Automatic Data Processing, Inc. $1,000,000,000 4.750% Senior Notes due 2032 Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
$1,000,000,000
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
$1,000,000,000 4.750% Senior Notes due 2032
May 5, 2025
BofA Securities, Inc.
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
c/o Morgan ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Automatic Data Processing, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $1,000,000,000 principal amount of its 4.750% Senior Notes due 2032 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of August 13, 2020 (the “Base Indenture”) between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented and amended by a Fourth Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of May 8, 2025 (the “Supplemental Indenture” and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”) between the Company and the Trustee.
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, 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-3 (File No. 333-281920), relating to the Securities. 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”. A base prospectus was included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information which, as supplemented from time to time, will be used in connection with offerings of securities, including the Securities (the “Base Prospectus”). As used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities, together with the Base Prospectus (and any amendments thereto) filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), and any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus supplement, together with the Base 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 Securities. 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-3 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 and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
At or prior to 2:43 P.M., New York City time, on May 5, 2025, the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated May 5, 2025, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex C hereto.
2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters.
(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities 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 from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.441% of the principal amount of the Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from May 8, 2025 to the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.
(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Time of Sale Information. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.
(c) Payment for and delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on May 8, 2025, 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 Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”.
(d) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company. The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.
(e) The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Underwriter is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities 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 or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and 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 with respect thereto. Any review by the Representatives or any Underwriter of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Representatives or such Underwriter and shall not be on behalf of the Company or any other person.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter 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, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact (other than Rule 430 Information) required to be stated therein or 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.
(b) Time of Sale Information. The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale did not, and at the Closing Date 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 Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.
(c) Issuer Free Writing 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 Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i) (ii) and (iii) below) an “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, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on Annex C hereto which constitute part of the Time of Sale Information and (v) any electronic road show or other written communications, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representatives (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld). Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied 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, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not at the Time of Sale, and at the Closing Date 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 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 Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. 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 has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture 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, the Prospectus 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 (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) 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.
(e) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, 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 Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby (except as otherwise noted therein, and subject, in the case of interim financial statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments), and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby. 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.
(g) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than (A) in the ordinary course pursuant to employee or director equity compensation, benefit, stock option, stock purchase or equity incentive plans existing on the date of this Agreement, as such plans may be amended from time to time, or (B) as a result of the exercise of options or rights or vesting of rights to purchase or acquire capital stock outstanding as of the date of this Agreement) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, financial position or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole have not sustained any material loss or interference with their businesses from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority.
(h) Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2 hereto (each, a “Significant Subsidiary”) have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing (or the equivalent thereof with respect to the law of foreign countries, if applicable) under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing (or the equivalent thereof with respect to the law of foreign countries, if applicable) in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority
necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified, in good standing (or the equivalent thereof with respect to the law of foreign countries, if applicable) or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, financial position or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement and the Securities (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(i) Capitalization. The Company has the capitalization as set forth in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization” and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each Significant Subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying shares and except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) 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.
(j) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.
(k) The Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and upon effectiveness of the Registration Statement was or will have been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”).
(l) The Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
(m) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(n) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(o) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any property or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(p) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents 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, result in the termination, modification or acceleration of, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or asset of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries 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 authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(q) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters.
(r) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations 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, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; to the best knowledge of the Company, no Actions are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others that, if determined adversely to the Company would have a Material Adverse Effect; and (i) there are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information 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 and the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(s) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have audited certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are 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.
(t) Intellectual Property. (i) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, domain names and other source indicators, copyrights and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) and all other worldwide intellectual property, industrial property and proprietary rights (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) used in the conduct of their respective businesses; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries’ conduct of their respective businesses does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise conflict in any respect with any Intellectual Property rights of any person; (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim relating to Intellectual Property rights; and (iv) to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property of the Company and its subsidiaries is not being infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated by any person, except, with respect to each of clauses (i) through (iv), where the failure to own such rights, the existence of a conflict with any such rights of others, the receipt of such notice or the infringement of such rights by others would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) Cybersecurity; Data Protection. (i) The Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, and are, to the knowledge of
the Company, free and clear of all bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants, (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with their businesses, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any investigations relating to the same, and (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except, with respect to each of clauses (i) through (iii), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will not be 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”).
