of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a), (c), (d), (e), (f) and
(g) and the penultimate paragraph of Exhibit A hereto.
(g) You shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the
Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case
may be, in form and substance satisfactory to you, from Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP,
independent public accountants, containing the information and statements of
the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters
with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information
contained in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus.
(h) The Company shall have delivered to you the agreements
specified in Section 2 hereof which agreements shall be in full force and
effect on the Closing Date.
(i) The Shares shall have been duly listed for quotation on the
Nasdaq National Market.
(j) The Company shall not have failed on or prior to the Closing
Date to perform or comply with any of the agreements herein contained and
required to be performed or complied with by the Company on or prior to the
Closing Date.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase any Additional
Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option
Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to
the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of such
Additional Shares and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional
Shares.
SECTION 9. Effectiveness of Agreement and Termination. This
Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the parties hereto.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time on or prior to the
Closing Date by you by written notice to the Company if any of the following
has occurred: (i) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national
or international calamity or crisis or change in economic conditions or in the
financial markets of the United States or elsewhere that, in your judgment, is
material and adverse and, in your judgment, makes it impracticable to market
the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus, (ii)
the suspension or material limitation of trading in securities or other
instruments on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the
Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago
- 17 -
18
Board of Trade or the Nasdaq National Market or limitation on prices for
securities or other instruments on any such exchange or the Nasdaq National
Market, (iii) the suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any
exchange or in the over-the-counter market, (iv) the enactment, publication,
decree or other promulgation of any federal or state statute, regulation, rule
or order of any court or other governmental authority which in your opinion
materially and adversely affects, or will materially and adversely affect, the
business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the
Company, (v) the declaration of a banking moratorium by either federal or New
York State authorities or (vi) the taking of any action by any federal, state
or local government or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs
which in your opinion has a material adverse effect on the financial markets in
the United States.
If on the Closing Date or on an Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase the
Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, which it has or they have
agreed to purchase hereunder on such date and the aggregate number of Firm
Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not
more than one-tenth of the total number of Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as
the case may be, to be purchased on such date by all Underwriters, each
non-defaulting Underwriter shall be obligated severally, in the proportion
which the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite its name in Schedule I bears
to the total number of Firm Shares which all the non-defaulting Underwriters
have agreed to purchase, or in such other proportion as you may specify, to
purchase the Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, which such
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase
on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Firm Shares or
Additional Shares, as the case may be, which any Underwriter has agreed to
purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof be increased pursuant to this Section 9
by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Firm Shares or Additional
Shares, as the case may be, without the written consent of such Underwriter.
If on the Closing Date any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to
purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to
which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of
Firm Shares to be purchased by all Underwriters and arrangements satisfactory
to you and the Company for purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 48
hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on
the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case
which does not result in termination of this Agreement, either you or the
Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for
longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or
arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or
Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the
aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs
is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be
purchased on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option
to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase such Additional Shares
or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such
non-defaulting Underwriters would have been
- 18 -
19
obligated to purchase on such date in the absence of such default. Any action
taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability in respect of any default of any such Underwriter under this
Agreement.
SECTION 10. Miscellaneous. Notices given pursuant to any provision
of this Agreement shall be addressed as follows: (i) if to the Company, to
MindSpring Enterprises, Inc., 0000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx 00000 and (ii) if to any Underwriter or to you, to you c/o ING Baring
Xxxxxx Xxxx LLC, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention:
Syndicate Desk, or in any case to such other address as the person to be
notified may have requested in writing.
The respective indemnities, contribution agreements, representations,
warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters set
forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement shall remain operative and in full
force and effect, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares,
regardless of (i) any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof,
made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the officers or directors of any
Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter, the Company, the officers
or directors of the Company, any person controlling the Company, (ii)
acceptance of the Shares and payment for them hereunder and (iii) termination
of this Agreement.
If for any reason the Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the
Company as provided herein (other than as a result of any termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Section 10), Company agrees to reimburse the several
Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and
disbursements of counsel) incurred by them. Notwithstanding any termination of
this Agreement, the Company shall be liable for all expenses which it has
agreed to pay pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof. The Company agrees, to reimburse
the several Underwriters, their directors and officers and any persons
controlling any of the Underwriters for any and all fees and expenses
(including, without limitation, the fees disbursements of counsel) incurred by
them in connection with enforcing their rights hereunder (including, without
limitation, pursuant to Section 7 hereof).
Except as otherwise provided, this Agreement has been and is made
solely for the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Company, the
Underwriters, the Underwriters' directors and officers, any controlling persons
referred to herein, the Company's directors and the Company's officers who sign
the Registration Statement and their respective successors and assigns, all as
and to the extent provided in this Agreement, and no other person shall acquire
or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term "successors
and assigns" shall not include a purchaser of any of the Shares from any of the
several Underwriters merely because of such purchase.
This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York.
- 19 -
20
This Agreement may be signed in various counterparts which together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.
- 20 -
21
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement
among the Company and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
MINDSPRING ENTERPRISES, INC.
By:
------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer
ING BARING XXXXXX XXXX LLC
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX
SECURITIES CORPORATION
X.X. XXXXXXXX & CO.
WHEAT FIRST SECURITIES, INC.
XXXXXXXXX & COMPANY, INC.
Acting severally on behalf of
themselves and the several
Underwriters named in
Schedule I hereto
By: ING BARING XXXXXX XXXX LLC
By:
-----------------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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22
SCHEDULE I
Number of Firm Shares
Underwriters to be Purchased
------------ ---------------
ING Baring Xxxxxx Xxxx LLC
Xxxxxxxxx, Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx
Securities Corporation
X.X. Xxxxxxxx & Co.
Wheat First Securities, Inc.
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc.
---------
Total 2,000,000
=========
23
Annex I
ITC Holding Company, Inc.
ITC Service Company
24
Exhibit A
Form of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx Opinion
