EXHIBIT 1.1
DRAFT OF 4/30/98
CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
5,000,000 Shares of Class A Common Stock
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated: May __, 1998
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
PURCHASE AGREEMENT...........................................................1
SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.............................3
a. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES BY THE COMPANY..............3
i. COMPLIANCE WITH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS.............3
ii. INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS...............................4
iii. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS..................................4
iv. NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE IN BUSINESS................4
v. GOOD STANDING OF THE COMPANY..........................4
vi. GOOD STANDING OF SUBSIDIARIES.........................5
vii. CAPITALIZATION........................................5
viii.AUTHORIZATION OF AGREEMENT............................5
ix. AUTHORIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES...........5
x. ABSENCE OF DEFAULTS AND CONFLICTS.....................6
xi. ABSENCE OF LABOR DISPUTE..............................6
xii. ABSENCE OF PROCEEDINGS................................7
xiii.ACCURACY OF EXHIBITS..................................7
xiv. POSSESSION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY...................7
xv. ABSENCE OF FURTHER REQUIREMENTS.......................7
xvi. POSSESSION OF LICENSES AND PERMITS....................7
xvii.TITLE TO PROPERTY.....................................8
xviii.COMPLIANCE WITH CUBA ACT.............................8
xix. INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT................................8
xx. ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS....................................8
xxi. REGISTRATION RIGHTS...................................9
xxii.LISTING OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK.......................9
xxiii.TAXES................................................9
▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ COVERAGE....................................9
b. OFFICER'S CERTIFICATES....................................10
SECTION 2. SALE AND DELIVERY TO UNDERWRITERS; CLOSING................10
a. INITIAL SECURITIES........................................10
b. OPTION SECURITIES.........................................10
c. PAYMENT...................................................10
d. DENOMINATIONS; REGISTRATION...............................11
SECTION 3. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY..................................11
a. COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES REGULATIONS AND COMMISSION
REQUESTS..................................................11
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b. FILING OF AMENDMENTS......................................12
c. DELIVERY OF REGISTRATION STATEMENTS.......................12
d. DELIVERY OF PROSPECTUSES..................................12
e. CONTINUED COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAWS.................12
f. BLUE SKY QUALIFICATIONS...................................13
g. RULE 158..................................................13
h. USE OF PROCEEDS...........................................13
i. LISTING...................................................13
j. RESTRICTION ON SALE OF SECURITIES.........................14
k. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS....................................14
SECTION 4. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.......................................14
a. EXPENSES..................................................14
b. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT..................................15
SECTION 5. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS...................15
a. EFFECTIVENESS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT...................15
b. OPINION OF ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P..........................15
c. OPINION OF ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ P.C..............................16
d. OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR UNDERWRITERS.......................16
e. OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE.....................................16
f. ACCOUNTANT'S COMFORT LETTER...............................16
g. BRING-DOWN COMFORT LETTER.................................17
h. APPROVAL OF LISTING.......................................17
i. NO OBJECTION..............................................17
j. LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS........................................17
k. CONDITIONS TO PURCHASE OF OPTION SECURITIES...............17
l. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS......................................18
m. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT..................................18
SECTION 6. INDEMNIFICATION...........................................18
a. INDEMNIFICATION OF UNDERWRITERS...........................18
b. INDEMNIFICATION OF COMPANY, DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS........19
c. ACTIONS AGAINST PARTIES; NOTIFICATION.....................19
d. SETTLEMENT WITHOUT CONSENT IF FAILURE TO REIMBURSE........20
SECTION 7. CONTRIBUTION..............................................20
SECTION 8. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE
DELIVERY..................................................22
SECTION 9. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT..................................22
a. TERMINATION; GENERAL......................................22
b. LIABILITIES...............................................22
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SECTION 10. DEFAULT BY ONE OR MORE OF THE UNDERWRITERS................22
SECTION 11. NOTICES...................................................23
SECTION 12. PARTIES...................................................23
SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME....................................24
SECTION 14. EFFECT OF HEADINGS........................................24
SCHEDULES
Schedule A - List of Underwriters..........................Sch A-1
Schedule B - Public Offering Price.........................Sch B-1
Schedule C - Persons to Deliver Lock-up Letters............Sch C-1
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A - Form of Opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P...........A-1
Exhibit B - Form of Opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ P.C...............B-1
Exhibit C - Form of Lock-up Letter.............................C-1
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CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
5,000,000 Shares of Class A Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
May __, 1998
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & CO.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
Incorporated
ABN AMRO Incorporated
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc.
