EXHIBIT 1.1
__________ Shares
ASC Holdings, Inc.
Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
__________, 1997
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
SECURITIES CORPORATION
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ LLC
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INCORPORATED
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INC.
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto
c/▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Corporation
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
ASC Holdings, Inc., a Maine corporation (the "Company"), proposes to
issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the
"Underwriters") an aggregate of _______________ shares (the "Firm Shares") of
the common stock, $.01 par value per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock").
The Company and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ (the "Selling Stockholder") also propose to
issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional _______
shares (the "Additional Shares") of Common Stock, $.01 per value per share, of
which _____________ shares are to be issued and sold by the Company and
_____________ shares are to be sold by the Selling Stockholder, if requested by
the Underwriters as provided in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the
Additional Shares are hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Shares". The
Company and the Selling Stockholder are hereinafter sometimes referred to
collectively as the "Sellers."
The offering of the Shares is being made in connection with (i) an
acquisition (the "Acquisition") of, among other things, the Steamboat and
Heavenly ski resorts pursuant to an agreement (the "Acquisition Agreement"),
dated July 31, 1997, between the Company and Kamori International Corporation
("Kamori"), and (ii) the entering into of a
senior secured credit facility (the "New Credit Facility") providing for
borrowings of up to $210 million.
SECTION 1. Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company has
prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
(collectively, the "Act"), a registration statement on Form S-1, including a
prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement, as amended at
the time it became effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be
part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule
430A under the Act, is hereinafter referred to as the "Registration Statement";
and the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares is
hereinafter referred to as the "Prospectus". If the Company has filed or is
required pursuant to the terms hereof to file a registration statement pursuant
to Rule 462(b) under the Act registering additional shares of Common Stock (a
"Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), then, unless otherwise specified, any
reference herein to the term "Registration Statement" shall be deemed to include
such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.
SECTION 2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase and Lock-Up Agreements.
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement,
and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to issue and sell to
each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from the Company, at a price per Share of $______ (the "Purchase
Price"), the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter in Schedule I.
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, (i) the Company agrees to
issue and sell, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally
and not jointly, up to _______ Additional Shares from the Company at the
Purchase Price and (ii) the Selling Stockholder agrees to sell, and the
Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to
_______ Additional Shares from the Selling Stockholder at the Purchase Price.
Additional Shares may be purchased solely for the purpose of covering
over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. The
Underwriters may exercise their right to purchase Additional Shares in whole or
in part from time to time by giving written notice thereof to the Company and
the Selling Stockholder within 30 days after the date of this Agreement. You
shall give any such notice on behalf of the Underwriters and such notice shall
specify the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased pursuant to
such exercise and the date for payment and delivery thereof, which date shall be
a business day (i) no earlier than two business days after such notice has been
given (and, in any event, no earlier than the Closing Date (as hereinafter
defined)) and (ii) no later than ten business days after such notice has been
given. If any Additional Shares are to be purchased, (i) the Company and the
Selling Stockholder agree to sell to the Underwriters the number of Additional
Shares (subject to such adjustment to eliminate fractional shares as you may
determine) which bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional
Shares with respect to which the Underwriters
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shall have provided notice as the total number of Additional Shares that such
Seller has made available for sale to the Underwriters bears to the total number
of Additional Shares that both Sellers have made available for sale to the
Underwriters and (ii) each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to
purchase from the Company and the Selling Stockholder the number of Additional
Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may
determine) which bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional
Shares to be purchased from the Company and the Selling Stockholder as the
number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in
Schedule I bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
Each Seller hereby agrees not to (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract
to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or
contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise
transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or
any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock
or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers all or a portion
of the economic consequences associated with the ownership of any Common Stock
(regardless of whether any of the transactions described in clause (i) or (ii)
is to be settled by the delivery of Common Stock, or such other securities, in
cash or otherwise), except to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, for a
period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus without the prior written
consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Corporation. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, during such period (i) the Company may grant stock options
pursuant to the Company's existing stock option plan and (ii) the Company may
issue shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the
conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof. The Company also agrees
not to file any registration statement with respect to any shares of Common
Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock for a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, without
the prior written consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities
Corporation. In addition, the Selling Stockholder agrees that, for a period of
180 days after the date of the Prospectus, without the prior written consent of
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Lufkin & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Corporation, it will not make any demand
for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of
Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable
for Common Stock. The Company shall, prior to or concurrently with the execution
of this Agreement, deliver an agreement executed by (i) each of the directors
and officers of the Company other than the Selling Stockholder and (ii) each
stockholder listed on Annex I hereto to the effect that such person will not,
during the period commencing on the date such person signs such agreement and
ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, without the prior written
consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Lufkin & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Corporation, (A) engage in
any of the transactions described in the first sentence of this paragraph or (B)
make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of
any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Common Stock.
