STRATEGIC HOTELS & RESORTS, INC. 66,000,000 Shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION COPY
STRATEGIC HOTELS & RESORTS, INC.
66,000,000 Shares of Common Stock,
par value $0.01 per share
May 13, 2010
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc., a Maryland 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”), an aggregate of 66,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), of the Company (the “Underwritten Shares”) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 9,900,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Option Shares”). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of Common Stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are referred to herein as the “Stock.” Pursuant to a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) dated as of November 14, 2008, as amended, between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, the Common Stock is issued and trades with preferred share purchase rights (the “Rights”).
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:
1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-157694), which contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of certain securities, including the Shares and Rights, from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act. 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.” As used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Shares, together with the Base Prospectus, that is first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this 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, unless stated otherwise, 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 the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex A, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus supplement dated May 10, 2010, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.
“Applicable Time” means 7:00 A.M., New York City time, on May 14, 2010.
2. Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per share of $4.393 (the “Purchase Price”).
In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option Shares.
If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.
The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representatives to the Company; provided that no more than two such notices shall be given prior to such thirtieth day. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date or later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section
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10 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.
(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.
(c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten Shares at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on May 19, 2010, 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 or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date,” and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date.”
Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
(d) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company 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 the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.
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 included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in
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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 and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(b) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives (which approval will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with Rule 433 under 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 accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Shares has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of
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the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; the conditions for the use of Form S-3 in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby have been satisfied; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, 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 and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(e) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, when such documents are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) Financial Statements. The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and the results of their operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company, at the indicated dates and for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, except as disclosed therein, and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby; and the pro forma financial information and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable and are set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(g) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than the
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issuance of shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement or upon exercise of stock options and warrants or the vesting of restricted stock or restricted stock units described as outstanding in, and the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), short-term debt 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, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, including Strategic Hotel Funding, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Operating Company”), has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either 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 (each, a “Governmental Authority”), except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(h) Organization and Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation, in good standing under the laws of Maryland, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Operating Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company, in good standing under the laws of Delaware, with power and authority (limited liability company and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company and its subsidiaries are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed on Schedule 2. All of the issued shares of capital stock or membership interests, as applicable, of each subsidiary that would be required to be listed on Exhibit 21 of an Annual Report on Form 10-K (each a “Significant Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Significant Subsidiaries”), have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and are non-assessable and (except for membership interests in SHCI Santa ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Beach Hotel, L.L.C.) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. All corporate subsidiaries of the Company that are “significant subsidiaries” as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X (each, a “Corporate Significant Subsidiary”), all limited liability companies in which the Company or one of its subsidiaries is a managing member that are “significant subsidiaries” as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X (an “LLC Significant Subsidiary”) have been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and are validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, as the case may be, with the power (corporate or limited liability company, as the case may be) and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package.
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(i) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; except as (i) described in or expressly contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (ii) for 66,189 partnership units of SHC Santa ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Beach Hotel, L.L.C. that may be redeemed for 66,189 membership interests in the Operating Company (which membership interests in the Operating Company may be redeemed for 66,189 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company) and (iii) for securities of the Company issued pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options, other than (A) the limited liability company units of the Operating Company, which, upon their redemption by the holders thereof, the redemption price therefore, in the Company’s discretion, may be paid in cash or in shares of Common Stock and (B) the Operating Company’s 3.50% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2012 (the “Exchangeable Notes”), which, under certain circumstances and at the Company’s discretion, may be exchanged for shares of Common Stock; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; all of the issued shares of capital stock of each Corporate Significant Subsidiary and all of the membership interests in each LLC Significant Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and are non-assessable and (except for interests in SHCI Santa ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Beach Hotel, L.L.C.) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(j) Due Authorization. Each of the Company and the Operating Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken. This Agreement is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company and the Operating Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and by general equitable principles, and except to the extent that the indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by U.S. federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations in respect thereof.
(k) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Operating Company.
(l) The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized for issuance by the Company’s board of directors and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance and sale of the Shares are not subject to any preemptive or similar rights; the Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable
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against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability; and the Rights have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued upon issuance of the Shares, will be validly issued, and the shares of Series D Junior Participating Preferred Stock have been duly authorized by the Company and validly reserved for issuance upon the exercise in accordance with the terms of the Rights Agreement and will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Upon issuance and sale on the Closing Date, the Shares shall have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Stock from the NYSE, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the NYSE is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. The Company has, or will have, sufficient number of authorized and available for issuance shares of Common Stock under its organizational documents to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, including the issuance of the Shares prior to the Closing Date.