as Representative of the several Underwriters
▇/▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
Incorporated
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), confirms
its agreement with ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
Incorporated ("▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇") and each of the other Underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto (collectively, the "Underwriters," which term shall also
include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10
hereof), for whom ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ABN AMRO Incorporated, Credit Suisse First
Boston Corporation and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc. are acting as
representatives (in such capacity, the "Representatives"), with respect to the
issue and sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting
severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of Class A Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company ("Class A Common Stock") set
forth in said Schedule A, and with respect to the grant by the Company to the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in
Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 750,000 additional shares of
Class A Common Stock to cover over-allotments, if any. The aforesaid 5,000,000
shares of Class A Common Stock (the "Initial Securities") to be purchased by
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the Underwriters and all or any part of the 750,000 shares of Class A Common
Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the "Option
Securities") are hereinafter called, collectively, the "Securities."
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public
offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after
this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-51153) covering the
registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses.
Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will either
(i) prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A
("Rule 430A") of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act
(the "1933 Act Regulations") and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule 424(b)") of
the 1933 Act Regulations or (ii) if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule
434 ("Rule 434") of the 1933 Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a
"Term Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b). The
information included in such prospectus or in such Term Sheet, as the case may
be, that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became
effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the
time it became effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred
to as "Rule 430A Information" or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is
referred to as "Rule 434 Information." Each prospectus used before such
registration statement became effective, and any prospectus that omitted, as
applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434 Information, that was used
after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, is herein called a "preliminary prospectus." Such registration
statement, including the exhibits thereto and schedules thereto at the time it
became effective and including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434
Information, as applicable, is herein called the "Registration Statement." Any
registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations
is herein referred to as the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement," and after
such filing the term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement. The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the
Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities is herein
called the "Prospectus." If Rule 434 is relied on, the term "Prospectus" shall
refer to the preliminary prospectus dated May __, 1998 together with the Term
Sheet, and all references in this Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall
mean the date of the Term Sheet. For purposes of this Agreement, all references
to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any
Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be
deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic
Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("▇▇▇▇▇").
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SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
a. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES BY THE COMPANY. The Company
represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the
Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery
(if any) referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter,
as follows:
i. COMPLIANCE WITH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS. Each of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has
become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to
the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any
request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been
complied with. At the respective times the Registration Statement, any
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments
thereto became effective and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option
Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), the Registration
Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments and
supplements thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with
the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and did not
and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any
amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such
amendment or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any
Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), included or
will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. If Rule 434 is used, the Company will comply with the
requirements of Rule 434 and the Prospectus shall not be "materially
different," as such term is used in Rule 434, from the prospectus included
in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective. The
representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to
statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or Prospectus
made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the
Company in writing by any Underwriter through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ expressly for
use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus.
Each preliminary prospectus and the prospectus filed as part of the
Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment
thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act, complied when
so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and, if
applicable, each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to
the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to
the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission
pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
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ii. INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS. The accountants who certified the
financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration
Statement are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act
and the 1933 Act Regulations.
iii. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. The financial statements included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the related
schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company
and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement
of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial
statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout
the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, included in the
Registration Statement present fairly in accordance with GAAP the
information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and
the summary financial information included in the Prospectus present
fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis
consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the
Registration Statement.
iv. NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE IN BUSINESS. Since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in
the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and
its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in
the ordinary course of business (a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B) there
have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which
are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered
as one enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of
any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital
stock.
v. GOOD STANDING OF THE COMPANY. The Company has been duly organized
and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws
of the state of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own,
lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described
in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this
Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in
which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership
or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
vi. GOOD STANDING OF SUBSIDIARIES. Each of [List Subsidiaries] (each
a "Subsidiary" and, collectively, the "Subsidiaries") has been duly
organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under
the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and
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to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly
qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required,
whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct
of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good
standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as
otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and
outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized
and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the
Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security
interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, except
those Subsidiaries incorporated in Ohio, of which up to 20% of the common
stock of each such Subsidiaries is owned by third parties; none of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in
violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of
such Subsidiary. The only subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries
listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement.
