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DRAFT OF AUGUST 13, 1998
COMMERCIAL METALS COMPANY
$100,000,000
MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, SERIES A
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
____________, 1998
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
BancAmerica ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc.
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
c/▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Commercial Metals Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes
to issue and sell from time to time its Medium-Term Notes (the "Securities") in
an aggregate amount up to $100,000,000 and agrees with you (the "Agent") as set
forth in this Agreement.
Subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and to the reservation by
the Company of the right to sell Securities directly on its own behalf, the
Company hereby (i) appoints each Agent as an agent of the Company for the
purpose of soliciting and receiving offers to purchase Securities from the
Company pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof and (ii) agrees that, except as
otherwise contemplated herein, whenever it determines to sell Securities
directly to any Agent as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement
(each, a "Terms Agreement"), substantially in the form of Annex I hereto,
relating to such sale in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof. This
Distribution Agreement shall not be construed to create either an obligation on
the part of the Company to sell any Securities or an obligation of the Agents
to purchase Securities as principal.
The Securities will be issued under an indenture, dated as of July 31, 1995
(the "Indenture"), between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., as
Trustee (the "Trustee"). The Securities shall have the maturity ranges,
interest rates, if any, redemption provisions and other terms set forth in the
Prospectus referred to below as it may be amended or supplemented from time to
time. The Securities will be issued, and the terms and rights thereof
established, from time to time by the Company in accordance with the Indenture.
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1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Agent
that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33-________) in
respect of the Securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"); such registration statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered or
to be delivered to such Agent, excluding exhibits to such registration
statement, but including all documents incorporated by reference in the
prospectus included therein, have been declared effective by the Commission
in such form; no other document with respect to such registration statement
or document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed or
transmitted for filing with the Commission (other than the prospectuses, if
any, filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the
Commission under the Act, each in the form heretofore delivered to the
Agents); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such
registration statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose
has been initiated or threatened by the Commission (any preliminary base
prospectus or preliminary supplemental prospectus included in such
registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a)
of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act, are
hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of such
registration statement, including all exhibits thereto and the documents
incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the registration
statement at the time such part of the registration statement became
effective but excluding Form T-1, each as amended at the time such part of
the registration statement became effective, is hereinafter collectively
called the "Registration Statement"; the prospectus (including, if
applicable, any prospectus supplement) relating to the Securities, in the
form in which it has most recently been filed, or transmitted for filing,
with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, is
hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any reference herein to any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and
include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the
applicable form under the Act, as of the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any
amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus,
including any supplement to the Prospectus that sets forth only the terms
of a particular issue of the Securities (a "Pricing Supplement"), shall be
deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date of such
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and
incorporated therein by reference; any reference to any amendment to the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual
report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and any reference
to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to
and include the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including by the
applicable Pricing Supplement filed in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof)
in relation to Securities to be sold pursuant to this Agreement, in the
form filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Act and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof, including
any documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such
filing);
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when
they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may
be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or
the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, or any further amendment or supplement
thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, will conform
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in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange
Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading;
(c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any
further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of
the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust
Indenture Act"), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable
filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto,
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and
warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company
by any Agent expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
to relate to a particular issuance of Securities;
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained
since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any material loss or
interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other
calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or
court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth
or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (except for
changes pursuant to the exercise of qualified stock options authorized and
issued at the date hereof and purchases by employees of the Company
pursuant to the Company's employee stock purchase plan existing on the date
hereof) or any increase in long-term debt of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries in excess of $10,000,000, or any material adverse change, or
any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or
affecting the general affairs, management, financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus;
(e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;
(f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable;
(g) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when issued
pursuant to the Indenture and delivered pursuant to this Agreement and any
Terms Agreement, will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and
delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, which will be
substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement; the Indenture has been duly authorized and duly qualified under
the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes a valid and legally binding
instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to
enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to
general equity principles; and the Indenture conforms and the
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Securities of any particular issuance of Securities will conform to the
descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
to relate to such issuance of Securities;
(h) The issue and sale of the Securities, the compliance by the
Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture, this
Agreement and any Terms Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions
herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a
breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or
other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which
the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
Company is subject (except for such breaches, violations or defaults that
would not have a material adverse effect on the financial position or
results of operations of the Company), nor will such action result in any
violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, as
amended, or the By-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or
regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its properties; and no consent, approval,
authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or
governmental agency or body is required for the solicitation of offers to
purchase Securities, the issue and sale of the Securities or the
consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, any Terms Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been,
or will have been prior to the Commencement Date (as defined in Section 3
hereof), obtained under the Act or the Trust Indenture Act and such
consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may
be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the
solicitation by such Agent of offers to purchase Securities from the
Company and with purchases of Securities by such Agent as principal, as the
case may be, in each case in the manner contemplated hereby;
(i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation
of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or in default in the
performance or observance of any material obligation, covenant or condition
contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease
or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or
any of its properties may be bound;
(j) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Debt Securities" and "Description of Notes", insofar as
they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, under
the caption "Taxation", and under the caption "Supplemental Plan of
Distribution", insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the
laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair;
(k) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is subject, which, if determined adversely to the Company
or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a
material adverse effect on the current or future consolidated financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries, and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no such
proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
threatened by others;
(l) The Company is not, and after giving effect to each offering and
sale of the Securities will not be, an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company", as such terms are defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act");
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(m) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does business with
the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba
within the meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes;
(n) Immediately after any sale of Securities by the Company hereunder
or under any Terms Agreement, the aggregate amount of Securities which
shall have been issued and sold by the Company hereunder or under any Terms
Agreement and of any debt securities of the Company (other than such
Securities) that shall have been issued and sold pursuant to the
Registration Statement will not exceed the amount of debt securities
registered under the Registration Statement;
(o) Deloitte & Touche LLP who have certified certain financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder; and
(p) Other than as set forth in the Registration Statement, the
Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all
applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating
to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous
or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("Environmental
Laws"), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals
required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their
respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and
conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such
noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits,
licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and
conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, individually
or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
2. (a) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein
contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Agent hereby agrees, as agent of the Company, to use its reasonable efforts
to solicit and receive offers to purchase the Securities from the Company
upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented from time to time. So long as this Agreement shall remain in
effect with respect to any Agent, the Company shall not, without the
consent of such Agent, solicit or accept offers to purchase, or sell, any
debt securities with a maturity at the time of original issuance of 9
months to [ ] except pursuant to this Agreement, any Terms Agreement,
or except pursuant to a private placement not constituting a public
offering under the Act or except in connection with a firm commitment
underwriting pursuant to an underwriting agreement that does not provide
for a continuous offering of medium-term debt securities. However, the
Company reserves the right to sell, and may solicit and accept offers to
purchase, Securities directly on its own behalf in transactions with
persons other than broker-dealers, and, in the case of any such sale not
resulting from a solicitation made by any Agent, no commission will be
payable with respect to such sale. These provisions shall not limit
Section 4(f) hereof or any similar provision included in any Terms
Agreement.
Procedural details relating to the issue and delivery of Securities,
the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities and the payment in each
case therefor shall be as set forth in the Administrative Procedure
attached hereto as ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ as it may be amended from time to time by
written agreement between the Agent and the Company (the "Administrative
Procedure"). The provisions of the Administrative Procedure shall apply to
all transactions contemplated hereunder other than those made pursuant to a
Terms Agreement. Each Agent and the Company
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agree to perform the respective duties and obligations specifically
provided to be performed by each of them in the Administrative Procedure.
The Company will furnish to the Trustee a copy of the Administrative
Procedure as from time to time in effect.
The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to instruct
the Agent to suspend at any time, for any period of time or permanently,
the solicitation of offers to purchase the Securities. As soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than one business day in New York
City, after receipt of notice from the Company, the Agent will suspend
solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from the Company until such
time as the Company has advised the Agent that such solicitation may be
resumed. During such period, the Company shall not be required to comply
with the provisions of Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k). Upon advising
the Agent that such solicitation may be resumed, however, the Company shall
simultaneously provide the documents required to be delivered by Sections
4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k), and the Agent shall have no obligation to
solicit offers to purchase the Securities until such documents have been
received by the Agent. In addition, any failure by the Company to comply
with its obligations hereunder, including without limitation its
obligations to deliver the documents required by Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j)
and 4(k), shall automatically terminate the Agent's obligations hereunder,
including without limitation its obligations to solicit offers to purchase
the Securities hereunder as agent or to purchase Securities hereunder as
principal.
The Company agrees to pay each Agent a commission, at the time of
settlement of any sale of a Security by the Company as a result of a
solicitation made by such Agent, in an amount equal to the
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following applicable percentage of the principal amount of such Security
sold:
Commission
(percentage of
aggregate
principal amount
Range of Maturities of Securities sold)
------------------- -------------------
From 9 months to less than 1 year .125%
From 1 year to less than 18 months .150%
From 18 months to less than 2 years .200%
From 2 years to less than 3 years .250%
From 3 years to less than 4 years .350%
From 4 years to less than 5 years .450%
From 5 years to less than 6 years .500%
From 6 years to less than 7 years .550%
From 7 years to less than 10 years .600%
From 10 years to less than 15 years .625%
From 15 years to less than 20 years .675%
From 20 years to 30 years .750%
From more than 30 years to less than 50 years .875%
50 years and more 1.000%
(b) Each sale of Securities to any Agent as principal shall be made
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and (unless the Company and
such Agent shall otherwise agree) a Terms Agreement which will provide for
the sale of such Securities to, and the purchase thereof by, such Agent; a
Terms Agreement may also specify certain provisions relating to the
reoffering of such Securities by such Agent; the commitment of any Agent to
purchase Securities as principal, whether pursuant to any Terms Agreement
or otherwise, shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the
representations and warranties of the Company herein contained and shall be
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth; each Terms Agreement
shall specify the principal amount of Securities to be purchased by any
Agent pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the Company for such
Securities, any provisions relating to rights of, and default by,
underwriters acting together with such Agent in the reoffering of the
Securities and the time and date and place of delivery of and payment for
such Securities; and such Terms Agreement shall also specify any
requirements for opinions of counsel, accountants' letters and officers'
certificates pursuant to Section 4 hereof. Each Agent proposes to offer
Securities purchased by it as principal for sale at prevailing market
prices or prices related thereto at the time of sale, which may be equal
to, greater than or less than the price at which such Securities are
purchased by such Agent from the Company.
For each sale of Securities to an Agent as principal that is not made
pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the procedural details relating to the issue
and delivery of such Securities and payment therefor shall be as set forth
in the Administrative Procedure. For each such sale of
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Securities to an Agent as principal that is not made pursuant to a Terms
Agreement, the Company agrees to pay such Agent a commission (or grant an
equivalent discount) as provided in Section 2(a) hereof and in accordance
with the schedule set forth therein.
Each time and date of delivery of and payment for Securities to be
purchased by an Agent as principal, whether set forth in a Terms Agreement
or in accordance with the Administrative Procedure, is referred to herein
as a "Time of Delivery".
(c) Each Agent agrees, with respect to any Security denominated in a
currency other than U.S. dollars, as agent, directly or indirectly, not to
solicit offers to purchase, and as principal under any Terms Agreement or
otherwise, directly or indirectly, not to offer, sell or deliver, such
Security in, or to residents of, the country issuing such currency, except
as permitted by applicable laws, regulations, rules, decrees or orders of
any governmental body.
3. The documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6 hereof on
the Commencement Date (as defined below) shall be delivered to the Agents at
the offices of New York, New York, at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the
date of this Agreement, which date and time of such delivery may be postponed
by agreement between the Agents and the Company but in no event shall be later
than the day prior to the date on which solicitation of offers to purchase
Securities is commenced or on which any Terms Agreement is executed (such time
and date being referred to herein as the "Commencement Date").
4. The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent:
(a) (i) To make no amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus (A) prior to the Commencement Date which shall
be disapproved by any Agent promptly after reasonable notice thereof or (B)
after the date of any Terms Agreement or other agreement by an Agent to
purchase Securities as principal and prior to the related Time of Delivery
which shall be disapproved by any Agent party to such Terms Agreement or so
purchasing as principal promptly after reasonable notice thereof (except
for filings of the Company on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q under the Exchange
Act); (ii) to prepare, with respect to any Securities to be sold through or
to such Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Pricing Supplement with respect
to such Securities in a form previously approved by such Agent and to file
such Pricing Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) under the Act not later
than the close of business of the Commission on the fifth business day
after the date on which such Pricing Supplement is first used; (iii) to
make no amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, other than any Pricing Supplement, at any time prior to having
afforded each Agent a reasonable opportunity to review and comment thereon;
(iv) to 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 for so long as the
delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or
sale of the Securities, and during such same period to advise such Agent,
promptly after the Company receives notice thereof, of the time when any
amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or has become
effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has
been filed with the Commission, of the issuance by the Commission of any
stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
prospectus relating to the Securities, of the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,
of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or
of any request by the Commission for the amendment or supplement of the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and (v)
in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order
preventing or suspending the use of any
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such prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its
best efforts to obtain its withdrawal;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as such Agent may
reasonably request to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under
the securities laws of such jurisdictions as such Agent may request and to
comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings
therein for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution or
sale of the Securities; provided, however, that in connection therewith the
Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to
file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time on the business day next
succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish
such Agent with copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment
thereto, with copies of the Prospectus as each time amended or
supplemented, other than any Pricing Supplement (except as provided in the
Administrative Procedure), in the form in which it is filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, and with copies of the
documents incorporated by reference therein, the copies of each of the
above-referenced documents to be delivered in New York City and in such
quantities as such Agent may reasonably request; and, if the delivery of a
prospectus is required at any time in connection with the offering or sale
of the Securities (including Securities purchased from the Company by such
Agent as principal) and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a
result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus
is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be
necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or
to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or the
Trust Indenture Act, to notify such Agent and request such Agent, in its
capacity as agent of the Company, to suspend solicitation of offers to
purchase Securities from the Company (and, if so notified, such Agent shall
cease such solicitations as soon as practicable, but in any event not later
than one business day later); and if the Company shall decide to amend or
supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or
supplemented, to so advise such Agent promptly by telephone (with
confirmation in writing) and to prepare and cause to be filed promptly with
the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that if
during such same period such Agent continues to own Securities purchased
from the Company by such Agent as principal or such Agent is otherwise
required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions in the
Securities, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission
such an amendment or supplement;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c)
under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries
(which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the
option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) So long as any Securities are outstanding, to furnish to such
Agent copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other)
furnished to stockholders, and deliver to such Agent (i) as soon as they
are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to
or
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filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any
class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional
information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company
as such Agent may from time to time reasonably request (such financial
statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the
Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its
stockholders generally or to the Commission);
(f) That, from the date of any Terms Agreement with such Agent or
other agreement by such Agent to purchase Securities as principal and
continuing to and including the later of (i) the termination of the trading
restrictions for the Securities purchased thereunder, as notified to the
Company by such Agent and (ii) the related Time of Delivery, not to offer,
sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the
Company which both mature more than 9 months after such Time of Delivery
and are substantially similar to the Securities, without the prior written
consent of such Agent;
(g) That each acceptance by the Company of an offer to purchase
Securities hereunder (including any purchase by such Agent as principal not
pursuant to a Terms Agreement), and each execution and delivery by the
Company of a Terms Agreement with such Agent, shall be deemed to be an
affirmation to such Agent that the representations and warranties of the
Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and
correct as of the date of such acceptance or of such Terms Agreement, as
the case may be, as though made at and as of such date, and an undertaking
that such representations and warranties will be true and correct as of the
settlement date for the Securities relating to such acceptance or as of the
Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, as though made
at and as of such date (except that such representations and warranties
shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
as amended and supplemented relating to such Securities);
(h) That reasonably in advance of each time the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by
a Pricing Supplement), each time a document filed under the Act or the
Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, and each
time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal pursuant to a
Terms Agreement and such Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of an
opinion or opinions by ▇▇▇▇, Gump, Strauss, ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇, L.L.P., counsel
to the Agents, as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to
such Terms Agreement, the Company shall furnish to such counsel such papers
and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to furnish to
such Agent the opinion or opinions referred to in Section 6(b) hereof;
(i) That each time the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall
be amended or supplemented (other than by a Pricing Supplement), each time
a document filed under the Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus and each time the Company sells Securities to
such Agent as principal pursuant to a Terms Agreement and such Terms
Agreement specifies the delivery of an opinion under this Section 4(i) as a
condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement,
the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to such Agent
a written opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇, L.L.P., counsel for the Company, or
other counsel for the Company satisfactory to such Agent (including,
without limitation, general counsel of the Company), dated the date of such
amendment, supplement, incorporation or Time of Delivery relating to such
sale, as the case may be, in form satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect
that such Agent may rely on the opinion of such counsel referred to in
Section 6(c) hereof which was last furnished to such Agent to the same
extent as though it were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance
(except that the statements in such last
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opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date) or, in lieu of such
opinion, an opinion of the same tenor as the opinion of such counsel
referred to in Section 6(c) hereof but modified to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to
such date;
(j) That each time the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall
be amended or supplemented and each time that a document filed under the
Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus,
in either case to set forth financial information included in or derived
from the Company's consolidated financial statements or accounting records,
and each time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal
pursuant to a Terms Agreement and such Terms Agreement specifies the
delivery of a letter under this Section 4(j) as a condition to the purchase
of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company shall cause the
independent certified public accountants who have certified the financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement forthwith to furnish such Agent a
letter, dated the date of such amendment, supplement, incorporation or Time
of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, in form satisfactory
to such Agent, of the same tenor as the letter referred to in Section 6(d)
hereof but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented to the date of such letter, with such
changes as may be necessary to reflect changes in the financial statements
and other information derived from the accounting records of the Company,
to the extent such financial statements and other information are available
as of a date not more than five business days prior to the date of such
letter; provided, however, that, with respect to any financial information
or other matter, such letter may reconfirm as true and correct at such date
as though made at and as of such date, rather than repeat, statements with
respect to such financial information or other matter made in the letter
referred to in Section 6(d) hereof which was last furnished to such Agent;
(k) That each time the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall
be amended or supplemented (other than by a Pricing Supplement), each time
a document filed under the Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus and each time the Company sells Securities to
such Agent as principal and the applicable Terms Agreement specifies the
delivery of a certificate under this Section 4(k) as a condition to the
purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company shall
furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to such Agent a certificate,
dated the date of such supplement, amendment, incorporation or Time of
Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, in such form and
executed by such officers of the Company as shall be satisfactory to such
Agent, to the effect that the statements contained in the certificates
referred to in Section 6(i) hereof which were last furnished to such Agent
are true and correct at such date as though made at and as of such date
(except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date) or,
in lieu of such certificate, certificates of the same tenor as the
certificates referred to in said Section 6(i) but modified to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to
such date; and
(l) To offer to any person who has agreed to purchase Securities from
the Company as the result of an offer to purchase solicited by such Agent
the right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Securities if, on the
related settlement date fixed pursuant to the Administrative Procedure, any
condition set forth in Section 6(a), 6(e), 6(f) or 6(g) hereof shall not
have been satisfied (it being understood that the reasonable judgment of
such person with respect to the impracticability or inadvisability of such
purchase of Securities shall be substituted, for purposes of this Section
4(l), for the respective judgments of an Agent with respect to certain
matters referred to in such
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Sections 6(e) and 6(g), and that such Agent shall have no duty or
obligation whatsoever to exercise the judgment permitted under such
Sections 6(e) and 6(g) on behalf of any such person).
5. The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent that the Company will
pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses
of the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of
the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the
preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus and any Pricing Supplements and all other amendments
and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to
such Agent; (ii) the fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel for the Agents
in connection with the establishment of the program contemplated hereby, any
opinions to be rendered by such counsel hereunder and under any Terms Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereunder and under any Terms Agreement;
(iii) the cost of printing, producing or reproducing this Agreement, any Terms
Agreement, any Indenture, any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing
documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in
connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities;
(iv) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for
offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 4(b)
hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in
connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and
legal investment surveys; (v) any fees charged by securities rating services
for rating the Securities; (vi) any filing fees incident to, and the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with, any required review
by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the
sale of the Securities; (vii) the cost of preparing the Securities; (viii) the
fees and expenses of any Trustee and any agent of any Trustee and any transfer
or paying agent of the Company and the fees and disbursements of counsel for
any Trustee or such agent in connection with any Indenture and the Securities;
(ix) any advertising expenses connected with the solicitation of offers to
purchase and the sale of Securities so long as such advertising expenses have
been approved by the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to
the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise
specifically provided for in this Section. Except as provided in Sections 7
and 8 hereof, each Agent shall pay all other expenses it incurs.
6. The obligation of any Agent, as agent of the Company, at any time
("Solicitation Time") to solicit offers to purchase the Securities and the
obligation of any Agent to purchase Securities as principal, pursuant to any
Terms Agreement or otherwise, shall in each case be subject, in such Agent's
discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other
statements of the Company herein (and, in the case of an obligation of an Agent
under a Terms Agreement, in or incorporated by reference in such Terms
Agreement) are true and correct at and as of the Commencement Date and any
applicable date referred to in Section 4(k) hereof that is prior to such
Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, and at and as of
such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the condition
that prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be,
the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore
to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) (i) With respect to any Securities sold at or prior to
such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the Pricing Supplement)
with respect to such Securities shall have been filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period
prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and
in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; (ii) no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the
Commission; and (iii)
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all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall
have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of such Agent;
(b) ▇▇▇▇, Gump, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇, L.L.P., counsel to the
Agents, shall have furnished to such Agent (i) such opinion or opinions (a
draft of each such opinion is attached as Annex II(a) hereto), dated the
Commencement Date, with respect to the matters covered in paragraphs (i),
(ii), (iv), (vi), (x), (xi), (xiii) and (xiv) of subsection (c) below, as
well as such other related matters as such Agent may reasonably request,
and (ii) if and to the extent requested by such Agent, with respect to each
applicable date referred to in Section 4(h) hereof that is on or prior to
such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, an opinion
or opinions, dated such applicable date, to the effect that such Agent may
rely on the opinion or opinions which were last furnished to such Agent
pursuant to this Section 6(b) to the same extent as though it or they were
dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that the
statements in such last opinion or opinions shall be deemed to relate to
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented
to such date) or, in any case, in lieu of such an opinion or opinions, an
opinion or opinions of the same tenor as the opinion or opinions referred
to in clause (i) but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date; and in each case
such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may
reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) ▇▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇, L.L.P., counsel for the Company, or
other counsel for the Company satisfactory to such Agent (which may include
the Company's general counsel), shall have furnished to such Agent their
written opinions (a draft of each such opinion is attached as Annex II(b)
hereto), dated the Commencement Date and each applicable date referred to
in Section 4(i) hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or
Time of Delivery, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to
such Agent, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation, with corporate power and authority
to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set
forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, and all of the
issued shares of capital stock of the Company, have been duly and
validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(iii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as
set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is subject which, if determined adversely to the Company
or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate
have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries; and to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such
proceedings are threatened by governmental authorities or by others;
(iv) This Agreement and any applicable Terms Agreement have
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
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(v) The Securities have been duly authorized and executed by
the Company, and when authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with
the terms of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the
Agents, will have been duly issued by and delivered by the Company and
will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company
entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; and the Indenture
conforms and the Securities will conform to the descriptions thereof
in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(vi) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the parties thereto and constitutes a valid and legally
binding instrument, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or
affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles; and the
Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;
(vii) The issue and sale of the Securities, the compliance by
the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the
Indenture, this Agreement and any applicable Terms Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will
not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the
terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or
instrument known to such counsel to which the Company is a party or by
which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets
of the Company is subject, except to the extent that such conflict,
breach or violation will not have a material adverse effect on the
Company or on any of the transactions contemplated hereunder, nor will
such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of the Company or the
By-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation
known to such counsel of any court or governmental agency or body
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties;
(viii) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration
or qualification of or with any court or governmental agency or body
is required for the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities, the
issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of
the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any applicable
Terms Agreement, or the Indenture, except such as have been obtained
under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents,
approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
required under state securities or Blue Sky laws and by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in connection with the
solicitation by the Agents of offers to purchase Securities from the
Company and with purchases of Securities by an Agent as principal, as
the case may be, in each case in the manner contemplated hereby;
(ix) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws;
(x) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption "Description of Debt Securities" and "Description of Notes",
insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the
Securities, under the caption "United States Taxation", insofar as
they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents
referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair;
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(xi) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Securities, will not be an "investment
company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company", as such
terms are defined in the Investment Company Act;
(xii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
(other than the financial statements and financial data and related
schedules therein, if any, as to which such counsel need express no
opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as
applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to believe that any of such
documents, when they became effective or were so filed, as the case
may be, contained, in the case of a registration statement which
became effective under the Act, an untrue statement of a material fact
or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and, in the
case of other documents which were filed under the Act or the Exchange
Act with the Commission, an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made when such documents were so filed, not misleading;
(xiii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended
and supplemented and any further amendments and supplements thereto
made by the Company prior to the date of such opinion (other than the
financial statements and financial data and related schedules, if any,
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as
to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and
the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; and
(xiv) although they do not assume any responsibility for the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except for those referred to
in the opinion in subsection (x) of this Section 6(c), such counsel
has no reason to believe that, as of its effective date, the
Registration Statement or any further amendment or supplement thereto
made by the Company prior to the date of such opinion (other than the
financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such
counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or that, as of the date of such opinion, the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented or any further amendment or supplement thereto
made by the Company prior to the date of such opinion (other than the
financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such
counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they
were made, not misleading; and they do not know of any amendment to
the Registration Statement required to be filed or any contracts or
other documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement or required to be incorporated by reference
into the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended
or supplemented which are not filed or incorporated by reference or
described as required;
(d) Not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the
Commencement Date and on each applicable date referred to in Section 4(j)
hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery,
as the case may be, the independent certified public accountants who have
certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries
included or incorporated by
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reference in the Registration Statement shall have furnished to such Agent
a letter, dated the Commencement Date or such applicable date, as the case
may be, in form and substance satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect set
forth in ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ hereto; (the executed copy of the letter delivered prior
to the execution of this Agreement is attached as Annex I(a) hereto and a
draft of the form of the letter to be delivered on the effective date of
any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement and as of each
Time of delivery is attached as Annex I(b) hereto)
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing Supplement relating to the
Securities to be delivered at the relevant Time of Delivery any loss or
interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other
calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or
court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth
or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented prior to the
date of the Pricing Supplement relating to the Securities to be delivered
at the relevant Time of Delivery and (ii) since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
prior to the date of the Pricing Supplement relating to the Securities to
be delivered at the relevant Time of Delivery there shall not have been any
change in the capital stock (except pursuant to the exercise of stock
options authorized and issued at the date hereof and purchases by employees
of the Company pursuant to the Company's employee stock purchase plan as
existing on the date hereof) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective
change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing
Supplement relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant Time
of Delivery, the effect of which, in any such case described in Clause (i)
or (ii), is in the judgment of such Agent so material and adverse as to
make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the solicitation by
such Agent of offers to purchase Securities from the Company or the
purchase by such Agent of Securities from the Company as principal, as the
case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing Supplement
relating to the Securities to be delivered at the relevant Time of
Delivery;
(f) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have
occurred in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any
"nationally recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is
defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and
(ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under
surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of
any of the Company's debt securities;
(g) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of
the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or
material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on the New York
Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities
in New York declared by either Federal or New York State authorities; or
(iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States
or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, if
the effect of any such event specified in this Clause (iv) in the judgment
of such Agent makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
solicitation of offers to purchase Securities or the purchase of the
Securities from the Company as principal pursuant to
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the applicable Terms Agreement or otherwise, as the case may be, on the
terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(h) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section
4(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of the documents described
therein on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this
Agreement; and
(i) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to
such Agent certificates of officers of the Company dated the Commencement
Date and each applicable date referred to in Section 4(k) hereof that is on
or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be,
in such form and executed by such officers of the Company as shall be
satisfactory to such Agent, as to the accuracy of the representations and
warranties of the Company herein at and as of the Commencement Date or such
applicable date, as the case may be, as to the performance by the Company
of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to the
Commencement Date or such applicable date, as the case may be, as to the
matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section 6, and as to
such other matters as such Agent may reasonably request.
7. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Agent
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to
which such Agent may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented or any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, and will reimburse such Agent for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any
such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that
the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any
such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other
prospectus relating to the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement,
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by such Agent expressly for use therein.
(b) Each Agent will indemnify and hold harmless the Company
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may
become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are
based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other
prospectus relating to the Securities, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent,
but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented or any other prospectus relating to the Securities,
or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by such Agent expressly
for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal
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or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action,
such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made
against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the
indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission
so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability
which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such
subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any
indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any
other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof,
with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except
with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying
party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified
party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying
party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection
for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the
defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No
indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified
party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of
any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in
respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder
(whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to
such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i)
includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a
statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to
act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and each Agent on the other from the offering of the Securities to
which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof)
relates. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding
sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party
failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only
such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the
one hand and each Agent on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and each Agent on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of Securities (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions
or discounts received by such Agent in respect thereof. The relative fault
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 required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading relates to
information supplied by the Company on the one hand or by any Agent on the
other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity
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to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and each
Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by per capita allocation or
by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to
above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this subsection (d), an Agent shall not be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total public
offering price at which the Securities purchased by or through it were sold
exceeds the amount of any damages which such Agent 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 Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall
be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and
shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any,
who controls any Agent within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations
of each Agent under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability
which such Agent may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms
and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
8. Each Agent, in soliciting offers to purchase Securities from the
Company and in performing the other obligations of such Agent hereunder (other
than in respect of any purchase by an Agent as principal, pursuant to a Terms
Agreement or otherwise), is acting solely as agent for the Company and not as
principal. Each Agent will make reasonable efforts to assist the Company in
obtaining performance by each purchaser whose offer to purchase Securities from
the Company was solicited by such Agent and has been accepted by the Company,
but such Agent shall not have any liability to the Company as a result of this
sentence in the event such purchase is not consummated for any reason. If the
Company shall default on its obligation to deliver Securities to a purchaser
whose offer it has accepted, the Company shall (i) hold each Agent harmless
against any loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of such default
by the Company and (ii) notwithstanding such default, pay to the Agent that
solicited such offer any commission to which it would be entitled in connection
with such sale.
9. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements by any Agent and the Company set forth in or made pursuant
to this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Agent or any controlling person of any Agent, or the Company, or any
officer or director or any controlling person of the Company, and shall survive
each delivery of and payment for any of the Securities.
10. The provisions of this Agreement relating to the solicitation of
offers to purchase Securities from the Company may be suspended or terminated
at any time by the Company or by any Agent upon the giving of written notice of
such suspension or termination to such Agent or the Company, as the case may
be. In the event of any suspension or termination this Agreement shall remain
in full force and effect with respect to the rights and obligations of any
party which have previously accrued or which relate to Securities which are
already issued, agreed to be issued or the subject of a pending offer at the
time of such suspension or termination and in any event, this
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Agreement shall remain in full force and effect insofar as the fourth paragraph
of Section 2(a), and Sections 4(d), 4(e), 5, 7, 8 and 9 hereof are concerned.
11. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or in the
Administrative Procedure, all statements, requests, and notices hereunder shall
be in writing, or by telephone if promptly confirmed in writing, and if to
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. shall be sufficient in all respects when delivered or sent
by facsimile transmission or registered mail to ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Facsimile Transmission No. (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, Attention: Credit
Department, Credit Control--Medium-Term Notes and if to the Company shall be
sufficient in all respects when delivered or sent by facsimile transmission or
registered mail to ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Facsimile
Transmission No. (214) 689- 4326.
12. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be binding upon, and
inure solely to the benefit of, each Agent and the Company, and to the extent
provided in Sections 7, 8 and 9 hereof, the officers and directors of the
Company and any person who controls any Agent or the Company, and their
respective personal representatives, successors and assigns, and no other
person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement or
any Terms Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities through or from any
Agent hereunder shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such
purchase.
13. Time shall be of the essence in this Agreement and any Terms
Agreement. As used herein, the term "business day" shall mean any day when the
Commission's office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.
14. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
15. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be executed by any one or
more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be an original, but all of such respective counterparts shall
together constitute one and the same instrument.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us five counterparts hereof, whereupon this letter and the acceptance
by you thereof shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and you
in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
Commercial Metals Company
By:
-----------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted in New York, New York,
as of the date hereof:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
By:
------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
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ANNEX I
COMMERCIAL METALS COMPANY
[Title of Security]
Terms Agreement
_______________________, 19____
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
BancAmerica ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc.
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
c/o Goldman, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Commercial Metals Company (the "Company") proposes, subject to the
terms and conditions stated herein and in the Distribution Agreement, dated
_______________________, 19___ (the "Distribution Agreement"), between the
Company on the one hand and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., BancAmerica ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc., ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers, Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated (the "Agents") on the other, to issue and sell to the Agents the
securities specified in the Schedule hereto (the "Purchased Securities"). Each
of the provisions of the Distribution Agreement not specifically related to the
solicitation by the Agents, as agents of the Company, of offers to purchase
Securities is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be
deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such
provisions had been set forth in full herein. Nothing contained herein or in
the Distribution Agreement shall make any party hereto an agent of the Company
or make such party subject to the provisions therein relating to the
solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from the Company, solely by
virtue of its execution of this Terms Agreement. Each of the representations
and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of
the date of this Terms Agreement, except that each representation and warranty
in Section 1 of the Distribution Agreement which makes reference to the
Prospectus shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty as of the date
of the Distribution Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as therein
defined), and also a representation and warranty as of the
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date of this Terms Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as amended and
supplemented to relate to the Purchased Securities.
An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Securities, in the
form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the
Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Distribution Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to the Agents and the Agents agree to purchase from the Company
the Purchased Securities, at the time and place, in the principal amount and at
the purchase price set forth in the Schedule hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us five counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you
this letter and such acceptance hereof, including those provisions of the
Distribution Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a
binding agreement between you and the Company.
Commercial Metals Company
By:
------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
By:
------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
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SCHEDULE TO ANNEX I
Title of Purchased Securities:
[ %] Medium-Term Notes[, SERIES ....]
Aggregate Principal Amount:
$_____________________
[PRICE TO PUBLIC:]
Purchase Price by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
% of the principal amount of the Purchased Securities[, PLUS ACCRUED
INTEREST FROM _________________ TO __________________________] [AND ACCRUED
AMORTIZATION, IF ANY, FROM ___________________________ TO _________________]
Method of and Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:
[BY CERTIFIED OR OFFICIAL BANK CHECK OR CHECKS, PAYABLE TO THE ORDER OF THE
COMPANY, IN NEW YORK CLEARING HOUSE FUNDS]
[BY WIRE TRANSFER TO A BANK ACCOUNT SPECIFIED BY THE COMPANY IN [NEXT DAY]
[IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE] FUNDS]
Indenture:
Indenture, dated as of __________________________, 19___, between the
Company and ______________________________, as Trustee
Time of Delivery:
Closing Location for Delivery of Securities:
Maturity:
Interest Rate:
[ %]
Interest Payment Dates:
[MONTHS AND DATES]
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Documents to be Delivered:
The following documents referred to in the Distribution Agreement shall be
delivered as a condition to the Closing:
(1) The opinion or opinions of counsel to the Agents referred to in
Section 4(h).
(2) The opinion of counsel to the Company referred to in Section 4(i).
(3) The accountants' letter referred to in Section 4(j).
(4) The officers' certificate referred to in Section 4(k).
Other Provisions (including Syndicate Provisions, if applicable):
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ANNEX II
COMMERCIAL METALS COMPANY
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
This Administrative Procedure relates to the Securities defined in the
Distribution Agreement, dated ___________________________, 19____ (the
"Distribution Agreement"), between Commercial Metals Company (the "Company")
and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., BancAmerica ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ Securities
Inc., Administrative Procedure is attached as Annex II. Defined terms used
herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings given such terms in the
Distribution Agreement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or the
Indenture.
The procedures to be followed with respect to the settlement of sales of
Securities directly by the Company to purchasers solicited by an Agent, as
agent, are set forth below. The terms and settlement details related to a
purchase of Securities by an Agent, as principal, from the Company will be set
forth in a Terms Agreement pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, unless the
Company and such Agent otherwise agree as provided in Section 2(b) of the
Distribution Agreement, in which case the procedures to be followed in respect
of the settlement of such sale will be as set forth below. An Agent, in
relation to a purchase of a Security by a purchaser solicited by such Agent, is
referred to herein as the "Selling Agent" and, in relation to a purchase of a
Security by such Agent as principal other than pursuant to a Terms Agreement,
as the "Purchasing Agent".
The Company will advise each Agent in writing of those persons with whom
such Agent is to communicate regarding offers to purchase Securities and the
related settlement details.
Each Security will be issued only in fully registered form and will be
represented by either a global security (a "Global Security") delivered to the
Trustee, as agent for The Depository Trust Company (the "Depositary") and
recorded in the book-entry system maintained by the Depositary (a "Book-Entry
Security") or a certificate issued in definitive form (a "Certificated
Security") delivered to a person designated by an Agent, as set forth in the
applicable Pricing Supplement. An owner of a Book-Entry Security will not be
entitled to receive a certificate representing such a Security, except as
provided in the Indenture.
Book-Entry Securities will be issued in accordance with the Administrative
Procedure set forth in Part I hereof, and Certificated Securities will be
issued in accordance with the Administrative Procedure set forth in Part II
hereof.
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PART I: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR BOOK-ENTRY SECURITIES
In connection with the qualification of the Book-Entry Securities for
eligibility in the book-entry system maintained by the Depositary, the Trustee
will perform the custodial, document control and administrative functions
described below, in accordance with its respective obligations under a Letter
of Representation from the Company and the Trustee to the Depositary, dated the
date hereof, and a Medium-Term Note Certificate Agreement between the Trustee
and the Depositary, dated as of ________________________, 19___ (the
"Certificate Agreement"), and its obligations as a participant in the
Depositary, including the Depositary's Same-Day Funds Settlement System
("SDFS").
Posting Rates by the Company:
The Company and the Agents will discuss from time to time the rates of
interest per annum to be borne by and the maturity of Book-Entry Securities
that may be sold as a result of the solicitation of offers by an Agent. The
Company may establish a fixed set of interest rates and maturities for an
offering period ("posting"). If the Company decides to change already posted
rates, it will promptly advise the Agents to suspend solicitation of offers
until the new posted rates have been established with the Agents.
Acceptance of Offers by the Company:
Each Agent will promptly advise the Company by telephone or other
appropriate means of all reasonable offers to purchase Book-Entry Securities,
other than those rejected by such Agent. Each Agent may, in its discretion
reasonably exercised, reject any offer received by it in whole or in part.
Each Agent also may make offers to the Company to purchase Book-Entry
Securities as a Purchasing Agent. The Company will have the sole right to
accept offers to purchase Book-Entry Securities and may reject any such offer
in whole or in part.
The Company will promptly notify the Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case
may be, of its acceptance or rejection of an offer to purchase Book-Entry
Securities. If the Company accepts an offer to purchase Book-Entry Securities,
it will confirm such acceptance in writing to the Selling Agent or Purchasing
Agent, as the case may be, and the Trustee.
Communication of Sale Information to the Company by Agent and Settlement
Procedures:
A. After the acceptance of an offer by the Company, the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, will communicate promptly, but in no
event later than the time set forth under "Settlement Procedure Timetable"
below, the following details of the terms of such offer (the "Sale
Information") to the Company by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by
facsimile transmission or other acceptable written means:
(1) Principal Amount of Book-Entry Securities to be purchased;
(2) If a Fixed Rate Book-Entry Security, the interest rate and
initial interest payment date;
(3) Trade Date;
(4) Settlement Date;
(5) Maturity Date;
(6) Specified Currency and, if the Specified Currency is other
than U.S. dollars, the applicable Exchange Rate for such
Specified Currency (it being understood that
II-2
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currently the Depositary accepts deposits of Global
Securities denominated in U.S. dollars only);
(7) Indexed Currency, the Base Rate and the Exchange Rate
Determination Date, if applicable;
(8) Issue Price;
(9) Selling Agent's commission or Purchasing Agent's discount,
as the case may be;
(10) Net Proceeds to the Company;
(11) If a redeemable Book-Entry Security, such of the following
as are applicable:
(i) Redemption Commencement Date,
(ii) Initial Redemption Price (% of par), and
(iii) Amount (% of par) that the Redemption Price
shall decline (but not below par) on each
anniversary of the Redemption Commencement
Date;
(12) If a Floating Rate Book-Entry Security, such of the
following as are applicable:
(i) Interest Rate Basis,
(ii) Index Maturity,
(iii) Spread or Spread Multiplier,
(iv) Maximum Rate,
(v) Minimum Rate,
(vi) Initial Interest Rate,
(vii) Interest Reset Dates,
(viii) Calculation Dates,
(ix) Interest Determination Dates,
(x) Interest Payment Dates,
(xi) Regular Record Dates, and
(xii) Calculation Agent;
(13) Name, address and taxpayer identification number of the
registered owner(s);
(14) Denomination of certificates to be delivered at
settlement;
(15) Book-Entry Security or Certificated Security; and
(16) Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent.
B. After receiving the Sale Information from the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, the Company will communicate such Sale
Information to the Trustee by facsimile transmission or other acceptable
written means. The Trustee will assign a CUSIP number to the Global Security
from a list of CUSIP numbers previously delivered to the Trustee by the Company
representing such Book-Entry Security and then advise the Company and the
Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, of such CUSIP number.
C. The Trustee will enter a pending deposit message through the
Depositary's Participant Terminal System, providing the following settlement
information to the Depositary, and the Depositary shall forward such
information to such Agent and Standard & Poor's Corporation:
1 The applicable Sale Information;
2 CUSIP number of the Global Security representing such
Book-Entry Security;
3 Whether such Global Security will represent any other
Book-Entry Security (to the extent known at such time);
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4 Number of the participant account maintained by the Depositary
on behalf of the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the
case may be;
5 The interest payment period; and
6 Initial Interest Payment Date for such Book-Entry Security,
number of days by which such date succeeds the record date for
the Depositary's purposes (or, in the case of Floating Rate
Securities which reset daily or weekly, the date five calendar
days immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment
Date and, in the case of all other Book-Entry Securities, the
Regular Record Date, as defined in the Security) and, if
calculable at that time, the amount of interest payable on
such Interest Payment Date.
D. The Trustee will complete and authenticate the Global Security
previously delivered by the Company representing such Book-Entry Security.
E. The Depositary will credit such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee's
participant account at the Depositary.
F. The Trustee will enter an SDFS deliver order through the Depositary's
Participant Terminal System instructing the Depositary to (i) debit such
Book-Entry Security to the Trustee's participant account and credit such
Book-Entry Security to such Agent's participant account and (ii) debit such
Agent's settlement account and credit the Trustee's settlement account for an
amount equal to the price of such Book-Entry Security less such Agent's
commission. The entry of such a deliver order shall constitute a
representation and warranty by the Trustee to the Depositary that (a) the
Global Security representing such Book-Entry Security has been issued and
authenticated and (b) the Trustee is holding such Global Security pursuant to
the Certificate Agreement.
G. Such Agent will enter an SDFS deliver order through the Depositary's
Participant Terminal System instructing the Depositary (i) to debit such
Book-Entry Security to such Agent's participant account and credit such
Book-Entry Security to the participant accounts of the Participants with
respect to such Book-Entry Security and (ii) to debit the settlement accounts
of such Participants and credit the settlement account of such Agent for an
amount equal to the price of such Book-Entry Security.
H. Transfers of funds in accordance with SDFS deliver orders described in
Settlement Procedures "F" and "G" will be settled in accordance with SDFS
operating procedures in effect on the settlement date.
I. Upon confirmation of receipt of funds, the Trustee will transfer to
the account of the Company maintained at [Name of Bank], New York, New York, or
such other account as the Company may have previously specified to the Trustee,
in funds available for immediate use in the amount transferred to the Trustee
in accordance with Settlement Procedure "F".
J. Upon request, the Trustee will send to the Company a statement setting
forth the principal amount of Book-Entry Securities outstanding as of that date
under the Indenture.
▇. ▇▇▇▇ Agent will confirm the purchase of such Book-Entry Security to
the purchaser either by transmitting to the Participants with respect to such
Book-Entry Security a confirmation order or orders through the Depositary's
institutional delivery system or by mailing a written confirmation to such
purchaser.
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L. The Depositary will, at any time, upon request of the Company or the
Trustee, promptly furnish to the Company or the Trustee a list of the names and
addresses of the participants for whom the Depositary has credited Book-Entry
Securities.
Preparation of Pricing Supplement:
If the Company accepts an offer to purchase a Book-Entry Security, it will
prepare a Pricing Supplement reflecting the terms of such Book-Entry Security
and arrange to have delivered to the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the
case may be, at least ten copies of such Pricing Supplement, not later than
5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day following the Trade Date (as
defined below), or if the Company and the purchaser agree to settlement on the
Business Day following the date of acceptance of such offer, not later than
noon, New York City time, on such date. The Company will arrange to have ten
Pricing Supplements filed with the Commission not later than the close of
business of the Commission on the third Business Day following the date on
which such Pricing Supplement is first used.
Delivery of Confirmation and Prospectus to Purchaser by Selling Agent:
The Selling Agent will deliver to the purchaser of a Book-Entry Security a
written confirmation of the sale and delivery and payment instructions. In
addition, the Selling Agent will deliver to such purchaser or its agent the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the Pricing Supplement) in
relation to such Book-Entry Security prior to or together with the earlier of
the delivery to such purchaser or its agent of (a) the confirmation of sale or
(b) the Book-Entry Security.
Date of Settlement:
The receipt by the Company of immediately available funds in payment for a
Book-Entry Security and the authentication and issuance of the Global Security
representing such Book-Entry Security shall constitute "settlement" with
respect to such Book-Entry Security. All orders of Book-Entry Securities
solicited by a Selling Agent or made by a Purchasing Agent and accepted by the
Company on a particular date (the "Trade Date") will be settled on a date (the
"Settlement Date") which is the third Business Day after the Trade Date
pursuant to the "Settlement Procedure Timetable" set forth below, unless the
Company and the purchaser agree to settlement on another Business Day which
shall be no earlier than the next Business Day after the Trade Date.
Settlement Procedure Timetable:
For orders of Book-Entry Securities solicited by a Selling Agent and
accepted by the Company for settlement on the third Business Day after the
Trade Date, Settlement Procedures "A" through "I" set forth above shall be
completed as soon as possible but not later than the respective times (New York
City time) set forth below:
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SETTLEMENT
PROCEDURE TIME
--------- ----
A 5:00 p.m. on the Business Day following the Trade Date or 10:00 a.m. on the Business
Day prior to the Settlement Date, whichever is earlier
B 12:00 noon on the second Business Day immediately preceding the Settlement Date
C 2:00 p.m. on the second Business Day immediately preceding the Settlement Date
D 9:00 a.m. on the Settlement Date
E 10:00 a.m. on the Settlement Date
F-G 2:00 p.m. on the Settlement Date
H 4:45 p.m. on the Settlement Date
I 5:00 p.m. on the Settlement Date
If the initial interest rate for a Floating Rate Book-Entry Security has
not been determined at the time that Settlement Procedure "A" is completed,
Settlement Procedures "B" and "C" shall be completed as soon as such rate has
been determined but no later than 2:00 p.m. on the second Business Day
immediately preceding the Settlement Date. Settlement Procedure "H" is subject
to extension in accordance with any extension of Fedwire closing deadlines and
in the other events specified in the SDFS operating procedures in effect on the
Settlement Date.
If settlement of a Book-Entry Security is rescheduled or canceled, the
Trustee, upon obtaining knowledge thereof, will deliver to the Depositary,
through the Depositary's Participant Terminal System, a cancellation message to
such effect by no later than 2:00 p.m. on the Business Day immediately
preceding the scheduled Settlement Date.
Failure to Settle:
If the Trustee fails to enter an SDFS deliver order with respect to a
Book-Entry Security pursuant to Settlement Procedure "F", the Trustee may
deliver to the Depositary, through the Depositary's Participant Terminal
System, as soon as practicable a withdrawal message instructing the Depositary
to debit such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee's participant account,
provided that the Trustee's participant account contains a principal amount of
the Global Security representing such Book-Entry Security that is at least
equal to the principal amount to be debited. If a withdrawal message is
processed with respect to all the Book-Entry Securities represented by a Global
Security, the Trustee will mark such Global Security "canceled", make
appropriate entries in the Trustee's records and send such canceled Global
Security to the Company. The CUSIP number assigned to such Global Security
shall, in accordance with CUSIP Service Bureau procedures, be canceled and not
immediately reassigned. If a withdrawal message is processed with respect to
one or more, but not all, of the Book-Entry Securities represented by a Global
Security, the Trustee will exchange such Global Security for two Global
Securities, one of which shall represent such Book-Entry Security or Securities
and shall be canceled immediately after issuance and the other of which shall
represent the remaining Book-Entry Securities previously represented by the
surrendered Global Security and shall bear the CUSIP number of the surrendered
Global Security.
If the purchase price for any Book-Entry Security is not timely paid to the
participants with respect to such Book-Entry Security by the beneficial
purchaser thereof (or a person, including an indirect participant in the
Depositary, acting on behalf of such purchaser), such participants and, in
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turn, the Agent for such Book-Entry Security may enter deliver orders through
the Depositary's Participant Terminal System debiting such Book-Entry Security
to such participant's account and crediting such Book-Entry Security to such
Agent's account and then debiting such Book-Entry Security to such Agent's
participant account and crediting such Book-Entry Security to the Trustee's
participant account and shall notify the Company and the Trustee thereof.
Thereafter, the Trustee will (i) immediately notify the Company of such order
and the Company shall transfer to such Agent funds available for immediate use
in an amount equal to the price of such Book-Entry Security which was credited
to the account of the Company maintained at the Trustee in accordance with
Settlement Procedure I, and (ii) deliver the withdrawal message and take the
related actions described in the preceding paragraph. If such failure shall
have occurred for any reason other than default by the applicable Agent to
perform its obligations hereunder or under the Distribution Agreement, the
Company will reimburse such Agent on an equitable basis for the loss of its use
of funds during the period when the funds were credited to the account of the
Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon any failure to settle with respect to a
Book-Entry Security, the Depositary may take any actions in accordance with its
SDFS operating procedures then in effect. In the event of a failure to settle
with respect to one or more, but not all, of the Book-Entry Securities to have
been represented by a Global Security, the Trustee will provide, in accordance
with Settlement Procedure "D", for the authentication and issuance of a Global
Security representing the other Book-Entry Securities to have been represented
by such Global Security and will make appropriate entries in its records. The
Company will, from time to time, furnish the Trustee with a sufficient quantity
of Securities.
PART II: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR CERTIFICATED SECURITIES
Posting Rates by Company:
The Company and the Agents will discuss from time to time the rates of
interest per annum to be borne by and the maturity of Certificated Securities
that may be sold as a result of the solicitation of offers by an Agent. The
Company may establish a fixed set of interest rates and maturities for an
offering period ("posting"). If the Company decides to change already posted
rates, it will promptly advise the Agents to suspend solicitation of offers
until the new posted rates have been established with the Agents.
Acceptance of Offers by Company:
Each Agent will promptly advise the Company by telephone or other
appropriate means of all reasonable offers to purchase Certificated Securities,
other than those rejected by such Agent. Each Agent may, in its discretion
reasonably exercised, reject any offer received by it in whole or in part.
Each Agent also may make offers to the Company to purchase Certificated
Securities as a Purchasing Agent. The Company will have the sole right to
accept offers to purchase Certificated Securities and may reject any such offer
in whole or in part.
The Company will promptly notify the Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as
the case may be, of its acceptance or rejection of an offer to purchase
Certificated Securities. If the Company accepts an offer to purchase
Certificated Securities, it will confirm such acceptance in writing to the
Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, and the Trustee.
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Communication of Sale Information to Company by Agent:
After the acceptance of an offer by the Company, the Selling Agent or
Purchasing Agent, as the case may be, will communicate the following details of
the terms of such offer (the "Sale Information") to the Company by telephone
(confirmed in writing) or by facsimile transmission or other acceptable written
means:
1 Principal Amount of Certificated Securities to be purchased;
2 If a Fixed Rate Certificated Security, the interest rate and
initial interest payment date;
3 Trade Date;
4 Settlement Date;
5 Maturity Date;
6 Specified Currency and, if the Specified Currency is other
than U.S. dollars, the applicable Exchange Rate for such
Specified Currency;
7 Indexed Currency, the Base Rate and the Exchange Rate
Determination Date, if applicable;
8 Issue Price;
9 Selling Agent's commission or Purchasing Agent's discount, as
the case may be;
10 Net Proceeds to the Company;
11 If a redeemable Certificated Security, such of the following
as are applicable:
(i) Redemption Commencement Date,
(ii) Initial Redemption Price (% of par), and
(iii) Amount (% of par) that the Redemption Price shall
decline (but not below par) on each anniversary of
the Redemption Commencement Date;
12 If a Floating Rate Certificated Security, such of the
following as are applicable:
(i) Interest Rate Basis,
(ii) Index Maturity,
(iii) Spread or Spread Multiplier,
(iv) Maximum Rate,
(v) Minimum Rate,
(vi) Initial Interest Rate,
(vii) Interest Reset Dates,
(viii) Calculation Dates,
(ix) Interest Determination Dates,
(x) Interest Payment Dates,
(xi) Regular Record Dates, and
(xii) Calculation Agent;
13 Name, address and taxpayer identification number of the
registered owner(s);
14 Denomination of certificates to be delivered at settlement;
15 Book-Entry Security or Certificated Security; and
16 Selling Agent or Purchasing Agent.
Preparation of Pricing Supplement by Company:
If the Company accepts an offer to purchase a Certificated Security, it
will prepare a Pricing Supplement reflecting the terms of such Certificated
Security and arrange to have delivered to the Selling Agent or Purchasing
Agent, as the case may be, at least ten copies of such Pricing Supplement, not
later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day following the
Trade Date, or if the Company and the purchaser agree to settlement on the date
of acceptance of such
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offer, not later than noon, New York City time, on such date. The Company will
arrange to have ten Pricing Supplements filed with the Commission not later
than the close of business of the Commission on the third Business Day
following the date on which such Pricing Supplement is first used.
Delivery of Confirmation and Prospectus to Purchaser by Selling Agent:
The Selling Agent will deliver to the purchaser of a Certificated Security
a written confirmation of the sale and delivery and payment instructions. In
addition, the Selling Agent will deliver to such purchaser or its agent the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the Pricing Supplement) in
relation to such Certificated Security prior to or together with the earlier of
the delivery to such purchaser or its agent of (a) the confirmation of sale or
(b) the Certificated Security.
Date of Settlement:
All offers of Certificated Securities solicited by a Selling Agent or made
by a Purchasing Agent and accepted by the Company will be settled on a date
(the "Settlement Date") which is the third Business Day after the date of
acceptance of such offer, unless the Company and the purchaser agree to
settlement (a) on another Business Day after the acceptance of such offer or
(b) with respect to an offer accepted by the Company prior to 10:00 a.m., New
York City time, on the date of such acceptance.
Instruction from Company to Trustee for Preparation of Certificated Securities:
After receiving the Sale Information from the Selling Agent or Purchasing
Agent, as the case may be, the Company will communicate such Sale Information
to the Trustee by telephone (confirmed in writing) or by facsimile transmission
or other acceptable written means.
The Company will instruct the Trustee by facsimile transmission or other
acceptable written means to authenticate and deliver the Certificated
Securities no later than 2:15 p.m., New York City time, on the Settlement Date.
Such instruction will be given by the Company prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City
time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Settlement Date unless the
Settlement Date is the date of acceptance by the Company of the offer to
purchase Certificated Securities in which case such instruction will be given
by the Company by 11:00 a.m., New York City time.
Preparation and Delivery of Certificated Securities by Trustee and Receipt of
Payment Therefor:
The Trustee will prepare each Certificated Security and appropriate
receipts that will serve as the documentary control of the transaction.
In the case of a sale of Certificated Securities to a purchaser solicited
by a Selling Agent, the Trustee will, by 2:15 p.m., New York City time, on the
Settlement Date, deliver the Certificated Securities to the Selling Agent for
the benefit of the purchaser of such Certificated Securities against delivery
by the Selling Agent of a receipt therefor. On the Settlement Date the Selling
Agent will deliver payment for such Certificated Securities in immediately
available funds to the Company in an amount equal to the issue price of the
Certificated Securities less the Selling Agent's commission; provided that the
Selling Agent reserves the right to withhold payment for which it has not
received funds from the purchaser. The Company shall not use any proceeds
advanced by a Selling Agent to acquire securities.
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In the case of a sale of Certificated Securities to a Purchasing Agent, the
Trustee will, by 2:15 p.m., New York City time, on the Settlement Date, deliver
the Certificated Securities to the Purchasing Agent against delivery of payment
for such Certificated Securities in immediately available funds to the Company
in an amount equal to the issue price of the Certificated Securities less the
Purchasing Agent's discount.
Failure of Purchaser to Pay Selling Agent:
If a purchaser (other than a Purchasing Agent) fails to make payment to the
Selling Agent for a Certificated Security, the Selling Agent will promptly
notify the Trustee and the Company thereof by telephone (confirmed in writing)
or by facsimile transmission or other acceptable written means. The Selling
Agent will immediately return the Certificated Security to the Trustee.
Immediately upon receipt of such Certificated Security by the Trustee, the
Company will return to the Selling Agent an amount equal to the amount
previously paid to the Company in respect of such Certificated Security. The
Company will reimburse the Selling Agent on an equitable basis for its loss of
the use of funds during the period when they were credited to the account of
the Company.
The Trustee will cancel the Certificated Security in respect of which the
failure occurred, make appropriate entries in its records and, unless otherwise
instructed by the Company, destroy the Certificated Security.
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ANNEX III
ACCOUNTANTS' LETTER
Pursuant to Sections 4(j) and 6(d), as the case may be, of the Distribution
Agreement, the Company's independent certified public accountants shall furnish
letters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with
respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the
Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any
supplementary financial information and schedules audited (and, if
applicable, financial forecasts and/or pro forma financial
information) examined by them and included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to
form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the
related published rules and regulations thereunder; and, if
applicable, they have made a review in accordance with standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
of the consolidated interim financial statements, selected financial
data, pro forma financial information, financial forecasts and/or
condensed financial statements derived from audited financial
statements of the Company for the periods specified in such letter, as
indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which have been
furnished to the Agents;
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
of the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included in the Prospectus and/or included in the Company's quarterly
report on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as
indicated in their reports thereon copies of which have been
separately furnished to the Agents; and on the basis of specified
procedures including inquiries of officials of the Company who have
responsibility for financial and accounting matters regarding whether
the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements referred to
in paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and
the Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations,
nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that the
unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not comply as
to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the related published
rules and regulations;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect
to the consolidated results of operations and financial position of
the Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the
Prospectus and included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year
agrees with the
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corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in the
audited consolidated financial statements for five such fiscal years
which were included or incorporated by reference in the Company's
Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K
and on the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter
nothing came to their attention as a result of the foregoing
procedures that caused them to believe that this information does not
conform in all material respects with the disclosure requirements of
Items 301, 302, 402 and 503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and
other information referred to below, a reading of the latest available
interim financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries,
inspection of the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries
since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of
the Company and its subsidiaries responsible for financial and
accounting matters and such other inquiries and procedures as may be
specified in such letter, nothing came to their attention that caused
them to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of
income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or included or
incorporated by reference in the Company's Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Exchange Act and the related
published rules and regulations, or (ii) any material
modifications should be made to the unaudited condensed
consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and
consolidated statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus
or included in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus for them to be in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance
sheet items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the
corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated financial
statements from which such data and items were derived, and any
such unaudited data and items were not determined on a basis
substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding
amounts in the audited consolidated financial statements included
or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included
in the Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited
condensed financial statements referred to in clause (A) and any
unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items included
in the Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B) were not
determined on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for
the audited financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most
recent fiscal year;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published
rules
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and regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not
been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation
of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to
the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital stock
upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights, upon
earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of
convertible securities, in each case which were outstanding on the
date of the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated
long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any
decreases in consolidated net current assets or stockholders'
equity or other items specified by the Agents, or any increases in
any items specified by the Agents, in each case as compared with
amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included or incorporated
by reference in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes,
increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have
occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
to the specified date referred to in Clause (E) there were any
decreases in consolidated net revenues or operating profit or the
total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or other
items specified by the Agents, or any increases in any items
specified by the Agents, in each case as compared with the
comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period
of corresponding length specified by the Agents, except in each
case for decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or
may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(vii) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s)
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the
limited procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other
procedures referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have
carried out certain specified procedures, not constituting an audit in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to
certain amounts, percentages and financial information specified by
the Agents which are derived from the general accounting records of
the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus
(excluding documents incorporated by reference), or in Part II of, or
in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by
the Agents or in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
specified by the Agents, and have compared certain of such amounts,
percentages and financial information with the accounting records of
the Company and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in
agreement.
All references in this Annex III to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein)
as defined in the Distribution Agreement as of the Commencement Date referred
to in Section 6(d) thereof and to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
(including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as of the date of
the amendment, supplement, incorporation or the Time of Delivery relating to
the Terms Agreement requiring the delivery of such letter under Section 4(j)
thereof.
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