(w) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course.
(x) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
(y) 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 comply with the 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 generally accepted accounting principles. 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 generally accepted accounting principles 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 is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. There are no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in the Company’s internal controls as of March 31, 2025.
(z) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, any agent or affiliate has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government or regulatory official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.
(aa) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related rules or regulations issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no material action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental or regulatory agency, authority or body involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(bb) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee, agent, or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union or His Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, currently, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea regions of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person participating in the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise, of Sanctions.
(cc) 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 Securities.
(dd) 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 the issuance and sale of the Securities.
(ee) No Stabilization. The Company 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 Securities.
(ff) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act. There is and has been no failure in any material respect on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(gg) Status under the Securities Act. The Company is not an ineligible issuer and is a well-known seasoned issuer, in each case as defined under the Securities Act, in each case at the times specified in the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.
4. 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 (including the Pricing Term Sheet referred to in Annex C hereto) to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; 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. The Company will pay the registration fees for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, to the Representatives during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto) 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 Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities 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 Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.
(c) Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, 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 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. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (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 Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (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; (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (viii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its commercially reasonable 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 or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Time of Sale Information. If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Information 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 under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information 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 Time of Sale Information (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in any of the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented (including such documents to be incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or so that any of the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.
(f) Ongoing Compliance. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event 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 required to be stated therein or 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 as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, 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.
(g) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Securities 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 Securities; 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.
(h) Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders (as specified in Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated under the Securities Act) and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings 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.
(i) Clear Market. During the period from the date hereof through and including the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company and having a tenor of more than one year.
(j) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds”.
(k) DTC. The Company will assist the Underwriters in arranging for the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.
(l) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, 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 Securities.
(m) 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.
5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby 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, solely as a result of use by such Underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex C or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), 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”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters may use the Pricing Term Sheet substantially in the form of Annex D hereto without the consent of the Company.
(b) 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 if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).
6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(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 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 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information to be included in the Registration Statement or Prospectus shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.
(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Time of Sale and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any other debt securities of 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) of 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 the Securities or of any other debt securities of 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(g) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Time of Sale Information (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 Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate from the President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer or any executive officer of the Company, in his or her capacity as such, who has knowledge of the Company’s financial matters and is reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officer has carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and, to the best knowledge of such officer, the representations 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 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 and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.
(f) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, Deloitte & Touche LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, 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 the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.
(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A hereto.
(h) Opinion of General Counsel for the Company. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, Esq., Corporate Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives his written opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex B hereto.
(i) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion and 10b-5 statement of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, 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.
(j) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. 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, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.
(k) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries domiciled in the United States, 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) DTC. The Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.
(m) Indenture and Securities. The Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Company and the Trustee, and the Securities shall have been duly executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee.
(n) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
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.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter 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 legal fees and other 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 in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, 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 Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in 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.
(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls 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 Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the following paragraphs set forth in the “Underwriting” section in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus: (i) the third paragraph relating to concessions and reallowances and (ii) the seventh and eighth paragraphs relating to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids.
(c) 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 either paragraph (a) or (b) above, 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 paragraph (a) or (b) above 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 paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure. 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 7 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the 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 fees and expenses shall be 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 the Representatives and 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. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its prior written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for 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 45 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 prior 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.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) or (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities 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 or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. For purposes of this Section 7(d), each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each Underwriter’s affiliates, directors and officers shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section
7, 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 Securities 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 this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the Nasdaq Stock Market or the over-the-counter 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 Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
10. Defaulting Underwriter.
(a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company 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 Securities, then the Company 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 Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information 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, the Time of Sale Information 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 10, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities 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 Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 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 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 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 or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
11. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to 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 Securities to the Underwriters and any taxes payable in connection therewith; (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 Time of Sale Information 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 Securities 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, subject to a maximum of $7,500); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by DTC; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities 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.
12. 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 7 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 Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities 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 or the Underwriters.
14. 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.
15. 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, 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.
16. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) 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.
(b) 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:
“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.