vii. CAPITALIZATION. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital
stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus in the column
entitled "Actual" under the caption "Capitalization" (except for
subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to
reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the
Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or
options referred to in the Prospectus). The shares of issued and
outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and
validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation
of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the
Company.
viii. AUTHORIZATION OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
ix. AUTHORIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES. The Securities have
been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to
this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to
this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will
be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; the Class A Common
Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the
Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the
instruments defining the same; no holder of the Securities will be subject
to personal liability by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance
of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights
of any securityholder of the Company.
x. ABSENCE OF DEFAULTS AND CONFLICTS. Neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or in default
in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or
condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement
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or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party
or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the
property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject
(collectively, "Agreements and Instruments") except for such defaults that
would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement (including the
issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of proceeds from the sale
of Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of
Proceeds") and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder
have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and
will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time
or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment
Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of
any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company
or any Subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for
such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances
that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action
result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the
Company or any Subsidiary or any applicable law, statute, rule,
regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government
instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over
the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or
operations. As used herein, a "Repayment Event" means any event or
condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence
of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's behalf) the right
to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of
such indebtedness by the Company or any Subsidiary.
xi. ABSENCE OF LABOR DISPUTE. No labor dispute with the employees of
the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company,
is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent
labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any Subsidiary's
principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in
either case, may reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
xii. ABSENCE OF PROCEEDINGS. There is no action, suit, proceeding,
inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental
agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of
the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any
Subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which might reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably
be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets
thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this
Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder;
the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which
the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or of which any of their
respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in
the Registration Statement, including ordinary
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routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
xiii. ACCURACY OF EXHIBITS. There are no contracts or documents
which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so
described and filed as required.
xiv. POSSESSION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. The Company and its
Subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate
patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how
(including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable
proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures),
trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property
(collectively, "Intellectual Property") necessary to carry on the business
now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or
conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual
Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any
Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or
conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding)
or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
xv. ABSENCE OF FURTHER REQUIREMENTS. No filing with, or
authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency
is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale
of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained
or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or
under state securities laws.
xvi. POSSESSION OF LICENSES AND PERMITS. The Company and its
Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other
authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued by the
appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies
necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the
failure to possess such Governmental Licenses would not, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its
Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such
Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not,
singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the
Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when
the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such
Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not have a
Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the
revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly
or in the aggregate, if the
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subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
xvii. TITLE TO PROPERTY. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good
and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its
Subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each
case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests,
claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are
described in the Prospectus or (b) do not, singly or in the aggregate,
materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the
use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the
business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one
enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds
properties described in the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and
neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any notice of any material
claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights
of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases
mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or
such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased
premises under any such lease or sublease.
xviii.COMPLIANCE WITH CUBA ACT. The Company and its Subsidiaries
have complied with, and are and will be in compliance with, the provisions
of that certain Florida act relating to disclosure of doing business with
Cuba, codified as Section 517.075 of the Florida statutes, and the rules
and regulations thereunder (collectively, the "Cuba Act") or are exempt
therefrom.
xix. INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT. The Company is not, and upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus
will not be, an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an
"investment company" as such terms are defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended.
xx. ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS. Except as described in the Registration
Statement and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a
Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign
statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common
law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including
any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment,
relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment
(including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater,
land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without
limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened
release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances,
hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively,
"Hazardous Materials") or to the manufacture, processing, distribution,
use, treatment,
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storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials
(collectively, "Environmental Laws"), (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries
have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any
applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their
requirements, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative,
regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims,
liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings
relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that might
reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or
remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or
governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental
Laws.
xxi. REGISTRATION RIGHTS. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus,
there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to
have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or
otherwise registered by the Company under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇. All persons with
registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities
registered pursuant to the Registration Statement have waived such rights
in writing.
xxii. LISTING OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK. The Class A Common Stock has
been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to
official notice of issuance.
xxiii.TAXES. All tax returns required to be filed by the Company
have been timely filed and such returns are true, complete and correct in
all material respects, except for certain franchise tax reports for
certain Subsidiaries that have had no Material Adverse Effect. All taxes
due or claimed to be due from the Company that are due and payable have
been paid, other than those (i) being contested in good faith and for
which an adequate reserve or accrual has been established in accordance
with GAAP or (ii) those currently payable without penalty or interest for
which an adequate reserve or accrual has been established in accordance
with GAAP or extensions duly paid. Except as described in the Prospectus,
the Company does not know of (A) any actual or proposed material
additional tax assessments or (B) any probable basis for the imposition of
any material additional tax assessments for any fiscal period against the
Company.
xxiv. INSURANCE COVERAGE. The Company and each Subsidiary maintains
insurance, which is in full force and effect, of the types and in the
amounts customary in the funeral home and cemetery business. Neither the
Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be
able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage
expires or to obtain similar coverage from insurers at a cost that would
not have a Material Adverse Effect.
b. OFFICER'S CERTIFICATES. Any certificate signed by any officer of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to
counsel for the Underwriters shall
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be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to
the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. SALE AND DELIVERY TO UNDERWRITERS; CLOSING.
a. INITIAL SECURITIES. On the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not
jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase
from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, the number of
Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such
Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such
Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of
Section 10 hereof.
b. OPTION SECURITIES. In addition, on the basis of the
representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 750,000
shares of Class A Common Stock at the price per share set forth in Schedule B,
less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the
Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option
Securities. The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof
and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose
of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection with the offering
and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Representatives to
the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the
several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of
payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of
delivery (a "Date of Delivery") shall be determined by the Representatives, but
shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said
option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined. If
the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each
of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that
proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which
the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of
such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in
each case to such adjustments as the Representatives in their discretion shall
make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
c. PAYMENT. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
& ▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P., ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, or at such
other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at
9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30
P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless
postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time
not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the
Representatives and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery
being herein called "Closing Time").
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In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are
purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery
of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned
offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives
and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the
Representatives to the Company.
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to
the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of
certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that
each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept
delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the
Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to
purchase. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, individually and not as representative of the
Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase
price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be
purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing
Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment
shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
d. DENOMINATIONS; REGISTRATION. Certificates for the Initial
Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and
registered in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least
one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery,
as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the
Representatives in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time)
on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery,
as the case may be.
SECTION 3. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company covenants with each
Underwriter as follows:
a. COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES REGULATIONS AND COMMISSION REQUESTS.
The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule
430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify the Representatives
immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective, or any
supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed,
(ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by
the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment
or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the
Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or
threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will
promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such
steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus
transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the
Commission and, in the event that it was not,
-11-
it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable
effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is
issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
b. FILING OF AMENDMENTS. The Company will give the Representatives
notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration
Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)), any Term Sheet or any
amendment, supplement or revision to either the prospectus included in the
Registration Statement at the time it became effective or to the Prospectus will
furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable
amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and
will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel
for the Underwriters shall object.
c. DELIVERY OF REGISTRATION STATEMENTS. The Company has furnished or
will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without
charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of
each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by
reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and reports of accountants,
and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy
of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto
(without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration
Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be
identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
d. DELIVERY OF PROSPECTUSES. The Company has delivered to each
Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as
such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the
use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will
furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the
Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), such number of copies of the
Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably
request. If applicable, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto
furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except
to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
e. CONTINUED COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAWS. The Company will
comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this
Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required by
the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any
event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary,
in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the
Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the
Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is
delivered to a purchaser, or if
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it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend
the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to
comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the
Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section
3(b), such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement
or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with
such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number
of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably
request.
f. BLUE SKY QUALIFICATIONS. The Company will use all reasonable
efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for
offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other
jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to
maintain such qualifications in effect for as long as required for distribution
of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to
file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign
corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not
so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in
any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction
in which the Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such
statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to
continue such qualification in effect for as long as required for distribution
of the Securities.
g. RULE 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to
the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its
securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes
of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section
11(a) of the 1933 Act.
h. USE OF PROCEEDS. The Company will use the net proceeds received
by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Prospectus
under "Use of Proceeds".
i. LISTING. The Company will use its best efforts to maintain the
quotation of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange and will file with
the New York Stock Exchange all documents and notices required by the New York
Stock Exchange of companies that have securities that are traded on the New York
Stock Exchange.
