EXHIBIT 1.1
HEADWAY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Shares/1/
Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
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_____ __, 19__
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLC
BANK OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
▇/▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Headway Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (herein called the
Company), proposes to issue and sell shares of its authorized but unissued
Common Stock, $0.001 par value (herein called the Common Stock) (said
shares of Common Stock being herein called the Underwritten Stock). The Company
proposes to grant to the Underwriters (as hereinafter defined) an option to
purchase up to additional shares of Common Stock (herein called the Option
Stock and with the Underwritten Stock herein collectively called the Stock). The
Common Stock is more fully described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus hereinafter mentioned.
The Company hereby confirms the agreements made with respect to the
purchase of the Stock by the several underwriters, for whom you are acting,
named in Schedule I hereto (herein collectively called the Underwriters, which
term shall also include any underwriter purchasing Stock pursuant to Section
3(b) hereof). You represent and warrant that you have been authorized by each of
the other Underwriters to enter into this Agreement on its behalf and to act for
it in the manner herein provided.
1. Registration Statement. The Company has filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (herein called the Commission) a registration statement on
Form S-1 (No. 333-_____), including the related preliminary prospectus, for the
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (herein called the
Securities Act) of the Stock. Copies of such registration statement and of each
amendment thereto, if any, including the related preliminary prospectus (meeting
the requirements of Rule 430A of the rules and regulations of the Commission)
heretofore filed by the Company with the Commission have been delivered to you.
The term Registration Statement as used in this agreement shall mean such
registration statement, including, all exhibits and financial statements, all
information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the
Prospectus referred to below, in the form in which it became effective, and any
registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the rules and
regulations of the Commission with respect to the Stock (herein called a Rule
462(b) registration statement), and, in the event of any amendment thereto after
the effective date of such registration statement (herein called the Effective
Date), shall also mean (from and after the
_______________
/1/ Plus an option to purchase from the Company up to additional shares
to cover over-allotments.
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effectiveness of such amendment) such registration statement as so amended
(including any Rule 462(b) registration statement). The term Prospectus as used
in this Agreement shall mean the prospectus relating to the Stock first filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A (or if no such filing
is required, as included in the Registration Statement) and, in the event of any
supplement or amendment to such prospectus after the Effective Date, shall also
mean (from and after the filing with the Commission of such supplement or the
effectiveness of such amendment) such prospectus as so supplemented or amended.
The term Preliminary Prospectus as used in this Agreement shall mean each
preliminary prospectus included in such registration statement prior to the time
it becomes effective.
The Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Securities
Act, and no post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been
filed as of the date of this Agreement. The Company has caused to be delivered
to you copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and has consented to the use of
such copies for the purposes permitted by the Securities Act.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company.
(a) The Company hereby represents and warrants as follows:
(i) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has full corporate
power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business
as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and as being
conducted, and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and in good
standing in all jurisdictions in which the character of the property owned
or leased or the nature of the business transacted by it makes
qualification necessary (except where the failure to be so qualified would
not have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial
condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole).
(ii) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any
materially adverse change in the business, properties, financial condition
or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, other than as set forth in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, and since such dates, except in the ordinary course of
business, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into
any material transaction not referred to in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus.
(iii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply, and on
the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and any later date on which
Option Stock is to be purchased, the Prospectus will comply, in all
material respects, with the provisions of the Securities Act and the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (herein called the Exchange
Act), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; on the
Effective Date, the Registration Statement did not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact and did not omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein not misleading; and, on the Effective Date the Prospectus did not
and, on the Closing Date and any later date on which Option Stock is to be
purchased, will not contain 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; provided, however, that none of the representations and
warranties in this subparagraph (iii) shall apply to statements in, or
omissions from, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information herein or otherwise
furnished in writing to the Company
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by or on behalf of the Underwriters for use in the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus.
(iv) All of the capital stock of the Company has been duly
authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and non-assessable and not
subject to any preemptive or similar rights; and the Stock to be issued and
sold by the Company has been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered
to the Underwriters against payment therefore as provided by this
Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the
issuance of the Stock will not be subject to any preemptive or similar
rights. No further approval or authority of the stockholders or the Board
of Directors of the Company will be required for the issuance and sale of
the Stock as contemplated herein.
(v) There are no outstanding subscriptions, rights, warrants,
options, calls, convertible securities, commitments of sale or liens
granted or issued by the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to or
entitling any person to purchase or otherwise to acquire any securities of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except as otherwise disclosed in
the Registration Statement.
(vi) The authorized capital stock of the Company, and of each of the
Company's subsidiaries, conforms as to legal matters to the description
thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(vii) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation
of its respective charter or by-laws 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
that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound.
(viii) 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 of its subsidiaries or any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease
or other agreement or instrument that is material to the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or their respective 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, any of its subsidiaries or their respective property or (iv)
result in the suspension, termination or revocation of any Authorization
(as defined below) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other
impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Authorization.
(ix) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or
threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is or could be
a party or to which any of their respective property is or 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.