17. European Union Bail-in Powers. Each of the parties to this Agreement acknowledges, accepts, and agrees that liabilities arising under this Agreement may be subject to the exercise of Bail-in Powers by the Relevant Resolution Authority and acknowledges, accepts, and agrees to be bound by:
(a) the effect of the exercise of Bail-in Powers by the Relevant Resolution Authority in relation to any BRRD Liability of the Underwriters to the Company under this Agreement, that (without limitation) may include and result in any of the following, or some combination thereof: (w) the reduction of all, or a portion, of the BRRD Liability or outstanding amounts due thereon; (x) the conversion of all, or a portion, of the BRRD Liability into shares, other securities or other obligations of the Underwriters or another person (and the issue to or conferral on the Company of such shares, securities or obligations); (y) the cancellation of the BRRD Liability; (z) the amendment or alteration of any interest, if applicable, thereon, the maturity or the dates on which any payments are due, including by suspending payment for a temporary period; and
(b) the variation of the terms of this Agreement, as deemed necessary by the Relevant Resolution Authority, to give effect to the exercise of Bail-in Powers by the Relevant Resolution Authority.
As used in this section:
“Bail-in Legislation” means in relation to a member state of the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom which has implemented, or which at any time implements, the BRRD, the relevant implementing law, regulation, rule or requirement as described in the EU Bail-in Legislation Schedule from time to time.
“Bail-in Powers” means any Write-down and Conversion Powers as defined in relation to the relevant Bail-in Legislation.
“BRRD” means Directive 2014/59/EU establishing a framework for the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and investment firms.
“BRRD Liability” has the same meaning as in such laws, regulations, rules or requirements implementing the BRRD under the applicable Bail-in Legislation.
“EU Bail-in Legislation Schedule” means the document described as such, then in effect, and published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person) from time to time at ▇▇▇▇://▇▇▇.▇▇▇.▇▇.▇▇▇/.
“Relevant Resolution Authority” means the resolution authority with the ability to exercise any Bail-in Powers in relation to the Underwriters.
18. Miscellaneous.
(a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by BofA Securities, Inc., ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by BofA Securities, Inc., ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC shall be binding upon the Underwriters.
(b) 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 at c/o BofA Securities, Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇-▇▇▇-07-01, New York, New York 10036 (fax: ▇▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇), Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal; c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (fax: ▇▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇), Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk; and c/o Morgan ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC (fax: ▇▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇), ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Prospectus Department. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Automatic Data Processing, Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇.
(c) 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.
(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) Counterparts.
| i. | This Agreement may be signed in any number of 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. Delivery of this Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law) or other transmission method, and the parties hereto agree that any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. |
| ii. | The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement or any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means. |
(f) 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.
(g) 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.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
| Very truly yours, | ||||
| AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING, INC. | ||||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |||
| Name: | ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |||
| Title: | Corporate Vice President and Treasurer | |||
[Signature Page – Underwriting Agreement]
Accepted: May 5, 2025
| BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | ||||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |||
| Name: | ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |||
| Title: | Managing Director | |||
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES LLC | ||||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |||
| Name: | ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |||
| Title: | Executive Director | |||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. LLC | ||||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |||
| Name: | ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |||
| Title: | Managing Director | |||
For themselves and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.
Schedule 1
| Underwriters |
Principal Amount of Securities |
|||
| BofA Securities, Inc. |
$ | 127,700,000 | ||
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC |
$ | 127,700,000 | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC |
$ | 127,700,000 | ||
| BNP Paribas Securities Corp. |
$ | 112,500,000 | ||
| Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
$ | 112,500,000 | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC |
$ | 112,500,000 | ||
| Barclays Capital Inc. |
$ | 41,500,000 | ||
| MUFG Securities Americas Inc. |
$ | 41,500,000 | ||
| PNC Capital Markets LLC |
$ | 34,000,000 | ||
| RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
$ | 31,500,000 | ||
| BMO Capital Markets Corp |
$ | 29,000,000 | ||
| U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
$ | 29,000,000 | ||
| Fifth Third Securities, Inc. |
$ | 25,250,000 | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., LLC |
$ | 8,750,000 | ||
| ING Financial Markets LLC |
$ | 6,625,000 | ||
| Intesa Sanpaolo IMI Securities Corp. |
$ | 6,625,000 | ||
| HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. |
$ | 5,500,000 | ||
| Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. |
$ | 5,500,000 | ||
| Academy Securities, Inc. |
$ | 3,250,000 | ||
| BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC |
$ | 3,250,000 | ||
| Huntington Securities, Inc. |
$ | 3,250,000 | ||
| TD Securities (USA) LLC |
$ | 3,250,000 | ||
| BOK Financial Securities, Inc. |
$ | 825,000 | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Company, Inc. |
$ | 825,000 | ||
|
|
|
|||
| Total |
$ | 1,000,000,000 | ||
Schedule 2
Significant Subsidiaries
ADP Tax Services, Inc.
