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EXHIBIT 1.1
FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
May __, ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Company
Dain Rausscher ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Ladenburg ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Inc.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
INTRODUCTORY. Alloy Online, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in
SCHEDULE A (the "Underwriters") an aggregate of [___] shares (the "Firm Shares")
of its Common Stock, par value $[___] per share (the "Common Shares"). In
addition, the Company has granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase up
to an additional [___] Common Shares (the "Option Shares") as provided in
Section 2. The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised,
the Option Shares are collectively called the "Shares". BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc., ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Company, Dain Rausscher ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and
Ladenburg ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. have agreed to act as representatives of the several
Underwriters (in such capacity, the "Representatives") in connection with the
offering and sale of the Shares.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No.
333-74159), which contains a form of prospectus to be used in connection with
the public offering and sale of the Shares. Such registration statement, as
amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in
the form in which it was declared effective by the Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder
(collectively, the "Securities Act"), including any information deemed to be a
part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434
under the Securities Act, is called the "Registration Statement".
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Any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under
the Securities Act is called the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement", and from
and after the date and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
the term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement. Such prospectus, in the form first used by the Underwriters to
confirm sales of the Shares, is called the "Prospectus"; provided, however, if
the Company has, with the consent of BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc., elected
to rely upon Rule 434 under the Securities Act, the term "Prospectus" shall mean
the Company's prospectus subject to completion (each, a "preliminary
prospectus") dated [___]1 (such preliminary prospectus is called the "Rule 434
preliminary prospectus"), together with the applicable term sheet (the "Term
Sheet") prepared and filed by the Company with the Commission under Rules 434
and 424(b) under the Securities Act and all references in this Agreement to the
date of the Prospectus shall mean the date of the Term Sheet. All references in
this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the Term Sheet, or any
amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy
thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering,
Analysis and Retrieval System ("▇▇▇▇▇").
The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as
follows:
SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company
hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration
Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared
effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has complied
to the Commission's satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for
additional or supplemental information. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted
or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or
threatened by the Commission.
Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied
in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic
transmission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇ (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T
under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the
Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. Each
of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at all
subsequent times, complied and will comply in all material respects with the
Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a
material
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1 Complete with the date of the Company's most recent preliminary
prospectus that was circulated to prospective offerees.
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fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, as of its date and at all subsequent times, did not and will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations
and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply
to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the
Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and
in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the
Company in writing by the Representative expressly for use therein. There are no
contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be
filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or
filed as required.
(b) Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriters. The Company has
delivered to the Representative four complete conformed copies of the
Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a
part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without
exhibits) and preliminary prospectuses and the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Representative has
reasonably requested for each of the Underwriters.
(c) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has
not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Second
Closing Date (as defined below) and the completion of the Underwriters'
distribution of the Shares, any offering material in connection with the
offering and sale of the Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus or the Registration Statement.
(d) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of,
the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to
indemnification hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the
enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and
remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.
(e) Authorization of the Shares To Be Sold by the Company. The Shares
to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized
for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered
by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable.
(g) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no
persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt
securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in
the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been
duly waived.
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(h) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the respective dates as
of which information is given in the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material
adverse change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result
in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in
the earnings, business, operations or prospects, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company (any such change
or effect, where the context so requires, is called a "Material Adverse Change"
or a "Material Adverse Effect"); (ii) the Company has not incurred any material
liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary
course of business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in
the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has been no dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for
dividends paid to the Company on any class of capital stock or repurchase or
redemption by the Company of any class of capital stock.
(i) Independent Accountants. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, who have expressed
their opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in
this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) and supporting schedules
filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included
in the Prospectus, are independent public or certified public accountants as
required by the Securities Act.
(j) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements
filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included
in the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company as of and
at the dates indicated and the results of its operations and cash flows for the
periods specified. The supporting schedules included in the Registration
Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. Such
financial statements and supporting schedules have been prepared in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis
throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the
related notes thereto. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are
required to be included in the Registration Statement. The financial data set
forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Prospectus Summary--Summary Selected
Financial Data", "Selected Financial Data" and "Capitalization" fairly present
the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited
financial statements contained in the Registration Statement.
(k) Company's Accounting System. The Company maintains a system of
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation
of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.
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(l) Subsidiaries of the Company. The Company has no subsidiaries.
(m) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company. The Company has
been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or limited
liability company, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction in which it is organized with full corporate power and authority to
own its properties and conduct its business as described in the prospectus, and
is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification.
(n) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized,
issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the
Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" (other than for subsequent
issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the
Prospectus or upon exercise of outstanding options or warrants described in the
Prospectus). The Common Shares (including the Shares) conform in all material
respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the
issued and outstanding Common Shares have been duly authorized and validly
issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with
federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding Common Shares were
issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other
similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are
no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of
first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the
Company other than those accurately described in the Prospectus. The description
of the Company's stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or
arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in
the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be
shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.
(o) Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares have been approved for listing
on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(p) No Consents, Approvals or Authorizations Required. No consent,
approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental
agency or regulatory body is required in connection with the transactions
contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained or made under the
Securities Act and such as may be required (i) under the blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by
the Underwriters in the manner contemplated here and in the Prospectus, (ii) by
the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC and (iii) by the federal and
provincial laws of Canada.
(q) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments or Agreements. Neither
the issue and sale of the Shares nor the consummation of any other of the
transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will
conflict with, result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge
or encumbrance upon any property or assets
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of the Company pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company, (ii) the
terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note
agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or
instrument to which the Company is a party or bound or to which its or its
property is subject or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order
or decree applicable to the Company of any court, regulatory body,
administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties.