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(x) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has violated
any foreign, federal, state or local law or regulation relating to the
protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or
toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (herein called
Environmental Laws), any provisions of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended, or any provisions of the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, except
for such violations which, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a
material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or
results of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(xi) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has such permits,
licenses, consents, exemptions, franchises, authorizations and other
approvals (each herein called 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,
including, without limitation, under any applicable Environmental Laws, as
are necessary to own, lease, license and operate its respective 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 and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Each such Authorization is valid and in
full force and effect and each of the Company and its subsidiaries is in
compliance with all the 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 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
or any of its subsidiaries; 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 and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(xii) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental
Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures
required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with
Environmental Laws or any Authorization, any related constraints on
operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which
would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the
business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(xiii) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending relating
to patent rights, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks or other
proprietary information or materials of the Company, and no such
proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
others.
(xiv) There are no contracts or other documents, relating to
governmental regulation affecting the Company or the Company's patents,
trade secrets, trademarks, service marks or other proprietary information
or materials, of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement or required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus that are not filed or described as required.
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(xv) The Company is not infringing or otherwise violating any
patents, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks or other proprietary
information or materials, of others, and there are no infringements by
others of any of the Company's patents, trade secrets, trademarks, service
marks or other proprietary information or materials which could affect
materially the use thereof by the Company.
(xvi) The Company owns or possesses sufficient licenses or other
rights to use all patents, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks or
other proprietary information or materials necessary to conduct the
business now being or proposed to be conducted by the Company as described
in the Prospectus.
(xvii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(xviii) Ernst & Young LLP is an independent public accountant with
respect to the Company and its subsidiaries as required by the Securities
Act.
(xix) The consolidated 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
consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in
financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries 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.
(xx) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
and sale of the Stock 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.
(xxi) 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 Securities Act with
respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to
include such securities with the Stock registered pursuant to the
Registration Statement.
(xxii) 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.
3. Purchase of the Stock by the Underwriters.
(a) On the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell
shares of the Underwritten Stock to the several Underwriters and each of
the Underwriters agrees to purchase from the Company the respective aggregate
number of shares of Underwritten Stock set forth opposite its name in Schedule
I. The price at which such shares of Underwritten Stock shall be
5
sold by the Company and purchased by the several Underwriters shall be $___ per
share. In making this Agreement, each Underwriter is contracting severally and
not jointly; except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section 3, the
agreement of each Underwriter is to purchase only the respective number of
shares of the Underwritten Stock specified in Schedule I.
(b) If for any reason one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse
(otherwise than for a reason sufficient to justify the termination of this
Agreement under the provisions of Section 8 or 9 hereof) to purchase and pay for
the number of shares of the Stock agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or
Underwriters, the Company shall immediately give notice thereof to you, and the
non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the right within 24 hours after the
receipt by you of such notice to purchase, or procure one or more other
Underwriters to purchase, in such proportions as may be agreed upon between you
and such purchasing Underwriter or Underwriters and upon the terms herein set
forth, all or any part of the shares of the Stock which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase. If the non-defaulting
Underwriters fail so to make such arrangements with respect to all such shares
and portion, the number of shares of the Stock which each non-defaulting
Underwriter is otherwise obligated to purchase under this Agreement shall be
automatically increased on a pro rata basis to absorb the remaining shares and
portion which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase;
provided, however, that the non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be obligated
to purchase the shares and portion which the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed to purchase if the aggregate number of such shares of the
Stock exceeds 10% of the total number of shares of the Stock which all
Underwriters agreed to purchase hereunder. If the total number of shares of the
Stock which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase shall
not be purchased or absorbed in accordance with the two preceding sentences, the
Company shall have the right, within 24 hours next succeeding the 24-hour period
above referred to, to make arrangements with other underwriters or purchasers
satisfactory to you for purchase of such shares and portion on the terms herein
set forth. In any such case, either you or the Company shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date determined as provided in Section 5 hereof for not
more than seven business days after the date originally fixed as the Closing
Date pursuant to said Section 5 in order that any necessary changes in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements
may be made. If neither the non-defaulting Underwriters nor the Company shall
make arrangements within the 24-hour periods stated above for the purchase of
all the shares of the Stock which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
agreed to purchase hereunder, this Agreement shall be terminated without further
act or deed and without any liability on the part of the Company to any non-
defaulting Underwriter and without any liability on the part of any non-
defaulting Underwriter to the Company. Nothing in this paragraph (b), and no
action taken hereunder, shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability
in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
(c) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants herein
contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not
jointly, up to shares in the aggregate of the Option Stock from the
Company at the same price per share as the Underwriters shall pay for the
Underwritten Stock. Said option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments
in the sale of the Underwritten Stock by the Underwriters and may be exercised
in whole or in part at any time (but not more than once) on or before the
thirtieth day after the date of this Agreement upon written or telegraphic
notice by you to the Company setting forth the aggregate number of shares of the
Option Stock as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option.
Delivery of certificates for the shares of Option Stock, and payment therefor,
shall be made as provided in Section 5 hereof. The number of shares of the
Option Stock to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of
the total number of shares of the Option Stock to be purchased by the several
Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten Stock, as
adjusted by you in such manner as you deem advisable to avoid fractional shares.
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4. Offering by Underwriters.
