BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT $350,000,000 Reopening of 5.375% Senior Notes, due September 2012
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
$350,000,000
Reopening of 5.375%
Senior Notes, due September ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
September 13, 2007
To the Representatives
named in Schedule I hereto
of the Underwriters
named in Schedule II hereto
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
Bank of America Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to sell to the underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you are acting as Representatives (the "Representatives"), the principal amount of one or more series of its securities identified in Schedule I hereto. Such securities may include one or more series of the Company's senior debt securities (the "Senior Securities") and/or one or more series of the Company's subordinated debt securities (the "Subordinated Securities," and together with the Senior Securities, the "Securities"). The Senior Securities, if applicable, will be issued under an indenture dated as of January 1, 1995 between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as successor trustee (the "Trustee"), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of September 18, 1998, the Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 7, 2001, the Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of July 28, 2004, and the Fourth Supplemental Indenture dated April 28, 2006 (as so supplemented, the "Senior Indenture"). The Subordinated Securities, if applicable, will be issued under an indenture dated as of January 1, 1995 between the Company and the Trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of August 28, 1998 and the Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of January 25, 2007 (as so supplemented, the "Subordinated Indenture," and together with the Senior Indenture, the "Indentures"). The Securities are described more fully in the Prospectus referred to below. If the firm or firms listed in Schedule II hereto include only the firm or firms listed in Schedule I hereto, then the terms "Underwriters" and "Representatives", as used herein, each shall be deemed to refer to such firm or firms.
1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that:
(i) The
Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No.
333-133852), which contains a base prospectus (the "Base Prospectus"),
to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Securities.
Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements,
exhibits and schedules thereto and including any required
information deemed to
be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively,
the "Securities Act") or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively,
the "Exchange Act"), at each time of effectiveness, is called the "Registration
Statement." The term "Prospectus" shall mean the final
prospectus supplement relating to the Securities, together with the Base
Prospectus, that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the date and time
that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto (the "Execution
Time"). Any reference herein to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated
by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S‑3 under the Securities
Act; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date of such
Prospectus under the Exchange Act, and incorporated by reference in such
Prospectus; and any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement
shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date
of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement. All references in this Agreement to the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements to either of the
foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System ("▇▇▇▇▇").
(ii) The term "Disclosure Package," as to each series of Securities, shall mean (A) the Base Prospectus; (B) the applicable issuer free writing prospectuses as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (each, an "Issuer Free Writing Prospectus"), if any, identified in Schedule III hereto; and (C) any other free writing prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of that Disclosure Package. As of 12:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement (the "Initial Sale Time"), each Disclosure Package did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from a Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof (the "Underwriter Information").
(iii) As
of the date hereof, when the Prospectus is first filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, when any supplement or
amendment to the Prospectus is filed with the Commission, at the Closing Date
(as hereinafter defined) and, with respect to the Registration Statement in (A)
and (B) below, as of the Initial Sale Time, (A) the Registration Statement is
effective and the Registration Statement, as amended as of any such time, the
Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of any such time, and the applicable
Indenture complied, complies or will comply in all material respects with the
applicable provisions of the Securities Act, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the "Trust
Indenture Act"), and the Exchange Act, (B) the Registration Statement, as
amended as of any such time, did not, does not and will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading,
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and (C) the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of any such
time, did not, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however,
that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to (I) that part of
the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility
and Qualification of the Trustee (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of
the Trustee or (II) the Underwriter Information. The documents which are
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, each Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus or from which information is so incorporated by
reference, when they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material
respects with the requirements under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as
applicable, and did not, when such documents were so filed, contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
Commission has not issued any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any order preventing or suspending the use of the
Prospectus, and the Company is without knowledge that any proceedings have been
instituted for either purpose.
(iv) (A) At the earliest time after the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act) and (B) as of the date of the execution and delivery of this Agreement (with such date being used as a determination date for purposes of this clause (B)), the Company neither was nor is an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act).
