EXHIBIT 1.1
The Dow Chemical Company
Common Stock, $2.50 par value per share
Underwriting Agreement
----------------------
December 16, 1999
To the Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in the respective
Pricing Agreements hereinafter described
Ladies and Gentlemen:
From time to time The Dow Chemical Company, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to enter into one or more Pricing Agreements (each a
"Pricing Agreement") in the form of Annex I hereto, with such additions and
deletions as the parties thereto may determine, and, subject to the terms and
conditions stated herein and therein, to issue and sell to the firms named in
Schedule I to the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms constituting the
"Underwriters" with respect to such Pricing Agreement and the securities
specified therein) certain shares of its common stock, par value $2.50 per share
(the "Shares"), specified in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement (with respect
to such Pricing Agreement, the "Firm Shares"). If specified in such Pricing
Agreement, the Company may grant to the Underwriters the right to purchase at
their election an additional number of shares, specified in such Pricing
Agreement as provided in Section 3 hereof (the "Optional Shares"). The Firm
Shares and the Optional Shares, if any, which the Underwriters elect to purchase
pursuant to Section 3 hereof are herein collectively called the "Designated
Shares".
The terms and rights of any particular issuance of Designated Shares shall be
as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto.
1. Particular sales of Designated Shares may be made from time to time
to the Underwriters of such Shares, for whom the firms designated as
representatives of the Underwriters of such Shares in the Pricing Agreement
relating thereto will act as representatives (the "Representatives"). The term
"Representatives" also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of
the Underwriters and to Underwriters who act without any firm being designated
as their representative. This Underwriting Agreement shall not be construed as
an obligation of the Company to sell any of the Shares or as an obligation of
any of the Underwriters to purchase any of the Shares. The obligation of the
Company to issue and sell any of the Shares and the obligation of any of the
Underwriters to purchase any of the Shares shall be evidenced by the Pricing
Agreement with respect to the Designated Shares specified therein. Each Pricing
Agreement shall specify the aggregate number of the Firm Shares, the maximum
number of Optional Shares, if any, the initial public offering price of such
Firm and Optional Shares or the manner of determining such price, the purchase
price to the Underwriters of such Designated Shares, the names of the
Underwriters of such
Designated Shares, the names of the Representatives of such Underwriters, the
number of such Designated Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter and the
commission, if any, payable to the Underwriters with respect thereto and shall
set forth the date, time and manner of delivery of such Firm and Optional
Shares, if any, and payment therefor. The Pricing Agreement shall also specify
(to the extent not set forth in the registration statement and prospectus with
respect thereto) the terms of such Designated Shares. A Pricing Agreement shall
be in the form of an executed writing (which may be in counterparts), and may be
evidenced by an exchange of telegraphic communications or any other rapid
transmission device designed to produce a written record of communications
transmitted. The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement and each
Pricing Agreement shall be several and not joint.
2. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of
the Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-88617) (the
"Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Shares has been filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); the Initial
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in
the form heretofore delivered or to be delivered to the Representatives
and, excluding exhibits to the Initial Registration Statement, but
including all documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus
included therein, to the Representatives for each of the other Underwriters
have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a
registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a
"Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), which became effective
upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration
Statement or document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been
filed, or transmitted for filing, with the Commission (other than
prospectuses filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of
the Commission under the Act, each in the form heretofore delivered to the
Representatives); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the
Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration
Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the
Act, is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of
the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and the documents
incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the Initial
Registration Statement at the time such part of the Initial Registration
Statement became effective, each as amended at the time such part of the
Initial Registration Statement became effective, are hereinafter
collectively called the "Registration Statement"; the prospectus relating
to the Shares, in the form in which it has most recently been filed, or
transmitted for filing, with the Commission on or prior to the date of this
Agreement, is hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any reference herein to
any
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Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to
and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the
applicable form under the Act, as of the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any
amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date
of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and
incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as
the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the Initial Registration
Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the
Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after
the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement; and any reference to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the applicable
Designated Shares in the form in which it is filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a)
hereof, including any documents incorporated by reference therein as of the
date of such filing);
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they
became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be,
conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the
Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto,
when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as
the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements
of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall
not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an
Underwriter of Designated Shares through the Representatives expressly for