(a) The terms of the initial public offering by the Underwriters of the
Stock to be purchased by them shall be as set forth in the Prospectus. The
Underwriters may from time to time change the public offering price after the
closing of the initial public offering and increase or decrease the concessions
and discounts to dealers as they may determine.
(b) The information set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover
page and under "Underwriting" in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus relating to the Stock filed by the Company
(insofar as such information relates to the Underwriters) constitutes the only
information furnished by the Underwriters to the Company for inclusion in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and you
on behalf of the respective Underwriters represent and warrant to the Company
that the statements made therein are correct.
5. Delivery of and Payment for the Stock.
(a) Delivery of certificates for the shares of the Underwritten Stock and
the Option Stock (if the option granted by Section 3(c) hereof shall have been
exercised not later than 7:00 A.M., San Francisco time, on the date two business
days preceding the Closing Date), and payment therefor, shall be made at the
office of , , at 7:00 a.m., San Francisco time, on the fourth/2/
business day after the date of this Agreement, or at such time on such other
day, not later than seven full business days after such fourth business day, as
shall be agreed upon in writing by the Company and you. The date and hour of
such delivery and payment (which may be postponed as provided in Section 3(b)
hereof) are herein called the Closing Date.
(b) If the option granted by Section 3(c) hereof shall be exercised after
7:00 a.m., San Francisco time, on the date two business days preceding the
Closing Date, delivery of certificates for the shares of Option Stock, and
payment therefor, shall be made at the office of , , at 7:00 a.m.,
San Francisco time, on the third business day after the exercise of such option.
(c) Payment for the Stock purchased from the Company shall be made to the
Company or its order by one or more certified or official bank check or checks
in same day funds. Such payment shall be made upon delivery of certificates for
the Stock to you for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against
receipt therefor signed by you. Certificates for the Stock to be delivered to
you shall be registered in such name or names and shall be in such denominations
as you may request at least one business day before the Closing Date, in the
case of Underwritten Stock, and at least one business day prior to the purchase
thereof, in the case of the Option Stock. Such certificates will be made
available to the Underwriters for inspection, checking and packaging at the
offices of Lewco Securities Corporation, ▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ on
the business day prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Stock,
by 3:00 p.m., New York time, on the business day preceding the date of purchase.
It is understood that you, individually and not on behalf of the
Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment to the Company
for shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose check shall not have been
received by you on the Closing Date or any later
______________________
/2/ This assumes that the transaction will be priced after the close of
market and that T+4 will apply to the transaction. If the pricing took place
before or during market hours (which will generally not be the case), the
closing would be three business days after pricing.
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date on which Option Stock is purchased for the account of such Underwriter. Any
such payment by you shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its
obligations hereunder.
6. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees
as follows:
(a) The Company will (i) prepare and timely file with the Commission under
Rule 424(b) a Prospectus containing information previously omitted at the time
of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A and (ii)
not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus of which you shall not previously have been advised and furnished
with a copy or to which you shall have reasonably objected in writing or which
is not in compliance with the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the
Commission.
(b) The Company will promptly notify each Underwriter in the event of (i)
the request by the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or for
supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (ii) the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, (iii) the institution or notice of intended institution
of any action or proceeding for that purpose, (iv) the receipt by the Company of
any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the
Stock for sale in any jurisdiction, or (v) the receipt by it of notice of the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will
make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of such a stop order and,
if such an order shall at any time be issued, to obtain the withdrawal thereof
at the earliest possible moment.
(c) The Company will (i) on or before the Closing Date, deliver to you a
signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each
amendment thereto filed prior to the time the Registration Statement becomes
effective and, promptly upon the filing thereof, a signed copy of each post-
effective amendment, if any, to the Registration Statement (together with, in
each case, all exhibits thereto unless previously furnished to you) and will
also deliver to you, for distribution to the Underwriters, a sufficient number
of additional conformed copies of each of the foregoing (but without exhibits)
so that one copy of each may be distributed to each Underwriter, (ii) as
promptly as possible deliver to you and send to the several Underwriters, at
such office or offices as you may designate, as many copies of the Prospectus as
you may reasonably request, and (iii) thereafter from time to time during the
period in which a prospectus is required by law to be delivered by an
Underwriter or dealer, likewise send to the Underwriters as many additional
copies of the Prospectus and as many copies of any supplement to the Prospectus
and of any amended prospectus, filed by the Company with the Commission, as you
may reasonably request for the purposes contemplated by the Securities Act.
(d) If at any time during the period in which a prospectus is required by
law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer any event relating to or
affecting the Company, or of which the Company shall be advised in writing by
you, shall occur as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel
for the Company or of counsel for the Underwriters, to supplement or amend the
Prospectus in order to make the Prospectus not misleading in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser of the Stock,
the Company will forthwith prepare and file with the Commission a supplement to
the Prospectus or an amended prospectus so that the Prospectus as so
supplemented or amended will not contain 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 at the time such Prospectus
is delivered to such purchaser, not misleading. If, after the initial public
offering of the Stock by the Underwriters and during such period, the
Underwriters shall propose to vary the terms of offering thereof by reason of
changes in general market conditions or otherwise, you will advise the Company
in writing of the proposed variation, and, if in the opinion either of counsel
for the
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Company or of counsel for the Underwriters such proposed variation requires that
the Prospectus be supplemented or amended, the Company will forthwith prepare
and file with the Commission a supplement to the Prospectus or an amended
prospectus setting forth such variation. The Company authorizes the Underwriters
and all dealers to whom any of the Stock may be sold by the several Underwriters
to use the Prospectus, as from time to time amended or supplemented, in
connection with the sale of the Stock in accordance with the applicable
provisions of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations
thereunder for such period.