(v) No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including any Final Term Sheet), as of its date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the offering contemplated hereby or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representatives as described in the next sentence, included, includes or will include any information that conflicted, conflicts, or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated by reference therein or the Prospectus, that had not or has not been superseded or modified. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and prior to the end of the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representatives and has promptly amended or supplemented or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict. The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with Underwriter Information.
(vi) The
Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the
Closing Date and the completion of the Underwriters' distribution of the
Securities, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of
the Securities other than the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Underwriters
and included in Schedule III hereto.
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(vii) (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the Securities Act) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the Securities Act, and (D) at the Execution Time (with such time being used as the determination time for purposes of this clause (D)), the Company was and is a "well‑known seasoned issuer" as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement is an "automatic shelf registration statement," as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form and the Company has not otherwise ceased to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents and agrees that:
(i) it has not and will not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell or deliver any of the Securities or distribute the Prospectus or any other offering materials (including any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other free writing prospectuses) relating to the Securities in or from any jurisdiction except under circumstances that will, to the best of its knowledge and belief, result in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations thereof and that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, will not impose any obligations on the Company except as set forth herein; and
(ii) it will comply in all material respects with the selling restrictions set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Underwriting-Selling Restrictions."
2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price for the applicable Securities set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus, the principal amount of the applicable Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter's name in the applicable section of Schedule II hereto.
3. Delivery
and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be
made on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I hereto, which date and
time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company
or as provided in Section 8 hereto (such date and time of delivery and payment
for the Securities being herein called the "Closing Date"). Delivery
of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective
accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several
Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof in the
manner set forth in Schedule I hereto. Unless otherwise agreed, certificates
for the Securities shall be in book-entry form, and such certificates may be
deposited with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or a custodian
for DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC.
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4. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) During the period beginning at the Initial Sale Time and ending on the later of the 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 (except for delivery requirements imposed because such Underwriter or dealer is an affiliate of the Company), including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 (the "Prospectus Delivery Period"), the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Base Prospectus or a Disclosure Package (including the Prospectus) unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object. Subject to the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the Prospectus to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 via ▇▇▇▇▇. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly (i) when the Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424, (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement or the Disclosure Package relating to a series of Securities shall have become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment of the Registration Statement or amendment of or supplement to the Prospectus or a Disclosure Package or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(b) If, at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, except with respect to any such delivery requirement imposed upon an affiliate of the Company in connection with any secondary market sales, any event occurs as a result of which each Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made or then prevailing, as the case may be, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement each Disclosure Package or the Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 4, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment or supplement which will effect such compliance (including, if consented to by the Underwriters, by means of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus), and will give immediate notice, and confirm in writing, to the Underwriters to cease the solicitation of offers to purchase the Securities, and furnish to the Underwriters a reasonable number of copies of such amendment or supplement.
(c) The
Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the
Representatives as soon as practicable, but not later than 60 days after the
close of the period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying
with the provisions of Rule 158 under the Securities Act) covering a twelve-month
period beginning not later than the first day of the Company's fiscal quarter
next following the "effective date" (as defined in said Rule 158) of
the Registration Statement.
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(d) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and each amendment thereto which shall become effective on or prior to the Closing Date and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Securities Act, as many copies of the Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing all documents relating to the offering.
(e) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate, will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities and will arrange for the determination of the legality of the Securities for purchase by investors; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action which would subject it to general or unlimited service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
(f) Until the business day following the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the consent of the Representatives, offer or sell, or announce the offering of, any securities covered by the Registration Statement or by any other registration statement filed under the Securities Act; provided, however, the Company may, at any time, offer or sell or announce the offering of securities (i) covered by a registration statement on Form S-8 or (ii) covered by a registration statement on Form S-3 and (A) pursuant to which the Company issues securities under one of the Company's medium-term note programs (including, without limitation, the Company's Series K Medium-Term Note Program and the Company's InterNotes Program), (B) pursuant to which the Company issues securities for its dividend reinvestment plan, (C) pursuant to a reopening of any of the notes described in the Global Prospectus Supplement dated September 6, 2007 or (D) pursuant to which affiliates of the Company offer securities of the Company in secondary market transactions.