(r) No Defaults or Violations. The Company is not in violation or
default of (i) any provision of its charter or by-laws, (ii) the terms of any
indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan
agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to
which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject or (iii) any
statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court,
regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other
authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, as
applicable, except any such violation or default which would not, singly or in
the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change except as otherwise disclosed
in the Prospectus.
(s) No Actions, Suits or Proceedings. No action, suit or proceeding by
or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
involving the Company or its property is pending or, to the best knowledge of
the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any
of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) All Necessary Permits, Etc. The Company possesses such valid and
current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state,
federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct its
business, and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to
the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate,
authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could result in a Material Adverse
Change.
(u) Title to Properties. The Company has good and marketable title to
all the properties and assets reflected as owned in the financial statements
referred to in Section 1(j) above (or elsewhere in the Prospectus), in each case
free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances,
equities, claims and other defects, except such as do not materially and
adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with
the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company. The real
property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the
Company are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are
not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be
made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the
Company.
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(v) Tax Law Compliance. The Company has filed all necessary federal,
state and foreign income and franchise tax returns and have paid all taxes
required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or
similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them. The Company has
made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial
statements referred to in Section 1(j) above in respect of all federal, state
and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax
liability of the Company has not been finally determined. The Company is not
aware of any tax deficiency that has been or might be asserted or threatened
against the Company that could result in a Material Adverse Change.
(w) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company owns or possesses
adequate rights to use all patents, patent rights or licenses, inventions,
collaborative research agreements, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service
marks, trade names and copyrights which are necessary to conduct its business as
described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; the expiration of any
patents, patent rights, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks, trade names or
copyrights would not result in a Material Adverse Change that is not otherwise
disclosed in the Prospectus; the Company has not received any notice of, and has
no knowledge of, any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of the
Company by others with respect to any patent, patent rights, inventions, trade
secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights; and the
Company has not received any notice of, and has no knowledge of, any
infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any
patent, patent rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service
marks, trade names or copyrights which, singly or in the aggregate, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, might have a Material
Adverse Effect. There is no claim being made against the Company regarding
patents, patent rights or licenses, inventions, collaborative research, trade
secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights. The
Company does not in the conduct of its business as now or proposed to be
conducted as described in the Prospectus infringe or conflict with any right or
patent of any third party, or any discovery, invention, product or process which
is the subject of a patent application filed by any third party, known to the
Company, which such infringement or conflict is reasonably likely to result in a
Material Adverse Change.
(x) Year 2000 Preparedness. There are no issues related to the
Company's preparedness for the Year 2000 that (i) are of a character required to
be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or Prospectus by the
Securities Act which have not been accurately described in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or (ii) might reasonably be expected to result in any
Material Adverse Change or that might materially affect its properties, assets
or rights. All internal computer systems and each Constituent Component (as
defined below) of those systems and all computer-related products and each
Constituent Component (as defined below) of those products of the Company fully
comply with Year 2000 Qualification Requirements. "Year 2000 Qualifications
Requirements" means that the internal computer systems and each Constituent
Component (as defined below) of those systems and all computer-related products
and
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each Constituent Component (as defined below) of those products of the Company
(i) have been reviewed to confirm that they store, process (including sorting
and performing mathematical operations, calculations and computations), input
and output data containing date and information correctly regardless of whether
the date contains dates and times before, on or after January 1, 2000, (ii) have
been designated to ensure date and time entry recognition and calculations, and
date data interface values that reflect the century, (iii) accurately manage and
manipulate data involving dates and times, including single century formulas and
multi-century formulas, and will not cause an abnormal ending scenario within
the application or generate incorrect values or invalid results involving such
dates, (iv) accurately process any date rollover, and (v) accept and respond to
two-digit year date input in a manner that resolves any ambiguities as to the
century. "Constituent Component" means all software (including operating
systems, programs, packages and utilities), firmware, hardware, networking
components, and peripherals provided as part of the configuration. The Company
has inquired of material vendors as to their preparedness for the Year 2000 and
has disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus any issues that might
reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change.
(y) No Transfer Taxes or Other Fees. There are no transfer taxes or
other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any
political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance and sale by the Company
of the shares.
(z) Company Not an "Investment Company". The Company has been advised
of the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Investment Company Act"). The Company is not, and after receipt of
payment for the Shares will not be, an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act and will conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become
subject to the Investment Company Act.
(aa) Insurance. The Company is insured by recognized, financially sound
and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such
deductibles and covering such risks as are generally deemed adequate and
customary for its business including, but not limited to, policies covering real
and personal property owned or leased by the Company against theft, damage,
destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes, general liability and Directors
and Officers liability. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be
able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies
expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be
necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost
that would not result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company has not been
denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.
(bb) Labor Matters. To the best of Company's knowledge, no labor
disturbance by the employees of the Company exists or is imminent; and the
Company is
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not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any
of its principal suppliers, subcontractors, original equipment manufacturers,
authorized dealers or international distributors] that might be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Change.
(cc) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken
and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might
be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of
the price of the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(dd) Lock-Up Agreements. Each officer and director of the company and
each beneficial owner of one or more percent of the outstanding issued share
capital of the Company has agreed to sign an agreement substantially in the form
attached hereto as EXHIBIT A (the "Lock-up Agreements"). The Company has
provided to counsel for the Underwriters a complete and accurate list of all
securityholders of the Company and the number and type of securities held by
each securityholder. The Company has provided to counsel for the Underwriters
true, accurate and complete copies of all of the Lock-up Agreements presently in
effect or effected hereby. The Company hereby represents and warrants that it
will not release any of its officers, directors or other stockholders from any
Lock-up Agreements currently existing or hereafter effected without the prior
written consent of BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
(ee) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or
related-party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to
be described in the Prospectus which have not been described as required.