SECTION 3. Terms of Public Offering. The Sellers are advised by you
that the Underwriters propose (i) to make a public offering of the Shares as
soon after the
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execution and delivery of this Agreement as in your judgment is advisable and
(ii) initially to offer the Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.
SECTION 4. Delivery and Payment. Delivery to the Underwriters of and
payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on
October __, 1997 (the "Closing Date") at such place as you shall designate. The
Closing Date and the location of delivery of and payment for the Firm Shares may
be varied by agreement between you and the Company.
Delivery to the Underwriters of and payment for any Additional
Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters shall be made at such place as you
shall designate at 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date specified in the
applicable exercise notice given by you pursuant to Section 2 (an "Option
Closing Date"). Any such Option Closing Date and the location of delivery of and
payment for such Additional Shares may be varied by agreement between you, the
Selling Stockholder and the Company.
Certificates for the Shares shall be registered in such names and
issued in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than two
full business days prior to the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the
case may be. Such certificates shall be made available to you for inspection not
later than 9:30 A.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the
Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be.
Certificates in definitive form evidencing the Shares shall be delivered to you
on the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
with any transfer taxes thereon duly paid by the respective Sellers, for the
respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment to the Sellers
of the Purchase Price therefor by wire transfer of Federal or other funds
immediately available in New York City.
SECTION 5. Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with you:
(a) To advise you promptly and, if requested by you, to confirm such
advice in writing, (i) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the
Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or for
additional information, (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the suspension
of qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the
initiation of any proceeding for such purposes, (iii) when any amendment to the
Registration Statement becomes effective, (iv) if the Company is required to
file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement after the effectiveness of this
Agreement, when the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has become effective and
(v) of the happening of any event during the period referred to in Section 5(d)
below which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus untrue or which requires any additions to or changes
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements
therein not misleading. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the Company will use
its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the
earliest possible time.
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(b) To furnish to you five signed copies of the Registration
Statement as first filed with the Commission and of each amendment to it,
including all exhibits, and to furnish to you and each Underwriter designated by
you such number of conformed copies of the Registration Statement as so filed
and of each amendment to it, without exhibits, as you may reasonably request.
(c) To prepare the Prospectus, the form and substance of which shall
be satisfactory to you, and to file the Prospectus in such form with the
Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Act;
during the period specified in Section 5(d) below, not to file any further
amendment to the Registration Statement and not to make any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus of which you shall not previously have been advised
or to which you shall reasonably object after being so advised; and, during such
period, to prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon your reasonable
request, any amendment to the Registration Statement or amendment or supplement
to the Prospectus which may be necessary or advisable in connection with the
distribution of the Shares by you, and to use its best efforts to cause any such
amendment to the Registration Statement to become promptly effective.
(d) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the first business
day after the date of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter for such
period as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus is
required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or a
dealer, to furnish to each Underwriter and any dealer as many copies of the
Prospectus (and of any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus) as such
Underwriter or dealer may reasonably request.
(e) If during the period specified in Section 5(d), any event shall
occur or condition shall exist as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel
for the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when
the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the
opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement
the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare and file with
the Commission an appropriate amendment or supplement to the Prospectus so that
the statements in the Prospectus, as so amended or supplemented, will not in the
light of the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that
the Prospectus will comply with applicable law, and to furnish to each
Underwriter and to any dealer as many copies thereof as such Underwriter or
dealer may reasonably request.