(e) Prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, the Company will
submit to you, for your information, a copy of any post-effective amendment to
the Registration Statement and any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended
prospectus proposed to be filed.
(f) The Company will cooperate, when and as requested by you, in the
qualification of the Stock for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky
laws of such jurisdictions as you may designate and, during the period in which
a prospectus is required by law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, in
keeping such qualifications in good standing under said securities or blue sky
laws; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any
general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation in
any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified. The Company will, from time to
time, prepare and file such statements, reports, and other documents as are or
may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as you may reasonably request for distribution of the Stock.
(g) During a period of five years commencing with the date hereof, the
Company will furnish to you, and to each Underwriter who may so request in
writing, copies of all periodic and special reports furnished to stockholders of
the Company and of all information, documents and reports filed with the
Commission [(including the Report on Form SR required by Rule 463 of the
Commission under the Securities Act)].
(h) Not later than the 45th day following the end of the fiscal quarter
first occurring after the first anniversary of the Effective Date, the Company
will make generally available to its security holders an earnings statement in
accordance with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder.
(i) The Company agrees to pay all costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including all costs and
expenses incident to (i) the preparation, printing and filing with the
Commission and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, (ii) the
furnishing to the Underwriters of copies of any Preliminary Prospectus and of
the several documents required by paragraph (c) of this Section 6 to be so
furnished, (iii) the printing of this Agreement and related documents delivered
to the Underwriters, (iv) the preparation, printing and filing of all
supplements and amendments to the Prospectus referred to in paragraph (d) of
this Section 6, (v) the furnishing to you and the Underwriters of the reports
and information referred to in paragraph (g) of this Section 6 and (vi) the
printing and issuance of stock certificates, including the transfer agent's
fees.
(j) The Company agrees to reimburse you, for the account of the several
Underwriters, for blue sky fees and related disbursements (including counsel
fees and disbursements and cost of printing memoranda for the Underwriters) paid
by or for the account of the Underwriters or their counsel in qualifying the
Stock under state securities or blue sky laws and in the review of the offering
by the NASD.
(k) The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, the Company will not, for a
period of 180 days following the commencement of the public offering of the
Stock by the Underwriters, directly or
9
indirectly, (i) sell, offer, contract to sell, make any short sale, pledge, sell
any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell,
grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose
of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable
or exercisable for or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Stock or (ii)
enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any
of the economic consequences or ownership of Common Stock, whether any such
transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery
of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing
sentence shall not apply to the Stock to be sold to the Underwriters pursuant to
this Agreement.
(l) The Company agrees to use its best efforts to cause all directors,
officers, and beneficial holders of more than 5% of the outstanding Common Stock
to agree that, without the prior written consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLC on
behalf of the Underwriters, such person or entity will not, for a period of 180
days following the commencement of the public offering of the Stock by the
Underwriters, directly or indirectly, (i) sell, offer, contract to sell, make
any short sale, pledge, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any
option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or
otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or any rights to purchase or
acquire Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that
transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences or ownership of
Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above
is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash
or otherwise.
(m) If at any time during the [25]-day period after the Registration
Statement becomes effective any rumor, publication or event relating to or
affecting the Company shall occur as a result of which in your opinion the
market price for the Stock has been or is likely to be materially affected
(regardless of whether such rumor, publication or event necessitates a
supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus), the Company will, after written
notice from you advising the Company to the effect set forth above, forthwith
prepare, consult with you concerning the substance of, and disseminate a press
release or other public statement, reasonably satisfactory to you, responding to
or commenting on such rumor, publication or event.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and
each person (including each partner or officer thereof) who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act from and
against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to
which such indemnified parties or any of them may become subject under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the common law or otherwise, and the
Company agrees to reimburse each such Underwriter and controlling person for any
legal or other expenses (including, except as otherwise hereinafter provided,
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the respective
indemnified parties in connection with defending against any such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities or in connection with any investigation or
inquiry of, or other proceeding which may be brought against, the respective
indemnified parties, in each case arising out of or based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as part thereof and any Rule
462(b) registration statement) or any post-effective amendment thereto
(including any Rule 462(b) registration statement), or the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or as supplemented if the
Company shall have filed with the Commission any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
necessary
10
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that (1) the indemnity
agreements of the Company contained in this paragraph (a) shall not apply to any
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished
as herein stated or otherwise furnished in writing to the Company by or on
behalf of any Underwriter for use in any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or
supplement thereto and (2) the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph
(a) with respect to any Preliminary Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of
any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses purchased the Stock which is the subject thereof (or to
the benefit of any person controlling such Underwriter) if at or prior to the
written confirmation of the sale of such Stock a copy of the Prospectus (or the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented) was not sent or delivered to such person
and the untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in such
Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus (or the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented) unless the failure is the result of noncompliance by
the Company with paragraph (c) of Section 6 hereof. The indemnity agreements of
the Company contained in this paragraph (a) and the representations and
warranties of the Company contained in Section 2 hereof shall remain operative
and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on
behalf of any indemnified party and shall survive the delivery of and payment
for the Stock.