(g) As to each series of the Securities, the Company will prepare a final term sheet containing only a description of such series, in a form approved by the Representatives and contained in Schedule IV of this Agreement, and will file each such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act as promptly as possible, but in any case not later than the time required by such rule (each such term sheet, a "Final Term Sheet").
(h) The
Company represents that it has not made and agrees that, unless it obtains the
prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make, any offer
relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a "free writing prospectus"
(as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) required to be filed by the
Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the
Securities Act; provided that the prior written consent of the Representatives
shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Issuer Free Writing
Prospectuses included in Schedule III hereto. Any such free writing prospectus
consented to by the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a "Permitted
Free Writing Prospectus." The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and
will treat as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) it has complied and will comply, as
the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 of the Securities
Act applicable to any Permitted Free
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Writing Prospectus, including in respect
of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping. The
Company consents to the use by any Underwriter of a free writing prospectus
that (A) is not an "issuer free writing prospectus" as defined in
Rule 433, and (B) contains only (I) information describing the preliminary
terms of the Securities or their offering, (II) information permitted by Rule
134 under the Securities Act or (III) information that describes the final
terms of the Securities or their offering and that is included in a Final Term
Sheet of the Company contemplated in paragraph (g) above.
(i) If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the "Renewal Deadline") of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will file prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to such Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives. If the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to such Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Securities. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.
(j) If at any time when any of the Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Representatives, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to such Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective and (iv) promptly notify the Representatives of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.
(k) The Company agrees to pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) of the Securities Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act.
5. Conditions
to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the
Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as
of the date hereof, as of the date of the effectiveness of any amendment to the
Registration Statement filed prior to the Closing Date (including the filing of
any document incorporated by reference therein) and as of the Closing Date, to
the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates
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furnished pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company
of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) For the period from and after effectiveness of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:
(i) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the Commission, and the Company shall not have received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form (unless the Securities are duly registered in the manner contemplated by Rule 401(g)(2) to the satisfaction of the Representatives prior to the Closing Date);
(ii) the Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information required by Rule 430B under the Securities Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; or the Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing the information required by such Rule 430B, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective (if not automatically effective under the rules of the Commission);
(iii) each Final Term Sheet, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings under such Rule or, to the extent applicable, under Rule 164(b); and
(iv) the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (the "FINRA") shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(b) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives the opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇ Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect of paragraphs (i) and (v) through (xi) below, and the opinion of the General Counsel of the Company (or such other attorney, reasonably acceptable to counsel to the Underwriters, who exercises general supervision or review in connection with a particular securities law matter for the Company), dated the Closing Date, to the effect of paragraphs (ii) through (iv) below:
(i) the Company is a duly organized and validly existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, has the corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in each Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly registered as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended; Bank of America, N.A. (the "Principal Subsidiary Bank") is a national banking association formed under the laws of the United States and authorized thereunder to transact business;
(ii) each
of the Company and the Principal Subsidiary Bank is qualified or licensed to do
business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which such
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counsel has
knowledge that the Company or the Principal Subsidiary Bank, as the case may
be, is required to be so qualified or licensed;
(iii) all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Principal Subsidiary Bank have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and (except as provided in 12 U.S.C. § 55, as amended) nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth in each Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Principal Subsidiary Bank (except directors' qualifying shares) are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company free and clear of any perfected security interest and such counsel is without knowledge of any other security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances;
(iv) such counsel is without knowledge that there is (A) any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding before or by any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, each Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus which is omitted or not adequately disclosed therein, or (B) any franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, each Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, that is not so described or filed as required;
(v) the Indentures and the Securities conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the applicable Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;