(m) No Violation or Default. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor a Significant Subsidiary 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, operating agreement, property management 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 of the property or assets 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 other Governmental 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, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Operating Company, as applicable, of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby 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, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, operating agreement, property management 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 of the property or assets of the Company or any of its 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 the Operating Company or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or other Governmental Authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, license, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or other Governmental Authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Operating Company of each of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities
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Act, which has been effected, such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters and the approval of the NYSE of the supplemental listing application with respect to the listing of the Shares.
(p) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or is reasonably expected to 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; no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or contemplated by any Governmental Authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as applicable.
(q) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, which has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.
(r) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all real property described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as owned or leased by them (the “Real Property”) and good and marketable title to, or have valid and marketable rights to lease or otherwise use, all personal property and assets that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those (i) described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (ii) that do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (iii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real property, buildings and equipment held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries and described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases (such leases, the “Company Leases”) with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries.
(s) Title Insurance. Except for the vacant parcel of land owned by SHC Santa ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Land, L.L.C., the Company or its subsidiaries have either (x) an owner’s or leasehold title insurance policy, from a nationally recognized title insurance company licensed to issue such policy, on each parcel of Real Property located in the United States and Mexico (the “North American Properties”), as the case may be, by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, that insures the fee or leasehold interest, as the case may be, in the North American Properties, which policies
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include only commercially reasonable exceptions, and with coverages in amounts at least equal to amounts that are generally deemed in the Company’s industry to be commercially reasonable in the markets where the Company’s properties are located, or (y) one or more lender’s title insurance policies insuring the lien of the mortgages encumbering the North American Properties with coverages, in the aggregate, equal to the lesser of (i) the maximum aggregate principal amount of indebtedness incurred by the Company or its subsidiaries and secured by the North American Properties and (ii) amounts that are generally deemed in the Company’s industry to be commercially reasonable in the markets where the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ properties are located.
(t) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package. There are no outstanding loans, advances or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of the officers or directors of any of its subsidiaries or any of the members of the families of any of them.
(u) Investment Company Act. The Company and the Operating Company are not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither will be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).
(v) Taxes. Except to the extent that any such failures or deficiencies would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and have paid all taxes shown thereon and all assessments received by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith and (ii) except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency which has been asserted or threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
(w) REIT Status. The Company has been and is properly taxed as a real estate investment trust (a “REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) commencing with the taxable year ending December 31, 2004, and the Company is organized and is being operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Code and the method of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries enables the Company to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code; the Operating Company is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and not as a corporation or association taxable as a corporation; and the Company presently intends to continue to qualify as a REIT under the Code for all subsequent years, and the Company does not know of any event that would reasonably be expected to cause the Company to fail to qualify as a REIT under the Code at any time.
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(x) 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 Authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package 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.
(y) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(z) Hazardous Materials. Except with respect to the parcel of vacant land owned by the Company in Punta Mita, Nayarit, Mexico and commonly known as La Solana and Lot H5, the Company has obtained Phase I Environmental Audits with respect to the North American Properties and a Building Survey Report with respect to the InterContinental Prague dated June 2003 (the “Building Survey Report”) and, except as otherwise disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or in the Phase I Environmental Audits, the Building Survey Report and other environmental documents previously delivered to the Underwriters and except to an extent that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect: (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any other owners of the Real Property at any time or any other party has at any time, handled, stored, treated, transported, manufactured, spilled, leaked, or discharged, dumped, transferred or otherwise disposed of or dealt with, Hazardous Materials (as hereinafter defined) on, to or from any Real Property, other than by any such action taken in material compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws or by the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any other party in connection with the ordinary use of residential, retail or commercial properties owned by the Company or any subsidiary; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries do not intend to use the Real Property or any subsequently acquired properties for the purpose of handling, storing, treating, transporting, manufacturing, spilling, leaking, discharging, dumping, transferring or otherwise disposing of or dealing with Hazardous Materials other than by any such action taken in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws (as defined below) or by the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any other party in connection with the ordinary use of residential, retail or commercial properties owned by the Company or any subsidiary; (iii) the Company does not know of any seepage, leak, discharge, release, emission, spill, or dumping of Hazardous Materials from the Real Property into waters on or adjacent to the Real Property or from the Real Property onto any real property owned or occupied by any other party, or onto lands from which Hazardous Materials might seep, flow or drain into such waters other than in substantial compliance with Environmental Laws (iv) the Company has not received any notice of, and has no knowledge of, any occurrence or circumstance which, with notice or passage of time or both, would give rise to a claim under or pursuant to any U.S. federal, state or local environmental statute or regulation or under common law, pertaining to Hazardous Materials on or originating from any of the Real Property or arising out of the conduct of the Company, including without limitation a claim under or pursuant to any Environmental Law; and
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(v) neither the Real Property is included nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is proposed for inclusion on the National Priorities List issued pursuant to CERCLA (as defined below) by the United States Environmental Protection Agency or, to the Company’s knowledge, proposed for inclusion on any similar list or inventory issued pursuant to any other Environmental Law or issued by any other Governmental Authority.
