American Depositary Shares Representing Ordinary Shares (Par Value US$0.125 Per Share) Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
7 Days Group Holdings Limited
American Depositary Shares
Representing
Ordinary Shares
(Par Value US$0.125 Per Share)
November , 2009
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Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
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As Representatives of the several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
7 Days Group Holdings Limited, an exempted company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), representing ordinary shares, par value US$0.125 per share, of the Company (the “Ordinary Shares”). In addition, the Company proposes to issue and sell, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional ADSs representing Ordinary Shares of the Company. The ADSs representing Ordinary Shares to be sold by the Company are herein called the “Underwritten ADSs,” and the ADSs representing Ordinary Shares to be sold by the Company at the option of the Underwriters are herein called the “Option ADSs.” The Underwritten ADSs and the Option ADSs are herein collectively called the “Offered ADSs.” The Ordinary Shares represented by the Underwritten ADSs are hereinafter called the “Underwritten Shares,” the Ordinary Shares represented by the Option ADSs are hereafter called the “Option Shares” and the Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein collectively called the “Shares.”
The Company hereby acknowledges that, in connection with the proposed offering of the ADSs, it has requested (the “Designated Underwriter”), and the Designated Underwriter has agreed, to administer a directed share program (the “Directed Share Program”) under which up to Underwritten ADSs, or 5% of the Underwritten ADSs to be purchased by the Underwriters (the “Reserved ADSs”), shall be reserved for sale by the Designated Underwriter at the initial public offering price to the Company’s directors, officers, employees and associates (the “Directed Share Participants”) as part of the distribution of the
ADSs by the Underwriters, subject to the terms of this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”), the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations. The number of ADSs available for sale to the general public will be reduced to the extent that Directed Share Participants purchase Reserved ADSs. The Underwriters will offer any Reserved ADSs not purchased by Directed Share Participants to the general public on the same basis as the other ADSs being issued and sold hereunder. The Company has supplied the Designated Underwriter with the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the individuals or other entities which the Company has designated to be participants in the Directed Share Program. It is understood that any number of those so designated to participate in the Directed Share Program may decline to do so.
The Offered ADSs are to be issued pursuant to a deposit agreement (the “Deposit Agreement”) dated as of November , 2009, among the Company, Citibank, N.A. as depositary (the “Depositary”), and owners and beneficial owners from time to time of the ADSs. Each Offered ADS will initially represent the right to receive three Ordinary Shares deposited pursuant to the Deposit Agreement.
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Offered ADSs, as follows:
1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement (File No. 333-162806), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares and the Offered ADSs. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Offered ADSs. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex A, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated November 6, 2009 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.
“Applicable Time” means [ ] [A/P].M. , New York City time, on November , 2009.
2. Purchase of the Offered ADSs by the Underwriters.
(a) The Company agrees to sell the Underwritten ADSs to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase at a price per ADS (the “Purchase Price”) of $ from the Company the respective number of Underwritten ADSs set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto.
In addition, the Company agrees to sell the Option ADSs to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company at the Purchase Price less an amount per ADS equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten ADSs but not payable on the Option ADSs. If any Option ADSs are to be purchased, the number of Option ADSs to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option ADSs which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option ADSs being purchased as the number of Underwritten ADSs set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten ADSs being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional ADSs as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.
The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option ADSs at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representatives to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option ADSs as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option ADSs are to be delivered and paid for which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date or later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.
(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Offered ADSs as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Offered ADSs on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Offered ADSs to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Offered ADSs purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.
(c) Payment for the Offered ADSs shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten ADSs at the offices of Skadden, Arps, ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇/▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Tower, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong (the “Closing Location”) at [10:00] A.M. New York City time on November , 2009, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the
Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option ADSs, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option ADSs. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten ADSs is referred to herein as the “Closing Date” and the time and date for such payment for the Option ADSs, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date”.