(vi) each Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, and constitutes a legal, valid, and binding instrument of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the rights of creditors now or hereafter in effect, and to equitable principles that may limit the right to specific enforcement of remedies, and further subject to 12 U.S.C. §1818(b)(6)(D) and similar bank regulatory powers and to the application of principles of public policy; and the Securities have been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of such Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the rights of creditors now or hereafter in effect, and to equitable principles that may limit the right to specific enforcement of remedies, and further subject to 12 U.S.C. §1818(b)(6)(D) and similar bank regulatory powers and to the application of principles of public policy;
(vii) the
Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act; no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, has been issued, and
such counsel is without knowledge that any proceeding for that purpose has been
instituted or threatened, or that the Company has received from the Commission
any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act objecting to the
use of the automatic shelf registration statement form; and the
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Registration
Statement, each Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus and each amendment
thereof or supplement thereto (other than the financial statements and other
financial and statistical information contained therein or incorporated by
reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as
to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act;
(viii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and assuming due authorization, execution, and delivery by you, constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the rights of creditors now or hereafter in effect, and to equitable principles that may limit the right to specific enforcement of remedies, and except insofar as the enforceability of the indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Agreement may be limited by federal and state securities laws, and further subject to 12 U.S.C. §1818(b)(6)(D) and similar bank regulatory powers and to the application of principles of public policy;
(ix) no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental agency or body in the United States is necessary or required on behalf of the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and such as may be required under the blue sky, state securities or insurance or similar laws of the United States in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters and such other approvals (specified in such opinion) as have been obtained;
(x) neither the issuance and sale of the Securities, 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 of, or constitute a default under (A) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, each as amended to date, (B) the terms of any indenture or other material agreement or instrument known to such counsel and to which the Company or the Principal Subsidiary Bank is a party or bound or (C) any order, law or regulation known to such counsel to be applicable to the Company or the Principal Subsidiary Bank of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company or the Principal Subsidiary Bank; and
(xi) such counsel is without knowledge of any rights to the registration of securities of the Company under the Registration Statement which have not been waived by the holders of such rights or which have not expired by reason of lapse of time following notification of the Company's intention to file the Registration Statement.
In rendering
such opinion, but without opining in connection therewith, such counsel also
shall state that, although it expresses no view as to portions of the Registration
Statement, each Disclosure Package or the Prospectus consisting of financial
statements and other financial, accounting and statistical information and it
has not independently verified, is not passing upon and assumes no
responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement, each Disclosure Package, or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than as stated in (v)
above), it has no reason to believe
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that such remaining portions of the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto as of the time it became
effective, as of the Initial Sale Time or as of the date of such opinion,
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading or that, subject to the foregoing with respect to
financial statements and other financial, accounting and statistical
information, each Disclosure Package, taken as a whole as of the Initial Sale
Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact necessary to make the statement therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or that the Prospectus,
as amended or supplemented, as of its date or as of the date of such opinion
contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or
omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading. Such counsel also does not pass upon, and does not
assume any responsibility for, ascertaining whether or when any of the
information contained in each Disclosure Package was conveyed to any purchaser
of the Securities.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of North Carolina, the United States, or the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware to the extent deemed proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, or upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing believed to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters; and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent deemed proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and public officials.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, each Indenture, the Registration Statement, each Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus and any other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(d) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by any Senior Vice President or Treasurer or any other authorized officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, each Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus and this Agreement and they are without knowledge that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are not true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Date and the Company has not performed or complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date;
(ii) any
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been
issued or any proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened
by the Commission; and
11
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in each Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the condition (financial or other), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in each Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(e) On the date hereof and on the Closing Date, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter or letters, dated as of the date hereof or the Closing Date, as applicable, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters (and which may be in the form of a letter confirming the statements made in the letter furnished at the closing of the initial issuance of the Securities on September 11, 2007), stating in effect that:
(i) They are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).
(ii) In their opinion, the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries audited by them and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission.