(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement on his own
behalf or pursuant to a power of attorney, each of its directors, each other
Underwriter and each person (including each partner or officer thereof) who
controls the Company or any such other Underwriter within the meaning of Section
15 of the Securities Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages
or liabilities, joint or several, to which such indemnified parties or any of
them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the
common law or otherwise and to reimburse each of them for any legal or other
expenses (including, except as otherwise hereinafter provided, reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the respective indemnified parties in
connection with defending against any such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities or in connection with any investigation or inquiry of, or other
proceeding which may be brought against, the respective indemnified parties, in
each case arising out of or based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement
(including the Prospectus as part thereof and any Rule 462(b) registration
statement) or any post-effective amendment thereto (including any Rule 462(b)
registration statement) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (as amended or as supplemented if
the Company shall have filed with the Commission any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto) or the 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, if such statement
or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished as herein stated or otherwise furnished in writing to the Company by
or on behalf of such indemnifying Underwriter for use in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto.
The indemnity agreement of each Underwriter contained in this paragraph (b)
shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of any indemnified party and shall survive
the delivery of and payment for the Stock.
(c) Each party indemnified under the provision of paragraphs (a) and (b)
of this Section 7 agrees that, upon the service of a summons or other initial
legal process upon it in any action or suit instituted against it or upon its
receipt of written notification of the commencement of any investigation or
inquiry of, or proceeding against, it in respect of which indemnity may be
11
sought on account of any indemnity agreement contained in such paragraphs, it
will promptly give written notice (herein called the Notice) of such service or
notification to the party or parties from whom indemnification may be sought
hereunder. No indemnification provided for in such paragraphs shall be available
to any party who shall fail so to give the Notice if the party to whom such
Notice was not given was unaware of the action, suit, investigation, inquiry or
proceeding to which the Notice would have related and was prejudiced by the
failure to give the Notice, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying
party or parties of any such service or notification shall not relieve such
indemnifying party or parties from any liability which it or they may have to
the indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than on account of such
indemnity agreement. Any indemnifying party shall be entitled at its own expense
to participate in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding against, or
investigation or inquiry of, an indemnified party. Any indemnifying party shall
be entitled, if it so elects within a reasonable time after receipt of the
Notice by giving written notice (herein called the Notice of Defense) to the
indemnified party, to assume (alone or in conjunction with any other
indemnifying party or parties) the entire defense of such action, suit,
investigation, inquiry or proceeding, in which event such defense shall be
conducted, at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties, by counsel
chosen by such indemnifying party or parties and reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party or parties; provided, however, that (i) if the indemnified
party or parties reasonably determine that there may be a conflict between the
positions of the indemnifying party or parties and of the indemnified party or
parties in conducting the defense of such action, suit, investigation, inquiry
or proceeding or that there may be legal defenses available to such indemnified
party or parties different from or in addition to those available to the
indemnifying party or parties, then counsel for the indemnified party or parties
shall be entitled to conduct the defense to the extent reasonably determined by
such counsel to be necessary to protect the interests of the indemnified party
or parties and (ii) in any event, the indemnified party or parties shall be
entitled to have counsel chosen by such indemnified party or parties participate
in, but not conduct, the defense. If, within a reasonable time after receipt of
the Notice, an indemnifying party gives a Notice of Defense and the counsel
chosen by the indemnifying party or parties is reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party or parties, the indemnifying party or parties will not be
liable under paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Section 7 for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party or parties in connection
with the defense of the action, suit, investigation, inquiry or proceeding,
except that (A) the indemnifying party or parties shall bear the legal and other
expenses incurred in connection with the conduct of the defense as referred to
in clause (i) of the proviso to the preceding sentence and (B) the indemnifying
party or parties shall bear such other expenses as it or they have authorized to
be incurred by the indemnified party or parties. If, within a reasonable time
after receipt of the Notice, no Notice of Defense has been given, the
indemnifying party or parties shall be responsible for any legal or other
expenses incurred by the indemnified party or parties in connection with the
defense of the action, suit, investigation, inquiry or proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable
or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under paragraph (a) or (b)
of this Section 7, 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 the losses, claims, damages or liabilities
referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 7 (i) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by each indemnifying
party from the offering of the Stock or (ii) if the allocation provided by
clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i)
above but also the relative fault of each indemnifying party in connection with
the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, or actions in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the
Underwriters shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the
total net proceeds from the offering of the Stock received by the Company and
the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, as set forth in
the table on the cover
12
page of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the
Stock. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by each indemnifying party and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue
statement or omission.