Payment for the Offered ADSs to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Offered ADSs to be purchased on such date in definitive form registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not later than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Offered ADSs duly paid by the Company. The specimen of the ADSs will be made available for inspection and packaging by the Representatives at the Closing Location not later than 1:00 P.M., Hong Kong time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(d) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Offered ADSs contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:
(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(b) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Offered ADSs (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Offered ADSs has been initiated or (either publicly or in a communication to the Company or its legal counsel) threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(e) Form F-6. A registration statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-162949) in respect of the Offered ADSs has been filed with the Commission; such registration statement in the form heretofore delivered to the Representatives and, excluding exhibits, to the Representatives for each of the other Underwriters, has been declared effective by the Commission in such form; no other document with respect to such registration statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, threatened by the Commission (the various parts of such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, being hereinafter called the “ADS Registration Statement”); and the ADS Registration Statement when it became effective conformed, and any further amendments thereto will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not, as of the applicable effective date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(f) Form 8-A. A registration statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-34531) in respect of the registration of the Shares and the Offered ADSs under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), has been filed with the Commission; such registration statement in the form heretofore delivered to you and, excluding exhibits, to you for each of the other Underwriters, has been declared effective by the Commission in such form; no other document with respect to such registration statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, threatened by the Commission (the various parts of such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, being hereinafter called the “Form 8-A Registration Statement”); and the Form 8-A Registration Statement when it became effective conformed, and any further amendments thereto will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not and will not, as of the applicable effective date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(g) Financial Statements. The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and any supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby; and the pro forma financial information in the notes to the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable and are set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(h) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been (A) any change in the capital stock (other than the issuance of Ordinary Shares upon exercise of stock options and warrants described as outstanding in, and the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans described in, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, (B) any material increase in the short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (C) any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority.
(i) Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power
or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Transaction Documents (as defined below) (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The constitutive documents of the Company and each of its subsidiaries comply with the requirements of applicable law in its jurisdiction of incorporation and are in full force and effect. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement.
(j) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, preemptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and except for the shares of Wuxi Shenglong Hotel Management Co., Ltd. that are held in trust for the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party; the Shares to be represented by the Offered ADSs to be sold by the Company, when issued and delivered against payment thereof, may be freely deposited by the Company with the Depositary against issuance of the Offered ADSs; the Offered ADSs to be sold by the Company, when issued and delivered against payment thereof, will be freely transferable by the Company to or for the account of the several Underwriters and (to the extent described in the Prospectus) the initial purchasers thereof; and there are no restrictions on subsequent transfers of the Offered ADSs under the laws of the Cayman Islands, the PRC or the United States except as described in the Prospectus under “Description of share capital,” “Description of American depositary shares” and “Shares eligible for future sale.”
(k) Stock Options. With respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company Stock Plans”), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code so qualifies, (ii) except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans and all applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.
(l) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby has been duly and validly taken.
(m) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(n) The Shares. The Shares have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and deposited with the Depositary for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
(o) The Deposit Agreement. The Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability. Upon the deposit of Shares and the delivery by the Depositary of the Offered ADSs representing such Shares in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, such ADSs will be duly and validly issued and the persons in whose names the ADSs are registered will be entitled to the rights specified in the Deposit Agreement; and the Deposit Agreement and the ADSs conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(p) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(q) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its articles of association, charter or by-laws or other similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance of the Shares by the Company and the deposit of the Shares by the Company with the Depositary against issuance of the Offered ADSs and the sale of the Offered ADSs by the Company, the issuance by the Company of the Ordinary Shares to be issued upon the exercise of the Warrants (as defined below) and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of its articles of association, charter or by-laws or other similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority.
(s) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, license, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance of the Shares and the deposit of the Shares with the Depositary against issuance of the Offered ADSs and the sale of the Offered ADSs by the Company, the issuance by the Company of the Shares to be issued upon the exercise of the Warrants (as defined below) and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for the registration of the Shares and Offered ADSs under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required by FINRA and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Offered ADSs by the Underwriters.
(t) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are (either publicly or in a communication to the Company or its legal counsel) threatened or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(u) Independent Accountants. KPMG, which has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.
(v) Title to Real and Personal Property; Validity of Leases. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, charges, encumbrances and defects that would materially affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them and, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases (the “Company Leases”) with no terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in default under any of the Company Leases relating to, or any agreement evidencing an encumbrance on, any hotel operated or managed by the Company or its subsidiaries that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any of the subsidiaries knows of any event, which but for the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default under any of such documents or agreements that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required for the validity, enforceability or effectiveness of the Company Leases, and to the best of the Company’s knowledge no party to any Company Lease is in violation or breach of any PRC national, provincial, municipal or other local law, regulation statute, rule or order, which violation or breach
could invalidate, impair or result in any fine, penalty or government sanction with regard to any Company Lease, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(w) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service ▇▇▇▇ registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted, and the conduct of their respective businesses will not conflict in any material respect with any such rights of others. The Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any such rights of others in connection with its patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and know-how, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.