(f) Prior to any public offering of the Shares, to cooperate with
you and counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the registration or
qualification of the Shares for offer and sale by the several Underwriters and
by dealers under the state securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as
you may request, to continue such registration or qualification in effect so
long as required for distribution of the Shares and to file such consents to
service of process or other documents as may be necessary in order to effect
such registration or qualification; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation in
any jurisdiction in
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which it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to
general consent to service of process or taxation other than as to matters and
transactions relating to the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the offering or sale of the Shares, in any
jurisdiction in which it is not now so subject.
(g) To mail and make generally available to its stockholders as soon
as practicable an earnings statement covering the twelve-month period ending
October 31, 1998 that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act,
and to advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available.
(h) During the period of three years after the date of this
Agreement, to furnish to you as soon as available copies of all reports or other
communications furnished to the record holders of Common Stock or furnished to
or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any
class of securities of the Company is listed and such other publicly available
information concerning the Company and its subsidiaries as you may reasonably
request.
(i) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement
are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all
expenses incident to the performance of the Sellers' obligations under this
Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's
counsel, the Company's accountants and the Selling Stockholder's counsel (in
addition to the Company's counsel) in connection with the registration and
delivery of the Shares under the Act and all other fees and expenses in
connection with the preparation, printing, filing and distribution of the
Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits), any
preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to any
of the foregoing, including the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the
Underwriters and dealers in the quantities specified herein, (ii) all costs and
expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters,
including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) all costs of
printing or producing this Agreement and any other agreements or documents in
connection with the offering, purchase, sale or delivery of the Shares, (iv) all
expenses in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares for
offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the several states and
all costs of printing or producing any Preliminary and Supplemental Blue Sky
Memoranda in connection therewith (including the filing fees and fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
registration or qualification and memoranda relating thereto), (v) the filing
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the
review and clearance of the offering of the Shares by the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc., (vi) all fees and expenses in connection with the
preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the
Common Stock and all costs and expenses incident to the listing of the Shares on
the Nasdaq National Market, (vii) the cost of printing certificates representing
the Shares, (viii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar and/or
depositary, and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of
the obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholder hereunder for which
provision is not otherwise made in this Section. The provisions of this Section
shall not supersede or
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otherwise affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Stockholder may
otherwise have for allocation of such expenses between themselves.
(j) To use its best efforts to list the Shares on the Nasdaq
National Market and to maintain the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq National
Market for a period of three years after the date of this Agreement.
(k) To use its best efforts to do and perform all things required or
necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by the Company prior to
the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and to satisfy
all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Shares.
(l) If the Registration Statement at the time of the effectiveness
of this Agreement does not cover all of the Shares, to file a Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement with the Commission registering the Shares not so covered
in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of
this Agreement and to pay to the Commission the filing fee for such Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement at the time of the filing thereof or to give irrevocable
instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act.
SECTION 6. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The
Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:
(a) The Registration Statement has become effective (other than any
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the
effectiveness of this Agreement); any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement filed
after the effectiveness of this Agreement will become effective no later than
10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement; and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no
proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission.
(b)(i) The Registration Statement (other than any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the effectiveness of
this Agreement), when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended, if
applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement (other than
any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the
effectiveness of this Agreement) and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or
supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Act,
(iii) if the Company is required to file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
after the effectiveness of this Agreement, such Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement and any amendments thereto, when they become effective (A) will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading and (B) will comply in all material respects with the Act and (iv)
the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable,
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will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the
representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to
statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus based
upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing
by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.
(c) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration
Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed
pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, complied when so filed in all material
respects with the Act, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties
set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in any
preliminary prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter
furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly
for use therein.
(d) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the corporate power and
authority to carry on its business as described in the Prospectus and to own,
lease and operate its properties, and each is duly qualified and is in good
standing as a foreign corporation authorized to do business in each jurisdiction
in which the nature of its business or its ownership or leasing of property
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would
not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial
condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole.
(e) There are no outstanding subscriptions, rights, warrants,
options, calls, convertible securities, commitments of sale or liens granted or
issued by the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to or entitling any
person to purchase or otherwise to acquire any shares of the capital stock of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except as otherwise disclosed in the
Registration Statement.