The parties agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions
pursuant to this paragraph (d) were to be 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 into account the equitable
considerations referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph (d). The
amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages
or liabilities, or actions in respect thereof, referred to in the first sentence
of this paragraph (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigation,
preparing to defend or defending against any action or claim which is the
subject of this paragraph (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph
(d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
underwriting discount applicable to the Stock purchased by such Underwriter. 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 Underwriters'
obligations in this paragraph (d) to contribute are several in proportion to
their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
Each party entitled to contribution agrees that upon the service of a
summons or other initial legal process upon it in any action instituted against
it in respect of which contribution may be sought, it will promptly give written
notice of such service to the party or parties from whom contribution may be
sought, but the omission so to notify such party or parties of any such service
shall not relieve the party from whom contribution may be sought from any
obligation it may have hereunder or otherwise (except as specifically provided
in paragraph (c) of this Section 7).
(e) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of each
Underwriter, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any
pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which
indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Underwriter or any
person who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act is a party to such claim,
action, suit or proceeding) unless such settlement, compromise or consent
includes an unconditional release of such Underwriter and each such controlling
person from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
8. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by you at any time prior
to the Closing Date by giving written notice to the Company if after the date of
this Agreement trading in the Common Stock shall have been suspended, or if
there shall have occurred (i) the engagement in hostilities or an escalation of
major hostilities by the United States or the declaration of war or a national
emergency by the United States on or after the date hereof, (ii) any outbreak of
hostilities or other national or international calamity or crisis or change in
economic or political conditions if the effect of such outbreak, calamity,
crisis or change in economic or political conditions in the financial markets of
the United States would, in the Underwriters' reasonable judgment, make the
offering or delivery of the Stock impracticable, (iii) suspension of trading in
securities generally or a material adverse decline in value of securities
generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, The
Nasdaq Stock Market, or limitations on prices (other than limitations on hours
or numbers of days of trading) for securities on either such exchange or system,
(iv) the enactment, publication, decree or other promulgation of any federal or
state statute, regulation, rule or order of, or commencement of any proceeding
or investigation by, any court, legislative body, agency or
13
other governmental authority which in the Underwriters' reasonable opinion
materially and adversely affects or will materially or adversely affect the
business or operations of the Company, (v) 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 the Underwriters' reasonable opinion has a material
adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States. If this Agreement
shall be terminated pursuant to this Section 8, there shall be no liability of
the Company to the Underwriters and no liability of the Underwriters to the
Company; provided, however, that in the event of any such termination the
Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from all costs or
expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under
this Agreement, including all costs and expenses referred to in paragraphs (i)
and (j) of Section 6 hereof.
9. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Stock shall be subject to the
performance by the Company of all its obligations to be performed hereunder at
or prior to the Closing Date or any later date on which Option Stock is to be
purchased, as the case may be, and to the following further conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective; and no stop
order suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and no
proceedings therefor shall be pending or threatened by the Commission.
(b) The legality and sufficiency of the sale of the Stock hereunder and
the validity and form of the certificates representing the Stock, all corporate
proceedings and other legal matters incident to the foregoing, and the form of
the Registration Statement and of the Prospectus (except as to the financial
statements contained therein), shall have been approved at or prior to the
Closing Date by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP , counsel for the Underwriters.
(c) You shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel
for the Company, and from - , patent counsel for the Company, opinions,
addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date, covering the matters
set forth in Annex A and Annex B hereto, respectively, and if Option Stock is
purchased at any date after the Closing Date, additional opinions from each such
counsel, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such later date, confirming
that the statements expressed as of the Closing Date in such opinions remain
valid as of such later date.
(d) You shall be satisfied that (i) as of the Effective Date, the
statements made in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus were true and
correct and neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus omitted to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, respectively, not misleading, (ii) since the
Effective Date, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a
supplement or amendment to the Prospectus which has not been set forth in such a
supplement or amendment, (iii) since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement in the form in which it
originally became effective and the Prospectus contained therein, there has not
been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective
material adverse change in or affecting the business, properties, financial
condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, and, since such dates, except in the ordinary course of business,
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any material
transaction not referred to in the Registration Statement in the form in which
it originally became effective and the Prospectus contained therein, (iv)
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any material contingent
obligations which are not disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, (v) there are not any pending or known threatened legal
14
proceedings to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of
which property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which
are material and which are not disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, (vi) there are not any franchises, contracts, leases or other
documents which are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement which have not been filed as required, (vii) the representations and
warranties of the Company herein are true and correct in all material respects
as of the Closing Date or any later date on which Option Stock is to be
purchased, as the case may be, and (viii) there has not been any material change
in the market for securities in general or in political, financial or economic
conditions from those reasonably foreseeable as to render it impracticable in
your reasonable judgment to make a public offering of the Stock, or a material
adverse change in market levels for securities in general (or those of companies
in particular) or financial or economic conditions which render it inadvisable
to proceed.
(e) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any later date on
which Option Stock is purchased a certificate, dated the Closing Date or such
later date, as the case may be, and signed by the President and the Chief
Financial Officer of the Company, stating that the respective signers of said
certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement in the form in
which it originally became effective and the Prospectus contained therein and
any supplements or amendments thereto, and that the statements included in
clauses (i) through (viii) of paragraph (d) of this Section 9 are true and
correct.
(f) You shall have received from [Ernst & Young LLP] a letter or letters,
addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date and any later date on
which Option Stock is purchased, confirming that they are independent public
accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act
and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder and based upon the
procedures described in their letter delivered to you concurrently with the
execution of this Agreement (herein called the Original Letter), but carried out
to a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Date or such
later date on which Option Stock is purchased (i) confirming, to the extent
true, that the statements and conclusions set forth in the Original Letter are
accurate as of the Closing Date or such later date, as the case may be, and (ii)
setting forth any revisions and additions to the statements and conclusions set
forth in the Original Letter which are necessary to reflect any changes in the
facts described in the Original Letter since the date of the Original Letter or
to reflect the availability of more recent financial statements, data or
information. The letters shall not disclose any change, or any development
involving a prospective change, in or affecting the business or properties of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, in your sole judgment, makes it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering of the Stock or
the purchase of the Option Stock as contemplated by the Prospectus.
(g) You shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter stating that
their review of the Company's system of internal accounting controls, to the
extent they deemed necessary in establishing the scope of their examination of
the Company's financial statements as at - , 19 - , did not disclose any
weakness in internal controls that they considered to be material weaknesses.
(h) You shall have been furnished evidence in usual written or telegraphic
form from the appropriate authorities of the several jurisdictions, or other
evidence satisfactory to you, of the qualification referred to in paragraph (f)
of Section 6 hereof.
(i) Prior to the Closing Date, the Stock to be issued and sold by the
Company shall have been duly authorized for listing by the Nasdaq National
Market upon official notice of issuance.
15
(j) On or prior to the Closing Date, you shall have received from all
directors, officers, and beneficial holders of more than 5% of the outstanding
Common Stock agreements, in form reasonably satisfactory to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
LLC, stating that without the prior written consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLC on
behalf of the Underwriters, such person or entity will not, for a period of 180
days following the commencement of the public offering of the Stock by the
Underwriters, directly or indirectly, (i) sell, offer, contract to sell, make
any short sale, pledge, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any
option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or
otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or any rights to purchase or
acquire Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that
transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences or ownership of
Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above
is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash
or otherwise.
All the agreements, opinions, certificates and letters mentioned above or
elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the
provisions hereof only if ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLp, counsel for the Underwriters,
shall be satisfied that they comply in form and scope.
In case any of the conditions specified in this Section 9 shall not be
fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by you by giving notice to the
Company. Any such termination shall be without liability of the Company to the
Underwriters and without liability of the Underwriters to the Company; provided,
however, that (i) in the event of such termination, the Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from all costs or expenses incident
to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement,
including all costs and expenses referred to in paragraphs (i) and (j) of
Section 6 hereof, and (ii) if this Agreement is terminated by you because of any
refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any
agreement herein, to fulfill any of the conditions herein, or to comply with any
provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters,
the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally upon demand for all out-
of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that
shall have been incurred by them in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby.
10. Conditions of the Obligation of the Company. The obligation of the
Company to deliver the Stock shall be subject to the conditions that (a) the
Registration Statement shall have become effective and (b) no stop order
suspending the effectiveness thereof shall be in effect and no proceedings
therefor shall be pending or threatened by the Commission.
In case either of the conditions specified in this Section 10 shall not be
fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Company by giving notice to
you. Any such termination shall be without liability of the Company to the
Underwriters and without liability of the Underwriters to the Company; provided,
however, that in the event of any such termination the Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from all costs or expenses incident
to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement,
including all costs and expenses referred to in paragraphs (i) and (j) of
Section 6 hereof.
11. Reimbursement of Certain Expenses. In addition to its other
obligations under Section 7 of this Agreement, the Company hereby agrees to
reimburse on a quarterly basis the Underwriters for all reasonable legal and
other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or defending any claim,
action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding arising out of or based upon
any statement or omission, or any alleged statement or omission, described in
paragraph (a) of Section 7 of this Agreement, notwithstanding the absence of a
judicial determination as to the propriety and enforceability of the obligations
under this Section 11 and the possibility that such payments might later be held
to be improper; provided, however, that (i) to the extent any such payment is
ultimately held to be improper, the persons receiving such
16
payments shall promptly refund them and (ii) such persons shall provide to the
Company, upon request, reasonable assurances of their ability to effect any
refund, when and if due.
12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure
to the benefit of the Company and the several Underwriters and, with respect to
the provisions of Section 7 hereof, the several parties (in addition to the
Company and the several Underwriters) indemnified under the provisions of said
Section 7, and their respective representatives, successors and assigns. Nothing
in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any other person,
firm or corporation any legal or equitable remedy or claim under or in respect
of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. The term "successors and
assigns" as herein used shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of
any of the Stock from any of the several Underwriters.
13. Notices. Except as otherwise provided herein, all communications
hereunder shall be in writing or by telegraph and, if to the Underwriters, shall
be mailed, telegraphed or delivered to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLC, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇; and if to the Company, shall be mailed,
telegraphed or delivered to it at its office, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇. All notices given by
telegraph shall be promptly confirmed by letter.
14. Miscellaneous. The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution
agreements contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and
covenants in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of
(a) any termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on
behalf of any Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of
the Company or their respective directors or officers, and (c) delivery and
payment for the Stock under this Agreement; provided, however, that if this
Agreement is terminated prior to the Closing Date, the provisions of paragraphs
(k) and (l) of Section 6 hereof shall be of no further force or effect.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and
the same instrument.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the
laws of the State of California.
Please sign and return to the Company the enclosed duplicates of this
letter, whereupon this letter will become a binding agreement between the
Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
HEADWAY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By __________________________
[Name]
[Title]
The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed
17
and accepted as of the date first above written.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLC
BANK OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
By ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLC
By __________________________
Managing Director
Acting on behalf of the several Underwriters,
including themselves, named in Schedule I hereto.
18
SCHEDULE I
UNDERWRITERS
Shares
Number of to be
Underwriters Purchased
------------ ----------
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLC..........................
Bank of America Securities LLC.................
------
Total.....................................
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ANNEX A
Matters to be Covered in the Opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Counsel for the Company
(i) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, is duly qualified
as a foreign corporation and in good standing in each state of the United
States of America in which 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, properties, financial
condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole), and has full corporate power and authority to own or
lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Registration Statement; all the issued and outstanding capital stock of
each of the subsidiaries of the Company has been duly authorized and
validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable, and is owned by the
Company free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and security interests,
and to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no options, warrants or other
rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other
rights to convert any obligations into shares of capital stock or ownership
interests in such subsidiaries are outstanding;
(ii) the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of [
shares of Stock, of which there are outstanding
shares, and] shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value, of which
there are outstanding shares (including the Underwritten
Stock plus the number of shares of Option Stock issued on the date hereof);
proper corporate proceedings have been taken validly to authorize such
authorized capital stock; all of the outstanding shares of such capital
stock (including the Underwritten Stock and the shares of Option Stock
issued, if any) have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable; any Option Stock purchased after the Closing Date, when
issued and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters as provided in the
Underwriting Agreement, will have been duly and validly issued and be fully
paid and nonassessable; and no preemptive rights of, or rights of refusal
in favor of, stockholders exist with respect to the Stock, or the issue and
sale thereof, pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the
Company and, to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no contractual
preemptive rights that have not been waived, rights of first refusal or
rights of co-sale which exist with respect to the issue and sale of the
Stock;
(iii) the Registration Statement has become effective under the
Securities Act and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or suspending or
preventing the use of the Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for
that purpose have been instituted or are pending or contemplated by the
Commission;
(iv) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except as to the
financial statements and schedules and other financial data contained
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to
form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act,
the Exchange Act and with the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder;
(v) such counsel have no reason to believe that the Registration
Statement (except as to the financial statements and schedules and other
financial and statistical data contained or incorporated by reference
therein, as to which such counsel need not express any opinion or belief)
at the Effective Date contained any untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the
Prospectus (except as to the financial statements and schedules and other
financial and statistical data contained or incorporated by reference
therein, as to which such counsel need not express any opinion or belief)
as of its date or at the Closing Date (or any later date on which Option
Stock is purchased), contained or contains any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading;
(vi) the information required to be set forth in the Registration
Statement in answer to Items 9, 10 (insofar as it relates to such counsel)
and 11(c) of Form S-1 is to the best of such counsel's knowledge accurately
and adequately set forth therein in all material respects or no response is
required with respect to such Items, and, the description of the Company's
stock option plans and the options granted and which may be granted
thereunder and the Company's warrant agreement and the warrants issued
thereunder in the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information
required to be shown with respect to said plans and agreement and options
and warrants to the extent required by the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(vii) such counsel do not know of any franchises, contracts, leases,
documents or legal proceedings, pending or threatened, which in the opinion
of such counsel are of a character required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement, which are not described and filed as required;
(viii) the Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company;
(ix) the issue and sale by the Company of the shares of Stock sold
by the Company as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement will not
conflict with, or result in a breach of, the Certificate of Incorporation
or Bylaws of the Company or any agreement or instrument known to such
counsel to which the Company is a party or any applicable law or
regulation, or so far as is known to such counsel, any order, writ,
injunction or decree, of any jurisdiction, court or governmental
instrumentality;
(x) all holders of securities of the Company having rights to the
registration of shares of Common Stock, or other securities, because of the
filing of the Registration Statement by the Company have waived such rights
or such rights have expired by reason of lapse of time following
notification of the Company's intent to file the Registration Statement;
(xi) no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or
governmental agency or body is required for the consummation of the
transactions contemplated in the Underwriting Agreement, except such as
have been obtained under the Securities Act and such as may be required
under state securities or blue sky laws in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Stock by the Underwriters;
(xii) the Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Stock 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.; and
(xiii) the Stock issued and sold by the Company will been duly
authorized for listing by the Nasdaq National Market Stock Exchange upon
official notice of issuance.
____________________________________
Counsel rendering the foregoing opinion may rely as to questions of law not
involving the laws of the United States or of the States of Delaware and
California, upon opinions of local counsel satisfactory in form and scope to
counsel for the Underwriters. Copies of any opinions so relied upon shall be
delivered to the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters and the
foregoing opinion shall also state that counsel knows of no reason the
Underwriters are not entitled to rely upon the opinions of such local counsel.