CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC. [ ] Shares of Common Stock Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
CONSENSUS CLOUD SOLUTIONS, INC.
[ ] Shares of Common Stock
[ ], 2022
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
Evercore Group L.L.C.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
c/o Evercore Group L.L.C.
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Certain stockholders named in Schedule 2 hereto (the “Selling Stockholders”) of Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of [ ] shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Underwritten Shares”), and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional [ ] shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Option Shares”). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Shares”. The shares of Common Stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are referred to herein as the “Stock”.
Following the execution of this Agreement and prior to the purchase of the Underwritten Shares by the Underwriters on the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), the Selling Stockholders or affiliates thereof (in such capacities, the “Exchange Parties”) expect to enter into an exchange
agreement (the “Exchange Agreement”) with Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇”), whereby Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇ would agree to transfer to the Exchange Parties (i) the Underwritten Shares in exchange for the cancellation of a portion of certain indebtedness of Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇ held by the Exchange Parties at such time (such indebtedness held by the Exchange Parties, the “Exchange Debt”) (the consummation of such exchange being referred to herein as the “Initial Exchange” and the date that such Initial Exchange is consummated, the “Initial Exchange Date”), which Initial Exchange would occur prior to the purchase of the Underwritten Shares by the Underwriters on the Closing Date, and (ii) to the extent the Underwriters exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole or in part, such Option Shares in exchange for the cancellation of a portion of the Exchange Debt (the consummation of such exchange being referred to herein as an “Option Exchange” and, together with the Initial Exchange, the “Exchanges” and each an “Exchange”; and the date that any Option Exchange is consummated, an “Option Exchange Date”; and each of the Initial Exchange Date or any Option Exchange Date, an “Exchange Date”), which Option Exchange would occur prior to the purchase of such Option Shares by the Underwriters on the applicable Additional Closing Date (as hereinafter defined). To the extent any Exchange Party is an affiliate of any Selling Stockholder, such Selling Stockholder (i) would acquire the Underwritten Shares from such Exchange Party prior to the Closing Date and (ii) would acquire any Option Shares from such Exchange Party prior to the applicable Additional Closing Date.
The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby confirm their agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:
1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[ ]), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”) to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-1 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
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At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex A, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated [ ], 2022, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.
“Applicable Time” means [ ] [A/P].M., New York City time, on [ ], 2022.
2. Purchase of the Shares.
(a) Each of the Selling Stockholders agrees, severally and not jointly, to sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase at a price per share equal to $[ ] (the “Purchase Price”) from each of the Selling Stockholders the number of Underwritten Shares (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares to be sold by each of the Selling Stockholders as set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule 2 hereto by a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares to be purchased by all the Underwriters from the Selling Stockholders hereunder.
In addition, each of the Selling Stockholders agrees severally and not jointly, as and to the extent indicated in Schedule 2 hereto, to sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from each Selling Stockholder the Option Shares at the Purchase Price less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option Shares. If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 12 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Selling Stockholders by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make. Any such election to purchase Option Shares shall be made in proportion to the maximum number of Option Shares to be sold by each Selling Stockholder as set forth in Schedule 2 hereto.
The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representatives to the Selling Stockholders and Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 12 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.
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(b) The Selling Stockholders and Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇ understand that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package. The Selling Stockholders and the Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇ acknowledge and agree that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.
(c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by (i) in the case of the Underwritten Shares, the Selling Stockholders to the Representatives at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP at 10:00 A.M. New York City time on [ ], 2022, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Selling Stockholders may agree upon in writing or, (ii) in the case of any Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”, and the time and date for such payment for any Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as an “Additional Closing Date”.
Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or an Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Selling Stockholders. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
(d) Each of the Company and each Selling Stockholder acknowledges and agrees that the Representatives and the other Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company and the Selling Stockholders with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company, the Selling Stockholders or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company, the Selling Stockholders or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company and the Selling Stockholders shall consult with their own advisors concerning such matters and each shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter shall have any responsibility or liability to the Company or the Selling Stockholders with respect thereto. Any review by the Representatives and the other Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Representatives and the other Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company or the Selling Stockholders. Moreover, each Selling Shareholder acknowledges and agrees that, although the Representatives may be required or choose to provide the Selling
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Stockholders with certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures in connection with the offering, the Representatives and the other Underwriters are not making a recommendation to any Selling Stockholder to participate in the offering, enter into a “lock-up” agreement, or sell any Shares at the price determined in the offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures is intended to suggest that any Representative or any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter and the Selling Stockholders that:
(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(c) hereof.