(ff) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company
nor, to the best of the Company's knowledge, any employee or agent of the
Company, has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or
candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or
of the character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus.
(gg) Environmental Laws. (i) The Company is in compliance with all
rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal
of toxic substances and protection of health or the environment ("Environmental
Laws") which are applicable to its business, except where the failure to comply
would not result in a Material Adverse Change, (ii) the Company has received no
notice from any governmental authority or third party of an asserted claim under
Environmental Laws, which claim is required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, (iii) the Company will not be required to make
future material capital expenditures to comply with Environmental Laws and (iv)
no property which is owned, leased or occupied by the Company has been
designated as a Superfund site pursuant to the Comprehensive Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. ss. 9601, ET
SEQ.), or otherwise designated as a contaminated site under applicable state or
local law.
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(hh) Periodic Review of Costs of Environmental Compliance. In the
ordinary course of its business, the Company conducts a periodic review of the
effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the
Company, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and
liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating
expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with
Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints
on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the
basis of such review and the amount of its established reserves, the Company has
reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not,
individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.
(ii) ERISA Compliance. The Company and any "employee benefit plan" (as
defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively,
"ERISA")) established or maintained by the Company or its "ERISA Affiliates" (as
defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. "ERISA
Affiliate" means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of
organizations described in Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the "Code") of which the Company is a member. No
"reportable event" (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably
expected to occur with respect to any "employee benefit plan" established or
maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates. No "employee benefit
plan" established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates,
if such "employee benefit plan" were terminated, would have any "amount of
unfounded benefit liabilities" (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company nor
any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any
liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or
withdrawal from, any "employee benefit plan" or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or
4980B of the Code. Each "employee benefit plan" established or maintained by the
Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under
Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by
action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered
to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters
set forth therein.
SECTION 2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE SHARES.
(a) The Firm Shares. The Company agrees to issue and sell to the
several Underwriters the Firm Shares upon the terms herein set forth. On the
basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and
upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters
agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective
number of Firm Shares set forth
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opposite their names on SCHEDULE A. The purchase price per Firm Share to be paid
by the several Underwriters to the Company shall be $[___] per share.
(b) The First Closing Date. Delivery of the Firm Shares to be purchased
by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made by the Company and the
Representatives at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, at the offices of Mintz,
Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ (or at such other place as may be agreed upon among the
Representatives and the Company), (i) on the third (3rd) full business day
following the first day that Shares are traded, (ii) if this Agreement is
executed and delivered after 1:30 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, the fourth (4th)
full business day following the day that this Agreement is executed and
delivered or (iii) at such other time and date not later that seven (7) full
business days following the first day that Shares are traded as the
Representatives and the Company may determine (or at such time and date to which
payment and delivery shall have been postponed pursuant to Section 8 hereof),
such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the "Closing
Date;" provided, however, that if the Company has not made available to the
Representatives copies of the Prospectus within the time provided in Section
4(d) hereof, the Representatives may, in their sole discretion, postpone the
Closing Date until no later that two (2) full business days following delivery
of copies of the Prospectus to the Representatives.
(c) The Option Shares; the Second Closing Date. In addition, on the
basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and
upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company
hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and
not jointly, up to an aggregate of [___] Option Shares from the Company at the
purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Shares. The
option granted hereunder is for use by the Underwriters solely in covering any
over-allotments in connection with the sale and distribution of the Firm Shares.
The option granted hereunder may be exercised at any time upon notice by the
Representatives to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30
days from the date of this Agreement. The time and date of delivery of the
Option Shares, if subsequent to the First Closing Date, is called the "Second
Closing Date" and shall be determined by the Representatives and shall not be
earlier than three nor later than five full business days after delivery of such
notice of exercise. If any Option Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares
(subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the
Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total
number of Option Shares to be purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth
on SCHEDULE A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of
Firm Shares. The Representatives may cancel the option at any time prior to its
expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company.
(d) Public Offering of the Shares. The Representatives hereby advise
the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as
described in the
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Prospectus, their respective portions of the Shares as soon after this Agreement
has been executed and the Registration Statement has been declared effective as
the Representatives, in their sole judgment, has determined is advisable and
practicable.
(e) Payment for the Shares. Payment for the Shares shall be made at the
First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at the Second Closing Date) by wire
transfer in immediately available-funds to the order of the Company.
It is understood that the Representatives have been authorized, for
their own accounts and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept
delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the
Firm Shares and any Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase.
BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc., individually and not as the Representative
of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any
Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been
received by the Representatives by the First Closing Date or the Second Closing
Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such
payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under
this Agreement.
(f) Delivery of the Shares. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be
delivered, a credit representing the Firm Shares to an account or accounts at
The Depository Trust Company, as designated by the Representatives for the
accounts of the Representatives and the several Underwriters at the First
Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately
available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Company shall
also deliver, or cause to be delivered a credit representing the Option Shares
the Underwriters have agreed to purchase at the First Closing Date (or the
Second Closing Date, as the case may be), to an account or accounts at The
Depository Trust Company as designated by the Representatives for the accounts
of the Representatives and the several Underwriters, against the irrevocable
release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the
purchase price therefor. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time
and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations
of the Underwriters.
(g) Delivery of Prospectus to the Underwriters. Not later than 12:00
noon on the second business day following the date the Shares are released by
the Underwriters for sale to the public, the Company shall deliver or cause to
be delivered copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at such places as
the Representatives shall request.