(y) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered ADSs and the application of the proceeds thereof received by the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).
(z) Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have (i) paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties) required to be paid by them, except for any such taxes currently being contested in good faith or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (ii) filed all tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof or have requested extensions thereof, except to the extent that the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received a notice of deficiency or could reasonably be expected to receive a notice of deficiency with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and the provisions included in the consolidated financial statements contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package include appropriate provisions as required under U.S. GAAP for all taxation in respect of the accounting periods to which such consolidated financial statements relate, for which the Company was then or might reasonably be expected thereafter to become or have become liable. Each of the Company’s subsidiaries is in compliance with all material requirements under all applicable PRC laws and regulations to qualify for their exemptions from enterprise income tax (the “Tax Exemptions”) as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and the actual operations and business activities of each of the Company’s subsidiaries are sufficient to meet the qualifications for their Tax Exemptions. No submissions made to any PRC government authority in connection with obtaining their Tax Exemptions contained any misstatement or omission that would have affected the granting of their Tax Exemptions.
(aa) Licenses and Permits. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus: (i) the Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries are each in compliance in all material respects with the terms and conditions of all such licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations; all of such licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations are valid and in full force and effect; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course.
(bb) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers or contractors, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(cc) Compliance with and Liability under Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus: (i) The Company and its subsidiaries (A) are, and at all prior times were, in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and the common law relating to pollution or the protection of the environment, natural resources or human health or safety, including those relating to the generation, storage, treatment, use, handling, transportation, Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, (C) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, (d) are not conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, and investigation, remediation or other corrective action pursuant to any Environmental Law at any location, and (e) are not a party to any order, decree or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Environmental Law, (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such matter, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) (A) there are no proceedings that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceedings
regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (B) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws, including the Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (C) none of the Company and its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws. “Hazardous Materials” means any material, chemical, substance, waste, pollutant, contaminant, compound, mixture, or constituent thereof, in any form or amount, including petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) and petroleum products, natural gas liquids, asbestos and asbestos containing materials, naturally occurring radioactive materials, brine, and drilling mud, regulated or which can give rise to liability under any Environmental Law. “Release” means any spilling, leaking, seepage, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing, depositing, dispersing, or migrating in, into or through the environment, or in, into, from or through any building or structure.
(dd) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
(ee) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, including, but not limited to, 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 U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
(ff) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries, and to the best of the Company’s knowledge having inquired of the owners of the properties leased and operated or managed by the Company, are insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and to the best of the Company’s knowledge after due inquiry the owners of the properties leased and operated or managed by the Company, or their respective assets are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries, and to the best of the Company’s knowledge after due inquiry the owners of the properties leased and operated or managed by the Company, are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or to the best of the Company’s knowledge after due inquiry the owners of the properties leased and operated or managed by the Company, under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it, or to the best of the Company’s knowledge after due inquiry the owners of the properties leased and operated or managed by the Company, will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business; and the Company has obtained or will obtain directors’ and officers’ insurance in such amounts as is customary for an initial public offering.
(gg) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any other similar law in the relevant jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct their businesses; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.
(hh) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(ii) Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering of the Offered ADSs hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(jj) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.
(kk) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered ADSs.
(ll) No Registration Rights. No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares and Offered ADSs by the Company, other than such rights as have been validly exercised or validly waived.
(mm) No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or Offered ADSs.