j. RESTRICTION ON SALE OF SECURITIES. During a period of 90 days
from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written
consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, 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 any share of Class A Common Stock or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Class A Common Stock or file
any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the
foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction
that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic
consequence of ownership of the Class A Common Stock, whether any such swap or
transaction described in
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clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Class A Common Stock or
such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not
apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Class A
Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or
the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in
the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Class A Common Stock issued or options to
purchase Class A Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit
plans of the Company referred to in the Prospectus (D) any shares of Class A
Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee stock option plan or (E) any
shares of Class A Common Stock or any securities convertible or exchangeable
into Class A Common Stock issued as payment of any part of the purchase price
for funeral homes or cemeteries (or businesses or capital stock of businesses
that operate funeral homes or cemeteries) which are acquired by the Company
(provided, however, that such shares shall be subject to restrictions that will
prohibit the transfer thereof until after the expiration of the 90-day lock-up
period described in the preceding sentence).
k. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. The Company, during the period when the
Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will
file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934
Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
SECTION 4. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. a. EXPENSES. The Company will pay all
expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement,
including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement
(including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each
amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the
Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters and such other
documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale,
issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and
delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including
any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the
sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees
and disbursements of the Company's counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v)
the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the
provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in
connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement
thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each
preliminary prospectus, any Term Sheets and of the Prospectus and any amendments
or supplements thereto, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the
Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii)
the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities,
(ix) the filing fees incident to [, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel to the Underwriters in connection with,] the review by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") of the terms of the sale of
the Securities and (x) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange.
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b. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section
9(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their
out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters.
SECTION 5. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS. The obligations of the
several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof or
in certificates of any officer of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company
delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company
of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further
conditions:
a. EFFECTIVENESS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Registration
Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become
effective under the 1933 Act and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the
1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and
any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have
been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the
Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been
filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) (or a post-effective
amendment providing such information shall have been filed and declared
effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the Company
has elected to rely upon Rule 434, a Term Sheet shall have been filed with the
Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b).
b. OPINION OF ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing
Time, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, L.L.P., counsel for the Company, in form and substance
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced
copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth
in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters
may reasonably request. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all
matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of
New York, the law of the State of Texas, the federal law of the United States
and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, upon the opinions of
counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also state that,
insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the
extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its
Subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
c. OPINION OF ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ P.C. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing
Time, of ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, a Professional Corporation, counsel for the Company, in
form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with
signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to
the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto and to such further effect as counsel
to the Underwriters may reasonably request. In giving such opinion such counsel
may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the
law of the State of Texas, the federal law of the United States and the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, upon the opinions
-15-
of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also state
that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the
extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its
Subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
d. OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR UNDERWRITERS. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing
Time, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, together with
signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters
with respect to the matters set forth in clauses (i), (ii), (iv), (v) (solely as
to preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of law or under the
charter or by-laws of the Company), (vi) through (viii), inclusive, (xi), (xii)
(solely as to the information in the Prospectus under "Description of Capital
Stock--Class A Common Stock") and the last paragraph of Exhibit A hereto. In
giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the
laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York the federal
law of the United States and the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such
counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters,
they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers
of the Company and its Subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
e. OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE. At Closing Time, there shall not have
been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or
business prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the
Representatives shall have received a certificate of the President or a Vice
President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer
of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been
no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in
Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as
though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied
with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or
satisfied at or prior to Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings
for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or are contemplated by the
Commission.
f. ACCOUNTANT'S COMFORT LETTER. At the time of the execution of this
Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP a
letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for
each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type
ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
g. BRING-DOWN COMFORT LETTER. At Closing Time, the Representatives
shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time,
to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished
pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section, except
-16-
that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business
days prior to Closing Time.
h. APPROVAL OF LISTING. At Closing Time, the Securities shall have
been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to
official notice of issuance.
i. NO OBJECTION. The NASD has confirmed that it has not raised any
objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting
terms and arrangements.
j. LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS. At the date of this Agreement, the
Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of
Exhibit C hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule C hereto.
k. CONDITIONS TO PURCHASE OF OPTION SECURITIES. In the event that
the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to
purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and
warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any
certificates furnished by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company hereunder
shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date
of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:
i. OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE. A certificate, dated such Date of
Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the
chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that
the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e)
hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
ii. OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR COMPANY. The favorable opinions of ▇▇▇▇▇▇
& ▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P. and ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, a Professional Corporation, counsel for
the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option
Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the
same effect as the opinions required by Sections 5(b) and (c) hereof.
iii. OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR UNDERWRITERS. The favorable opinion of
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of
Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date
of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by
Section 5(d) hereof.
iv. BRING-DOWN COMFORT LETTER. A letter from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date
of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter
furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof, except
that the "specified date" in the letter furnished pursuant to this
paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior to such Date of
Delivery.
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l. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS. At Closing Time and at each Date of
Delivery, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such
documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to
pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in
order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or
the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings
taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities
as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
m. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. If any condition specified in this
Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this
Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option
Securities, on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option
Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at
any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may
be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8
shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. INDEMNIFICATION.
a. INDEMNIFICATION OF UNDERWRITERS. The Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act as follows:
i. against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information
and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or the omission or alleged
omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
included in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
ii. against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in
settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section
6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of
the Company; and
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iii. against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including
the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇), reasonably
incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation,
or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body,
commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such
untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or
omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or
(ii) above;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and
the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
b. INDEMNIFICATION OF COMPANY, DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. Each
Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its
directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a)
of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or
omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and
the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter
through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto) or such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
c. ACTIONS AGAINST PARTIES; NOTIFICATION. Each indemnified party
shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying
party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be
sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not
relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is
not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve
it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this
indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a)
above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel
to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying
party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action;
provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with
the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party.
In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of
more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own
counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or
separate but similar or related actions in
-19-
the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of
the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any
judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by
any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought
under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties
are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or
consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and
(ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or
a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
d. SETTLEMENT WITHOUT CONSENT IF FAILURE TO REIMBURSE. If at any
time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to
reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such
indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the
nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if
(i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such
indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall
have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to
such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not
have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to
the date of such settlement.
SECTION 7. CONTRIBUTION. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6
hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or
expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement 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) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the
other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective
proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company
and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case
as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, or, if Rule 434 is used, the
corresponding location on the Term Sheet, bear to the aggregate initial public
offering price of the Securities as set forth on such cover.
-20-
The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on
the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or 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
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 which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate
amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an
indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public
were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any 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 ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and
each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall
have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters'
respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in
proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their
respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
SECTION 8. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE DELIVERY.
All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in
certificates of officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries submitted
pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless
of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or controlling
person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive delivery of the
Securities to the Underwriters.
-21-
SECTION 9. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.
a. TERMINATION; GENERAL. The Representatives may terminate this
Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i)
if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse
change in the financial markets in the United States, any outbreak of
hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or
development involving a prospective change in national or international
political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is
such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to
market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or
(iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or
materially limited by the Commission or the [Nasdaq National Market], or if
trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange
or in the [Nasdaq National Market] has been suspended or materially limited, or
minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for
prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by
order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or
any other governmental authority, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been
declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
b. LIABILITIES. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this
Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections
1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and
effect.
SECTION 10. DEFAULT BY ONE OR MORE OF THE UNDERWRITERS. If one or more of
the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase
the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement
(the "Defaulted Securities"), the Representatives shall have the right, within
24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all,
of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the
terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have
completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
a. if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the
number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting
Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full
amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations
hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting
Underwriters, or
-22-
b. if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number
of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to
any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Option Securities to be
purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on
the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of
this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing
Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities,
as the case may be, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the
right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may
be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required
changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements. As used herein, the term "Underwriter" includes any person
substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11. NOTICES. All notices and other communications hereunder shall
be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or
transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the
Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives at North Tower, World
Financial Center, New York, New York 10281-1201, attention of ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇;
and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, attention of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇.
SECTION 12. PARTIES. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and
be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective
successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or
shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling
persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their
heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This
Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the
sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their
respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors
and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other
person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter
shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY
AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. EXCEPT AS
OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
-23-
SECTION 14. EFFECT OF HEADINGS. The Article and Section headings herein
and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the
construction hereof.
-24-
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement
between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC.
By: _________________________
Title:
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & CO.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LYNCH, PIERCE, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
INCORPORATED
ABN AMRO INCORPORATED
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & ASSOCIATES, INC.