ADP, Inc.
ADP Client Trust
Annex A
Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company
May [—], 2025
BofA Securities, Inc.
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC
as Representatives of the several Underwriters named in
Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement referred to below
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
New York, New York 10179
c/o Morgan ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
New York, New York 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel for Automatic Data Processing, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Underwriting Agreement dated May [—], 2025 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with you and the other several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 thereto under which you and such other Underwriters have severally agreed to purchase from the Company $[—] aggregate principal amount of its [—]% Senior Notes due 20[—] (the “Securities”). The Securities are to be issued pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture dated as of August 13, 2020 between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”) (the “Original Indenture”), as supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture establishing the terms of the Securities, dated as of May [—], 2025 between the Company and the Trustee (the “Fourth Supplemental Indenture” and together with the Original Indenture, the “Indenture”).
We have examined originals or copies of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering this opinion.
We have also participated in the preparation of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-[—]) (other than the documents incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”)) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), relating to the registration of securities (the “Shelf Securities”) to be issued from time to time by the Company, the preliminary prospectus supplement dated May [—], 2025 relating to the Securities (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”), the free writing prospectus set forth in Annex C to the Underwriting Agreement for the Securities (the “Free Writing Prospectus”) and the prospectus supplement dated May [—], 2025 relating to the Securities (the “Prospectus Supplement”), and have reviewed the Incorporated Documents. The registration statement became effective under the Act and the Original Indenture
qualified with respect to the relevant Shelf Securities under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), upon the filing of the registration statement with the Commission on September 4, 2024 pursuant to Rule 462(e). To our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the registration statement has been issued. The registration statement as amended at the date of the Underwriting Agreement, including the Incorporated Documents and the information deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Act, is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the related prospectus (including the Incorporated Documents) dated September 4, 2024 relating to the Shelf Securities is hereinafter referred to as the “Basic Prospectus.” The Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, together with the Free Writing Prospectus are hereinafter referred to as the “Disclosure Package.” The Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form first used to confirm sales of the Securities (or in the form first made available by the Company to the Underwriters to meet requests of purchasers of the Securities under Rule 173 under the Act), is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.”
In rendering the opinions expressed herein, we have, without independent inquiry or investigation, assumed that (i) all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and complete, (ii) all documents submitted to us as copies conform to authentic, complete originals, (iii) all documents filed with or submitted to the Commission through its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (“▇▇▇▇▇”) system (except for required ▇▇▇▇▇ formatting changes) conform to the versions of such documents reviewed by us prior to such formatting, (iv) all signatures on all documents that we reviewed are genuine, (v) all natural persons executing documents had and have the legal capacity to do so, (vi) all statements in certificates of public officials and officers of the Company that we reviewed were and are accurate and (vii) all representations made by the Company as to matters of fact in the documents that we reviewed were and are accurate.
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the additional assumptions and qualifications set forth below, we are of the opinion that:
| 1. | The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability[, provided that we express no opinion as to the validity, legally binding effect or enforceability of any provision that permits holders to collect any portion of stated principal amount upon acceleration of the Securities to the extent determined to constitute unearned interest.] |
| 2. | The Securities have been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture pursuant to which such Securities are to be issued[, provided that we express no opinion as to the validity, legally binding effect or enforceability of any provision that permits holders to collect any portion of stated principal amount upon acceleration of the Securities to the extent determined to constitute unearned interest.] |
| 3. | The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. |
| 4. | The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. |
| 5. | The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Indenture, the Securities and the Underwriting Agreement (collectively, the “Documents”) will not contravene (i) any provision of the statutory laws of the State of New York or any federal law of the United States of America that in our experience is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions of the type contemplated by the Documents, or the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provided that we express no opinion as to federal or state securities laws or (ii) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company. |
| 6. | No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency under the laws of the State of New York or any federal law of the United States of America that in our experience is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions of the type contemplated by the Documents, or the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of its obligations under the Documents, except such as may be required under federal or state securities or Blue Sky laws as to which we express no opinion. |
We have considered the statements included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description of Notes” insofar as they summarize provisions of the Indenture and the Securities. In our opinion, such statements fairly summarize these provisions in all material respects. The statements included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” insofar as they purport to describe provisions of U.S. federal income tax laws or legal conclusions with respect thereto and subject to the limitations, qualifications, and assumptions set forth therein, in our opinion fairly and accurately summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects.
In rendering the opinions in paragraphs (1) through (3) above, we have assumed that each party to the Documents has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization. In addition, we have assumed that (i) the execution, delivery and performance by each party thereto of each Document to which it is a party, (a) are within its corporate powers, (b) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, the certificate of incorporation or bylaws or other constitutive documents of such party, (c) require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official and (d) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, any provision of applicable law or regulation or any judgment, injunction, order or decree or any agreement or other instrument binding upon such party, provided that we make no such assumption to the extent that we have specifically opined as to such matters with respect to the Company and (ii) each Document (other than the Underwriting Agreement) is a valid, binding and enforceable agreement of each party thereto (other than as expressly covered above in respect of the Company).
We are members of the Bar of the State of New York, and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York , the federal laws of the United States of America and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, except that we express no opinion as to any law, rule or regulation that is applicable to the Company, the Documents or such transactions solely because such law, rule or regulation is part of a regulatory regime applicable to any party to any of the Documents or any of its affiliates due to the specific assets or business of such party or such affiliate.
This opinion is rendered solely to you and the other several Underwriters in connection with the Underwriting Agreement. This opinion may not be relied upon by you or the other several Underwriters for any other purpose or relied upon by any other person (including any person acquiring Securities from the several Underwriters) or furnished to any other person without our prior written consent.
Very truly yours,
Annex B
Form of Opinion of General Counsel for the Company
May [—], 2025
BofA Securities, Inc.
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 to the
Underwriting Agreement
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
New York, New York 10179
c/o Morgan ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
New York, New York 10036
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
$[—] [—]% Senior Notes due 20[—]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am Corporate Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Automatic Data Processing, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and as such have acted as internal counsel to the Company in connection with the issuance and sale today by the Company of $[—] aggregate principal amount of its [—]% Senior Notes due 20[—] (the “Notes”) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated May [—], 2025 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between the Company and you as Representatives of the other underwriters named in Schedule 1 thereto. The Notes are to be issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of August 13, 2020 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May [—], 2025 (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, as so supplemented, the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee.
I am delivering this letter to you at the request of the Company pursuant to Section 6(h) of the Underwriting Agreement, in my capacity as Corporate Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the Company. Capitalized terms used herein without definition have the meanings assigned to them in the Underwriting Agreement.
I or one or more attorneys acting under my general supervision have participated in the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus relating to the Notes.
In connection with rendering the opinions expressed below, I or one or more attorneys acting under my general supervision have reviewed the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Company, each in effect at the date hereof, the form of the Notes, the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, and originals or certified, conformed or reproduction copies of such agreements, instruments, documents, certificates and records of the Company, such certificates of public officials, and such other documents, and conducted such investigations of law, as I have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion letter.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth in this opinion letter, I am of the opinion that:
1. The Company is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
2. Each of ADP, Inc., ADP Client Trust and ADP Tax Services, Inc. is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its respective jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, as applicable, and has corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
3. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement will not contravene (i) the Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company or (ii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, except, in the case of this clause (ii) only, for any such contravention that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
4. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the best of my knowledge after reasonable investigation, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party, except for any such proceedings that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
The opinions set forth above are subject to the following additional qualifications and assumptions: (1) I am a member of the Bar of the State of New York and the opinions expressed above are limited to the laws of the State of New York, the federal laws of the United States of America, and, with respect to opinions 1 and 2 above, the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, in each case as currently in effect; and (2) I express no opinion as to compliance with applicable antifraud statutes, rules or regulations of applicable state and federal laws concerning the issuance or sale of securities.