use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Shares;
(c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any
further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of
the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do
not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable
filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto,
contain an untrue
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statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall
not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an
Underwriter of Designated Shares through the Representatives expressly for
use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Shares;
(d) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any material
adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse
change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus;
(e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
full corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do
business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of
each jurisdiction which requires such qualification wherein it owns or
leases material properties or conducts material business;
(f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable;
(g) The Shares have been duly and validly authorized, and, when the Firm
Shares are issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement and the Pricing
Agreement with respect to such Designated Shares and, in the case of any
Optional Shares, pursuant to Over-allotment Options (as defined in Section
3 hereof) with respect to such Shares, such Designated Shares will be duly
and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; the Shares conform to
the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the
Designated Shares will conform to the description thereof contained in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented with respect to such Designated
Shares;
(h) The issue and sale of the Shares and the compliance by the Company
with all of the provisions of this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement and
each Over-allotment Option, if any, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated herein and therein will not 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, deed of trust, loan
agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party
or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets
of the Company is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of
the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or
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By-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of
any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of its properties; and no consent, approval, authorization,
order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or
governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the
Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement or any Pricing Agreement or any Over-allotment Option,
except such as have been, or will have been prior to each Time of Delivery
(as defined in Section 4 hereof), obtained under the Act and such consents,
approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the
purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;
(i) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is the subject, which, if determined adversely to the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate
have a material adverse effect on the current or future consolidated
financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries; and, to the best of the Company's knowledge,
no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental
authorities or threatened by others; and
(j) The Company has reviewed its operations and that of its subsidiaries
and any third parties with which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has
a material relationship to evaluate the extent to which the business or
operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries will be affected by
the Year 2000 Problem. As a result of such review, except as disclosed in
the Prospectus, the Company has no reason to believe, and does not believe,
that the Year 2000 Problem will have a material adverse effect on the
general affairs, management, the current or future consolidated financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries or result in any material loss or interference with the
Company's business or operations. The "Year 2000 Problem" as used herein
means any significant risk that computer hardware or software used in the
receipt, transmission, processing, manipulation, storage, retrieval,
retransmission or other utilization of data or in the operation of
mechanical or electrical systems of any kind will not, in the case of dates
or time periods occurring after December 31, 1999, function at least as
effectively as in the case of dates or time periods occurring prior to
January 1, 2000.
3. Upon the execution of the Pricing Agreement applicable to any
Designated Shares and authorization by the Representatives of the release of the
Firm Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale
upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented.
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The Company may specify in the Pricing Agreement applicable to any
Designated Shares that the Company thereby grants to the Underwriters the right
(an "Overallotment Option") to purchase at their election up to the number of
Optional Shares set forth in such Pricing Agreement, on the terms set forth in
the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering over-allotments in the
sale of the Firm Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be
exercised by written notice from the Representatives to the Company, given
within a period specified in the Pricing Agreement, setting forth the aggregate
number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such Optional
Shares are to be delivered, as determined by the Representatives but in no event
earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) or,
unless the Representatives and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier
than or later than the respective number of business days after the date of such
notice set forth in such Pricing Agreement.
The number of Optional Shares to be added to the number of Firm Shares to
be purchased by each Underwriter as set forth in Schedule I to the Pricing
Agreement applicable to such Designated Shares shall be, in each case, the
number of Optional Shares which the Company has been advised by the
Representatives have been attributed to such Underwriter; provided that, if the
Company has not been so advised, the number of Optional Shares to be so added
shall be, in each case, that proportion of Optional Shares which the number of
Firm Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter under such Pricing Agreement
bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares (rounded as the Representatives may
determine to the nearest 100 shares). The total number of Designated Shares to
be purchased by all the Underwriters pursuant to such Pricing Agreement shall be
the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I to such Pricing
Agreement plus the aggregate number of Optional Shares which the Underwriters
elect to purchase.