By: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LYNCH, PIERCE, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
INCORPORATED
By _____________________________________
Authorized Signatory
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto.
-25-
SCHEDULE A
Number of
Initial
NAME OF UNDERWRITER SECURITIES
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
Incorporated...........................................
ABN AMRO Incorporated.........................................
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation........................
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc...............................
------------
Total......................................................... 5,000,000
============
Sch A-1
SCHEDULE B
Carriage Services, Inc.
5,000,000 Shares of Class A Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
1. The public offering price per share for the Securities, determined as
provided in said Section 2, shall be $_____.
2. The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several
Underwriters shall be $_____, being an amount equal to the public offering price
set forth above less $_____ per share; provided that the purchase price per
share for any Option Securities purchased upon the exercise of the
over-allotment option described in Section 2(b) shall be reduced by an amount
per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and
payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.
Sch B-2
SCHEDULE C
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇'▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
C. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Sch C-1
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P.
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate
its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to
enter into and perform its obligations under the Purchase Agreement.
(iii) [TO BE COVERED BY ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ OR ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇] The authorized,
issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the
Prospectus in the column entitled "Actual" under the caption "Capitalization"
(except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to the Purchase Agreement or
pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in
the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options
referred to in the Prospectus); the shares of issued and outstanding capital
stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid and non-assessable; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of
the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of
any securityholder of the Company.
(iv) The Securities have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the
Underwriters pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and, when issued and delivered
by the Company pursuant to the Purchase Agreement against payment of the
consideration set forth in the Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued and
fully paid and non-assessable and no holder of the Securities is or will be
subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder.
(v) The issuance of the Securities is not subject to preemptive or other
similar rights of any securityholder of the Company other than such rights as
have been waived in writing.
(vi) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Company.
(vii) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, has been declared effective under the 1933 Act; any required filing
of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within
the time period required by Rule 424(b); and, to our knowledge, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or a Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for
that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the
Commission.
A-1
(viii)The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, as
applicable, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement and Prospectus as of their respective effective or issue dates (other
than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or
omitted therefrom, as to which we need express no opinion) complied as to form
in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations.
(ix) If Rule 434 has been relied upon, the Prospectus was not "materially
different," as such term is used in Rule 434, from the prospectus included in
the Registration Statement at the time it became effective.
(x) The Company has made all filings required to be made under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 prior to the date hereof.
(xi) The form of certificate used to evidence the Class A Common Stock
complies in all material respects with all applicable statutory requirements,
with any applicable requirements of the charter and bylaws of the Company and
the requirements of the [Nasdaq National Market].
(xii) The information in the Prospectus under "Description of Capital
Stock--Common Stock," "--Preferred Stock" and "--Series D Preferred Stock" to
the extent that it constitutes matters of law, summaries of legal matters, the
Company's charter and bylaws or legal conclusions, has been reviewed by us and
is correct in all material respects.
(xiii)To our knowledge, there are no statutes or regulations that are
required to be described in the Prospectus that are not described as required.
(xiv) All descriptions in the Registration Statement of contracts and other
documents to which the Company or its subsidiaries are a party are accurate in
all material respects; to the best of our knowledge, there are no franchises,
contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other
instruments required to be described or referred to in the Registration
Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other than those described or
referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto,
and the descriptions thereof or references thereto are correct in all material
respects.
(xv) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order,
registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or
agency, domestic or foreign (other than under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be required under the
securities or blue sky laws of the various states, as to which we need express
no opinion) is necessary or required in connection with the due authorization,
execution and delivery of the Purchase Agreement or for the offering, issuance
or sale of the Securities.
(xvi) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement and
in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities
and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described
A-2
in the Prospectus under the caption "Use Of Proceeds") and compliance by the
Company with its obligations under the Purchase Agreement do not and will not,
result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws of the
Company or any Subsidiary, or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation,
judgment, order, writ or decree, known to us, of any government, government
instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the
Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties, assets or
operations.
(xvii)[TO BE COVERED BY ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ OR ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇] To the best of our
knowledge, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights
to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or
otherwise registered by the Company under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
(xviiiThe Company is not an "investment company" or an entity "controlled"
by an "investment company,"as such terms are defined in the 1940 Act.
Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, including the Rule 430A
Information and Rule 434 Information (if applicable), (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time such Registration
Statement or any such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus
was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued
or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted or omits 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.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact (but
not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of
responsible officers of the Company and public officials. Such opinion shall not
state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is otherwise subject
to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to legal opinions,
including, without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the ABA Section of
Business Law (1991).
A-3
Exhibit B
FORM OF OPINION OF ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ P.C.
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(c)
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(ii) [TO BE COVERED BY ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ OR ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇] The authorized,
issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the
Prospectus in the column entitled "Actual" under the caption "Capitalization"
(except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to the Purchase Agreement or
pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in
the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options
referred to in the Prospectus); the shares of issued and outstanding capital
stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid and non-assessable; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of
the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of
any securityholder of the Company.
(iii)The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact
business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or
to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(iv) Each Subsidiary has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is
duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether
by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business,
except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not
result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the
Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each
Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and
non-assessable and, to the best of our knowledge, is owned by the Company,
directly or through Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding
shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the
preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary.
(v) To the best of our knowledge, there is not pending or threatened any
action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to which the Company or any
Subsidiary is a party, or to which the property of the Company or any Subsidiary
is subject, before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body,
domestic or foreign, which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the
B-1
consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement or the
performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder.
(vi) To the best of our knowledge, there are no statutes or regulations that
are required to be described in the Prospectus that are not described as
required.
(vii)All descriptions in the Registration Statement of contracts and other
documents to which the Company or its subsidiaries are a party are accurate in
all material respects; to the best of our knowledge, there are no franchises,
contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other
instruments required to be described or referred to in the Registration
Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other than those described or
referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto,
and the descriptions thereof or references thereto are correct in all material
respects.
(viii)The information in the Prospectus under "Shares Eligible for Future
Sale," and in the Registration Statement under item 15, to the extent that it
constitutes matters of law, summaries of legal matters, or legal proceedings, or
legal conclusions, has been reviewed by us and is correct in all material
respects.
(ix) To the best of our knowledge, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is
in violation of its charter or by-laws and no default by the Company or any
Subsidiary exists in the due performance or observance of any material
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or
instrument that is described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.
(x) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement and
in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities
and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the
Prospectus under the caption "Use Of Proceeds") and compliance by the Company
with its obligations under the Purchase Agreement do not and will not, whether
with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, conflict with or
constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined in Section
1(a)(x) of the Purchase Agreement) under or result in the creation or imposition
of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or
any Subsidiary pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
loan or credit agreement, note, lease or any other agreement or instrument,
known to us, to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which it or
any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the
Company or any Subsidiary is subject (except for such conflicts, breaches or
defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not have a Material
Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions
of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any applicable
law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree, known to us, of
any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective
properties, assets or operations.
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(xi) [TO BE COVERED BY ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ OR ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇] To the best of our
knowledge, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights
to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or
otherwise registered by the Company under the 1933 Act.
Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, including the Rule 430A
Information and Rule 434 Information (if applicable), (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time such Registration
Statement or any such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus
was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued
or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted or omits 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.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact (but
not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of
responsible officers of the Company and public officials. Such opinion shall not
state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is otherwise subject
to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to legal opinions,
including, without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the ABA Section of
Business Law (1991).
▇-▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇
, ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & CO.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LYNCH, PIERCE, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
INCORPORATED,
ABN AMRO INCORPORATED
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & ASSOCIATES, INC.
as Representative(s) of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Purchase Agreement
▇/▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
Incorporated
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Re: PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING BY CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC.
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, a stockholder [and an officer and/or director] of Carriage
Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), understands that ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated ("▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇"), ABN AMRO Incorporated, Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation and
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc. propose to enter into a Purchase Agreement (the
"Purchase Agreement") with the Company providing for the public offering of
shares (the "Securities") of the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per
share (the "Common Stock"). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering
will confer upon the undersigned as a stockholder [and an officer and/or
director] of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees
with each underwriter to be named in the Purchase Agreement that, during a
period of 90 days from the date of the Purchase Agreement, the undersigned will
not, without the prior written consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, directly or indirectly,
(i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to
purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or
warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of the
Company's Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or
exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the
undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires
the power of disposition, or
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file any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other
agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or
indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether
any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or
other securities, in cash or otherwise.
Very truly yours,
Signature:
Print Name:
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