(iii) On the basis of procedures (but not an audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) consisting of:
(A) Reading the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders, the board of directors, executive committee and audit committee of the Company and the boards of directors of the Principal Subsidiary Bank as set forth in the minute books through a specified date not more than five business days prior to the date of delivery of such letter;
(B) Performing the procedures specified by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for a review of interim financial information as described in Statement of Accounting Standards No. 100, Interim Financial Information, on the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and reading the unaudited interim financial data, if any, for the period from the date of the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus to the date of the latest available interim financial data; and
(C) Making inquiries of certain
officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting
matters regarding the specific items for which representations are requested
below;
12
nothing has come to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused them to believe that:
(I) the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder;
(II) any material modifications should be made to the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, for them to be in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;
(III) (x) at the date of the latest available interim financial data and at the specified date not more than five business days prior to the date of the delivery of such letter, there was any change in the common stock and additional paid-in capital or the consolidated long-term debt (other than scheduled repayments of such debt) of the Company and the subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as compared with the amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or (y) for the period from the date of the latest available financial data to a specified date not more than five business days prior to the delivery of such letter, there was any change in the common stock and additional paid-in capital or the consolidated long-term debt (other than scheduled repayments of such debt) of the Company and the subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, except in all instances for changes or decreases which the Registration Statement and the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur, or PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall state any specific changes or decreases.
(iv) The letter shall also state that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has carried out certain other specified procedures, not constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial information which are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and which are specified by the Representatives and agreed to by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and has found such amounts, percentages and financial information to be in agreement with the relevant accounting, financial and other records of the Company and its subsidiaries identified in such letter.
(f) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement, each Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified
in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section 5 or (ii)
any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting
the condition (financial or other), earnings, business or properties of the
Company and its subsidiaries the effect of which, in any case referred to in
clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the judgment of the Representatives, so
material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with
the offering or the delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the
Registration Statement, each Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
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(g) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(h) On or after the date hereof and prior to the Closing Date, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization," as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities.
(i) There shall not have come to the Representatives' attention any facts that would cause the Representatives to believe that any Disclosure Package, as of the Initial Sale Time, or the Prospectus, at the time it was required to be delivered to a purchaser of any of the Securities, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances existing at the time of such delivery, not misleading.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 5 shall not have been fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and their counsel, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or telex confirmed in writing.
6. Payment of Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing, delivery to the Underwriters and filing of the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus as originally filed and of each amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the copying of this Agreement, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including capital duties, stamp duties and transfer taxes, if any, payable upon issuance of any of the Securities, the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters and the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or trustee for the Securities, (iv) the fees and expenses of counsel to any such transfer agent or trustee, (v) the fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel and accountants, (vi) the qualification of the Securities under state securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 4(e), including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of any Blue Sky Survey, (vii) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of any Blue Sky Survey, and (viii) the fees of the FINRA, (ix) the preparation, printing, reproduction and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Indentures and all supplements and amendments thereto, (x) any fees charged by rating agencies for the rating of the Securities and (xi) the fees and expenses of any depository and any nominee thereof in connection with the Securities.
If the sale of
any of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any
condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 5 hereof
is not satisfied or
14
because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of
the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof
other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will
reimburse the Underwriters severally upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses
(including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been
incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of such
Securities.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, 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, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) 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 430B under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in each Disclosure Package 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, and to reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Banc of America Securities LLC) 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 the Underwriter Information or arises out of or is based upon statements in or omissions from that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification of the Trustee (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 7(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
(b) 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 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, insofar as such
loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as
contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, or any amendment thereto, or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Base Prospectus or
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or
alleged omission therefrom of a
15
material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, and only to the extent, that
such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
was made in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus
(or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity
with the Underwriter Information; 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
Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriters
have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement,
each Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto)
are the names of the Underwriters, the sentences
relating to concessions and reallowances, and the statements set forth in the seventh,
ninth and tenth paragraphs under the caption "Underwriting" in
the Prospectus. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 7(b) shall
be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) 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 failure to so notify the indemnifying party (i) will not
relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to
the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results
in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses
and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from
any liability other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph
(a) or (b) above. 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
satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, that 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 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
that 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 preceding sentence (it being
understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the
expenses of more than one separate counsel (other than local counsel approved
by the Representatives)), representing the indemnified parties who are parties
to such action) or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel
satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within
16
a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, in each of which
cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the
indemnifying party.