(nn) Margin Rules. The application of the proceeds received by the Company from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares and Offered ADSs as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
(oo) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(pp) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(qq) The Warrants. The unissued Ordinary Shares that are issuable upon the exercise of warrants (the “Warrants”) in accordance with the provisions of the Warrant Agreement between the Company and DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited as Warrant Agent dated as September 10, 2007 pursuant to which such Warrants were issued (the “Warrant Agreement”) have been duly authorized by the Company and validly reserved for issuance, and on the Closing Date such Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description thereof in Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(rr) Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Offered ADSs and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
(ss) Trust Arrangements. Except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company’s initial investment in Guangzhou 7 Days Hotel Management Co., Ltd., a PRC limited liability company (“7 Days Guangzhou”) and Guangzhou 7 Days Inn Co., Ltd., a PRC limited liability company (“7 Days Inn Guangzhou”) through such two companies’ initial stockholders (the “Investments”) did not violate any applicable PRC Laws and Regulations or any articles of association or bylaws of 7 Days Guangzhou, 7 Days Inn Guangzhou or 7 Days Inn (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., a PRC limited liability company (“7 Days Shenzhen”). The current shareholding structures of 7 Days Guangzhou, 7 Days Inn Guangzhou and 7 Days Shenzhen comply with all applicable PRC Laws and Regulations; no consents, approvals, authorizations, permissions, orders, registrations, filings, exemptions, waivers, endorsements, licenses, annual inspections, clearances or qualifications of a governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or any stock exchange authorities (hereinafter referred to as “Governmental Authorizations”) are required for the current shareholding structures of 7 Days Guangzhou, 7 Days Inn Guangzhou and 7 Days Shenzhen except for those that have already been obtained; and such shareholding structures do not violate any articles of association or bylaws of 7 Days Guangzhou, 7 Days Inn Guangzhou, or 7 Days Shenzhen. Pursuant to an agreement entered into by and between 7 Days Shenzhen and Mr. Nanyan Zheng, Mr. Nanyan Zheng holds 30% of the equity interests in Wuxi Shenglong Hotel Management Co., Ltd. (“Wuxi Shenglong”) on behalf of, and solely for the benefit of, 7 Days Shenzhen. Such arrangement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Mr. Nanyan Zheng, does not violate any applicable PRC Laws and Regulations, and does not violate any articles of association or the memorandum of Wuxi Shenglong or 7 Days Shenzhen or conflict with any existing contracts or agreements to which 7 Days Shenzhen or Mr. Nanyan Zheng is a party. There is no other agreement, contract or other document relating to the corporate structure of any of the Company’s subsidiaries which has not been, to the extent material to the Company, disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(tt) Dividends. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the Shares of the Company may under the current laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands be paid to the Depositary in U.S. dollars or any other currency that may be converted into foreign currency and be
freely transferred out of the Cayman Islands, and all such dividends and other distributions will not be subject to withholding or other taxes under the laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands and are otherwise free and clear of any other tax, withholding or deduction in the Cayman Islands and without the necessity of obtaining any Governmental Authorizations in the Cayman Islands.
(uu) No Commodity Contracts. None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is engaged in any trading activities involving commodity contracts or other trading contracts which are not currently traded on a securities or commodities exchange and for which the market value cannot be determined.
(vv) Transfer Taxes. Other than as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties and no capital gains, income, withholding or other taxes are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters to the government of the Cayman Islands or the PRC, or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with (i) the deposit with the Depositary of Shares by the Company against the issuance of Offered ADSs, (ii) the sale and delivery by the Company of the Shares and the Offered ADSs to or for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters or (iii) the sale and delivery outside the Cayman Islands by the several Underwriters of the Offered ADSs to the initial purchasers thereof in the manner contemplated by this Agreement.
(ww) No Sale, Issuance or Distribution of Shares. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A, Regulation D or Regulation S of the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.
(xx) Foreign Private Issuer. The Company is a “foreign private issuer” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
(yy) Transaction Documents under Cayman Law. Each of the Transaction Documents is in proper form to be enforceable against the Company in the Cayman Islands in accordance with its terms; to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility into evidence in the Cayman Islands of the Transaction Documents, it is not necessary that the Transaction Documents be filed or recorded with any court or other authority in the Cayman Islands (other than court filings in the normal course of proceedings) or that any stamp or similar tax (other than nominal stamp duty if the Transaction Documents are executed in or brought into the Cayman Islands) in the Cayman Islands be paid on or in respect of the Transaction Documents or any other documents to be furnished hereunder.
(zz) PFIC. The Company was not a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) within the meaning of Section 1297(a) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder for the taxable year ending December 31, 2008. Based on the Company’s current projected income, assets and business activities, the Company does not anticipate being classified as a PFIC for the taxable year ending December 31, 2009 or any subsequent taxable years.
(aaa) No Undisclosed Material Indebtedness or Arrangements. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no material indebtedness (actual or contingent) and no material contract or arrangement is outstanding between the Company or any of its subsidiaries and any director or executive officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any person connected with such director or executive officer (including his/her spouse, minor children, any company or undertaking in which he/she holds a controlling interest); there are no material relationships or transactions between the Company or any of its subsidiaries on the one hand and its affiliates, officers and directors or their stockholders, customers or suppliers on the other hand, which, although required to be disclosed, are not disclosed in the Prospectus.