(f) All the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
(including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder) have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and not subject
to any preemptive or similar rights; and the Shares to be issued and sold by the
Company have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered to the
Underwriters against payment therefor as provided by this Agreement, will be
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares
will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
(g) All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the
Company's subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable, and, except as described in the Prospectus, are
owned by the Company,
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directly or indirectly through one or more subsidiaries, free and clear of any
security interest, claim, lien, encumbrance or adverse interest of any nature.
(h) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal
matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation
of its respective charter or by-laws or in default in the performance of any
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan
agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to
the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or their respective property is bound.
(j) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the
Company, the compliance by the Company with all the provisions hereof and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and in the Prospectus will
not (i) require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or
qualification with, any court or governmental body or agency (except such as may
be required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states), (ii)
conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a
default under, the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or
instrument that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which
the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound,
(iii) violate or conflict with any applicable law or any rule, regulation,
judgment, order or decree of any court or any governmental body or agency having
jurisdiction over the Company, any of its subsidiaries or their respective
property or (iv) result in the suspension, termination or revocation of any
Authorization (as defined below) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Authorization.
(k) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or
threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or could be a
party or to which any of their respective property is or could be subject that
are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and
are not so described; nor are there any statutes, regulations, contracts or
other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that
are not so described or filed as required.
(l) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has violated any
foreign, federal, state or local law or regulation relating to the protection of
human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or
wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("Environmental Laws") or any provisions of
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder, except for such violations which, singly
or in the aggregate, would not have a
9
material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or
results of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(m) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has such permits,
licenses, consents, exemptions, franchises, authorizations and other approvals
(each, an "Authorization") of, and has made all filings with and notices to, all
governmental or regulatory authorities and self-regulatory organizations and all
courts and other tribunals, including, without limitation, under any applicable
Environmental Laws, as are necessary to own, lease, license and operate its
respective properties and to conduct its business, except where the failure to
have any such Authorization or to make any such filing or notice would not,
singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business,
prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Each such Authorization is valid and in full
force and effect and each of the Company and its subsidiaries is in compliance
with all the terms and conditions thereof and with the rules and regulations of
the authorities and governing bodies having jurisdiction with respect thereto;
and no event has occurred (including, without limitation, the receipt of any
notice from any authority or governing body) which allows or, after notice or
lapse of time or both, would allow, revocation, suspension or termination of any
such Authorization or results or, after notice or lapse of time or both, would
result in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such
Authorization; and such Authorizations contain no restrictions that are
burdensome to the Company or any of its subsidiaries; except where such failure
to be valid and in full force and effect or to be in compliance, the occurrence
of any such event or the presence of any such restriction would not, singly or
in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects,
financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(n) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental
Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures
required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental
Laws or any Authorization, any related constraints on operating activities and
any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the
aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial
condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole.
(o) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Company.
(p) Price Waterhouse LLP are the independent public accountants with
respect to the Company and its subsidiaries as required by the Act.
(q) The consolidated financial statements included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement
thereto), together with related schedules and notes, present fairly the
consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in financial
position of the Company and its subsidiaries on the
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basis stated therein at the respective dates or for the respective periods to
which they apply; such statements and related schedules and notes have been
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed
therein; the supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration
Statement present fairly in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles the information required to be stated therein; and the other
financial and statistical information and data set forth in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) are, in
all material respects, accurately presented and prepared (i) on a basis
consistent with such financial statements and the books and records of the
Company and (ii) in good faith on the basis of the assumptions described in the
Registration Statement and such assumptions are reasonable and the adjustments
used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and
circumstances referred to therein.
(r) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in
the Prospectus, will not be, an "investment company" as such term is defined in
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(s) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the
Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to
file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of
the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares
registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(t) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Prospectus, other than as set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement), (i)
there has not occurred any material adverse change or any development involving
a prospective material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise,
or the earnings, business, management or operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) there has not been any material adverse
change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the
capital stock or in the long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any
material liability or obligation, direct or contingent.
(u) All of the representations and warranties of the Company and
Kamori in the Acquisition Agreement are true and correct as if made on and as of
the date hereof.
(v) All of the representations and warranties of the Company in the
New Credit Facility are true and correct as if made on and as of the date
hereof.
(w) The Company and 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 which is material to the business of the Company and its
subsidiaries, in each case
11
free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are
described in the Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of
such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of
such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and
buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them
under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not
material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such
property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case except
as described in the Prospectus.
(x) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the
Company or any of its subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, officers,
stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
on the other hand, which is required by the Act to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus which is not so described.
(y) The pro forma financial statements of the Company and its
subsidiaries and the related notes thereto set forth in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (and any supplement or amendment thereto) have been
prepared on a basis consistent with the historical financial statements of the
Company and its subsidiaries, give effect to the assumptions used in the
preparation thereof on a reasonable basis and in good faith and present fairly
the historical and proposed transactions contemplated by the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus. Such pro forma financial statements have been
prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of Rule 11-02 of
Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission. The other pro forma financial and
statistical information and data set forth in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (and any supplement or amendment thereto) are, in all material
respects, accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the pro
forma financial statements.
(z) All material tax returns required to be filed by the Company and
each of its subsidiaries in any jurisdiction have been filed, other than those
filings being contested in good faith, and all material taxes, including
withholding taxes, penalties and interest, assessments, fees and other charges
due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the
Company or any of its subsidiaries have been paid, other than those being
contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been provided.
(aa) There is no (i) significant unfair labor practice complaint,
grievance or arbitration proceeding pending or threatened against the Company or
any of its subsidiaries before the National Labor Relations Board or any state
or local labor relations board, (ii) strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage
pending or threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii)
union representation question existing with respect to the employees of the
Company and its subsidiaries, except for such actions specified above, which,
singly or in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse effect on the
business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company
and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. To the best of the Company's knowledge,
no collective bargaining organizing activities are taking place with respect to
the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
12
(ab) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains a system of
internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to
assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.
(ac) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by
insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks
and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they
are engaged; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) has
received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that substantial
capital improvements or other material expenditures will have to be made in
order to continue such insurance or (ii) 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 at a cost that would
not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial
conditions or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
as a whole.
(ad) The Company has delivered to the Underwriters true and correct
copies of all documents and agreements related to the Acquisition, including all
amendments, alterations, modifications or waivers and all exhibits or schedules.
(ae) The Company has delivered to the Underwriters true and correct
copies of all documents and agreements related to the Securities Purchase
Agreement, dated as of July 2, 1997, between the Company and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLC, and
all capital stock, preferred stock or debt instruments issued or to be, or
proposed to be, issued in connection therewith, including all amendments,
alterations, modifications or waivers and all exhibits or schedule.
(af) Each certificate signed by any officer of the Company and
delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to
be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the
matters covered thereby.
For the purpose of the foregoing representations, after giving
effect to the Acquisition, the term "subsidiaries" shall be deemed to include
the entities acquired from Kamori pursuant to the Acquisition Agreement.
SECTION 7. Representations and Warranties of the Selling
Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to each Underwriter
that:
(a) Such Selling Stockholder is the lawful owner of the Shares to be
sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement and has, and on each
Option
13
Closing Date will have, good and clear title to such Shares, free of all
restrictions on transfer, liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities and
claims whatsoever.
(b) The Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder have been duly
authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(c) Such Selling Stockholder has, and on each Option Closing Date
will have, full legal right, power and authority, and all authorization and
approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement, and to sell, assign,
transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder in the
manner provided herein and therein.
(d) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder.
(e) Upon delivery of and payment for the Shares to be sold by such
Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, good and clear title to such
Shares will pass to the Underwriters, free of all restrictions on transfer,
liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities and claims whatsoever.
(f) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the
compliance by such Selling Stockholder with all the provisions hereof and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (i)
require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or qualification
with, any court or governmental body or agency (except such as may be required
under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states), (ii) conflict with
or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or as a default
under any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or
instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling
Stockholder or any property of such Selling Stockholder is bound or (iii)
violate or conflict with any applicable law or any rule, regulation, judgment,
order or decree of any court or any governmental body or agency having
jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or any property of such Selling
Stockholder.
(g) The information in the Registration Statement under the caption
"Principal and Selling Shareholders" which specifically relates to such Selling
Stockholder does not, and will not on the Closing Date or any Option Closing
Date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(h) At any time during the period described in Section 5(d), if
there is any change in the information referred to in Section 7(i), such Selling
Stockholder will immediately notify you of such change.
(i) Each certificate signed by or on behalf of such Selling
Stockholder and delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters
shall be deemed to be a
14
representation and warranty by such Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters as
to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 8. Indemnification. (a) The Sellers, jointly and severally,
agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, its
officers and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), from and against any and all losses,
claims, damages, liabilities and judgments (including, without limitation, any
legal or other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or defending
any matter, including any action, that could give rise to any such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments) caused by any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) or any preliminary prospectus, or caused by any omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments are caused by any such
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon
information relating to any Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by
such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the aggregate liability of the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this
Section 8(a) shall be limited to an amount equal to the total proceeds (before
deducting expenses) received by such Selling Stockholder from the Underwriters
for the sale of the Shares sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder.
(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify
and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the
Registration Statement, each person, if any, who controls the Company within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, each Selling
Stockholder and each person, if any, who controls such Selling Stockholder
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to
the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Sellers to such Underwriter
but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished in
writing to the Company by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto) or any preliminary prospectus.
(c) In case any action shall be commenced involving any person in
respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b) (the
"indemnified party"), the indemnified party shall promptly notify the person
against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing
and the indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such action, including
the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party and
the payment of all fees and expenses of such counsel, as incurred (except that
in the case of any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant
to both Sections 8(a) and 8(b), the Underwriter shall not be required to assume
the defense of such action pursuant to this Section 8(c), but may employ
separate counsel and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and
expenses of
15
such counsel, except as provided below, shall be at the expense of such
Underwriter). Any indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate
counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees
and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnified party
unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been specifically
authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying party
shall have failed to assume the defense of such action or employ counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iii) the named parties to
any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified
party and the indemnifying party, and the indemnified party shall have been
advised by such counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available
to it which are different from or additional to those available to the
indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party shall not have the
right to assume the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party).
In any such case, the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one
action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be
liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys
(in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters, their officers and
directors and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the
meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, (ii)
the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition
to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the
Registration Statement and all persons, if any, who control the Company within
the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the fees and expenses of more than
one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) for the
Selling Stockholder, and all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they
are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters, their
officers and directors and such control persons of any Underwriters, such firm
shall be designated in writing by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Lufkin & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities
Corporation. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company and such
directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be
designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for
the Selling Stockholder, such firm shall be designated in writing by the
Attorneys. The indemnifying party shall indemnify and hold harmless the
indemnified party from and against any and all losses, claims, damages,
liabilities and judgments by reason of any settlement of any action (i) effected
with its written consent or (ii) effected without its written consent if the
settlement is entered into more than twenty business days after the indemnifying
party shall have received a request from the indemnified party for reimbursement
for the fees and expenses of counsel (in any case where such fees and expenses
are at the expense of the indemnifying party) and, prior to the date of such
settlement, the indemnifying party shall have failed to comply with such
reimbursement request. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement or compromise of, or
consent to the entry of judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened
action in respect of which the indemnified party is or could have been a party
and indemnity or contribution may be or could have been sought hereunder by the
indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes
an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability on claims
that are or could have been the subject matter of such action and
16
(ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or
a failure to act, by or on behalf of the indemnified party.
(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in this Section 8
is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and judgments (i) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering
of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(d)(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 8(d)(i) above but also the
relative fault of the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other
hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or judgments, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Sellers on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the
same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting
expenses) received by the Sellers, and the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriters, bear to the total price to the public
of the Shares, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the
Prospectus. The relative fault of the Sellers on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholder on the one hand or the
Underwriters on the other hand and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission.
The Sellers and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(d) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or judgments referred to in the immediately
preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set
forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with investigating or defending any matter, including any action,
that could have given rise to such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
judgments. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public
were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The
17
Underwriters' obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8(d) are
several in proportion to the respective number of Shares purchased by each of
the Underwriters hereunder and not joint.
(e) The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive
and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to
any indemnified party at law or in equity.
(f) The Selling Stockholder hereby designates the Company as its
authorized agent, upon which process may be served in any action which may be
instituted in any state or federal court in the State of New York by any
Underwriter, any director or officer of any Underwriter or any person
controlling any Underwriter asserting a claim for indemnification or
contribution under or pursuant to this Section 8, and the Selling Stockholder
will accept the jurisdiction of such court in such action, and waives, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any defense based upon lack of
personal jurisdiction or venue. A copy of any such process shall be sent or
given to such Selling Stockholder, at the address for notices specified in
Section 12 hereof.
SECTION 9. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The several
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm Shares under this Agreement
are subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:
(a) All the representations and warranties of the Company contained
in this Agreement shall be true and correct on the Closing Date (after giving
effect to the Acquisition) with the same force and effect as if made on and as
of the Closing Date.
(b) If the Company is required to file a Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement after the effectiveness of this Agreement, such Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., New York City
time, on the date of this Agreement; and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been commenced or shall be pending
before or contemplated by the Commission.
(c) You shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate dated
the Closing Date, signed by ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, in
their capacities as Senior Vice Presidents of the Company, confirming the
matters set forth in Sections 6(t), 9(a) and 9(b) and that the Company has
complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions herein
contained and required to be complied with or satisfied by the Company on or
prior to the Closing Date.
(d) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Prospectus other than as set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any
amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement), (i)
there shall not have occurred any change or any development involving a
prospective change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings,
business, management or operations of the Company
18
and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) there shall not have been any
change or any development involving a prospective change in the capital stock or
in the long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (iii)
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have incurred any
liability or obligation, direct or contingent, the effect of which, in any such
case described above, in your judgment, is material and adverse and, in your
judgment, makes it impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the
manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(e) All the representations and warranties of the Selling
Stockholder contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct on the Closing
Date with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date and
you shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate dated the Closing Date
from the Selling Stockholder to such effect and to the effect that such Selling
Stockholder has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the
conditions herein contained and required to be complied with or satisfied by
such Selling Stockholder on or prior to the Closing Date.
(f) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion
(satisfactory to you and counsel for the Underwriters), dated the Closing Date,
of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Company and the Selling Stockholder, to the
effect that:
(i) each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has the
corporate power and authority to carry on its business as described
in the Prospectus and to own, lease and operate its properties;
(ii) each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly
qualified and is in good standing as a foreign corporation
authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature
of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires
such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified
would not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects,
financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(iii) all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder)
have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid,
non-assessable and not subject to any preemptive or similar rights;
(iv) all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of
the Company's subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and are owned by the
Company, directly or indirectly through one or more subsidiaries,
free and clear of any security interest, claim, lien, encumbrance or
adverse interest of any nature;
19
(v) the statement under the caption "Description of Capital
Stock-Antitakeover Effects of Provisions of the Articles of
Incorporation, Bylaws and Maine Law" in the Prospectus and Item 14
of Part II of the Registration Statement, insofar as such statements
constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings
referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with
respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings; and
(vi) (A) such counsel has no reason to believe that at the
time the Registration Statement became effective or on the date of
this Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
included therein (except for the financial statements and other
financial data as to which such counsel need not express any belief)
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading and (B) such counsel has
no reason to believe that the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, if applicable (except for the financial statements and
other financial data, as aforesaid) contains any untrue statement of
a material fact or omits 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.