This opinion is rendered solely to you in connection with the above matter, and I assume no obligation to update this letter after the date hereof. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose or relied upon by any other person, or quoted or disclosed in whole or in part, without my prior written consent.
| Very truly yours, |
Annex C
Time of Sale Information
| • | Pricing Term Sheet, dated May 5, 2025, substantially in the form of Annex D. |
Annex D
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration Statement 333-281920
FINAL TERM SHEET
Dated May 5, 2025
AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING, INC.
$1,000,000,000 4.750% NOTES DUE MAY 8, 2032
| Name of Issuer: | Automatic Data Processing, Inc. | |
| Title of Securities: | 4.750% Notes due May 8, 2032 (“Notes”) | |
| Aggregate Principal Amount: | $1,000,000,000 | |
| Issue Price (Price to Public): | 99.841% of principal amount | |
| Maturity: | May 8, 2032 | |
| Coupon (Interest Rate): | 4.750% | |
| Benchmark Treasury: | 4.000% due April 30, 2032 | |
| Spread to Benchmark Treasury: | T+63 basis points (0.63%) | |
| Benchmark Treasury Price and Yield: | 99-03 3⁄4; 4.147% | |
| Yield to Maturity: | 4.777% | |
| Interest Payment Dates: | May 8 and November 8 of each year, commencing on November 8, 2025 | |
| Interest Payment Record Dates: | April 23 and October 24 of each year | |
| Redemption Provisions: | Treasury plus 10 basis points prior to March 8, 2032 (the date that is two months prior to scheduled maturity date of the Notes). | |
| At any time on or after March 8, 2032 (the date that is two months prior to the scheduled maturity date of the Notes), we may redeem the Notes in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to but excluding the redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date). | ||
| Change of Control Offer: | Offer to repurchase at 101% of aggregate principal amount plus accrued interest to repurchase date upon change of control resulting in a rating below investment grade by two rating agencies | |
| Denominations: | $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof | |
| Legal Format: | SEC Registered / Registration Statement No. 333-281920 | |
| Net Proceeds to Company (before expenses): | $994,410,000 | |
| Settlement Date*: | T+3 days; May 8, 2025 | |
| Joint Book-Running Managers: | BofA Securities, Inc. | |
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC | ||
| BNP Paribas Securities Corp. | ||
| Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC | ||
| Co-Managers: | Barclays Capital Inc. | |
| MUFG Securities Americas Inc. | ||
| PNC Capital Markets LLC | ||
| RBC Capital Markets, LLC | ||
| BMO Capital Markets Corp | ||
| U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. | ||
| Fifth Third Securities, Inc. | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., LLC | ||
| ING Financial Markets LLC | ||
| Intesa Sanpaolo IMI Securities Corp. | ||
| HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. | ||
| Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. | ||
| Academy Securities, Inc. | ||
| BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC | ||
| Huntington Securities, Inc. | ||
| TD Securities (USA) LLC | ||
| BOK Financial Securities, Inc. | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Company, Inc. | ||
| CUSIP: | 053015 AJ2 | |
| ISIN: | US053015AJ27 | |
| Ratings**: | Aa3 / AA- / AA- (▇▇▇▇▇’▇ / S&P / Fitch) | |
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus and a related preliminary prospectus supplement) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement, the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting ▇▇▇▇▇ on the SEC website at ▇▇▇.▇▇▇.▇▇▇. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you the prospectus and prospectus supplement if you request it by calling BofA Securities, Inc. at (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC collect at (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ or ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC at (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇.
| * | Note: It is expected that delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about May 8, 2025, which is the third business day following the date hereof (such settlement cycle being referred to as “T+3”). Under Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in one business day unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes prior to the first business day before the delivery of the notes will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+3, to specify an alternative settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent failed settlement. Purchasers of the notes who wish to trade the notes prior to the first business day before the delivery of the notes should consult their own advisors. |
| ** | Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time. |