4. Certificates for the Firm Shares and the Optional Shares to be
purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to the Pricing Agreement relating
thereto, in the form specified in such Pricing Agreement and in such authorized
denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request
upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice to the Company, shall be delivered
by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives for the account of such
Underwriter, against payment by such Underwriter or on its behalf of the
purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the
account specified by the Company to the Representatives at least forty-eight
hours in advance as specified in such Pricing Agreement, (i) with respect to the
Firm Shares, all in the manner and at the place and time and date specified in
such Pricing Agreement or at such other place and time and date as the
Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time and date
being herein called the "First Time of Delivery" and (ii) with respect to the
Optional Shares, if any, in the manner and at the time and date specified by the
Representatives in the written notice given by the Representatives of the
Underwriters' election to purchase such Optional Shares, or at such other time
and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such
time and date, if not the First Time of Delivery, herein called the "Second Time
of Delivery". Each such time and date for delivery is herein called a "Time of
Delivery".
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5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated
Shares:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus as amended and supplemented in relation
to the applicable Designated Shares in a form approved by the
Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
the Act not later than the Commission's close of business on the second
business day following the execution and delivery of the Pricing Agreement
relating to the applicable Designated Shares or, if applicable, such
earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b); to make no further
amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus as
amended or supplemented after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to
such Shares and prior to any Time of Delivery for such Shares which shall
be disapproved by the Representatives for such Shares promptly after
reasonable notice thereof (it being understood that the Company may file
any reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to
be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act without showing any such report,
proxy or information statement to the Representatives prior to filing); to
advise the Representatives promptly of any such amendment or supplement
after any Time of Delivery for such Shares and furnish the Representatives
with copies thereof; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy
or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the
Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection
with the offering or sale of such Shares, and during such same period to
advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of
the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or
becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended
Prospectus has been filed with the Commission, of the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the
use of any prospectus relating to the Shares, of the suspension of the
qualification of such Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of
the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of
any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and, in
the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order
preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Shares
or suspending any such qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to
obtain the withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the
Representatives may reasonably request to qualify such Shares for offering
and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the
Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit
the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as
long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of such Shares,
provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to
qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction;
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(c) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the New York Business Day
next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to
furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented in New York City in such quantities as the Representatives may
reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any
time in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such
time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as
then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any
other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or
supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act
or the Exchange Act, to notify the Representatives and upon their request
to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each
Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the
Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended
Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(d) To make generally available to its security holders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c)
under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries
(which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the
option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) Except as provided in the applicable Pricing Agreement, during the
period beginning from the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated
Shares and continuing to and including the later of (i) the termination of
trading restrictions for such Designated Shares, as notified to the Company
by the Representatives and (ii) the last Time of Delivery for such
Designated Shares, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise
dispose of, except as provided hereunder, any securities of the Company
that are substantially similar to the Designated Shares, including but not
limited to any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or
that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such substantially
similar securities (other than pursuant to employee stock option plans
existing on, or upon the conversion of convertible or exchangeable
securities outstanding as of, the date of the Pricing Agreement for such
Designated Shares and in connection with the merger agreement among Union
Carbide Corporation, the Company and Transition Sub Inc.) without the prior
written consent of the Representatives; and
(f) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall
file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance
with Rule 462(b) by
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10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the
Company shall at the time of filing either pay the Commission the filing
fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable
instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the
Act.
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that
the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees,
disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in
connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and
amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies
thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing
any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, any
Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including compilations thereof) and any
other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of
the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the
Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section
5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the
Blue Sky survey(s); (iv) any filing fees incident to, and the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required
reviews by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of
the sale of the Shares; (v) the cost of preparing certificates for the Shares;
(vi) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar or dividend
disbursing agent; and (vii) all other costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder and under any Over-allotment Options
which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is
understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 8
and 11 hereof, 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.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters of any Designated Shares under
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Shares shall be subject, in
the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all representations
and warranties and other statements of the Company in or incorporated by
reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Shares are, at
and as of each Time of Delivery for such Designated Shares, true and correct,
the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations
hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to such
Designated Shares shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by
the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a)
hereof; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M.,
Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part
thereof shall have been issued and
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no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by
the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of
the Commission shall have been complied with to the Representatives'
reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Counsel for the Underwriters shall have furnished to the
Representatives such written opinion or opinions , dated each Time of
Delivery for such Designated Shares, with respect to the matters covered in
paragraphs (i), (ii), (iv), (viii) and (ix) of subsection (c) below as well
as such other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably
request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information
as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the
Company shall have furnished to the Representatives his written opinion (a
draft of each such opinion is attached as Annex II(b) hereto), dated each
Time of Delivery for such Designated Shares, respectively, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, with full corporate power and authority to own its properties