(bbb) Critical Accounting Policies. The section entitled “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations—Critical accounting policies” in the Prospectus truly, accurately and completely in all material respects describes: (i) accounting policies which the Company believes are the most important in the portrayal of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations and which require management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments (“Critical Accounting Policies”); (ii) judgments and uncertainties affecting the application of Critical Accounting Policies; and the likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions; and the Company’s board of directors and management have reviewed and agreed with the selection, application and disclosure of Critical Accounting Policies and have consulted with the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm with regard to such disclosure.
(ccc) No Reduction from Amounts Payable. All amounts payable by the Company under this Agreement shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for or on account of any taxes imposed, assessed or levied by the Cayman Islands or any authority thereof or therein, nor are any taxes imposed in the Cayman Islands on, or by virtue of the execution or delivery of, such documents.
(ddd) Choice of Law. The courts of the Cayman Islands recognize and give effect to the choice of law provisions set forth in Section 17(c) hereof and will enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against the Company in connection with this Agreement under which a sum of money is payable (other than a sum of money payable in respect of multiple damages, taxes or other charges of a like nature or in respect of a fine or other penalty) and would give a judgment based thereon provided that (a) such courts had proper jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment; (b) such courts did not contravene the rules of natural justice of the Cayman Islands; (c) such judgment was not obtained by fraud; (d) the enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands; (e) no new admissible evidence relevant to the action is submitted prior to the rendering of the judgment by the courts of the Cayman Islands; and (f) there is due compliance with the correct procedures under the laws of the Cayman Islands.
(eee) Corporate Structure and Related Party Transactions. The descriptions of the events and transactions set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Our corporate structure” and “Related party transactions” are true, accurate, and complete in all material respects.
(fff) Directed Share Program. (i) The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program; (ii) no approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing with any governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency, other than those heretofore obtained, is required in connection with the offering of the Reserved ADSs in any jurisdiction where the Reserved ADSs are being offered; and (iii) the Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, any offered Reserved ADSs to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (A) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or (B) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products or services.
(ggg) Compliance with PRC Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each of the Company and its subsidiaries that were incorporated outside of the PRC has taken, or is in the process of taking, all reasonable steps to comply with, and to ensure compliance by each of its stockholders, option holders, directors, officers, employees and Directed Share Participants that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or citizen with any applicable rules and regulations of the relevant PRC government agencies (including but not limited to the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange) relating to overseas investment by PRC residents and citizens (the “PRC Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations”), including, without limitation, requesting each stockholder, option holder, director, officer, employee and Participant that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or citizen to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable PRC Overseas Investment and Listing Regulations.
(hhh) PRC Mergers and Acquisitions Rules. The Company is aware of and has been advised as to the content of the Rules on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the “PRC Mergers and Acquisition Rules”) jointly promulgated by the Ministry of Commerce, the State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the State Tax Administration, the State Administration of Industry and Commerce, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC on August 8, 2006, including the relevant provisions thereof which purport to require offshore special purpose entities formed for listing purposes and controlled directly or indirectly by PRC companies or individuals, to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of their securities on an overseas stock exchange. The Company has received legal advice specifically with respect to the PRC Mergers and Acquisitions Rules from its PRC counsel and the Company understands such legal advice. The Company has fully communicated such legal advice from its PRC counsel to each of its directors who signed the Registration Statement and each director has confirmed that he or she understands such legal advice. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the Offered ADSs, the listing and trading of the Offered ADSs on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement is not and will not be, as of the date
hereof or at Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, adversely affected by the PRC Mergers and Acquisitions Rules or any official clarifications, guidance, interpretations or implementation rules in connection with or related to the PRC Mergers and Acquisitions Rules (collectively, the “PRC Mergers and Acquisitions Rules and Related Clarifications”).
(iii) Affiliation. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no affiliations or associations between (i) any member of FINRA and (ii) the Company or any of the Company’s officers, directors or 5% or greater security holders or any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities that were acquired at any time on or after the 180th day immediately preceding the date the Registration Statement was initially submitted to the Commission on a confidential basis.
4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to [3:00 P.M.], New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Offered ADSs as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Offered ADSs is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Offered ADSs by any Underwriter or dealer.
(c) Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.
(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Offered ADSs for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Offered ADSs and, if any such order is issued, will use its best efforts to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not
misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.
(f) Qualification of ADSs. The Company will promptly, from time to time, take such action as you may reasonably request to qualify the Offered ADSs for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may request and comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Offered ADSs; provided that, in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation, file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(g) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.