(d) The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. 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 (i) includes 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.
(e) If the indemnification provided for in Sections 7(a) through (d) is for any reason unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact or any such inaccurate or alleged inaccurate representation or warranty relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be
deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 7(c), any
legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection
with investigating or defending any action or claim. The
provisions set forth in Section 7(c) with respect to notice of commencement of
any action shall apply if a claim for
17
contribution is to be made under this
Section 7; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be
required with respect to any action for which notice has been given in
accordance with Section 7(c) for purposes of indemnification. The Company and
the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section 7(e) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if
the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other
method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to in this Section 7(e).
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7(e), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7(e) are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their names in Schedule II. For purposes of this Section 7(e), each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against another party or parties under this paragraph (e), notify such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, as contemplated by the preceding paragraph. However, the omission to so notify such party or parties shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have hereunder or otherwise than under this paragraph (e).
8. Default
by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to
purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such
Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall
constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this
Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up
and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of the applicable
series of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bear
to the aggregate amount of such Securities set forth opposite the names of all
the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the
event that the aggregate amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter
or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate
amount of the applicable series of Securities set forth in Schedule II hereto,
the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not
be under any obligation to purchase any, of such Securities, and if such
non-defaulting Underwriters do not purchase all of such Securities, this
Agreement will terminate as to such series of Securities without liability to
any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by
any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 8, the Closing Date shall be
postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as the Representatives
shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration
Statement, each Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or in any other documents
or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall
relieve any
18
defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and
any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
9. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if prior to such time (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange, or (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in the commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or material escalation of hostilities or other calamity or crisis (in the United States or elsewhere) the effect of which on the financial markets of the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities.
10. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the 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 the officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Section 6 and 7 hereof and this Section 10 shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telexed and confirmed to them, at the address specified in Schedule I hereto, with a copy to: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10104-0050, Attn: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at Bank of America Corporation, Corporate Treasury ― Securities Administration, Bank of America Corporate Center, NC1-007-07-06, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, with a copy to each of: Bank of America Corporation, Legal Department, NC1-002-29-01, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attn: General Counsel; and ▇▇▇▇▇ Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attn: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇.
12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
13. No Fiduciary Duties; Agreement Complete.
(a) The Company acknowledges and agrees
that: (i) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement,
including the determination of the offering price of the Securities and any
related discounts and commissions, is an arm's-length commercial transaction
between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the
other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and
understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) in connection with each transaction
contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each
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Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the
financial advisor, agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its affiliates,
stockholders, creditors or employees or any other party; (iii) no Underwriter
has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in
favor of the Company with respect to any of the transactions contemplated
hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter
has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no
Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering
contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this
Agreement; (iv) the several Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be
engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ
from those of the Company and that the several Underwriters have no
obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency
or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the Underwriters have not provided any
legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering
contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting,
regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
(b) This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the several Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the several Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.
14. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to principles of conflict of laws.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.
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Very truly yours, BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION |
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By: |
/s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ |
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Name: |
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ |
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Title: |
Vice President |
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The foregoing Agreement is |
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By: |
/s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ |
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Name: |
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ |
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Title: |
Principal |
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For themselves and the other several Underwriters, if any, |
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SCHEDULE I
Underwriting Agreement dated September 13, 2007
Registration Statement No. 333-133852
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Representatives: |
Banc of America Securities LLC |
Address of Representatives:
c/o Banc of America Securities LLC
NY1-301-29-01
▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title, Price to Public and Description of Securities:
Title: 5.375% Senior Notes, due
September 2012
(to be consolidated and form a single series with the $650,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of 5.375% Senior Notes, due September 2012 issued on September
11, 2007)
Principal Amount of Reopening: $350,000,000
Price to Public (include type of funds and accrued interest or amortization, if
applicable): 100.072% ($350,252,000) plus accrued interest since September 11,
2007 ($365,798.61 in the aggregate).