and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and is duly
qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing
under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification
wherein it owns or leases material properties or conducts material
business;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, and all of the issued shares
of capital stock of the Company (including the Designated Shares being
delivered at such Time of Delivery) have been duly and validly authorized
and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and the Designated
Shares conform to the description thereof in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented;
(iii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as set
forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings
pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of
which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the
subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a material
adverse effect on the current or future consolidated financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries; and to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such
proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
threatened by others;
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(iv) This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the
Designated Shares have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company;
(v) The issue and sale of the Designated Shares being delivered
at such Time of Delivery and the compliance by the Company with all of
the provisions of this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with
respect to the Designated Shares and the consummation of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated will not 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, deed of trust,
loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel
to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to
which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, nor
will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any statute
or any order, rule or regulation known to such counsel of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or
any of its properties;
(vi) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body
is required for the issue and sale of the Designated Shares being
delivered at such Time of Delivery or the consummation by the Company
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or such Pricing
Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the Act and such
consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications
as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in
connection with the purchase and distribution of the Designated Shares
by the Underwriters;
(vii) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or in default
in the performance or observance of any material obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument
to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be
bound;
(viii) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption "Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to
constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock are accurate and
complete in all material respects;
(ix) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented (other than the financial statements and
related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no
opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as
applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder; and they have no reason to believe that any of such
documents, when they became effective or were so filed, as the case
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may be, contained, in the case of a registration statement which
became effective under the Act, an untrue statement of a material fact
or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or, in the
case of other documents which were filed under the Act or the Exchange
Act with the Commission, an 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 when such documents were so filed, not misleading; and
(x) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented, and any further amendments and supplements thereto made
by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the
financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such
counsel need express no opinion), comply as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder; although they do not assume any responsibility
for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except for those
referred to in the opinion in subsection (viii) of this Section 7(c),
they have no reason to believe that, as of its effective date, the
Registration Statement or any further amendment thereto made by the
Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial
statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel
need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that, as
of its date, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any further
amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time
of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained
an 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 or that, as
of such Time of Delivery, either the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any further amendment or
supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery
(other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as
to which such counsel need express no opinion) contains an untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and they do
not know of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be
filed or any contracts or other documents of a character required to
be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented or required to be described in the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented which are not filed or
incorporated by reference or described as required;
(d) On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated Shares and
at each Time of Delivery for such Designated Shares, the independent
accountants of the
12
Company who have certified the financial statements of the Company and its
subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter, dated the
effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of the most recent
report filed with the Commission containing financial statements and
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, if the date of
such report is later than such effective date, and a letter dated such Time
of Delivery, respectively, to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto (a
draft of the form of letter to be delivered on the date of the Pricing
Agreement for such Designated Shares is attached as Annex I(a) hereto and a
draft of the form of letter to be delivered at the Time of Delivery for
such Designated Shares is attached as Annex I(b) hereto), and with respect
to such letter dated such Time of Delivery, as to such other matters as the
Representatives may reasonably request and in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives;
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended prior to
the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Shares any
loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other
calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or
court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth
or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the
Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Shares, and (ii) since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus as
amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Shares there shall not have been any change in the capital stock
or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change,
or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the
general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than
as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date
of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Shares, the effect of
which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment
of the Representatives so material and adverse as to make it impracticable
or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the
Designated Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
Prospectus as amended relating to the Designated Shares;
(f) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Shares (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating
accorded the Company's debt securities or preferred stock by any
Anationally recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is
defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and
(ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under
surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of
any of the Company's debt securities or preferred stock;
13
(g) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Shares there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a
suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the
New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in
trading in the Company's securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a
general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either
Federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) the outbreak or escalation
of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United
States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event
specified in this clause (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives makes
it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Firm Shares or Optional Shares or both on the terms and in
the manner contemplated in the Prospectus as first amended or supplemented
relating to the Designated Shares;
(h) The Shares at each Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed,
subject to notice of issuance, on the New York Stock Exchange;
(i) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c)
hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York
Business Day next succeeding the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to
such Designated Shares; and
(j) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the
Representatives at each Time of Delivery for the Designated Shares
certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the Representatives
as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company
herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the
Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to
such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and
(e) of this Section and as to such other matters as the Representatives may
reasonably request.
8. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person who controls such Underwriter within the
meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of
them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or
state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement as
originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in the Prospectus or any
Preliminary Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto,
or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such
indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such
loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that (i) the
14
Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such
loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter specifically for
use in connection with the preparation thereof, and (ii) such indemnity
with respect to the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus shall not
inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or any person controlling such
Underwriter) from whom the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or
liability purchased the Designated Shares which are the subject thereof if
such Underwriter did not send a copy of the Prospectus (or the Prospectus
as supplemented) excluding documents incorporated therein by reference at
or prior to the confirmation of the sale of such Designated Shares to such
person in any case where such delivery is required by the Act and the
untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in the Prospectus
or any Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus (or the
Prospectus as supplemented). This indemnity agreement will be in addition
to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration
Statement and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of
either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing
indemnity from the Company to the Underwriters, but only with reference to
written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company
by such Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation of the
documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement
will be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise
have.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8
of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will,
if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party
under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party
will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified
party otherwise than under this Section 8. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying
party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled
to participate therein, and to the extent that it may elect by written
notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the
aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided,
however, that if the defendants in any such action include both the
indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party
shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available
to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or
additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified
party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assert
such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such
action on behalf of such indemnified party or
15
parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such
indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense of such action
and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party
will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any
legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall
have employed separate counsel in connection with the assertion of legal
defenses in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it
being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable
for the expenses of more than one separate counsel, approved by the
Underwriters in the case of paragraph (a) of this Section 8, representing
the indemnified parties under such paragraph (a) who are parties to such
action), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel
satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party
within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or
(iii) the indemnifying party has authorized the employment of counsel for
the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party; and except
that, if clause (i) or (iii) is applicable, such liability shall be only in
respect of the counsel referred to in such clause (i) or (iii).
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) of
this Section 8 is due in accordance with its terms but is for any reason
held by a court to be unavailable from the Company on grounds of policy or
otherwise, the Company and the Underwriters shall contribute to the
aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending
same) to which the Company and the Underwriters may be subject in such
proportion so that each Underwriter is responsible for that portion
represented by the percentage that the aggregate commissions received by
such Underwriter in connection with the Designated Shares from which such
losses, claims, damages and liabilities arise bears to the aggregate
principal amount of such Designated Shares sold and the Company is
responsible for the balance; provided, however, that (y) in no case shall
an Underwriter be responsible for any amount in excess of the commissions
received by such Underwriter in connection with the Designated Shares from
which such losses, claims, damages and liabilities arise and (z) no person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f)
of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section
8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Act
shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter and each
person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the
Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the
Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same
rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to clauses (y)
and (z) of this paragraph (d). Any party entitled to contribution will,
promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or
proceeding against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution
may be made against another party or parties under this paragraph
16
(d), notify such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but
the omission to so notify such party or parties shall not relieve the party
or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation
it or they may have hereunder or otherwise than under this paragraph (d).
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase
the Firm Shares or Optional Shares which it has agreed to purchase under
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Shares, the Representatives may in
their discretion arrange for themselves or another party or other parties
to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six
hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do not
arrange for the purchase of such Firm Shares or Optional Shares, as the
case may be, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of
thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties
satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Shares on such terms.
In the event that, within the respective prescribed period, the
Representatives notify the Company that they have so arranged for the
purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies the Representatives that
it has so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, the Representatives or
the Company shall have the right to postpone a Time of Delivery for such
Shares for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect
whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or in any other
documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
which in the opinion of the Representatives may thereby be made necessary.
The term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person
substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had
originally been a party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to such
Designated Shares.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Firm Shares or Optional Shares, as the case may be, of a defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which
remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of
the Firm Shares or Optional Shares, as the case may be, to be purchased at
the respective Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to
require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Firm
Shares or Optional Shares, as the case may be, which such Underwriter
agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated
Shares and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to
purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Firm Shares or Optional
Shares, as the case may be, which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under
such Pricing Agreement) of the Firm Shares or Optional Shares, as the case
may be, of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such
arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a
defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
17
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Firm Shares or Optional Shares, as the case may be, of a defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of Firm Shares or
Optional Shares, as the case may be, which remains unpurchased exceeds one-
eleventh of the aggregate number of the Firm Shares or Optional Shares, as
the case may be, to be purchased at the respective Time of Delivery, as
referred to in subsection (b) above, or if the Company shall not exercise
the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting
Underwriters to purchase Firm Shares or Optional Shares, as the case may
be, of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then the Pricing Agreement
relating to such Firm Shares or the Over-allotment Option relating to such
Optional Shares, as the case may be, shall thereupon terminate, without
liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company,
except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as
provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements
in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting
Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth
in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to
this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
11. If any Pricing Agreement or Over-allotment Option shall be
terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the Company shall not then be under any
liability to any Underwriter with respect to the Firm Shares or Optional Shares
with respect to which such Pricing Agreement shall have been terminated except
as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason, Designated
Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the
Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the Representatives for all out-
of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the Representatives, including fees
and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making
preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of such Designated Shares, but
the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter with
respect to such Designated Shares except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters
of Designated Shares shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the
parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request,
notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such
Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be
designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.
18
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the
Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail,
telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the
Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice
to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by
mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set
forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting such
Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by the
Representatives upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or
agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be binding upon,
and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the
extent provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the
Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their
respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no
other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this
Agreement or any such Pricing Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Shares from
any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such
purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of each Pricing Agreement. As used
herein, the term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office
in Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
16. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement may be executed by any
one or more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
19
Very truly yours,
The Dow Chemical Company
By:__________________________________
Name: J. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer
20
ANNEX I
Pricing Agreement
-----------------
[Name(s) of Representative(s)]
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto,
[Address]
___________ __, ____
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Dow Chemical Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement, dated December 16, 1999 (the "Underwriting Agreement"),
to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the
"Underwriters") the Shares specified in Schedule II hereto (the "Designated
Shares" [consisting of Firm Shares and any Optional Shares the Underwriters may
elect to purchase]). Each of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a
part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set
forth in full herein; and each of the representations and warranties set forth
therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Pricing
Agreement, except that each representation and warranty which refers to the
Prospectus in Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a
representation or warranty as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement in
relation to the Prospectus (as therein defined), and also a representation and
warranty as of the date of this Pricing Agreement in relation to the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented relating to the Designated Shares which are the
subject of this Pricing Agreement. Each reference to the Representatives herein
and in the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference
shall be deemed to refer to you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined
in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The
Representatives designated to act on behalf of the Representatives and on behalf
of each of the Underwriters of the Designated Shares pursuant to Section 12 of
the Underwriting Agreement and the address of the Representatives referred to in
such Section 12 are set forth in Schedule II hereto.
An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Shares, in the form
heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, [(a)] the Company
agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at
the time and place and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in
Schedule II hereto, the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of
such Underwriter in Schedule
I-1
I hereto [and, (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall
exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares, as provided below, the
Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company at
the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto that
portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have
been exercised].
[The Company hereby grants to each of the Underwriters the right to
purchase at their election up to the number of Optional Shares set forth
opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto on the terms referred
to in the paragraph above for the sole purpose of covering over-allotments in
the sale of the Firm Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may
be exercised by written notice from the Representatives to the Company given
within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Pricing Agreement,
setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the
date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by the
Representatives, but in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery or,
unless the Representatives and the Company otherwise agree in writing, no
earlier than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.]
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us [one for the Company and one for each of the Representatives plus
one for each counsel] counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on
behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof,
including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by
reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters
and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf
of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the authority set forth in
a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to
the Company for examination, upon request, but without warranty on the part of
the Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
The Dow Chemical Company
By:________________________________
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof:
[Name(s) of Representative(s)]
By:____________________________
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
I-2
SCHEDULE I
Number of Maximum Number
[Firm]Shares of Optional Shares
to be Which May be
Underwriter purchased Purchased
----------- --------- ---------
[Name(s) of Representative(s)]........
[Names of other Underwriters].........
Total...........................
I-3
SCHEDULE II
Title of Designated Shares:
Number of Designated Shares:
Number of Firm Shares:
Maximum Number of Optional Shares:
Initial Offering Price to Public:
[$........ per Share] [Formula]
Purchase Price by Underwriters:
[$........ per Share] [Formula]
[Commission Payable to Underwriters:
$........ per Share in [specify same form of funds as in Specified Funds below]]
Form of Designated Shares:
Definitive form, to be made available for checking [and packaging] at least
twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at the office of [The Depository
Trust Company or its designated custodian] [the Representatives]
Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:
Federal (same-day) funds
[Describe any blackout provisions with respect to the Designated Shares]
Time of Delivery:
......... a.m. (New York City time), .................., 19..