(h) Clear Market. For a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus the Company will not (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, 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, directly or indirectly, any Ordinary Shares or ADSs or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or ADSs, (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any Ordinary Shares or ADSs, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of any Ordinary Shares or ADSs or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to any Ordinary Shares or ADSs, in each case without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than the Offered ADSs to be sold hereunder and any Ordinary Shares of the Company issued upon the exercise of options that were granted under Company Stock Plans and outstanding on the date of the Prospectus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may grant options under Company Stock Plans during the 180-day restricted period that are exercisable for an aggregate of no more than 500,000 Ordinary Shares, provided that such options may not be exercised during the 180-day restricted period. Further notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the
expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed by this Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Offered ADSs as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds”.
(j) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or Offered ADSs.
(k) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Offered ADSs on the NYSE.
(l) Reports. So long as the Offered ADSs are outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Offered ADSs, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided that the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system.
(m) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
(n) Filings. The Company will file with the Commission such reports as may be required by Rule 463 under the Securities Act.
(o) 462(b) Registration Statement. If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Securities Act.
(p) License. Upon request of any Underwriter, the Company will furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the offering of the Offered ADSs (the “License”); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.
(q) Transfer Taxes. The Company will indemnify and hold each Underwriter harmless against any documentary, stamp or similar issuance or transfer taxes, duties or fees and any transaction levies, commissions or brokerage charges imposed by any government, or any political subdivisions or tax authority thereof or therein, including any interest and penalties, which are or may be required to be paid in connection with the creation, allotment, issuance, offer and distribution of the Shares and Offered ADSs to be sold by the Company and the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, this indemnity does not extend to any income tax assessed on the net income of any Underwriter in its home jurisdiction.
(r) FINRA. In connection with the Directed Share Program, the Company will ensure that the Reserved ADSs will be restricted to the extent required by FINRA or the FINRA rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement; and the Underwriters will notify the Company as to which Directed Share Participants will need to be so restricted; the Company will direct the Depositary to place stop transfer restrictions upon such securities for such period of time.
(s) Compliance with SAFE Rules and Regulations. The Company shall comply with any applicable rules and regulations of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (the “SAFE Rules and Regulations”), and shall use reasonable efforts to cause its directors, officers, option holders and stockholders named in the Company’s share register that are, or that are directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, PRC residents or PRC citizens, to comply with the SAFE Rules and Regulations applicable to them in connection with the Company, including, without limitation, requesting each stockholder named in the Company’s share register, option holder, director and officer that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or PRC citizen to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable SAFE Rules and Regulations.
(t) Conversion to ADSs. The Company will not facilitate any shareholder’s conversion of Ordinary Shares to ADSs during the Lock-Up Period (including any automatic extension thereof as contemplated in Section 4(h)) and not release the Depositary from the obligations set forth in, or otherwise amend, terminate or fail to enforce, the Depositary Agreement without the consent of the Representatives.
(u) No Waiver of Depositary Letter. During the Lock-Up Period (including any automatic extension thereof as contemplated in Section 4(h)), the Company (i) will not waive, terminate or amend or fail to enforce, the Depositary Letter (as defined in Section 6(s)) without the consent of the Representatives and (ii) in the event that an option holder exercises options to acquire Ordinary Shares, (x) will notify such option holder notice of the restrictions on the deposit of Ordinary Shares during the Lock-Up Period and (y) include a legend with respect to such restrictions on the certificates evidencing the Ordinary Shares to be issued to such option holder upon exercise of the options; and the Company will provide the Representatives, the Depositary and each option holder with prior notice of any announcement that gives rise to an automatic extension of the Lock-Up Period (as contemplated in Section 4(h)).
5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees with the Company that:
(a) It has not used, authorized use of, referred to or participated in the planning for use of, and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).
(b) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the offering of the Offered ADSs unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto without the consent of the Company; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.
(c) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).
6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten ADSs on the Closing Date or the Option ADSs on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the
statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Applicable Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, if there are any debt securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any such debt securities or preferred stock and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any such debt securities or preferred stock (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(d) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(h) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Offered ADSs on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, (x) a certificate of the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the best knowledge of such officers, the representations of the Company set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, and (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(f) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, KPMG shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of US Counsel for the Company. O’Melveny & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(h) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of US Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement of Skadden, Arps, Slate, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(i) Opinion of PRC Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the date of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion of Commerce & Finance Law Offices, PRC counsel for the Company, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(j) Opinion of PRC Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the date of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion of Zhong Lun Law Firm, PRC counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(k) Opinion of Cayman Islands Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion of Maple and Calder, Cayman Islands counsel for the Company, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(l) Opinion of Counsel for the Depositary. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Depositary, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(m) No Legal Impediment to Issuance and/or Sale. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares or the Offered ADSs by the Company; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares or Offered ADSs by the Company.
(n) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(o) Exchange Listing. The Offered ADSs to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance.
(p) Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and certain stockholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of Ordinary Shares or ADSs or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(q) Certificates at Closing Date. The Depositary shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, certificates satisfactory to you evidencing the deposit with it of the Shares being so deposited against issuance of the Offered ADSs to be delivered by the Company at the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(r) Adverse Developments in PRC Mergers and Acquisitions Rules. There shall not be any adverse legislative or regulatory developments related to the PRC Mergers and Acquisitions Rules and Related Clarifications which in the sole judgment of the Representatives would make it inadvisable or impractical to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Offered ADSs being delivered at the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated in this Agreement.
(s) Depositary Letter. The Company shall have issued instructions to the Depositary, substantially in the form and substance set forth in Exhibit B hereto (the “Depositary Letter”), instructing the Depositary, during the Lock-Up Period, not to accept any deposit by the persons specified therein of any Ordinary Shares in the Company’s ADS facility or issue any new ADSs to any such person subject to the exceptions stated in the Depositary Letter or further instructions by the Company.
(t) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) or any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in paragraph (b) below.
(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the
following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” and the information contained in the thirteenth and fourteenth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting.”
(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representatives, any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and
(ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the Offered ADSs or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Offered ADSs and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Offered ADSs. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Offered ADSs exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option ADSs, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the NYSE, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Market, the London Stock Exchange, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the Shanghai Stock Exchange or the Shenzhen Stock Exchange; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by U.S. federal, New York State, Hong Kong or PRC authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Offered ADSs on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
10. Defaulting Underwriter.
(a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Offered ADSs that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Offered ADSs by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Offered ADSs, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Offered ADSs on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Offered ADSs of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term
“Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Offered ADSs that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Offered ADSs of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Offered ADSs that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Offered ADSs to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Offered ADSs that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Offered ADSs that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Offered ADSs of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Offered ADSs of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Offered ADSs that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Offered ADSs to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Offered ADSs on the Additional Closing Date, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
11. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and Offered ADSs and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Offered ADSs under the state or foreign securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of
counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the costs and charges of the Depositary, any transfer agent and any registrar; (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA, (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors, including, but not limited to, expenses associated with creating roadshow slides and graphics, public relations consultants engaged in assisting the Company in the roadshow process and travel and lodging expenses of the officers, directors and other members of the Company, including the cost of chartering aircraft and other transportation in connection with the roadshow; and (x) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Offered ADSs on the NYSE.
(b) If the purchase of the Offered ADSs by the Underwriters is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby. If the purchase of the Offered ADSs by the Underwriters is not consummated solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse any non-defaulting Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such non-defaulting Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby but shall have no obligation to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter.
12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Offered ADSs from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Offered ADSs and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.
14. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
15. Submission to Jurisdiction; Appointment of Agent for Service. (a) The Company irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or United States Federal court sitting in The City of New York over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or the offering of the Offered ADSs. The Company irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. To the
extent that the Company has or hereafter may acquire any immunity (on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise) from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process with respect to itself or its property, it irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such immunity in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding.
(b) The Company irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, as its agent for service of process in any suit, action or proceeding described in the preceding paragraph and agrees that service of process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be made upon it at the office of such agent. The Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. The Company represents and warrants that such agent has agreed to act as its agent for service of process, and the Company agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents and instruments, that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect.
16. Judgment Currency. If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder into any currency other than United States dollars, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Underwriters could purchase United States dollars with such other currency in The City of New York on the business day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of the Company with respect to any sum due from it to any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first business day following receipt by such Underwriter or controlling person of any sum in such other currency, and only to the extent that such Underwriter or controlling person may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency. If the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to such Underwriter or controlling person hereunder, the Company agrees as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Underwriter or controlling person against such loss. If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to such Underwriter or controlling person hereunder, such Underwriter or controlling person agrees to pay to the Company an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to such Underwriter or controlling person hereunder.