As used herein, “Hazardous Materials” shall include, without limitation, any flammable explosives, radioactive materials, hazardous materials, hazardous wastes, toxic substances, or related materials, asbestos or any hazardous material as defined by any U.S. federal, state or local environmental law, ordinance, rule or regulation including without limitation the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Sections 9601-9675 (“CERCLA”), the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended, 49 U.S.C. Sections 1801-1819, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Sections 6901-6992K, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. Sections 11001-11050, the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. Sections 2601-2671, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, 7 U.S.C. Sections 136-136y, the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. Sections 7401-7642, the Clean Water Act (Federal Water Pollution Control Act), 33 U.S.C. Sections 1251-1387, the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. Sections 300f-330j-26, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. Sections 651-678, as any of the above statutes may be amended from time to time, and in the regulations promulgated pursuant to each of the foregoing (each individually, an “Environmental Law”) or by any Governmental Authority.
(aa) Microbial Matters. To the Company’s knowledge, except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or where such will not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (a) there have been no complaints relating to air quality or Microbial Matter (as defined below) at any of the properties; (b) there have been no significant incidents of water damage at any of the properties or visual evidence of Microbial Matter in any structure or system at any of the properties; (c) there have been no indications of improper design or construction of any structure at any of the properties or any system contained therein that has led or would reasonably be expected to lead to the growth of Microbial Matter; (d) there is no pending, or to Company’s knowledge, threatened claim, governmental investigation or proceeding pending relating to Microbial Matter; and (e) the Company has provided true and complete copies to the Underwriters of all reports, surveys, assessments and material documents relating to Microbial Matter at any of the properties. The term “Microbial Matter” shall mean fungi, bacterial or viral matter which reproduces through the release of spores or the splitting of cells or other means, including, but not limited to, mold, mildew and viruses, whether or not such Microbial Matter is living.
(bb) Compliance with ERISA. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or
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Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (iv) the present value of all benefits accrued under the Plans exceeds the fair market value of the assets of such Plans (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (v) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; and (vi) neither the Company nor any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).
(cc) Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been 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 has carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15(b) of the Exchange Act.
(dd) Accounting Controls. The Company 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.
(ee) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as the Company believes in its reasonable judgment are adequate to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.
(ff) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and
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procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(gg) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. To the Company’s knowledge, the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(hh) OFAC; SDN List. None of the (i) Company, (ii) any of its Significant Subsidiaries or (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently included on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (the “SDN List”) maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company shall not knowingly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person included on the SDN List maintained by OFAC.
(ii) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Other than as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.
(jj) No Broker’s Fees. Except as has been disclosed to the Underwriters, 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 reasonably be expected to give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(kk) No Registration Rights. Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no person has the right to require the Company 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 Shares.
(ll) No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.
(mm) Margin Rules. The application of the proceeds received by the Company from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
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(nn) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(oo) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(pp) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 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.
(qq) Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company has paid the registration fee for this offering.
(rr) Accuracy of Disclosures. The statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Risk factors - Tax Risks” and “Material Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are a fair and accurate summary of the federal income tax considerations described therein.
(ss) Full Disclosure. There are no contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Required Filings. The Company will prepare and file the final Prospectus, in a form approved by the Representatives, with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; 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 Shares; and 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 1:00 P.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. As soon as practicable after the execution of this agreement, the Company shall file with the secretary of state of the State of Maryland an amendment to its charter increasing the number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is authorized to issue to such number as to permit the
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issuance of the Shares hereunder pursuant to the terms of this Agreement (the “Charter Amendment”).
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, three signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably request; provided, however, in the case of clause (ii)(a), only to the extent such documents are not available on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.
(c) Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, before, 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 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. Prior to the later of (x) the Closing Date or (y) the expiration of the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iii) 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; (iv) 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, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package 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 necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or 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, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending
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any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) 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 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 and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.
(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to or take any action that would subject it to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction.
(g) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.
(h) Clear Market. For a period of 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole
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or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) any shares of Stock of the Company issued upon the exercise of options or the vesting of awards issued under the Company Stock Plans existing on the date hereof, grants of awards to directors and newly hired employees in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice under the Company Stock Plans existing on the date hereof or pursuant to that certain Amended and Restated Employment Agreement dated August 27, 2009, between ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ and the Company (which shares when issued shall be subject to the terms of the Lockup Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇) or (c) as consideration for the redemption or exchange of limited liability company interests in the Operating Company in accordance with the Limited Liability Company Agreement, as amended, of the Operating Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day period, the restrictions imposed by this Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds.”
(j) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Stock.
(k) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the NYSE.
(l) Intentionally Omitted.
(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.
(n) REIT Status. The Company will use its best efforts to meet the requirements to qualify as a REIT under the Code and the Operating Company will use its best efforts to meet the requirements to qualify as a partnership under the Code, in each case unless otherwise determined by the Company’s board of directors.
5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:
(a) It has not used, authorized use of, referred to or participated in the planning for use of, 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
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Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(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”).
(b) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto without the consent of the Company.
(c) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company 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 the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by each of the Company and the Operating 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 no order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties. The 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 or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; 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 or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Applicable Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, if there are any debt securities or preferred stock of, or guaranteed by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any such debt securities or preferred stock and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any such debt securities or preferred stock (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
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(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 Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations 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 or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, 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 or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, 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 Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. (i) Paul, Hastings, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ 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 or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives; (ii) the General Counsel of the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, her written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives; and (iii) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, special Maryland counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(h) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and
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such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(i) 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 or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares.
(j) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and, as the Representatives may reasonably request, the Company’s Corporate Significant Subsidiaries and LLC Significant Subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and such good standing as foreign entities 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.
(k) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance.
(l) FINRA. FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(m) Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and the officers and directors of the Company listed on Exhibit B hereto relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be full force and effect on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(n) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(o) The Charter Amendment shall be in full force and effect.
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 and the Operating Company each, jointly and severally, 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
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incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) or 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, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in paragraph (b) of this Section 7.
(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Operating Company, their directors, their officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Operating 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) of this Section 7, 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 Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the table in paragraph 1, paragraphs three, eleven, twelve, thirteen and the first three sentences of paragraph 7 under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus.
(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) of this Section 7, 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) of this Section 7 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) of this Section 7. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it
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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 in 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 interest between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings 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 paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc. and any such separate firm for the Company, the Operating Company, their directors, their officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company or the Operating 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 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. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (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 Shares 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
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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 Shares 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 Shares. 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.
(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company, the Operating 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) of this Section 7. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) of this Section 7 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 Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to 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 which 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 prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date (a) any of the events described in Sections 6(c) or (d) has occurred, or (b)(i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the NYSE, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (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
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or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
10. Defaulting Underwriter.
(a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-tenth of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-tenth of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date 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
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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 will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares under the state or foreign securities or blue sky 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); (v) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (vii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA; (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the NYSE.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the reasonable 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 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 Shares 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 Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.
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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. Miscellaneous.
(a) Authority of ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc. and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc. and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc. or Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. 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 c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇), Attention Equity Syndicate Desk. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: General Counsel.
(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 applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(e) 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.
(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| STRATEGIC HOTELS & RESORTS, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |
| Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ||
| Title: | ||
| STRATEGIC HOTEL FUNDING, L.L.C. | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |
| Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ||
| Title: | ||
Accepted as of the date hereof for themselves and
on behalf of each of the Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto:
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES INC. | ||
| By: | Illegible | |
| Name: illegible | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. | ||
| By: | Illegible | |
| Name: Illegible | ||
| Title: Director | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |
| Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
Schedule 1
| Underwriter |
Number of Underwritten Shares |
Number of Option Shares | ||
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc. |
20,790,000 | 3,118,500 | ||
| Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
20,790,000 | 3,118,500 | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated |
15,840,000 | 2,376,000 | ||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
6,600,000 | 990,000 | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc. |
1,980,000 | 297,000 | ||
| Total |
66,000,000 | 9,900,000 | ||
Annex A
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus:
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
Filed pursuant to Rule 433
Registration Statement No. 333-157694
(Supplementing Preliminary Prospectus Supplement
dated May 10, 2010)
66,000,000 Shares
Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
Common Stock
This issuer free writing prospectus dated May 13, 2010 relates only to the securities described below and should be read together with the preliminary prospectus supplement dated May 10, 2010 (including the base prospectus dated March 26, 2009 and the documents incorporated by reference therein) relating to these securities.
Terms and Conditions of the Common Stock Offering
| Issuer: | Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. | |
| Symbol: | BEE | |
| Shares offered: | 66,000,000 (excluding option to purchase 9,900,000 additional shares of common stock) | |
| Shares outstanding after offering: | 141,377,509 (excluding option to purchase up to 9,900,000 additional shares of common stock) | |
| Public offering price per share: | $ 4.60 | |
| Proceeds after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, and before expenses: | $ 289,938,000 (excluding option to purchase up to 9,900,000 additional shares of common stock) | |
| Closing date: | May 19, 2010 | |
| CUSIP: | ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |
| Increase in authorized shares of common stock: | In connection with the offering, the Company’s board of directors has approved an increase in the number of shares of common stock that the Company is authorized to issue from 150,000,000 to 250,000,000, and the Company’s charter will be amended accordingly prior to the closing of the offering. | |
| Underwriters: | ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc. | |
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus and preliminary prospectus supplement thereto) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and preliminary prospectus in that registration statement (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) 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 web site at ▇▇▇.▇▇▇.▇▇▇. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send to you the prospectus and preliminary prospectus supplement if you request it by calling ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc. at (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. at (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, BofA ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ at (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ or ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc. at (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇.
Any disclaimer or other notice that may appear below is not applicable to this communication and should be disregarded. Such disclaimer or notice was automatically generated as a result of this communication being sent by Bloomberg or another email system.
Annex B
Pricing Term Sheet
None
Exhibit A
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
, 2010
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
c/o ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
| Re: | Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. — Public Offering of Shares of Common Stock |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of shares (the “Shares”) of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Shares, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period ending 90 days after the date of the prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant), or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, pledge, sale, or disposition or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock., in each case other than (A) transfers of any of the Company’s securities as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (B) transfers of any of the Company’s securities to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of the trust agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (C) transfers of any of the Company’s securities as a result of testate or intestate succession, (D) transfers of any of the Company’s securities to any affiliate of the undersigned, including its partners (if a partnership), members (if a limited liability company), or wholly-owned subsidiary (if a corporation), (E) the
purchase shares of Common Stock in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering; (F) the acquisition, but not exercise, of equity awards issued by the Company pursuant to its equity incentive plans existing on the date of the closing of the Public Offering, provided that the underlying shares of Common Stock shall be subject to this Letter Agreement, (G) the disposition of shares of Common Stock to the Company in order to pay any taxes (or estimated taxes) due as a result of the vesting of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock or (H) the tender of any of the 3.50% Exchangeable Notes due 2012 issued by Strategic Hotel Funding, L.L.C. (the “Exchangeable Notes”) pursuant to a tender offer by the Company for the Exchangeable Notes; provided that in the case of clauses (C) and (D), the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value and in case of clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D) no filing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the 90-day period referred to above). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day period, the restrictions imposed by this Letter Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
For purposes of this Letter Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this Letter Agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this Letter Agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors, and assigns. It is understood that if the Company notifies the Representatives that (x) it does not intend to proceed with the Public Offering or (y) if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares described therein, the undersigned shall be released from all its obligations under this Letter Agreement. In addition, if the Company notifies the Representatives that it does not intend to proceed with the Public Offering with one or both of the Representatives as a party to the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned shall be released from its obligations under this Letter Agreement, provided that such obligations will remain in effect as to any Representative that is not so notified of termination. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the closing of the Public Offering has not occurred prior to June 15, 2010, this Letter Agreement shall be of no further force or effect.
This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| [NAME OF STOCKHOLDER] | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Exhibit B
LIST OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
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