(b) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of each Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(c) hereof. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package and no statement of material fact included in the Pricing Disclosure Package that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.
(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing
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Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of each Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(c) hereof.
(d) Emerging Growth Company. From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).
(e) Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives (x) with entities that are qualified institutional buyers (“QIBs”) within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7), (a)(8), (a)(9), (a)(12) or (a)(13) under the Securities Act (“IAIs”) and otherwise in compliance with the requirements of Section 5(d) of the Securities Act or (y) with entities that the Company reasonably believed to be QIBs or IAIs and otherwise in compliance with the requirements of Rule 163B under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications by virtue of a writing substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto. The Company has not distributed or approved for distribution any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Annex B hereto. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on either Section 5(d) of, or Rule 163B under, the Securities Act. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. Any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
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(f) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Shares has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of each Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act 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; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(c) hereof.
(g) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents 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.
(h) Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements, together with the related schedules and notes, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the entities to which they relate as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respect the
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information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The statistical and market related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company and its subsidiaries believe to be reliable and accurate in all material respects and any forward looking statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus represent the Company’s good faith estimates and assumptions. All disclosures included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.
(i) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto): (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity (any such change is called a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business and that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, nor entered into any transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business and material to the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity; 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 or other subsidiaries, any of its subsidiaries on any class of capital stock or repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any shares of any class of capital stock or except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(j) Organization and Good Standing. Each of the Company and the Company’s significant subsidiaries as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X and as listed on Schedule 3 hereto (the “Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated or formed, as applicable, and is validly existing as a corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, as applicable, and has corporate, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, in the case of the Company, to enter into and perform its obligations under each of the Transaction Documents. Each of the Company and the Significant Subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing or equivalent status in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except for such
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jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other ownership interests of the Significant Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and nonassessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity that would be a Significant Subsidiary other than the Significant Subsidiaries listed in Schedule 3 hereto.
(k) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders) have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights that have not been duly waived or satisfied; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights that have not been duly waived or satisfied), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.
(l) Stock Options. With respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company Stock Plans”), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and, to the knowledge of the Company (other than with respect to due execution and delivery by the Company), the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of the Nasdaq Global Market (the “Nasdaq Market”) and any other exchange on which Company securities are traded, and (iv) each
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such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.
(m) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken.
(n) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(o) Descriptions of the Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(p) No Violation or Default, Conflicts or Consents Required. Neither the Company nor any of the Significant Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter, bylaws or other constitutive document or any administrative regulation or administrative court decree applicable to the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or (ii) in violation of any law applicable to the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, contract, franchise, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”), except, in the case of clause (ii) of this sentence, for such violations or Defaults, as applicable, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the sale of the Shares and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any Exchange) (x) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, bylaws or other constitutive document of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, (y) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument and (z) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, except, in the case of clauses (y) and (z) of this sentence, for such conflicts, breaches, Defaults, liens, charges, encumbrances or violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. No consent, approval, authorization or
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other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, or sale of the Shares, or consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any Exchange), except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act, applicable securities laws of the several states of the United States or provinces of Canada and except such as may be required by the securities laws of the several states of the United States or provinces of Canada. As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries.
(q) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (“Actions”) pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; no such Actions are threatened or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(r) Independent Accountants. BDO USA, LLP (“BDO”), who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.
(s) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 3(g) hereof (or elsewhere in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other defects, except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable leases, except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
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(t) Intellectual Property. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, to the Company’s knowledge, (i) the Company or one of its subsidiaries owns, licenses or possesses sufficient rights to all material trademarks, trade names, domain names, patents, patent applications, trade secrets, computer software and copyrights (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) used in the conduct of their respective businesses as now conducted; (ii) the conduct of the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries does not infringe or misappropriate the Intellectual Property of any other person or entity; and (iii) no person or entity is infringing or misappropriating any Intellectual Property owned by the Company.
(u) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers, suppliers or other affiliates of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.
(v) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”) and the Company will conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act.
(w) Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all necessary and material federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns and have paid all material taxes required to be paid by any of the Company and any of its subsidiaries and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them except as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in accordance with GAAP in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 3(g) hereof in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined.
(x) Licenses and Permits. The Company and each subsidiary possess such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct their respective businesses, except those certificates, authorizations or permits the absence of which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
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(y) No Labor Disputes. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or, to the Company’s knowledge, with the employees of any principal supplier of the Company, exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened or imminent that is reasonably likely to materially impair the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.
(z) Certain Environmental Matters. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there are no proceedings that are pending, or known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including without limitation any international, foreign, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority, relating to pollution, the protection of human health or safety, the environment, or natural resources, or to use, handling, storage, manufacturing, transportation, treatment, discharge, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”) in which a governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under any Environmental Law, except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive or be in compliance with required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
(aa) Compliance with ERISA. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, (i) each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)) for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code) would have any liability (each a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (A) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (B) no Plan is or is reasonably expected to be “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA) (C) there has been no filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan or the receipt by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates from the PBGC or the plan administrator of any notice relating to the intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan, (D) no conditions contained in Section 303(k)(1)(A) of ERISA for imposition of a lien shall have been met with respect to any Plan and (E) neither the Company or any member
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of its Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA) (“Multiemployer Plan”); (iv) no Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, “insolvent” (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA), in “reorganization” (within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA), or in “endangered” or “critical” status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 304 of ERISA); and (v) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(bb) Disclosure Controls. The Company has established and maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the Company by others within the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and such disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably effective to perform the functions for which they were established subject to the limitations of any such control system; and the Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) any “significant deficiencies” or “material weaknesses” (as such terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) in the design or operation of internal controls; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal controls; and, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and procedures, there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
(cc) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that are designed to comply with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences and (v) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package fairly
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presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Based on the Company’s most recent evaluation of its internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Rule 13a-15(c) of the Exchange Act, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting. It is understood that this subsection shall not require the Company to comply with Section 404 of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 (the “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act,” which term, as used herein, includes the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder) as of an earlier date than it would otherwise be required to so comply under applicable law.
(dd) eXtensible Business Reporting Language. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(ee) Cybersecurity; Data Protection. The Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases are adequate for, and operate and perform in all respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their Personal Data, confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases and data used in connection with their businesses, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to the same, except for such controls, policies, procedures and safeguards the failure to maintain, or such breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses or accesses that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. Except where non-compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, the Company and each of its subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable data privacy and security and data protection laws and regulations regarding the collection, use, transfer, storage, protection, disposal or disclosure of Personal Data (as defined below) processed, stored or collected by the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”). “Personal Data” means personally identifiable information, protected health information, financial
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information, “personal data” as defined by the EU General Data Protection Regulations (EU 2016 679) and all other information subject to Privacy Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries have policies and procedures reasonably designed to (i) ensure compliance with Privacy Laws and its privacy policies on its website or other consumer facing communications; and (ii) reasonably protect the security and confidentiality of all Personal Data. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received written notice of any actual or potential material liability under or relating to, or actual or potential material violation of, any of the Privacy Laws.
(ff) Insurance. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance from recognized, financially sound institutions with coverage in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are generally deemed adequate and customary for their businesses. The Company and its subsidiaries have no reason to believe that it or any Significant Subsidiary 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 and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(gg) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, has in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries: (i) made any unlawful contribution, gift or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect bribe, kickback, rebate, payoff, influence payment, or otherwise unlawfully provided anything of value, to any “foreign official” (as defined in the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (collectively, the “FCPA”)) or domestic government official; or (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA, the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ of the United Kingdom, as amended (the “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇”), or any other applicable anti-corruption or anti-bribery statute or regulation. The Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the affiliates of the Company have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA, the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, and all other applicable anti-corruption and anti-bribery statutes and regulations, and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance, and which are reasonably expected to provide reasonable assurance, of continued compliance therewith.
(hh) Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, that have been issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator or non-governmental authority involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
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(ii) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is (i) currently subject to or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”), the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”); or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic region of Ukraine, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic region of Ukraine and Crimea). The Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in for the past five years, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any individual or entity, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction, is or was the subject or target of Sanctions.
(jj) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except as otherwise would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or instrument from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.
(kk) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(ll) No Registration Rights. No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or, to the knowledge of the Company, the sale of the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders hereunder.
(mm) No Stabilization. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company.
(nn) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included or incorporated by reference in any of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
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(oo) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(pp) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act. The Company and its subsidiaries and their respective officers and directors are in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act.
(qq) Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company has paid the registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act or will pay such fee within the time period required by such rule (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.
4. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholders. Each of the Selling Stockholders severally represents and warrants to each Underwriter and the Company that:
(a) Authority. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder.
(b) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by such Selling Stockholder of this Agreement, the sale of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder and the consummation by such Selling Stockholder of the transactions contemplated herein or therein will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of such Selling Stockholder or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory agency, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Selling Stockholder to perform, or prevent or materially interfere with the performance of such Selling Stockholder of, its obligations under this Agreement (a “Selling Stockholder Material Adverse Effect”).
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(c) No Stabilization. Such Selling Stockholder has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares (it being understood that such Selling Stockholder makes no statement or representation as to the actions taken by or on behalf of the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby).
(d) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, such Selling Stockholder (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Company and the Representatives.
(e) Organization and Good Standing. Such Selling Stockholder has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its respective jurisdictions of organization, except in each case where the failure to be so organized, existing or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Selling Stockholder Material Adverse Effect.
6. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, upon written request, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.
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(c) Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.
(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing (which may be by electronic mail), (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed or distributed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information, including, but not limited to, any request for information concerning any Testing-the-Waters Communications; (v) of the issuance by the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or the initiation or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event or development within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
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(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.
(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(g) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement; provided that the Company will be deemed to have satisfied such requirement to the extent such information is filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System (“▇▇▇▇▇”) or any successor thereto.
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(h) Clear Market. For a period of 60 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or submit to, or file with, the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock, or publicly disclose the intention to undertake any of the foregoing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than the Shares to be sold hereunder.
The restrictions described above do not apply to (i) the issuance of shares of Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or the exercise of warrants or options (including net exercise) or the settlement of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) (including net settlement), in each case outstanding on the date of this Agreement and described in the Prospectus; (ii) grants of stock options, stock awards, restricted stock, RSUs, or other equity awards and the issuance of shares of Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Stock (whether upon the exercise of stock options or otherwise) to the Company’s employees, officers, directors, advisors, or consultants pursuant to the terms of an equity compensation plan in effect as of the Closing Date and described in the Prospectus, provided that such recipients enter into a lock-up agreement with the Underwriters; (iii) the issuance of up to 5% of the outstanding shares of common stock, or securities convertible into, exercisable for, or which are otherwise exchangeable for, common stock, in acquisitions or other similar strategic transactions, provided that such recipients enter into a lock-up agreement with the Underwriters; or (iv) the filing of any registration statement on Form S-8 relating to securities granted or to be granted pursuant to any plan in effect on the date of this Agreement and described in the Prospectus or any assumed benefit plan pursuant to an acquisition or similar strategic transaction.
(i) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries or affiliates will take, directly or indirectly, without giving effect to activities by the Underwriters, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Stock.
(j) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to list for quotation the Shares on the Nasdaq Market.
(k) Reports. So long as the Shares are outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on ▇▇▇▇▇.
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(l) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
(m) Emerging Growth Company. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the 60-day restricted period referred to in Section 6(h) hereof.
7. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby severally represents and agrees that:
(a) It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(e) above (including any electronic road show approved by the Company), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).
(b) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.
(c) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company and the Selling Stockholders if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).
8. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on any Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
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(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 6(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties. The respective representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the statements of the Company and its officers and of each of the Selling Stockholders and their officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Applicable Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any debt securities, convertible securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any such debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(d) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(h) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives and the Selling Stockholders shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, (x) a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representatives and the Selling Stockholders (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations of the Company set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this
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Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above and (y) a certificate of each of the Selling Stockholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and the Selling Stockholders, (A) confirming that the representations of such Selling Stockholder set forth in Sections 4(e), 4(f) and 4(g) hereof is true and correct and (B) confirming that the other representations and warranties of such Selling Stockholder in this agreement are true and correct and that the such Selling Stockholder has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date.
(f) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, BDO shall have furnished to the Representatives and the Selling Stockholders, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters and the Selling Stockholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and the Selling Stockholders, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than two business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives and the Selling Stockholders, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters and the Selling Stockholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and the Selling Stockholders.
(h) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇, shall have furnished to the Representatives and the Selling Stockholders, at the request of Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters and the Selling Stockholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and the Selling Stockholders.
(i) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters and the Selling Stockholders. The Representatives and the Selling Stockholders shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement, addressed to the Underwriters and the Selling Stockholders, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters and the Selling Stockholders, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
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(j) No Legal Impediment to Sale. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the sale of the Shares.
(k) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(l) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Market, subject to official notice of issuance.
(m) Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, between you and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company and Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇, each relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be full force and effect on the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(n) Exchange. (i) On or prior to the Closing Date, (x) the Exchange Agreement shall have been entered into in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and (y) the Initial Exchange shall have been consummated in accordance with the terms of such Exchange Agreement and the Underwritten Shares shall have been delivered by Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇ to the Selling Stockholders and (ii) on or prior to such Additional Closing Date, the applicable Option Exchange shall have been consummated in accordance with the terms of such Exchange Agreement and the applicable Option Shares shall have been delivered by Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇ to the Selling Stockholders.
(o) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
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All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
9. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters and the Selling Stockholders by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each Selling Stockholder, their respective affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter or such Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented legal fees and other reasonable and documented expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”) or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in paragraph (b) below.
(b) Indemnification of the Company and the Selling Stockholders by the Underwriters. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Selling Stockholders, the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls such Selling Stockholder or the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any road show or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), it being understood and agreed upon
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that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the fourth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)” and the information contained in the sixteenth through eighteenth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)”.
(d) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 9 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable and documented fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC, any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company, any such separate firm for the Selling Stockholders shall be designated in writing by the Selling Stockholders. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person
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shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(e) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) above is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnified Person in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person in connection with the actions which resulted in the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Person and Indemnified Person 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 has been made (or omitted) by, or relates to information supplied by such Indemnifying Person or Indemnified Person, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(f) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to paragraph (e) above were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (e) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (e) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any reasonable and documented legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (e) and (f), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to paragraphs (e) and (f) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
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(g) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
10. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above.
11. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the any Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
12. Defaulting Underwriter.
(a) If, on the Closing Date or any Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company and the Selling Stockholders may postpone the Closing Date or any Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company, counsel for the Selling Stockholders or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 12, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
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(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or any Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or any Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 12 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 13 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 9 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company, the Selling Stockholders or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
13. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Shares under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA (including the fees and
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expenses of counsel for the Underwriters related thereto not to exceed $50,000); (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; and (x) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq Market. It is being understood, however, that, except as provided in this Agreement, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 11, (ii) the Company or the Selling Stockholders for any reason fail to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby. For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood that the Company shall not pay or reimburse any costs, fees or expenses incurred by an Underwriter pursuant to this paragraph (b) that defaults on its obligations to purchase the Shares.
14. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 9 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
15. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company, the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company, the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriters or the directors, officers, controlling persons or affiliates referred to in Section 9 hereof.
16. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
17. Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company and the Selling Stockholders, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
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18. Miscellaneous.
(a) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇); Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk; Citigroup Global Markets Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇); Attention: General Counsel; and Evercore Group L.L.C., ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇); Attention: ECM General Counsel. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Chief Legal Officer. Notices to Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇ shall be given to it at Ziff ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Attention: Legal Department. Notices to the Selling Stockholders shall be given to ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇); Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk; Citicorp North America, Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇); Attention: General Counsel; and Evercore Group L.L.C., ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇); Attention: ECM General Counsel.
(b) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(c) Submission to Jurisdiction. Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and New York state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholders waive any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding in such courts. Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholders agree that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and each Selling Stockholder, as applicable, and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which Company and each Selling Stockholder, as applicable, is subject by a suit upon such judgment.
(d) Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.
(e) Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(i) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
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(ii) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
As used in this Section 18(e):
“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
“Covered Entity” means any of the following:
(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the ▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., ▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
(g) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(h) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
[Signature pages follow]
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| Very truly yours, | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
| ZIFF ▇▇▇▇▇, INC. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES LLC, as Selling Stockholder | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC., as Selling Stockholder | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Accepted: As of the date first written above | ||
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES LLC | ||
| For itself and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| EVERCORE GROUP L.L.C. | ||
| For itself and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. | ||
| For itself and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Schedule 1
| Underwriter |
Number of Shares | |||
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC |
[ ] | |||
| Evercore Group L.L.C. |
[ ] | |||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
[ ] | |||
| Total |
[ | ] | ||
Schedule 2
| Selling Stockholder |
Number of Underwritten Shares: |
Number of Option Shares: | ||
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC |
[ ] | [ ] | ||
| Citicorp North America, Inc. |
[ ] | [ ] |
Schedule 3
Significant Subsidiaries
J2 Cloud Services, LLC
Dotcom Limited
j2 Global Japan Y.K.
Consensus Cloud Solutions International Ltd.
MetroFax, Inc.
Catch Curve, Inc.
RTE Network Services EURL
j2 Global ANZ Limited
Consensus Cloud Solutions Canada ULC
j2 Global (Netherlands) B.V.
Protus IP Solutions (Europe) Limited
Annex A
| a. | Pricing Disclosure Package |
[None]
| b. | Pricing Information Communicated by Underwriters |
Number of shares: [ ]
Public offering price per share: $[ ]
Annex B
Written Testing-The-Waters Communications
We would like to discuss with you and certain other individuals at your firm some highly confidential information, which may include material non-public information, relating to a potential offering of equity securities of a company in the Technology sector by a certain public stockholder. Certain details of the proposed transaction are highlighted below.
| • | Approximate Deal Size: $100-150m |
| • | Type of Security: Equity securities |
| • | Sector: Technology |
| • | Market Capitalization: $1-$3b |
| • | Any existing listed debt? No |
| • | Expected Deal Launch Date/Time: [ ], 2022 |
| • | Expected Pricing Date: [ ], 2022 |
| • | Latest Cleansing Date/Time: [ ], 2022 at [ ] [A/P].M. ET |
Our discussing this opportunity with you would be subject to your agreement to treat all of the information we provide confidentially, not to use such information to render any type of advice to your firm as principal or, if applicable, your clients or those of your firm, and to restrict trading by those in possession of the confidential information until a time no later than [ ], 2022, at [ ] [A/P].M. ET, by which time any material non-public information provided to you hereunder will either have been made public or will have been determined by the issuer and stockholder to no longer be material information.
Please note that if the stockholder elects not to proceed with the potential offering it and the issuer may determine that no “cleansing disclosure” is required.
This communication is made pursuant to either Rule 163B of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or Section 5(d) of the Securities Act, and is intended solely for investors that are qualified institutional buyers or institutional accredited investors solely for the purposes of familiarizing such investors with the issuer and stockholder and determining whether such investors might have an interest in a securities offering of the issuer contemplated by the stockholder. Any such offering of securities will only be made by means of a registration statement (including a prospectus) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, after such registration statement becomes effective. No such registration statement has become effective, as of the date of this communication. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
This email is for the sole use of the intended recipient and cannot be forwarded, disseminated, distributed or copied. If you are not an intended recipient of this email, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this notice is strictly prohibited. If you have received this notice in error, please notify the sender and permanently delete the email immediately.
Do you agree to receive the confidential information on this basis? If so, please reply by phone, or by email with the text under “Accept Response Text” below, to confirm this conversation and we will provide you with the name and ticker symbol of the issuer and additional details on this process and the applicable restrictions which will require an email response from you. If you do not respond, we will assume you do not accept.
Exhibit A
Testing the waters authorization (to be delivered by the Issuer to the Representatives in email or letter form)
In reliance on Rule 163B under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”) hereby authorizes ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC (“▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇”), Evercore Group L.L.C., (“Evercore”) and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI” and, together with ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ and Evercore, the “Representatives”) and their respective affiliates and their respective employees, to engage on behalf of the Issuer in oral and written communications with potential investors that are reasonably believed to be “qualified institutional buyers”, as defined in Rule 144A under the Act, or institutions that are “accredited investors”, within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7), (a)(8), (a)(9), (a)(12) or (a)(13) under the Act, to determine whether such investors might have an interest in the contemplated offering by certain existing shareholders of the Issuer (“Testing-the-Waters Communications”). A “Written Testing-the Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.
The Issuer represents that it is an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Act (“Emerging Growth Company”) and agrees to promptly notify the Representatives in writing if the Issuer hereafter ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company while this authorization is in effect. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Issuer will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.
Nothing in this authorization is intended to limit or otherwise affect the ability of the Representatives and their respective affiliates and their respective, to engage in communications in which they could otherwise lawfully engage in the absence of this authorization, including, without limitation, any written communication containing only one or more of the statements specified under Rule 134(a) under the Act. This authorization shall remain in effect until the Issuer has provided to the Representatives a written notice revoking this authorization. All notices as described herein shall be sent by email to the attention of each of: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ at ▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ at ▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ at ▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇.
Exhibit B
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
_____________, 2022
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES LLC
EVERCORE GROUP L.L.C.
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
As Representatives of
the several Underwriters listed in
Schedule 1 to the Underwriting
Agreement referred to below
c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
c/o Evercore Group L.L.C.
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Re: Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc. — Public Offering
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and the Selling Stockholders listed on Schedule 2 to the Underwriting Agreement, providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of common stock of the Company (the “Securities”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Securities, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, subject to the provisions contained herein, without the prior written consent of ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, and will not cause any direct or indirect affiliate to, during the period beginning on the date of this letter agreement (this “Letter Agreement”) and ending at the close of business 60 days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”) (such period, the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of common stock, $0.01 per share par value, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) or any
securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) (collectively with the Common Stock, the “Lock-Up Securities”), (2) enter into any hedging, swap or other agreement or transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Lock-Up Securities, or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transactions or arrangements (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) designed or intended, or which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition or transfer (whether by the undersigned or any other person) of any economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may:
(a) transfer the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities:
(i) as a bona fide gift or gifts or charitable contribution, or for bona fide estate planning purposes,
(ii) by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession,
(iii) to any immediate family member or other dependent of the undersigned (for purposes of this Letter Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, current or former marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin),
(iv) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, or if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustor or beneficiary of the trust or to the estate of a beneficiary of such trust,
(v) to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned are, directly or indirectly, the legal and beneficial owner of all of the outstanding equity securities or similar interests,
(vi) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (i) through (v) above,
(vii) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned, or to any investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by or under common control with the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where the undersigned is a partnership, to its general partner or a successor partnership or fund, or any other funds managed by such partnership), or (B) as part of a distribution to members, partners, shareholders or other equityholders of the undersigned,
(viii) by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree or separation agreement, or order of a regulatory agency, or to comply with any regulations related to the undersigned’s ownership of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities,
(ix) to the Company from an employee of the Company upon death, disability or termination of employment, in each case, of such employee,
(x) as part of a sale of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities acquired in open market transactions after the closing date for the Public Offering,
(xi) to the Company in connection with the vesting, settlement, or exercise of restricted stock units, options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock (including, in each case, by way of “net” or “cashless” exercise), including for the payment of exercise price and tax and remittance payments due as a result of the vesting, settlement, or exercise of such restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights, provided that any such shares of Common Stock received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement shall be subject to the terms of this Letter Agreement, and provided further that any such restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights are held by the undersigned pursuant to an agreement or equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, each such agreement or plan which is described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
(xii) to the Company in connection with (A) the repurchase of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan which is described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) a right of first refusal that the Company has with respect to transfers of such shares or securities,
(xiii) pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and made to all holders of the Company’s capital stock involving a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Company (for purposes hereof, “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons, of shares of capital stock if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity)); provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction is not completed, the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the provisions of this Letter Agreement, or
(xiv) with the prior written consent of ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC on behalf of the Underwriters;
provided that (A) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (B) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii) and (viii), each donee, devisee, transferee or distributee shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter in the form of this Letter Agreement, (C) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (ix) and (x), no filing by any party (donor, donee, devisee, transferor, transferee, distributer or distributee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the Restricted Period referred to above) and (D) in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (a)(viii) and (ix) it shall be a condition to such transfer that no public filing, report or announcement shall be voluntarily made and if any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, or other public filing, report or announcement reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock in connection with such transfer or distribution shall be legally required during the Restricted Period, such filing, report or announcement shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto the nature and conditions of such transfer;
(b) exercise outstanding options, settle restricted stock units or other equity awards or exercise warrants pursuant to plans described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided that any Lock-Up Securities received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement shall be subject to the terms of this Letter Agreement;
(c) convert outstanding preferred stock, warrants to acquire preferred stock or convertible securities into shares of Common Stock or warrants to acquire shares of Common Stock; provided that any such shares of Common Stock or warrants received upon such conversion shall be subject to the terms of this Letter Agreement;
(e) establish trading plans pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Lock-Up Securities; provided that (1) such plans do not provide for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities during the Restricted Period and (2) no filing by any party under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or made voluntarily in connection with such trading plan; and
(f) sell the Securities to be sold by the undersigned pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the Underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Public Offering of the Securities and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Representatives may be required or choose to provide certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures to you in connection with the Public Offering, the Representatives and the other Underwriters are not making a recommendation to you to participate in the Public Offering, enter into this Letter Agreement, or sell any Shares at the price determined in the Public Offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures is intended to suggest that any Representative or any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.
The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective by September 30, 2022, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.
This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| [NAME OF STOCKHOLDER] | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||