17. Miscellaneous
(a) Authority of the Representatives Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (fax: ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇); Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, and to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. General Counsel (fax: ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇) and confirmed to the General Counsel, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: General Counsel. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ 510290, PRC (fax: ▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇); Attention: Mr. Haibing (▇▇▇▇) Wu, Chief Financial Officer.
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| 7 Days Group Holdings Limited | ||
| By: |
| |
| Title: |
||
Accepted as of the date first written above
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: |
||
| Title: |
||
| Authorized Signatory | ||
| CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: |
||
| Title: |
||
| Authorized Signatory | ||
| For themselves and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto. | ||
Schedule 1
| Underwriter |
Number of Underwritten ADSs | |||||
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc. |
||||||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
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| ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Inc. |
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| Total | ||||||
Annex A
a. Pricing Disclosure Package
The Free Writing Prospectus filed by the Company with the Commission on November 16, 2009.
[list each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to be included in the Pricing Disclosure Package]
[b. Pricing Information Provided Orally by Underwriters]
[set out key information included in script that will be used by Underwriters to confirm sales]
Annex B
7 Days Group Holdings Limited
Pricing Term Sheet
[TO COME]
Exhibit A
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
, 2009
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES INC.
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
As Representatives of
the several Underwriters listed in
Schedule 1 to the Underwriting
Agreement referred to below
c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
| Re: | 7 Days Group Holdings Limited — Public Offering |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as Representative of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with 7 Days Group Holdings Limited, an exempted company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), representing ordinary shares of the Company, par value $0.125 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the ADSs, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, 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, directly or indirectly, any ADSs or Ordinary Shares, or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for ADSs or Ordinary Shares (including without limitation, ADSs and Ordinary Shares which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of ADSs or Ordinary Shares (whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of ADSs, Ordinary Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise). The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to ADSs or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering, (b) the exercise of any of the undersigned’s rights to acquire Ordinary Shares
upon the exercise of (i) options that were granted under Company Stock Plans (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) and outstanding on the date of the Prospectus or (ii) Warrants (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement), (c) transfers of Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into Ordinary Shares to (i) an immediate family member or a trust formed for the benefit of an immediate family member, (ii) as a bona fide gift, or (iii) through will or intestacy, (d) transfers or distributions of Ordinary Shares to limited partners, members or shareholders of the undersigned, provided that in the case of clauses (c) and (d), each transferee, donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form of this Letter Agreement, or (e) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for the transfer ADSs or Ordinary Shares, provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of ADSs or Ordinary Shares during the 180-day restricted period. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for ADSs or Ordinary Shares during the 180-day restricted period.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed by this Letter Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the ADSs to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.
This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| [NAME OF STOCKHOLDER] | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Exhibit B
FORM OF DEPOSITARY LETTER
, 2009
[Name and address of depositary bank]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Deposit Agreement dated as of [•], 2009 among 7 Days Group Holdings Limited (the “Company”), Citibank, N.A., as depositary (the “Depositary”), and holders of the American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) issued thereunder (the “Deposit Agreement”). Any capitalized term used but not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the Deposit Agreement.
Pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, the Company hereby instructs the Depositary, for a period beginning from [•], 2009, which is the date of the prospectus in relation to the public offering of the ADSs, and continuing to and including the date 180 days thereafter (the “Lock-Up Period”), not to accept any deposit of any ordinary shares of the Company (the “Shares”) in the Company’s ADS facility by, or issue any new ADSs to, directly or indirectly, any shareholder whose name appears on the Company’s member register as of the date hereof attached hereto as Exhibit A, any of the directors and executive officers of the Company as listed in Exhibit B, and holder of the Company’s ordinary share purchase warrants as listed in Exhibit C hereto, or any holder of outstanding options under the Company’s share incentive plan as listed in Exhibit D hereto, except as further instructed by the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, this letter agreement shall not affect the right of ADS holders to cancel their ADSs, withdraw the underlying Shares and/or re-deposit such Shares pursuant to General Instructions of Form F-6.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed by this Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event. In the event that the Lock-Up Period is extended pursuant to the foregoing, the Company shall further instruct the Depositary to extend the restrictions imposed by this letter agreement.
This agreement shall terminate upon the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, or upon any further instructions from the Company. This agreement shall not be amended without the prior written consent of the representatives of the underwriters for the Company’s initial public offering of ADSs consummated on the date hereof.
Very truly yours,
| 7 DAYS GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED | ||
| By: |
| |
| Title: | ||