Closing Location:
Names and Addresses of Representatives:
I-4
Designated Representatives:
Address for Notices, etc.:
[Other Terms]/1/:
_______________________
1/
A description of particular tax, accounting or other unusual features
(including any event risk provisions) of the Designated Shares should be set
forth, or referenced to an attached or accompanying description, if necessary,
to ensure agreement as to the terms of the Designated Shares to be purchased and
sold. Such a description might appropriately be in the form in which such
features will be described in the Prospectus Supplement for the offering.
I-5
ANNEX II
Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect to the
Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the applicable
published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary
financial information and schedules (and, if applicable, financial forecasts
and/or pro forma financial information) examined by them and included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply
as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements
of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related published rules
and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in
accordance with standards established by the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants of the consolidated interim financial statements, selected
financial data, pro forma financial information, financial forecasts and/or
condensed financial statements derived from audited financial statements of the
Company for the periods specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports
thereon, copies of which have been [separately] furnished to the representatives
of the Underwriters (the "Representatives") [and are attached hereto];
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards established by
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the unaudited
condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and
consolidated statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or included
in the Company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference into
the Prospectus as indicated in their reports thereon copies of which [have been
separately furnished to the Representatives] [are attached hereto]; and on the
basis of specified procedures including inquiries of officials of the Company
who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters regarding whether
the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements referred to in
paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the
related published rules and regulations, nothing came to their attention that
caused them to believe that the unaudited condensed consolidated financial
statements do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the related
published rules and regulations;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to the
consolidated results of operations and financial position of the Company for the
five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus and included or
incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the most recent fiscal year agrees with the corresponding amounts (after
restatement where applicable) in the audited consolidated financial statements
for such five
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fiscal years which were included or incorporated by reference in the Company's
Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under selected
captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and on the basis of
limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came to their attention as a
result of the foregoing procedures that caused them to believe that this
information does not conform in all material respects with the disclosure
requirements of items 301, 302, 402 and 503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an examination
in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, consisting of a
reading of the unaudited financial statements and other information referred to
below, a reading of the latest available interim financial statements of the
Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of the minute books of the Company and
its subsidiaries since the date of the latest audited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials
of the Company and its subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting
matters and such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such
letter, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of
income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or included or
incorporated by reference in the Company's Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply
as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Exchange Act and the related published rules
and regulations, or (ii) any material modifications should be made
to the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash
flows included in the Prospectus or included in the Company's
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus, for them to be in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance
sheet items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the
corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated financial
statements from which such data and items were derived, and any
such unaudited data and items were not determined on a basis
substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding
amounts in the audited consolidated financial statements included
or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included
in the Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited
condensed financial statements referred to in clause (A) and any
unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items included in
the Prospectus and referred to in clause (B) were not determined on
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a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the audited
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal
year;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published
rules and regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have
not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the
compilation of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to
the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital stock
upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights, upon earn-
outs of performance shares and upon conversions of convertible
securities, in each case which were outstanding on the date of the
latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated long-term debt of
the Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated
net current assets or stockholders' equity or other items specified
by the Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by
the Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts shown in
the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus, except in each case for changes, increases or
decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur
or which are described in such letter; and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
to the specified date referred to in clause (E) there were any
decreases in consolidated net revenues or operating profit or the
total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or other
items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any
items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared
with the comparable period of the preceding year and with any other
period of corresponding length specified by the Representatives,
except in each case for increases or decreases which the Prospectus
discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such
letter; and
(vii) In addition to the examination referred to in their report(s)
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited
procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred
to in paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out certain specified
procedures, not constituting an examination in accordance with generally
accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and
financial information specified by the Representatives which are derived from
the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear
in the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by reference), or in Part II
of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the
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Representatives or in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
specified by the Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts,
percentages and financial information with the accounting records of the Company
and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.
All references in this Annex II to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as
defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered on
the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by
reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated Shares for purposes
of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Shares.
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