Underwriters' Purchase Price: 99.722% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes (plus $365,798.61, representing accrued interest), payable in federal (same day) funds or wire transfer to an account previously designated to the Representatives by the Company.
Sinking fund provisions: None.
Redemption provisions: None.
Other provisions: See Schedule IV.
Closing Date, Time and Location: September 18, 2007, 9:00 A.M. New York City time, the Offices of ▇▇▇▇▇ Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC.
Listing: None.
I-1
Additional items to be covered by the letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP delivered pursuant to Section 5(e) at the time this Agreement is executed: None.
I-2
SCHEDULE II
$350,000,000 5.375% Senior Notes, due September 2012
|
|
Principal Amount of
the |
|
Banc of America Securities LLC |
339,500,000 |
|
Total |
$350,000,000 |
|
|
II-1
SCHEDULE III
Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
1. The Final Term Sheet, as set forth in Schedule IV.
III-1
SCHEDULE IV
Final Term Sheet
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
$350,000,000
REOPENING OF 5.375% SENIOR NOTES, DUE SEPTEMBER 2012
FINAL TERM SHEET
Dated September 13, 2007
|
Issuer: |
Bank of America Corporation |
|
Ratings: |
Aa1 (▇▇▇▇▇'▇)/AA (S&P)/AA (Fitch) |
|
Title of the Series: |
5.375% Senior Notes, due September 2012 |
|
Aggregate Principal Amount Initially Issued on September 11, 2007: |
$650,000,000 |
|
Additional Principal Amount to Be Issued in Reopening: |
$350,000,000 |
|
Total Aggregate Principal Amount, After Giving Effect to the Reopening: |
$1,000,000,000 |
|
Issue Price: |
100.072% (plus $5.2256944 in accrued interest for each $5,000 in principal amount of the notes) |
|
Trade Date of Reopening: |
September 13, 2007 |
|
Settlement Date of Reopening: |
September 18, 2007 (DTC) |
|
Maturity Date: |
September 11, 2012 |
|
Ranking: |
Senior |
|
Minimum Denominations: |
$5,000 and multiples of $5,000 in excess of $5,000 |
|
Day Count Fraction: |
30/360 |
|
Record Dates: |
For book-entry only notes, one business day prior to the applicable interest payment date. |
|
Interest Rate: |
5.375% |
|
Interest Payment Dates: |
March 11 and September 11 of each year, beginning March 11, 2008. |
|
Interest Periods: |
Semi-annually. The initial interest period will be the period from, and including, September 11, 2007 to, but excluding, March 11, 2008, the initial interest payment date. The subsequent interest periods will be the periods from, and including, the applicable interest payment date to, but excluding, the next interest payment date or the Maturity Date. |
|
Optional Redemption: |
None |
|
Listing: |
None |
|
Lead Manager: |
Banc of America Securities LLC |
|
Co-Managers: |
Bear, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Inc. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. Loop Capital Markets, LLC The ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Group, L.P. |
|
CUSIP: |
060505 DK7 |
|
ISIN: |
US060505DK72 |
The Issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the Issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering. You may obtain these documents for free by visiting ▇▇▇▇▇ on the SEC website at ▇▇▇.▇▇▇.▇▇▇. Alternatively, Bank of America Corporation or the lead underwriter will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by contacting Bank of America Corporation, Corporate Treasury - Securities Administration, at ▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, or Banc of America Securities LLC, toll free at 1-800-294-1322. You may also request a copy by e-mail from ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇ or ▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇_▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇.