SILVERGATE CAPITAL CORPORATION Common Stock (par value $0.01 per share) Having an Aggregate Offering Price of up to Equity Distribution Agreement

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

SILVERGATE CAPITAL CORPORATION
Common Stock (par value $0.01 per share)

Having an Aggregate Offering Price of up to

$300,000,000

 

Equity Distribution Agreement

 

March 9, 2021

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC

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▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc.

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Canaccord Genuity LLC

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Compass Point Research & Trading, LLC

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▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Group LLC

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▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

 

Wedbush Securities Inc.

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Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Silvergate Capital Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”) confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Sachs & Co. LLC (“Goldman”), ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc. (“KBW”), Canaccord Genuity LLC (“CG”), Compass Point Research & Trading, LLC (“Compass Point”), ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Group LLC (“▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇”), and Wedbush Securities Inc. (“Wedbush”) (each a “Manager” and, collectively, the “Managers”) as follows:

 

1.                  Description of Shares. The Company proposes to issue and sell through or to the Managers, as sales agents and/or principals, shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) having an aggregate offering price of up to $300,000,000 (the “Shares”), from time to time during the term of this Agreement and on the terms set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement. The Company hereby appoints the Managers as exclusive agents of the Company for the purpose of making offers and sales of the Shares. The Company agrees that whenever it determines to sell the Shares directly to a Manager as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement (each, a “Terms Agreement”) in substantially the form of Annex I hereto, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 3 of this Agreement. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 18 hereof.

 

 

2.                  Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Managers at the Execution Time and on each such time the following representations and warranties are repeated or deemed to be made pursuant to this Agreement, as set forth below.

 

(a)                Form S-3.  The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission a shelf registration statement (File Number 333-252258) on Form S-3, including a related Base Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Shares and other securities of the Company. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time or prior to any such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made, has become effective under the Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional or supplemental information has been complied with. The Company shall file with the Commission the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Shares in accordance with Rule 424(b) promptly after the Execution Time (but in any event in the time period prescribed thereby). As filed, the Prospectus will contain all information required by the Act and the rules thereunder, and, except to the extent the Managers shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to the Managers prior to the Execution Time or prior to any such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made. The Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, each such time this representation is repeated or deemed to be made, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 or any similar rule) in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x). The initial Effective Date of the Registration Statement was not earlier than the date three years before the Execution Time. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, any Interim Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, any Interim Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, any Interim Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, any Interim Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information relating to the Managers furnished to the Company in writing by the Managers and expressly for use therein.

 

 

(b)               Successor Registration Statement. To the extent that the Registration Statement is not available for the sales of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement, the Company shall file a new registration statement with respect to any additional Common Stock necessary to complete such sales of the Shares and shall cause such registration statement to become effective as promptly as practicable. After the effectiveness of any such registration statement, all references to “Registration Statement” included in this Agreement shall be deemed to include such new registration statement, including all documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3, and all references to “Base Prospectus” included in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the final form of prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in any such registration statement at the time such registration statement became effective.

 

(c)               No Material Misstatements or Omissions in the Registration Statement. On each Effective Date, at the Execution Time, at each deemed effective date with respect to the Managers pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the Act, at each Applicable Time, at each Settlement Date, at each Time of Delivery and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 or any similar rule) in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b), at each Applicable Time, on each Settlement Date, at each Time of Delivery and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 or any similar rule) in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) complied and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder and did not and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Managers specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto).

 

(d)               Disclosure Package. At the Execution Time, at each Applicable Time, at each Settlement Date and each Time of Delivery, the Disclosure Package does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Managers specifically for use therein.

 

 

(e)               Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (i) at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) when read together with the other information in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package at any Applicable Time and when read together with the other information in the Prospectus at the date of the Prospectus and at any Settlement Date or Time of Delivery, will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(f)                Ineligible Issuer. The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act).

 

(g)               Notice of Other Sales. Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) or used any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, and from and after the execution of this Agreement, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer or sell any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) or use any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, other than the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; the Company has not, directly or indirectly, prepared, used or referred to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

(h)               No Stop Orders. The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

(i)                 Regulation M. The Common Stock constitutes an “actively-traded security” exempted from the requirements of Rule 101 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act by subsection (c)(1) of such rule.

 

(j)                 Sales Agency Agreements. The Company has not entered into any other sales agency agreements or other similar arrangements with any agent or any other representative in respect of any at the market offering (within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) under the Act) of the Shares.

 

(k)               Offering Materials. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the termination of this Agreement, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Managers and identified in Schedule I hereto.

 

(l)                 Due Organization. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized, is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation or other business entity under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the business in which it is engaged, and is duly qualified to do business and in good standing as a foreign corporation or other business entity in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year.

 

 

(m)             Bank Holding Company. The Company is duly registered with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq, and is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable requirements. Except for the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, the Company does not own beneficially, directly or indirectly, more than five percent (5%) of any class of equity securities or similar interests of any corporation, business trust, association or similar organization, and is not, directly or indirectly, a partner in any partnership or party to any joint venture. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of its interests in each of its subsidiaries free and clear of any and all liens. Silvergate Bank, a California commercial bank and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Bank”) is “well-capitalized” as defined under applicable Federal Reserve regulations and has not been informed in writing by any Regulatory Authority (defined below) that its status as “well-capitalized” will change within one year, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, has the Bank been informed other than in writing by any Regulatory Authority that its status as “well-capitalized” will change within one year. The Company beneficially owns all of the outstanding capital securities of, and has sole control of, the Bank.

 

(n)               State Chartered Bank. The Bank is a state chartered bank under the laws of the State of California authorized to transact business as a state chartered bank and the charter of the Bank is in full force and effect.

 

(o)               Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The deposit accounts of the Bank are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) to the fullest extent permitted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq., and the rules and regulations of the FDIC thereunder, and all premiums and assessments required to be paid in connection therewith have been paid when due (after giving effect to any applicable extensions), and no proceeding for the modification, termination or revocation of such insurance are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. The Bank is a member of the Federal Reserve System and is a member in good standing of the Federal Home Loan Bank System.

 

(p)               Community Reinvestment Act. The Bank has received an overall Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) rating of at least “Satisfactory” and has not been informed in writing by any Regulatory Authority that it may receive a less than “Satisfactory” rating for CRA purposes within one year, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, has the Bank been informed other than in writing by any Regulatory Authority that it may receive a less than “Satisfactory” rating for CRA purposes within one year. The Company is not aware of any facts or circumstances that exist that would cause the Bank to be (i) not in satisfactory compliance in any material respect with the CRA, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, or to be assigned a CRA rating by federal or state bank regulators of lower than “Satisfactory,” or (ii) not in material compliance with the privacy of customer information requirements contained in any federal and state privacy laws and regulations applicable to the Bank, including, without limitation, in Title V of the ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 1999 and regulations promulgated thereunder, as well as the provisions of the information security program adopted by the Bank, pursuant to 12 C.F.R. Part 364.

 

 

(q)               Regulatory Compliance. The Company and each of its subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws administered by, and all rules, regulations, directives, orders and decrees of, any federal, state, local or foreign regulatory, supervisory authority or enforcement agency, self-regulatory organization or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over, or rulemaking authority with respect to, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each, a “Regulatory Authority”) (including, without limitation, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (“CDFPI”), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Department of the Treasury) applicable to them, except where the failure to so comply would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. For the last five years, the Company, the Bank and each of its subsidiaries have filed all reports, registrations and statements, together with any required amendments thereto, that it was required to file with the Federal Reserve, the CDFPI and the FDIC, and any other applicable Regulatory Authorities, except where the failure to have filed such reports, registrations and statements would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. All such reports and statements filed with any such Regulatory Authority are collectively referred to herein as the “Company Reports.” As of their respective dates, the Company Reports complied as to form in all material respects with all the rules and regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve, the CDFPI and the FDIC and all other applicable Regulatory Authority, as the case may be.

 

(r)                Absence of Regulatory Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus , or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, none of the Company, the Bank, nor any of the Company’s other subsidiaries is a party to or otherwise subject to any order, decree, agreement, memorandum of understanding, corrective or cease and desist order, order of prohibition or suspension, written agreement or other written statement as described under 12 U.S.C. 1818(u) or other regulatory enforcement action, proceeding or order with or by, or is a party to or recipient of a commitment letter, supervisory letter or similar undertaking to or from, or is subject to any directive by, any Regulatory Authority (whether or not such Regulatory Authority has determined that publication would be contrary to the public interest) or has adopted any board resolutions at the request of any Regulatory Authority. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been advised by any Regulatory Authority in writing, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, has the Company or any of its subsidiaries been otherwise advised by any Regulatory Authority that it is contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requesting) any such order, decree, agreement, memorandum of understanding, corrective or cease and desist order, order of prohibition or suspension, commitment letter, supervisory letter or similar undertaking or other written agreement or statement; and there is no unresolved violation, criticism or exception by any Regulatory Authority with respect to any examination of the Company or its subsidiaries which would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(s)                Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and not in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right. All of the Company’s options, warrants and other rights to purchase or exchange any securities for shares of the Company’s capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws. All of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for such liens, encumbrances, equities or claims as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(t)                 Due Authorization of Shares. The Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when the Shares are issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and will be free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights.

 

(u)               Due Authorization of this Agreement. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(v)               No Conflict or Violation.  The issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, impose any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any judgment, order, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets, except, with respect to clauses (i) and (iii), conflicts or violations that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(w)             No Consent.  No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets is required for the issue and sale of the Shares by the Company , the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange Act, and applicable state securities laws and/or the bylaws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (the “FINRA”) in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Managers.

 

(x)               Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The historical financial statements of the Company (including the related notes and supporting schedules) incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. All disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.

 

(y)               Independent Accountants. ▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, whose report is incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 9(g) hereof, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

 

(z)               Accounting Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of “internal control over financial reporting” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the Company’s financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to maintain accountability for its assets, (iii) access to the Company’s assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (iv) the recorded accountability for the Company’s assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present the information called for in all material respects and are prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines applicable thereto. As of the date of the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by ▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, there were no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls.

 

(aa)            Disclosure Controls. (i) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company and its subsidiaries in the reports they file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management of the Company and its subsidiaries, including their respective principal executive officers and principal financial officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure to be made and (iii) such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.

 

(bb)           Absence of Control Deficiencies. The Company’s auditors and the audit committee of the board of directors of the Company have not been advised of, or become aware of, (A) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that could adversely affect the ability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to record, process, summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal controls, or (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and each of its subsidiaries. There have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that would significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

 

(cc)            ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.

 

 

(dd)           No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) sustained 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, (ii) issued or granted any securities, except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iv) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business, except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, or (v) declared or paid any dividend on its capital stock, and since such date, there has not been any change in the capital stock, except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, loans held-for investment or held-for sale, total deposits or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any adverse change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ee)            Title to Property. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, except such liens, encumbrances and defects as are described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or such as (i) do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. All assets held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such assets by the Company and its subsidiaries.

 

(ff)              Possession of Permits. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have such permits, licenses, patents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“Permits”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have fulfilled and performed all of their respective obligations with respect to the Permits, and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any revocation or modification of any such Permits or has any reason to believe that any such Permits will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where such revocation, modification or failure to renew would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(gg)           Intellectual Property. (i) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service ▇▇▇▇ registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures and excluding generally commercially available “off the shelf” software programs licensed pursuant to shrink wrap or “click and accept” licenses) (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries’ conduct of their respective businesses does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate any Intellectual Property of any person; (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries, have not received any written notice of any claim relating to Intellectual Property; and (iv) to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property of the Company and their subsidiaries is not being infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated by any person.

 

(hh)           Absence of Proceedings. There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject that if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect or would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; and to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or others.

 

(ii)              Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or other documents required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that are not described and filed as required. The statements made in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the contracts and other documents described and filed, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such contracts and documents in all material respects.

 

(jj)              Absence of Labor Disputes. The statements made in or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus under the caption “Supervision and Regulation,” insofar as it purports to constitute summaries of the terms of statutes, rules or regulations, legal or governmental proceedings or contracts and other documents, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such statutes, rules and regulations, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents in all material respects.

 

(kk)           Insurance. The Company and each of its subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance from insurers of recognized financial responsibility in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably believes is adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. All policies of insurance of the Company and its subsidiaries are in full force and effect; the Company and each of its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received written notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance; there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; and (ii) neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business, except in the cases referenced in clauses (i) and (ii) as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

 

(ll)              Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company, on the other hand, that is required to be described under the Securities Act in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus which is not so described.

 

(mm)      Absence of Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(nn)           Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents), (ii) is in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant, condition or other obligation contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject, (iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its property or assets or (iv) has failed to obtain any license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its business, except in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), to the extent any such conflict, breach, violation or default would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(oo)           Environmental Laws. Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) there are no proceedings that are pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries, including without limitation any international, foreign, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority, relating to pollution, the protection of human health or safety, the environment, or natural resources, or to use, handling, storage, manufacturing, transportation, treatment, discharge, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”) in which a governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries are aware of any issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, including any pending or proposed Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, where non-compliance by the Company or any subsidiary would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries anticipate material capital expenditures relating to Environmental Laws.

 

 

(pp)           Taxes.  The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due, and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor does the Company have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that have been, or would reasonably be expected to be asserted against the Company, except for tax deficiencies that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(qq)           Compliance with ERISA. (i) Each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)) for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations, including ERISA and the Code, except where non-compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (A) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (B) no Plan is or is reasonably expected to be “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA) (C) there has been no filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan or the receipt by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) or the plan administrator of any notice relating to the intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan, (D) no conditions contained in Section 303(k)(1)(A) of ERISA for imposition of a lien shall have been met with respect to any Plan (E) and neither the Company or any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the PBGC in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA) (“Multiemployer Plan”); (iv) no Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, “insolvent” (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA), in “reorganization” (within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA), or in “endangered” or “critical” status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 304 of ERISA); and (v) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

 

 

(rr)              Statistical and Market-Related Data. The statistical and market-related data included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable in all material respects.

 

(ss)             Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is, and as of the applicable Delivery Date and, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, none of them will be, (i) an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, or (ii) a “business development company” (as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act).

 

(tt)              Summaries of Law and Documents. The statements incorporated by reference or set forth, as the case may be, in each of the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Our Securities and the Securities to be Registered⸺Description of Common Stock”, “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders of Common Stock”, and “Underwriting”, insofar as they purport to summarize the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate summaries in all material respects.

 

(uu)           Accuracy of Exhibits. Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right (other than rights that have been waived in writing or otherwise satisfied) to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.

 

(vv)           No Finder’s Fee.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or any Manager for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

 

(ww)       Integration.  The Company has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the offering of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.

 

(xx)           Stabilization.  The Company and its affiliates have not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to constitute, or that has constituted, or that would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares in violation of Regulation M of the Exchange Act.

 

 

(yy)           NYSE.  The Shares have been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance on, the New York Stock Exchange.

 

(zz)            Labor Laws. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is in violation of or has received written notice of any violation with respect to any federal or state law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, nor any applicable federal or state wage and hour laws, nor any state law precluding the denial of credit due to the neighborhood in which a property is situated, the violation of any of which would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(aaa)        Statistical and Market-Related Data. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any directors or officers, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, has in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries: (i) made any unlawful contribution, gift, or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect bribe, kickback, rebate, payoff, influence payment, or otherwise unlawfully provided anything of value, to any “foreign official” (as defined in the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (collectively, the “FCPA”)) or domestic government official; or (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA, the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ of the United Kingdom, as amended (the “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇”), or any other applicable anti-bribery statute or regulation. The Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s affiliates, have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, and all other anti-bribery statutes and regulations in jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

(bbb)       Money Laundering Laws.  The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted during all periods for which financial statements are being presented in the Registration Statement in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder that have been issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(ccc)        OFAC.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors or officers nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is: (i) currently subject to or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”), the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”); or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria or the Crimea region of the Ukraine claimed by Russia); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person, or in any country or territory, that currently is the subject or target of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as an underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. The Company and its subsidiaries have not engaged in for the past five years and are not now engaged in any dealings or transactions with any individual or entity, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction, is or was the subject or target of Sanctions.

 

 

(ddd)       IT Systems. (i)(x) To the knowledge of the Company, there has been no security breach, attack or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data, equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (y) the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have been in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to (x) the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data, (y) the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification and (z) the collection, use, transfer, storage, disposal and disclosure by the Company and its subsidiaries of personally identifiable information and/or any other information collected from or provided by third parties, except, in the case of this clause (ii), as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented commercially reasonable backup and disaster recovery and security plans, procedures and facilities for their respective businesses consistent with industry standards and practices; and (iv) the Company and its subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable steps to protect the IT Systems and Data.

 

(eee)        Business Strategy. The Company has not materially changed its business strategy as described in “Prospectus Summary” and “Business” and confirms without limitation that the deposit accounts of the Bank consist of U.S. dollar deposits and the Bank does not hold deposits in digital currency on behalf of any customer.

 

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to the Managers or to counsel for the Managers in connection with this Agreement or any Terms Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company or such subsidiary of the Company, as applicable, to each Manager as to the matters set forth therein.

 

The Company acknowledges that the Managers and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 4 hereof, counsel for the Company and counsel for the Managers, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

 

 

3.                  Sale and Delivery of Shares. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Managers agree that the Company may from time to time seek to sell Shares through a Designated Manager, acting as sales agent, or directly to any of the Managers acting as principal, as follows:

 

(a)               The Company may submit to a Designated Manager its orders (including any price, time or size limits or other customary parameters or conditions) to sell Shares on any Trading Day (as defined herein) in a form and manner as mutually agreed to by the Company and such Designated Manager. As used herein, “Trading Day” shall mean any trading day on the NYSE.

 

(b)               Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Manager, at any time it is a Designated Manager, shall use its reasonable efforts to execute any Company order submitted to it hereunder to sell Shares and with respect to which such Designated Manager has agreed to act as sales agent. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that a Designated Manager will be successful in selling the Shares, (ii) a Designated Manager will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Shares for any reason other than a failure by a Designated Manager to use its reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) no Manager shall be under any obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by Manager and the Company. The Designated Manager may make sales pursuant to each order by any method permitted by law, including without limitation (i) by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions (whether or not solicited), (ii) to or through a market maker, (iii) directly on or through any national securities exchange or facility thereof, a trading facility of a national securities association, an alternative trading system, or any other market venue, (iv) in the over-the-counter market, (v) in privately negotiated transactions, or (vi) through a combination of any such methods.

 

(c)               The Company shall not authorize the issuance and sale of, and a Designated Manager shall not sell as sales agent, any Share at a price lower than the minimum price therefor designated from time to time by the Company and notified to a Designated Manager in writing. In addition, the Company or a Designated Manager may upon notice to the other party hereto by telephone (confirmed promptly by email or facsimile), suspend an offering of the Shares with respect to which that Designated Manager is acting as sales agent; provided, however, that such suspension or termination shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Shares sold hereunder prior to the giving of such notice.

 

(d)               The compensation to a Designated Manager for sales of the Shares with respect to which such Designated Manager acts as sales agent hereunder shall be 1.5% of the gross offering proceeds of the Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement as mutually agreed to in writing by such Designated Manager and the Company. The foregoing rate of compensation shall not apply when a Manager, acting as principal, purchases Shares from the Company pursuant to a Terms Agreement. Any compensation or commission due and payable to any Managers hereunder with respect to any sale of Shares shall be paid by the Company to such Managers concurrently with the settlement for sales of the Shares by deduction from the proceeds from sales of the Shares payable to the Company. The remaining proceeds, after further deduction for any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales shall constitute the net proceeds to the Company for such Shares (the “Net Proceeds”).

 

 

(e)               Settlement for sales of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement will occur on the second Trading Day following the date on which such sales are made (each such day, a “Settlement Date”). On each Settlement Date, the Shares sold through a Designated Manager for settlement on such date shall be issued and delivered by the Company to such Designated Manager against payment of the Net Proceeds from the sale of such Shares. Settlement for all such Shares shall be effected by free delivery of the Shares, in definitive form, by the Company or its transfer agent to such Designated Manager’s or its designee’s account (provided such Designated Manager shall have given the Company written notice of such designee prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto, in return for payments in same day funds delivered to the account designated by the Company. If the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable) shall default on its obligation to deliver the Shares on any Settlement Date, the Company shall (i) hold each applicable Designated Manager harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company and (ii) pay each such Designated Manager any commission, discount or other compensation to which it would otherwise be entitled absent such default.

 

(f)                If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Designated Manager shall provide written confirmation (which may be by facsimile or email) to the Company following the close of trading on the NYSE each day in which the Shares are sold under this Agreement setting forth (i) the amount of the Shares sold on such day and the gross offering proceeds received from such sale and (ii) the commission payable by the Company to such Designated Manager with respect to such sales.

 

(g)               At each Applicable Time, Settlement Date, Representation Date (as defined in Section 4(k)) and Filing Date (as defined in Section 4(q)), the Company shall be deemed to have affirmed each representation and warranty contained in this Agreement as if such representation and warranty were made as of such date, modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended as of such date. Any obligation of a Designated Manager to use its reasonable efforts to sell the Shares on behalf of the Company as sales agent shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein (and the completion of any diligence to verify such accuracy by such Designated Manager), to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the continuing satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in Section 6 of this Agreement.

 

(h)               Subject to such further limitations on offers and sales of Shares or delivery of instructions to offer and sell Shares as are set forth herein and as may be mutually agreed upon by the Company and a Designated Manager, the Company shall not request the sale of any Shares that would be sold, and no Designated Manager shall be obligated to sell, (i) during any period in which the Company’s ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ policy, as it exists on the date of this Agreement, would prohibit the purchase or sale of any Shares by any of its officers or directors, (ii) any time during the period commencing on the tenth business day prior to the time Company shall issue a press release containing, or shall otherwise publicly announce, its earnings, revenues or other results of operations (each, an “Earnings Announcement”) through and including the time that is 24 hours after the time that the Company files (a “Filing Time”) a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K that includes consolidated financial statements as of and for the same period or periods, as the case may be, covered by such Earnings Announcement, or (iii) during any other period in which the Company is, or could be deemed to be, in possession of material non-public information.

 

 

(i)                 If the Company wishes to issue and sell the Shares pursuant to this Agreement directly to any of the Managers acting as principal (each, a “Placement”), it will notify the Manager or Managers of the proposed terms of such Placement. If such Manager or Managers, acting as principal, wishes to accept such proposed terms (which a Manager may decline to do for any reason in its sole discretion) or, wishes to accept amended terms proposed by the Company after further discussion, such Manager or Managers and the Company will enter into a Terms Agreement setting forth the terms of such Placement. The terms set forth in a Terms Agreement will not be binding on the Company or such Manager or Managers unless and until the Company and such Manager or Managers have each executed such Terms Agreement accepting all of the terms of such Terms Agreement. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Terms Agreement, the terms of such Terms Agreement will control.

 

(j)                 Each Placement shall be made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and, if applicable, a Terms Agreement, which will provide for the sale of such Shares to, and the purchase thereof by, such Manager. A Terms Agreement may also specify certain provisions relating to the reoffering of such Shares by a Manager. The commitment of a Manager to purchase the Shares pursuant to any Terms Agreement 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 number of the Shares to be purchased by a Manager pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the Company for such Shares, any provisions relating to rights of, and default by, underwriters acting together with such Manager in the reoffering of the Shares, and the time and date (each such time and date being referred to herein as a “Time of Delivery”) and place of delivery of and payment for such Shares.

 

(k)               Under no circumstances shall the number and aggregate amount of the Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement and any Terms Agreement exceed (i) the aggregate amount set forth in Section 1, (ii) the number of shares of the Common Stock available for issuance under the currently effective Registration Statement or (iii) the number and aggregate amount of the Shares authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”), or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Managers in writing.

 

 

4.                  Agreements. The Company agrees with each of the Managers that:

 

(a)               During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares (including the Prospectus Supplement or any Interim Prospectus Supplement) to the Base Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, unless (i) the Company has furnished to the Managers a copy of such amendment or supplement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, reports or other information to be filed by the Company under the Exchange Act that would be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus) for its review a reasonable period of time prior to filing (or, in the case of Current Reports on Form 8-K, has used its commercially reasonable efforts to so furnish copies to the Managers prior to filing), and (ii) except for reports or other information required to be filed by the Company under the Exchange Act, the Company will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Managers reasonably object. The Company has prepared the Prospectus, in a form approved by the Managers, and shall file such Prospectus, as amended at the Execution Time, with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) promptly after the Execution Time (but in any event within the time period described thereby) and will cause any supplement to the Prospectus to be prepared, in a form approved by the Managers, and will file such supplement with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed thereby and will notify the Managers of such timely filing. The Company, subject to this Section 4(a) and Section 4(c), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B. During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares, the Company will promptly advise the Managers (A) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), (B) when, during any period when the delivery of a prospectus (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 or any similar rule) is required under the Act in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares, any amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Shares shall have been filed or become effective (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to the offering of securities other than the Shares), (C) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (D) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (E) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or any the issuance of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for any of such purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act or (F) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain at the earliest possible moment the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.

 

 

(b)               If, at any time on or after an Applicable Time but prior to the related Settlement Date or Time of Delivery, any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the relevant Manager(s) so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the relevant Manager(s) in such quantities as the Manager(s) may reasonably request.

 

(c)               During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act, if any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, including in connection with use or delivery of the Prospectus, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Managers of any such event, (ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 4, an amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, (iii) use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable in order to avoid any disruption in use of the Prospectus and (iv) supply any supplemented Prospectus to the Managers in such quantities as the Managers may reasonably request.

 

(d)               As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Managers an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.

 

(e)               The Company will deliver to the Managers and counsel for the Managers, without charge, as such Managers or counsel for the Managers may reasonably request, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts. The Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Managers will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.

 

 

(f)                The Company will deliver to the Managers and counsel for the Managers, without charge, for so long as delivery of a prospectus by the Managers or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule), as many copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as any Manager may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Managers will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.

 

(g)               The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Shares for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Managers may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Shares, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign business.

 

(h)               The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the relevant Designated Manager, and each Manager agrees with the Company that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule I hereto. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Managers or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (ii) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.

 

(i)                 The Company will not (i) take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, purchase or pay any person (other than as contemplated by this Agreement or any Terms Agreement) any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Shares.

 

(j)                 The Company will, at any time during the term of this Agreement, as supplemented from time to time, advise the Managers promptly after it shall have received notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would materially alter or affect any opinion, certificate, letter and other document provided to the Managers pursuant to Section 6 herein.

 

 

(k)               Upon commencement of the offering of the Shares under this Agreement (if requested by the Managers) (and upon the recommencement of the offering of the Shares under this Agreement following the termination of a suspension of sales hereunder), and each time that (i) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than (A) an Interim Prospectus Supplement filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) pursuant to Section 4(q) of this Agreement, (B) a prospectus supplement relating solely to the offering or resale of securities other than the Shares or (C) the filing with the Commission of any report under the Exchange Act except such reports referred to in Section 4(k)(ii)), (ii) there is filed with the Commission any annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q, or any other document that contains financial statements or financial information that is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, or any amendment thereto, or (iii) the Shares are delivered to one or more Managers as principal at the Time of Delivery pursuant to a Terms Agreement (the date of such commencement (in the case that the above-mentioned request is made by a Manager),the date of each such recommencement and the date of each such event referred to in (i), (ii) and (iii) above, a “Representation Date”), the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Managers forthwith a certificate dated and delivered on such Representation Date, as the case may be, in form satisfactory to the Managers to the effect that the statements contained in the certificate referred to in Section 6(d) of this Agreement which were last furnished to the Managers are true and correct at the time of such Representation Date, as though made at and as of such time (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such time) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificate referred to in said Section 6(d), modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such certificate.

 

(l)                 At each Representation Date, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to the Managers and to counsel to the Managers a written opinion of Holland & Knight LLP, counsel to the Company (“Company Counsel”), or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Managers, dated and delivered on such Representation Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Managers, of the same tenor as the opinion referred to in Section 6(b) of this Agreement, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such opinion.

 

(m)             At each Representation Date, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel to the Managers, shall deliver a written opinion and disclosure letter, dated and delivered on such Representation Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Managers, of the same tenor as the opinions and disclosure letter referred to in Section 6(c) of this Agreement but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such opinion.

 

(n)               At each Representation Date, the Company shall cause ▇▇▇▇▇ LLP (the “Accountants”), or other independent accountants satisfactory to the Managers forthwith, to furnish the Managers a letter, dated and delivered on such Representation Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Managers of the same tenor as the letter referred to in Section 6(e) of this Agreement but modified to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.

 

 

(o)               At each Representation Date, and at such other times as may be reasonably requested by a Manager (which shall be on a monthly basis or otherwise), the Company will conduct a due diligence session, in form and substance satisfactory to the Managers, which shall include representatives of the management of the Company and the independent accountants of the Company. The Company shall cooperate timely with any reasonable due diligence request from or review conducted by the Managers or its agents from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, providing information and available documents and access to appropriate officers and agents of the Company during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, and timely furnishing or causing to be furnished such certificates, letters and opinions from the Company, and their officers and agents, as the Managers may reasonably request.

 

(p)               Nothing in this Agreement shall restrict a Manager from trading, and the Company acknowledges that each Manager may trade in the Common Stock for such Manager’s own account and for the account of its clients before, at the same time as, or after sales of the Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement or pursuant to a Terms Agreement.

 

(q)               The Company will either (i) disclose in its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as applicable, with regard to the relevant quarter, the number of the Shares sold by or through the Managers pursuant to this Agreement, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid by the Company with respect to such sales of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, or (ii) on or prior to the earlier of (A) the date on which the Company shall file a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K in respect of any fiscal quarter in which sales of Shares were made by a Manager pursuant to this Agreement and (B) the date on which the Company shall be obligated to file such document referred to in clause (A) in respect of such quarter (each such date, and any date on which an amendment to any such document is filed, a “Filing Date”), the Company will file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b), which prospectus supplement will set forth, with regard to such quarter, the number of the Shares sold by or through a Manager pursuant to this Agreement, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid by the Company with respect to such sales of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement and deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to the NYSE as are required by such exchange.

 

(r)                If, to the knowledge of the Company, the conditions set forth in Section 6(a) or 6(f) shall not be true and correct on the applicable Settlement Date or Time of Delivery, the Company will offer to any person who has agreed to purchase Shares from the Company as the result of an offer to purchase solicited by a Designated Manager the right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Shares.

 

(s)                Each acceptance by the Company of an offer to purchase the Shares hereunder, and each execution and delivery by the Company of a Terms Agreement, shall be deemed to be an affirmation to the Designated Manager, or the Manager(s) party to a Terms Agreement, as the case may be, 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 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 Shares 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 Shares).

 

 

(t)                 The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Shares to be listed for trading on NYSE and to maintain such listing.

 

(u)               During any period when the delivery of a prospectus relating to the Shares is required (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 or any similar rule) to be delivered under the Act, the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the NYSE all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder.

 

(v)               The Company shall cooperate with the Managers and use its reasonable efforts to permit the Shares to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of DTC.

 

(w)             The Company will apply the Net Proceeds from the sale of the Shares in the manner set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

5.                  Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares, (iii) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors to the Company, and the reasonable fees and expenses of the Manager’s counsel (which shall be one outside counsel for all Managers unless otherwise agreed by the Company) (iv) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (v) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Managers in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws, and, if requested by the Managers, preparing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Managers of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (vi) the filing fees incident to the review and approval by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Shares, (vii) the fees and expenses associated with listing of the Shares on the NYSE, (viii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock, (ix) all fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) of the Company in connection with approval of the Shares by DTC for “book-entry” transfer, (x) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement and (xi) all other fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section 5. Except as provided in this Section 5 and in Section 7 hereof, the Managers shall pay their own expenses.

 

 

6.                  Conditions to the Obligations of the Managers. The obligations of the Managers under this Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be subject to (i) the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time, each Representation Date, and as of each Applicable Time, Settlement Date and Time of Delivery, (ii) to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and (iii) the following additional conditions:

 

(a)               The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, required by Rule 424 to be filed with the Commission have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) with respect to any sale of Shares; each Interim Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed in the manner required by Rule 424(b) within the time period required by Section 4(q) of this Agreement; any material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act shall have been instituted or threatened.

 

(b)               The Company shall have requested and caused Company Counsel to furnish to the Managers, on every date specified in Section 4(l) of this Agreement, opinions collectively covering the opinions the form of which are attached as Exhibit A.

 

(c)               The Managers shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Managers, on every date specified in Section 4(m) of this Agreement, such opinion or opinions and disclosure letter or letters, dated as of such date and addressed to the Managers, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Shares, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Managers may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

 

(d)               The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Managers, on every date specified in Section 4(k) of this Agreement, a certificate of the Company, signed by the chief executive officer or the President of the Company, and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of such date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any supplements or amendments thereto and this Agreement and that:

 

(i)                 the Company has received no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission;

 

 

 

(ii)             since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, there has been no event or condition of a type described in Section 2(ll) hereof (a “Material Adverse Change”), except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;

 

(iii)            the representations, warranties and covenants set forth in Section 2 of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such date; and

 

(iv)            the Company and its subsidiaries have complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such date.

 

(e)               The Company shall have requested and caused the Accountants to have furnished to the Managers, on every date specified in Section 4(n) hereof and to the extent requested by the Managers in connection with any offering of the Shares, letters (which may refer to letters previously delivered to the Managers), dated as of such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Managers, which letters shall cover, without limitation, the various financial statements and disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings as contemplated in the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 72, as well as confirming that they have performed a review of any unaudited interim financial information of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in accordance with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100.

 

References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (e) include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.

 

(f)                Since the respective dates as of which information is disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section 6 or (ii) Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Managers, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(g)               FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements under this Agreement.

 

 

(h)               The Shares shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the NYSE, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Managers.

 

(i)                 Prior to each Settlement Date and Time of Delivery, as applicable, the Company shall have furnished to the Designated Manager such further information, certificates and documents as the Designated Manager may reasonably request.

 

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Managers and counsel for the Managers, this Agreement and all obligations of the applicable Manager hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, any Settlement Date or Time of Delivery, as applicable, by such Manager with respect to itself only. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing. Following any such cancellation by a Manager, this Agreement shall remain in effect as to any other Manager that has not exercised its right to cancel this Agreement pursuant to this Section 6 and any obligations and rights of the Managers under this Agreement shall be satisfied by or afforded to only such other Manager.

 

The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Managers, at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, on each such date as provided in this Agreement.

 

7.              Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)               The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Manager, its affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the Act (each, an “Affiliate”), the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Manager, any broker-dealer affiliate of a Manager through which Shares are sold, and each person who controls a Manager within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company or otherwise permitted by paragraph (d) below), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or any Interim Prospectus Supplement (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact, in each case, necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (iii) in whole or in part upon any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein; or (iv) in whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder or under law; and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, for any and all expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the indemnified party) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Manager expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto). This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

 

 

(b)               Each Manager agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Manager or otherwise permitted by paragraph (d) below), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or any Interim Prospectus Supplement (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact, in each case, necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, 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 the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement or any Interim Prospectus Supplement (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Manager expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 7(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Manager may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that with respect to each Manager, (i) the name of such Manager and (ii) the first sentence of the third paragraph and the first sentence of the sixth paragraph under “Plan of Distribution” constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Managers for inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement or any Interim Prospectus Supplement (or any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

 

(c)               Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in paragraph (a) or (b) above or to the extent it is not prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 7 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), approved by the indemnifying party (the Managers in the case of Section 7(b) and Section 7(e)), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party or (iii) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party.

 

(d)               The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 7(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding 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.

 

 

(e)               If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and each Manager, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and each Manager, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions or inaccuracies in the representations and warranties herein which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by them, and benefits received by each Manager shall be deemed to be equal to the total compensation received by such Manager under Section 3(c) of this Agreement, in each case as determined by this Agreement or any applicable Terms Agreement. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and each Manager, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact or any such inaccurate or alleged inaccurate representation or warranty relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or such Manager, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 7(c), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 7(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 7(e); provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 7(c) for purposes of indemnification.

 

 

The Company and the Managers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7(e) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Managers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 7(e).

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7(e), no Manager shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the discounts and commissions received by such Manager in connection with the Shares sold by it pursuant to this Agreement and any applicable Terms Agreement in the specific transaction or transactions giving rise to the contribution obligation. 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. The Managers’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7(e) are several, and not joint. For purposes of this Section 7(e), each Affiliate, director, officer, employee and agent of a Manager, each person, if any, who controls a Manager within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and any broker-dealer affiliate of a Manager through which Shares are sold shall have the same rights to contribution as such Manager, and each director of the Company or each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

 

8.              Termination.

 

(a)              The Company shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate the provisions of this Agreement relating to the solicitation of offers to purchase the Shares in its sole discretion at any time. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that (i) if Shares have been sold through a Manager for the Company, then Section 4(s) shall remain in full force and effect with respect to such Manager and the Company, (ii) with respect to any pending sale, through the Designated Manager for the Company, the obligations of the Company, including in respect of compensation of the Designated Manager, shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the termination and (iii) the provisions of Sections 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 14 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(b)               Each Manager shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate the provisions of this Agreement relating to the solicitation of offers to purchase the Shares in its sole discretion at any time, with respect to such Manager only. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Sections 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 14 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect with respect to such Manager notwithstanding such termination. Following any such termination by a Manager, this Agreement shall remain in effect as to each other Manager that has not exercised its right to terminate the provisions of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8(b) and any obligations and rights of the Managers under this Agreement shall be satisfied by or afforded to, as applicable, only such other Managers.

 

(c)               This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 8(a) or (b) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Sections 2, 5, 7 and 9 shall remain in full force and effect.

 

 

(d)               Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by a Manager or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date or Time of Delivery for any sale of the Shares, such sale shall, subject to Section 6 hereof, settle in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) of this Agreement.

 

(e)               In the case of any purchase of Shares by a Manager pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the obligations of such Manager pursuant to such Terms Agreement shall be subject to termination, in the absolute discretion of such Manager, by notice given to the Company prior to the Time of Delivery relating to such Shares, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by NYSE, or trading in securities generally on either the NYSE or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity involving the United States, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of such Manager is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the judgment of such Manager there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change or (v) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States.

 

9.                  Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company, the officers of the Company and of each Manager set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by a Manager or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

 

10.              Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and:

 

If sent to Goldman, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to:

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: Registration Department

 

 

If sent to KBW, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to:

 

▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc.

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Attention: Office of the General Counsel

 

If sent to CG, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to:

 

Canaccord Genuity LLC

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Attention: Office of the General Counsel

 

If sent to Compass Point, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to:

 

Compass Point Research & Trading, LLC

▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇.▇., ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Attention: Office of the General Counsel

 

If sent to ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to:

 

▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Group LLC

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Attention: Office of the General Counsel

 

If sent to Wedbush, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to:

 

Wedbush Securities Inc.

▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Attention: Office of the General Counsel

 

with a copy to:

 

▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

If sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to:

 

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Corporation

▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

with a copy to:

 

Holland & Knight LLP
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.

 

11.              Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

 

12.              No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Manager and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Manager is acting solely as sales agent and/or principal in connection with the purchase and sale of the Company’s securities and not as a fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of each Manager in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether a Manager has advised or is currently advising it on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that a Manager has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the process leading thereto.

 

13.              Integration. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement supersede all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Managers with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

14.              Applicable Law. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

 

 

15.              Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, any Terms Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

16.              Counterparts. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., ▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

 

17.              Headings. The section headings used in this Agreement and any Terms Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

18.              Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

 

(a)               In the event that any Manager that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Manager of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

(b)               In the event that any Manager that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Manager becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Manager are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

As used in this Section 18:

 

“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

 

“Covered Entity” means any of the following:

 

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

 

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

 

 

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

 

“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

 

“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the ▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

19.              Definitions. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement and any Terms Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

 

“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

“Applicable Time” shall mean, with respect to any Shares, the time of sale of such Shares pursuant to this Agreement or any relevant Terms Agreement.

 

“Base Prospectus” shall mean the base prospectus referred to in Section 2(a) above contained in the Registration Statement at the Execution Time.

 

“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.

 

“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Designated Manager” shall mean, as of any given time, a Manager that the Company has designated as sales agent to sell Shares pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

“Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Base Prospectus, (ii) the Prospectus Supplement, (iii) the most recently filed Interim Prospectus Supplement, if any, (iv) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule I hereto, (v) the public offering price of Shares sold at the relevant Applicable Time as specified in a Terms Agreement and (vi) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.

 

“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or becomes effective.

 

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

 

“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.

 

 

“Interim Prospectus Supplement” shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the Shares prepared and filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) from time to time as provided by Section 4(q) of this Agreement.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.

 

“Prospectus” shall mean the Base Prospectus, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement and the most recently filed Interim Prospectus Supplement (if any).

 

“Prospectus Supplement” shall mean the most recent prospectus supplement relating to the Shares that was first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) at or prior to the Execution Time.

 

“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in Section 2(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B, as amended on each Effective Date and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended.

 

“Rule 158,” “Rule 163,” “Rule 164,” “Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 430B” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Act.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the Managers.

 

	Very truly yours,
	SILVERGATE CAPITAL CORPORATION
	By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
	Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
	Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Signature Page to Equity Distribution Agreement

 

 

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first written above:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Sachs & Co. LLC
By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Managing Director
▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc.
By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Managing Director
Canaccord Genuity LLC
By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Managing Director

 

Signature Page to Equity Distribution Agreement

 

 

Compass Point Research & Trading, LLC
By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: President & Chief Operating Officer
▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Group LLC
By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Partner / Managing Director Investment Banking
Wedbush Securities Inc.
By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: EVP Head of Investment Banking

 

Signature Page to Equity Distribution Agreement

 

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package

 

None 

 

 

[Form of Terms Agreement]

ANNEX I

 

SILVERGATE CAPITAL CORPORATION
Common Stock ($0.01 par value per share)

 

TERMS AGREEMENT

 

____________, 20___

 

[name/address of designated manager]

 

Dear Sirs:

 

Silvergate Capital Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”) proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Equity Distribution Agreement, dated March 9, 2021 (the “Equity Distribution Agreement”), among the Company, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC, and [other dealer names], to issue and sell to [▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Sachs & Co. LLC], the securities specified in the Schedule I hereto (the “Purchased Shares”)[, and solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, to grant to [name of designated manager] (the “Designated Manager”) the option to purchase the additional securities specified in the Schedule I hereto (the “Additional Shares”)]. [Include only if the Designated Manager has an over-allotment option]

 

[The Designated Manager shall have the right to purchase from the Company all or a portion of the Additional Shares as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Purchased Shares, at the same purchase price per share to be paid by the Designated Manager to the Company for the Purchased Shares. This option may be exercised by the Designated Manager at any time (but not more than once) on or before the thirtieth day following the date hereof, by written notice to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of shares of Additional Shares as to which the option is being exercised, and the date and time when the Additional Shares are to be delivered (such date and time being herein referred to as the “Option Closing Date”); provided, however, that the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Time of Delivery (as set forth in the Schedule I hereto) nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Shares shall be made at the Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Purchased Shares.] [Include only if the Designated Manager has an over-allotment option]

 

 

Each of the provisions of the Equity Distribution Agreement not specifically related to the solicitation by the Designated Manager, as agent 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. 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 [and] [,] the Time of Delivery [and any Option Closing Date] [Include only if the Designated Manager has an over-allotment option], except that each representation and warranty in Section 2 of the Equity Distribution Agreement which makes reference to the Prospectus (as therein defined) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty as of the date of the Equity Distribution Agreement in relation to the Prospectus, and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Terms Agreement [and] [,] the Time of Delivery [and any Option Closing Date] [Include only if the Designated Manager has an over-allotment option] in relation to the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to relate to the Purchased Shares.

 

An amendment to the Registration Statement (as defined in the Equity Distribution Agreement), or a supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Shares [and the Additional Shares] [Include only if the Designated Manager has an over-allotment option], in the form heretofore delivered to the Manager is now proposed to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Equity Distribution Agreement which are incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Designated Manager and the latter agrees to purchase from the Company the number of shares of the Purchased Shares at the time and place and at the purchase price set forth in the Schedule I hereto.

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this Terms Agreement, including those provisions of the Equity Distribution Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between the Managers and the Company.

 

	SILVERGATE CAPITAL CORPORATION
	By:

Name:

Title: 

 

ACCEPTED as of the date first written above.

 

[Designated Manager]

 

By:

Name:

Title:

 

 

[Form of Terms Agreement]

Schedule I to the Terms Agreement

 

Title of Purchased Shares [and Additional Shares]:

 

Common Stock

 

Number of Shares of Purchased Shares:

 

[Number of Shares of Additional Shares:]

 

[Price to Public:]

 

Purchase Price by [▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC] [●] [●]:

 

Method of and Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:

 

By wire transfer to a bank account specified by the Company in same day funds.

 

Method of Delivery:

 

Free delivery of the Shares to the Manager’s account at The Depository Trust Company in return for payment of the purchase price.

 

Time of Delivery:

 

Closing Location:

 

Documents to be Delivered:

 

The following documents referred to in the Equity Distribution Agreement shall be delivered as a condition to the closing at the Time of Delivery [and on any Option Closing Date]:

 

(1)       The opinion referred to in Section 4(l).

 

(2)       The opinion referred to in Section 4(m).

 

(3)       The accountants’ letter referred to in Section 4(n).

 

(4)       The officers’ certificate referred to in Section 4(k).

 

(5)       Such other documents as the Manager shall reasonably request.

 

  

EXHIBIT A

 

[Intentionally Omitted]