SECTION 3. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company further covenants and
agrees with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Registration Statement Matters. The Company will (i) use its best
efforts to cause a registration statement on Form 8-A (the "Form 8-A
Registration Statement") as required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"Exchange Act") to become
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effective simultaneously with the Registration Statement, (ii) use its best
efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become effective or, if the
procedure in Rule 430A of the Securities Act is followed, to prepare and timely
file with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act a Prospectus
in a form approved by the Representatives containing information previously
omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance
on Rule 430A of the Securities Act and (iii) not file any amendment to the
Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which the
Representatives shall not previously have been advised and furnished with a copy
or to which the Representatives shall have reasonably objected in writing or
which is not in compliance with the Securities Act. If the Company elects to
rely on Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company shall file a Rule
462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b)
under the Securities Act prior to the time confirmations are sent or given, as
specified by Rule 462(b)(2) under the Securities Act, and shall pay the
applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111 under the Securities Act.
(b) Securities Act Compliance. The Company will advise the
Representatives promptly (i) when the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto shall have become effective, (ii) of receipt of
any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request of the Commission for
amendment of the Registration Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or
for any additional information and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use
of the Prospectus or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose. The
Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus and to obtain as soon as
possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(c) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will cooperate with the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters in endeavoring to qualify the
Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions (both national
and foreign) as the Representatives may reasonably have designated in writing
and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company
shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to
time, prepare and file such statements, reports and other documents, as are or
may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as the Representatives may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.
(d) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities
Act Matters. The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit
the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this
Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is
required by law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall
occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable
opinion of the Representatives or counsel for the
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Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing
at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if
it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with
any law, the Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission, and
furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to dealers, an appropriate
amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus so that
the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the
circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus
will comply with the law.
(e) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The
Company agrees to furnish the Representatives, without charge, during the period
beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the First Closing Date
or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus
is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an
Underwriter or dealer (the "Prospectus Delivery Period"), as many copies of the
Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto as the Representatives may
request.
(f) Insurance. The Company shall (i) obtain Directors and Officers
liability insurance in the minimum amount of $10 million which shall apply to
the offering contemplated hereby and (ii) shall cause BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc. to be added as an additional insured to such policy in respect of
the offering contemplated hereby.
(g) Notice of Subsequent Events. If at any time during the ninety (90)
day period after the Registration Statement becomes effective, any rumor,
publication or event relating to or affecting the Company shall occur as a
result of which in your opinion the market price of the Company Shares has been
or is likely to be materially affected (regardless of whether such rumor,
publication or event necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the
Prospectus), the Company will, after written notice from you advising the
Company to the effect set forth above, forthwith prepare, consult with you
concerning the substance of and disseminate a press release or other public
statement, reasonably satisfactory to you, responding to or commenting on such
rumor, publication or event.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the
sale of the Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(i) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its
expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Company Shares.
(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make
generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an
earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering the twelve-month period
ending [JULY 31, 2000] that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the
Securities Act.
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(k) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery
Period the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the
Nasdaq National Market all reports and documents required to be filed under the
Exchange Act.
(l) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Securities. The Company
will not, without the prior written consent of BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Inc., for a period of 180 days following the date of the Prospectus, offer, sell
or contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of or enter into any transaction which
is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by
actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or
otherwise by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in
privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company) directly or
indirectly, or announce the offering of, any other Common Shares or any
securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, Common Shares; provided,
however, that the Company may (i) issue and sell Common Shares pursuant to any
director or employee stock option plan, stock ownership plan or dividend
reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the date of the Prospectus and
described in the Prospectus so long as none of those shares may be transferred
on during the period of 180 days from the date that the Registration Statement
is declared effective (the "Lock-Up Period") and the Company shall enter stop
transfer instructions with its transfer agent and registrar against the transfer
of any such Common Shares and (ii) the Company may issue Common Shares issuable
upon the conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants outstanding at the
date of the Prospectus and described in the Prospectus.
(m) Future Reports to the Representatives. During the period of five
years hereafter the Company will furnish to the Representatives (i) as soon as
practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of
the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such
fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows for
the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company's independent public
or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing
thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the
Company with the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC
or any securities exchange; and (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report
or communication of the Company mailed generally to holders of its capital
stock.
SECTION 4. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS. The
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares as
provided herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option
Shares, the Second Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1
hereof as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as though then
made and, with respect to the Option Shares, as of the Second Closing Date as
though then made, to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and
other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:
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(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No
Objection from the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC The
Registration Statement shall have become effective prior to the execution of
this Agreement, or at such later date as shall be consented to in writing by
you; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been
issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the
knowledge of the Company or any Underwriter, threatened by the Commission, and
any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied
with to the satisfaction of Underwriters' Counsel; and the National Association
of Securities Dealers, LLC shall have raised no objection to the fairness and
reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(b) Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal
matters in connection with this Agreement, the form of Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, and the registration, authorization, issue, sale and
delivery of the Shares, shall have been reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters'
Counsel, and such counsel shall have been furnished with such papers and
information as they may reasonably have requested to enable them to pass upon
the matters referred to in this Section.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date, or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be, there shall not have been any Material Adverse
Change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business
or business prospects of the Company from that set forth in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus, which, in your sole judgment, is material and adverse
and that makes it, in your sole judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to
proceed with the public offering of the Shares as contemplated by the
Prospectus.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. You shall have received on the
First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion
of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., counsel for the Company,
substantially in the form of EXHIBIT B attached hereto, dated the First Closing
Date, or the Second Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters and with
reproduced copies or signed counterparts thereof for each of the Underwriters.
Counsel rendering the opinion contained in EXHIBIT B may rely as to
questions of law not involving the laws of the United States or the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts and state of Delaware upon opinions of local counsel, and as to
questions of fact upon representations or certificates of officers of the
Company, and of government officials, in which case their opinion is to state
that they are so relying and that they have no knowledge of any material
misstatement or inaccuracy in any such opinion, representation or certificate.
Copies of any opinion, representation or certificate so relied upon shall be
delivered to you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, and to Underwriters'
Counsel.
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(e) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. You shall have received on
the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, an
opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, substantially in the form of EXHIBIT
C hereto. The Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as
they may have requested for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such
matters.
(f) Accountants' Comfort Letter. You shall have received on the First
Closing Date and on the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter from
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP addressed to the Underwriters, dated the First Closing Date
or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, confirming that they are
independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company within the
meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations and based
upon the procedures described in such letter delivered to you concurrently with
the execution of this Agreement (herein called the "Original Letter"), but
carried out to a date not more than four (4) business days prior to the First
Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, (i) confirming, to
the extent true, that the statements and conclusions set forth in the Original
Letter are accurate as of the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as
the case may be, and (ii) setting forth any revisions and additions to the
statements and conclusions set forth in the Original Letter which are necessary
to reflect any changes in the facts described in the Original Letter since the
date of such letter, or to reflect the availability of more recent financial
statements, data or information. The letter shall not disclose any change in the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business
prospects of the Company from that set forth in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, which, in your sole judgment, is material and adverse and that makes
it, in your sole judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
public offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus. The Original
Letter from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP shall be addressed to or for the use of the
Underwriters in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and shall
(i) represent, to the extent true, that they are independent certified public
accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the
applicable published Rules and Regulations, (ii) set forth their opinion with
respect to their examination of the balance sheet of the Company as of January
31, 1999, and statements of operations, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for
the twelve (12) months ended January 31, 1999, (iii) state that ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
LLP has performed the procedures set out in Statement on Auditing Standards No.
71 ("SAS 71") for a review of interim financial information and providing the
report of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP as described in SAS 71 on the financial statements
for each of the quarters in the six-quarter period ended January 31, 1999 (the
"Quarterly Financial Statements"), (iv) state that in the course of such review,
nothing came to their attention that leads them to believe that any material
modifications need to be made to any of the Quarterly Financial Statements in
order for them to be in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied across the periods presented, and address other matters
agreed upon by ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP and you. In addition, you shall have received
from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP a letter addressed to the Company and made available to
you for the use of the Underwriters stating that their review of the Company's
system of internal accounting controls, to the extent they deemed necessary in
establishing the scope of their examination of the Company's financial
statements as of January 31,
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1999, did not disclose any weaknesses in internal controls that they considered
to be material weaknesses.
(h) Officers' Certificate. You shall have received on the First Closing
Date and the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the
Company, dated the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case
may be, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the
Company, to the effect that, and you shall be satisfied that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are
true and correct, as if made on and as of the First Closing Date or the
Second Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company has complied with
all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied at or prior to the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be;
(ii) 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 threatened under the Act;
(iii) When the Registration Statement became effective and at all times
subsequent thereto up to the delivery of such certificate, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto,
contained all material information required to be included therein by the
Securities Act and in all material respects conformed to the requirements
of the Securities Act, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and
any amendments or supplements thereto, did not and does not include any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading; and, since the effective date of the Registration
Statement, there has occurred no event required to be set forth in an
amended or supplemented Prospectus which has not been so set forth; and
(iv) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been (a) any
material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise),
earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the Company, (b)
any transaction that is material to the Company, except transactions
entered into in the ordinary course of business, (c) any obligation, direct
or contingent, incurred by the Company, that is material to the Company,
except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, (d) any
change in the capital stock or outstanding indebtedness of the Company that
is material to the Company, (e) any dividend or distribution of any kind
declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company, or (f) any loss
or damage (whether or not insured) to the property of the Company which has
been sustained or will have been sustained which has a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations,
business or business prospects of the Company.
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(i) Lock-up Agreement from Certain Stockholders of the Company. The
Company shall have obtained and delivered to you an agreement substantially in
the form of EXHIBIT A attached hereto from each officer and director of the
Company, and each beneficial owner of one or more percent of the outstanding
issued share capital of the Company.
(j) Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares shall have been approved for
listing on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of
issuance.
(k) Compliance with Prospectus Delivery Requirements. The Company shall
have complied with the provisions of Sections 2(g) and 3(e) hereof with respect
to the furnishing of Prospectuses.
(l) Additional Documents. On or before each of the First Closing Date
and the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the Representatives and counsel
for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and
opinions as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to
pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein, or in
order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or
the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
If any condition specified in this Section 4 is not satisfied when and as
required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the
Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the First
Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, at any time prior to the
Second Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of
any party to any other party, except that Section 5 (Payment of Expenses),
Section 6 (Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses), Section 7 (Indemnification
and Contribution) and Section 10 (Representations and Indemnities to Survive
Delivery) shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
SECTION 5. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees
and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations
hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including
without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the
Common Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and
expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock, (iii) all
necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance
and sale of the Shares to the Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the
Company's counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other
advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the
preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration
Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and
certificates of experts), each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and
all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing
fees, attorneys' fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters
in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the
qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and
sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities
laws of
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Canada or any other country, and, if requested by the Representatives, preparing
and printing a "Blue Sky Survey", an "International Blue Sky Survey" or other
memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such
qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (vii) the filing fees incident to,
and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with, the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC review and
approval of the Underwriters' participation in the offering and distribution of
the Common Shares, (viii) the fees and expenses associated with listing the
Common Shares on the Nasdaq National Market, (ix) all costs and expenses
incident to the preparation and undertaking of "road show" preparations to be
made to prospective investors, and (x) all other fees, costs and expenses
referred to in Item 13 of Part II of the Registration Statement. Except as
provided in this Section 5, Section 6, and Section 7 hereof, the Underwriters
shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their
counsel.
SECTION 6. REIMBURSEMENT OF UNDERWRITERS' EXPENSES. If this Agreement is
terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 4, Section 7, Section 8,
Section 9, or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares on the First Closing
Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part
of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision
hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other
Underwriters (or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with
respect to themselves), severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses
that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the
Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale
of the Shares, including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel,
printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.
SECTION 7. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters.
(1) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls
any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act
against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which
such Underwriter or such controlling person may become subject, under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or
regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any
litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the
Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), insofar as such
loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as
contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a
part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434 under the Securities Act, or the
omission or alleged omission
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therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained 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; or (iii) in whole or in part upon any inaccuracy in
the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein; or (iv) in
whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform its obligations
hereunder or under law; or (v) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or
failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any manner
to, the Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as
part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising
out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv)
above, provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (v) to
the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a
final judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted
directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken
by such Underwriter through its bad faith or willful misconduct; and to
reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person for any and all
expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by BancBoston
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such
Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating,
defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage,
liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity
agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to
the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement,
any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto); and provided, further, that with respect to any preliminary
prospectus, the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of
any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense purchased Shares, or any person controlling such
Underwriter, if copies of the Prospectus were timely delivered to the
Underwriter pursuant to Section 2 and a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended
or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or
supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter
to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or prior to the
written confirmation of the sale of the Shares to such person, and if the
Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving
rise to such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense. The indemnity agreement
set forth in this Section 7(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the
Company may otherwise have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of the Securities
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Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense,
as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling
person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other
federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise
(including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with
the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below)
arises out of or is based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or arises
out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that
such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission was made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Representatives expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any
such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense
reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or
paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The indemnity
agreement set forth in this Section 7(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities
that each Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) Information Provided by the Underwriters. The Company hereby
acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriters have furnished to
the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the
statements set forth in the table in the first paragraph and the ninth paragraph
under the caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus; and the Underwriters confirm
that such statements are correct.
(d) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after
receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission
so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which
it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under
the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 7 or to the extent it is not
prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or
intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party
will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect,
jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written
notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid
notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel
reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the
defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded
that a
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conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may
be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are
different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the
indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to
assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such
action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice
from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying
party's election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the
indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
indemnified party under this Section 7 for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in
accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood,
however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of
more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), approved by the
indemnifying party (BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc. in the case of Section
7(b) and Section 8), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to
such action), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel
satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within
a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, or (iii) the
indemnifying party has authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified
party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees
and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(e) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not
be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, but if settled with
such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding
the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested
an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses
of counsel as contemplated by Section 7(d) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees
that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without
its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days
after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such
indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance
with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party
shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any
settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or
threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party
is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought
hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or
consent includes (i) an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or
proceeding 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.
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(f) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7
is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 7(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation
provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable
law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable
by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, (or
actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company bears to the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table
on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the
Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contributions pursuant to this Section 7(f) 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(f). The amount paid
or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in
this Section 7(f) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (f), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares
purchased by such Underwriter and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this Section 7(f)
to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.
(g) Timing of Any Payments of Indemnification. Any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses for which an indemnified party is entitled to
indemnification or contribution under this Section 7 shall be paid by the
indemnifying party to the
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indemnified party as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are
incurred, but in all cases, no later than thirty (30) days of invoice to the
indemnifying party.
(h) Survival. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in
this Section 7 and the representation and warranties of the Company set forth in
this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless
of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person
controlling any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any
persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment
therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to
any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity,
contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 7.
(i) Acknowledgements of Parties. The parties to this Agreement hereby
acknowledge that they are sophisticated business persons who were represented by
counsel during the negotiations regarding the provisions hereof including,
without limitation, the provisions of this Section 7, and are fully informed
regarding said provisions. They further acknowledge that the provisions of this
Section 7 fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to
investigate the Company and its business in order to assure that adequate
disclosure is made in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as required by
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
SECTION 8. DEFAULT OF ONE OR MORE OF THE SEVERAL UNDERWRITERS. If, on the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or
more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it
or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number
of Common Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the
Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated,
severally, in the proportions that the number of Firm Common Shares set forth
opposite their respective names on SCHEDULE A bears to the aggregate number of
Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting
Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the
Representatives with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase
the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed
or refused to purchase on such date. If, on the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail
or refuse to purchase Shares and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to
which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Shares to be
purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and
the Company for the purchase of such Shares are not made within 48 hours after
such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to
any other party except that the provisions of Section 4, and Section 7 shall at
all times be effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case
either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no
event for longer
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26
than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be
effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" shall be deemed
to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this
Section 8. Any action taken under this Section 8 shall not relieve any
defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such
Underwriter under this Agreement.
SECTION 9. TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT. Prior to the First Closing Date,
this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the
Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company's
securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the
Nasdaq Stock Market, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq
Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or
limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on
any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the National Association of
Securities Dealers, LLC; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been
declared by any of federal, New York, Delaware or California authorities; (iii)
there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or
international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United
States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or
development involving a prospective change in United States' or international
political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the
Representatives is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or
inadvisable to market the Common Shares in the manner and on the terms described
in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in
the judgment of the Representatives there shall have occurred any Material
Adverse Change; or (v) the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire,
flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as in the
judgment of the Representatives may interfere materially with the conduct of the
business and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss
shall have been insured. Any termination pursuant to this Section 9 shall be
without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that
the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representatives
and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 hereof, (b) any Underwriter to
the Company or (c) of any party hereto to any other party except that the
provisions of Section 7 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such
termination.
SECTION 10. REPRESENTATIONS AND INDEMNITIES TO SURVIVE DELIVERY. The
respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other
statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set
forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and
effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter
or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any
controlling person, as the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment
for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
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27
SECTION 11. NOTICES. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties
hereto as follows:
If to the Representatives:
BANCBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
Alloy Online, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, #▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: Mr. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Chief Executive Officer
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving
written notice to the others.
SECTION 12. SUCCESSORS. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant
to Section 9 hereof, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors
and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and to their respective
successors and personal representatives, and no other person will have any right
or obligation hereunder. The term "successors" shall not include any purchaser
of the Shares as such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of such
purchase.
SECTION 13. PARTIAL UNENFORCEABILITY. The invalidity or unenforceability of
any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof.
If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason
determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such
minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid
and enforceable.
SECTION 14. GOVERNING LAW PROVISIONS.
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(a) Governing Law. This agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the state of New York applicable to
agreements made and to be performed in such state.
(b) Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit, action or proceeding
arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby ("Related Proceedings") may be instituted in the federal courts of the
United States of America located in the City and County of San Francisco or the
courts of the State of California in each case located in the City and County of
San Francisco (collectively, the "Specified Courts"), and each party irrevocably
submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in
regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a "Related
Judgment"), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in
any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or
document by mail to such party's address set forth above shall be effective
service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such
court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the
laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts
and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any
such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such
court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party not located in the
United States irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System, which currently
maintains a San Francisco office at ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ of America, as its agent to receive service of
process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or
proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and
County of San Francisco.
SECTION 15. GENERAL PROVISIONS. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or
oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations
with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two
or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same
effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the
parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived
unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit.
The Table of Contents and the Section headings herein are for the convenience of
the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this
Agreement.
[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank.]
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29
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
please sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this
instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement
in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
ALLOY ONLINE, INC.
By: ________________________________
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Chief Executive
Officer
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and
accepted by the Representatives as of the date first above written.
BANCBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC.
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & COMPANY
DAIN RAUSSCHER ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
LADENBURG ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INC.
On their behalf and on behalf of each of the several underwriters named in
SCHEDULE A hereto.
BY BANCBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC.
By: _________________________________
Authorized Signatory
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SCHEDULE A
Number of
Firm Common
Shares
Underwriters To be Purchased
BANCBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC. ....................... [___]
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & COMPANY ............................. [___]
DAIN RAUSSCHER ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ................................... [___]
LADENBURG ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INC.............................. [___]
[___] .................................................... [___]
Total............................................ [___]
B-1
31
EXHIBIT A
LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Company
Dain Rausscher ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Ladenburg ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several
underwriters (the "Underwriters"), propose to enter into an Underwriting
Agreement (the "Underwriting Agreement") with Alloy Online, Inc. (the "Company")
providing for the initial public offering (the "Public Offering") by the
Underwriters, including yourselves, of Common Stock of the Company (the "Common
Stock") pursuant to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about March 2, 1999 (the
"Registration Statement").
In consideration of the Underwriters' agreement to purchase and make the
Public Offering of the Common Stock, and for other good and valuable
consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby
agrees, for a period of 180 days after the effective date of the Registration
Statement (the "Lock-Up Period"), not to offer to sell, contract to sell or
otherwise sell, dispose of, loan, pledge or grant any rights with respect to
(collectively, a "Disposition") any shares of Common Stock, any options or
warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible
into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock (collectively, "Securities"),
now owned or hereafter acquired directly by the undersigned or with respect to
which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition,
otherwise than (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided the donee or donees
thereof agree to be bound by this Lock-Up Agreement, (ii) as a distribution to
limited partners or shareholders of the undersigned, provided that the
distributees thereof agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up
Agreement or (iii) with the prior written consent of BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed to preclude the holder
of the Securities from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is
designed to or
B-2
32
reasonably expected to lead to or result in a Disposition of Securities during
the Lock-Up Period even if such Securities would be disposed of by someone other
than the undersigned. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would
include without limitation any short sale (whether or not against the box) or
any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including without limitation any put
or call option) with respect to any Securities or with respect to any security
(other than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes, relates to or
derives any significant part of its value from Securities. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, this Lock-Up Agreement does not prohibit the sale of shares of the
Common Stock by the undersigned to the Underwriters in the Public Offering.
The undersigned also agrees not to make any demand for, or exercise any
right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any
securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock
during the Lock-Up Period, without the prior written consent of BancBoston
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.
Furthermore, the undersigned hereby agrees and consents to the entry of
stop transfer instructions with the Company's transfer agent against the
transfer of the Securities held by the undersigned except in compliance with
this Lock-Up Agreement. In the event that the Registration Statement shall not
have been declared effective on or before July 31, 1999, this Lock-Up Agreement
shall be of no further force or effect.
Very truly yours,
------------------------------------
(signature)
Name: ______________________________
Address: ___________________________
___________________________
B-3
33
Accepted as of the date first set forth above:
BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
BancBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
By:________________________________
(authorized signatory)
The Company requests that this Lock-Up Agreement be delivered to its counsel,
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. who will forward it to
counsel for the Underwriters, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP.
B-4
34
EXHIBIT B
MATTERS TO BE COVERED IN THE OPINION OF COMPANY COUNSEL
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation;
(ii) The Company has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and
operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus;
(iii) The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation
and is in good standing in each jurisdiction, if any, in which the
ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or
be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is
as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" as of the
dates stated therein, the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of
the Company have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable, and, to such counsel's knowledge, will not have been issued
in violation of or subject to any preemptive right, co-sale right,
registration right, right of first refusal or other similar right;
(v) The Firm Shares or the Option Shares, as the case may be, to be issued
by the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement have been duly
authorized and, upon issuance and delivery against payment therefor in
accordance with the terms hereof, will be duly and validly issued and fully
paid and nonassessable, and will not have been issued in violation of or
subject to any preemptive right, co-sale right, registration right, right
of first refusal or other similar right.
(vi) The Company has the corporate power and authority to enter into this
Agreement and to issue, sell and deliver to the Underwriters the Shares to
be issued and sold by it hereunder;
(vii) This Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of the Company;
(viii) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and,
to such counsel's knowledge, 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 threatened under the
Securities Act;
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(ix) The 8-A Registration Statement complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act; the 8-A Registration
Statement has become effective under the Exchange Act; and the Firm Shares
or the Option Shares have been validly registered under the Securities Act
and the Rules and Regulations of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(x) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and each amendment or
supplement thereto (other than the financial statements (including
supporting schedules) and financial data derived therefrom as to which such
counsel need express no opinion), as of the effective date of the
Registration Statement, complied as to form in all material respects with
the requirements of the Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations;
(xi) The information in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of
Capital Stock," to the extent that it constitutes matters of law or legal
conclusions, has been reviewed by such counsel and is a fair summary of
such matters and conclusions; and the forms of certificates evidencing the
Common Stock and filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement comply
with Delaware law;
(xii) The description in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus of
the charter and bylaws of the Company and of statutes are accurate and
fairly present the information required to be presented by the Securities
Act;
(xiii) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no agreements, contracts,
leases or documents to which the Company is a party of a character required
to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or Prospectus
or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which are not
described or referred to therein or filed as required;
(xiv) The performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated (other than performance of the Company's
indemnification obligations hereunder, concerning which no opinion need be
expressed) will not (a) result in any violation of the Company's charter or
bylaws or (b) to such counsel's knowledge, result in a material breach or
violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default
under, any bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness, or any
lease, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, joint
venture or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the
Company is a party or by which its properties are bound, or any applicable
statute, rule or regulation known to such counsel or, to such counsel's
knowledge, any order, writ or decree of any court, government or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company, or over
any of its properties or operations;
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(xv) No consent, approval, authorization or order of or qualification with
any court, government or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the Company, or over any of its properties or operations is necessary
in connection with the consummation by the Company of the transactions
herein contemplated, except (i) such as have been obtained under the
Securities Act, (ii) such as may be required under state or other
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and the
distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters, (iii) such as may be
required by the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC and (iv)
such as may be required under the federal or provincial laws of Canada;
(xvi) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened against the Company of a character
required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
other than those described therein;
(xvii) To such counsel's knowledge, the Company is not presently (a) in
material violation of its charter or bylaws, or (b) in material breach of
any applicable statute, rule or regulation known to such counsel or, to
such counsel's knowledge, any order, writ or decree of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company, or over
its properties or operations; and
(xviii) To such counsel's knowledge, except as set forth in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, no holders of Company Shares or
other securities of the Company have registration rights with respect to
securities of the Company and, except as set forth in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, all holders of securities of the Company having
rights known to such counsel to registration of such shares of Company
Shares or other securities, because of the filing of the Registration
Statement by the Company have, with respect to the offering contemplated
thereby, waived such rights or such rights have expired by reason of lapse
of time following notification of the Company's intent to file the
Registration Statement or have included securities in the Registration
Statement pursuant to the exercise of and in full satisfaction of such
rights.
(xix) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and the
sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described
in the Prospectus, will not be, an "investment company" as such term is
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(xx) To such counsel's knowledge, the Company owns or possesses sufficient
trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, licenses, approvals,
trade secrets and other similar rights (collectively, "Intellectual
Property Rights") reasonably necessary to conduct its business as now
conducted; and the expected expiration of
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any such Intellectual Property Rights would not result in a Material
Adverse Effect. The Company has not received any notice of infringement or
conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others, which
infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would
result in a Material Adverse Effect. To such counsel's knowledge, the
Company's discoveries, inventions, products, or processes referred to in
the Registration Statement or Prospectus do not infringe or conflict with
any right or patent which is the subject of a patent application known to
the Company.
In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has participated in
conferences with officials and other representatives of the Company, the
Representatives, Underwriters' Counsel and the independent certified public
accountants of the Company, at which such conferences the contents of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus and related matters were discussed, and
although they have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, nothing has come to
the attention of such counsel which leads them to believe that, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective and at all times subsequent thereto up
to and on the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto (other than the
financial statements including supporting schedules and other financial and
statistical information derived therefrom, as to which such counsel need express
no comment) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, or at the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and
any amendment or supplement thereto (except as aforesaid) contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
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EXHIBIT C
MATTERS TO BE COVERED IN THE OPINION OF UNDERWRITERS' COUNSEL
(i) The [FIRM SHARES] have been duly authorized and, upon issuance and
delivery and payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the
Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.
(ii) The Registration Statement complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Act; the Registration Statement has
become effective under the Act and, to such counsel's knowledge, no stop
order proceedings with respect thereto have been instituted or threatened
or are pending under the Act.
(iii) The 8-A Registration Statement complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act; the 8-A Registration
Statement has become effective under the Exchange Act; and the Firm Shares
or the Option Shares have been validly registered under the Securities Act
and the Rules and Regulations of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(iv) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
Such counsel shall state that such counsel has reviewed the opinions
addressed to the Representatives from Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and
Popeo, P.C. and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, each dated the date hereof, and
furnished to you in accordance with the provisions of the Underwriting
Agreement. Such opinions appear on their face to be appropriately responsive to
the requirements of the Underwriting Agreement.
In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has participated in
conferences with officials and other representatives of the Company, the
Representatives, Underwriters' Counsel and the independent certified public
accountants of the Company, at which such conferences the contents of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus and related matters were discussed, and
although they have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, nothing has come to
the attention of such counsel which leads them to believe that, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective and at all times subsequent thereto up
to and on the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto (other than the
financial statements including
39
supporting schedules and other financial and statistical information derived
therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no comment) contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
or at the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto
(except as aforesaid) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.