(g) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion
(satisfactory to you and counsel for the Underwriters), dated the Closing Date,
of LeBoeuf, Lamb, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, LLP, counsel for the Company, to the effect
that:
(i) the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder
have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered to the
Underwriters against payment therefor as provided by this Agreement,
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the
issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or
similar rights;
(ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company;
(iii) the authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as
to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the
Prospectus;
(iv) the statements under the captions "Description of Certain
Indebtedness," "Shares Eligible for Future Sale," "Business-Leased
Properties," "Certain United States Federal Tax Considerations for
NonUnited States Holders," "Management-Stock Option Plans,"
"Description of Capital Stock" and "Underwriting" in the Prospectus
and Item 15 of Part II of the Registration Statement, insofar as
such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents
or proceedings referred to therein,
20
fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal
matters, documents and proceedings;
(v) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
violation of its respective charter or by-laws and, to the best of
such counsel's knowledge after due inquiry, neither the Company nor
any of its subsidiaries is in default in the performance of any
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or
instrument that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their
respective property is bound;
(vi) the Registration Statement has become effective under the
Act, no stop order suspending its effectiveness has been issued and
no proceedings for that purpose are, to the best of such counsel's
knowledge after due inquiry, pending before or contemplated by the
Commission;
(vii) the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by the Company, the compliance by the Company with all the
provisions hereof and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby and in the Prospectus will not (A) require any
consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or qualification
with, any court or governmental body or agency (except such as may
be required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various
states), (B) conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the
terms or provisions of, or a default under, the charter or by-laws
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any indenture, loan
agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that is
material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which
the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property
is bound, (C) violate or conflict with any applicable law or any
rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court or any
governmental body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company,
any of its subsidiaries or their respective property or (D) result
in the suspension, termination or revocation of any Authorization of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other impairment of
the rights of the holder of any such Authorization;
(viii) after due inquiry, such counsel does not know of any
legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is or could be a party or to
which any of their respective property is or could be subject that
are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus and are not so described, or of any statutes,
regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be
filed as
21
exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so described or
filed as required;
(ix) after due inquiry, such counsel does not know of any
legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is or could be a party or to
which any of their respective property is or could be subject that
are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus and are not so described, or of any statutes,
regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be
filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so
described or filed as required;
(x) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has
violated any Environmental Law or any provisions of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder, except for such violations
which, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse
effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or results of
operation of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(xi) each of the Company and its subsidiaries has such
Authorizations of, and has made all filings with and notices to, all
governmental or regulatory authorities and self-regulatory
organizations and all courts and other tribunals, including, without
limitation, under any applicable Environmental Laws, as are
necessary to own, lease, license and operate its respective
properties and to conduct its business, except where the failure to
have any such Authorization or to make any such filing or notice
would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
each such Authorization is valid and in full force and effect and
each of the Company and its subsidiaries is in compliance with all
the terms and conditions thereof and with the rules and regulations
of the authorities and governing bodies having jurisdiction with
respect thereto; and no event has occurred (including, without
limitation, the receipt of any notice from any authority or
governing body) which allows or, after notice or lapse of time or
both, would allow, revocation, suspension or termination of any such
Authorization or results or, after notice or lapse of time or both,
would result in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of
any such Authorization; and such Authorizations contain no
restrictions that are burdensome to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries; except where such failure to be valid and in full
force and effect or to be in compliance, the occurrence of any such
event or the presence of any such restriction would not, singly or
in the aggregate, have a material
22
adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole;
(xii) the Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds
thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be, an "investment
company" as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended;
(xiii) to the best of such counsel's knowledge after due
inquiry, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings
between the Company and any person granting such person the right to
require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act
with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the
Company to include such securities with the Shares registered
pursuant to the Registration Statement, except as otherwise
disclosed in the Registration Statement;
(xiv) (A) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and
any supplement or amendment thereto (except for the financial
statements and other financial data included therein as to which no
opinion need be expressed) comply as to form with the Act, (B) such
counsel has no reason to believe that at the time the Registration
Statement became effective or on the date of this Agreement, the
Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein (except
for the financial statements and other financial data as to which
such counsel need not express any belief) contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading and (C) such counsel has no reason to believe
that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable
(except for the financial statements and other financial data, as
aforesaid) contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits
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;
(xv) the Selling Stockholder is the lawful owner of the Shares
to be sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement
and has good and clear title to such Shares, free of all
restrictions on transfer, liens, encumbrances, security interests,
equities and claims whatsoever;
(xvi) the Selling Stockholder has full legal right, power and
authority, and all authorization and approval required by law, to
enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver
the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder in the manner
provided herein and therein;
(xvii) upon delivery of and payment for the Shares to be sold
by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, good and
clear title to such
23
Shares will pass to the Underwriters, free of all restrictions on
transfer, liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities and
claims whatsoever;
(xviii) the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement by such Selling Stockholder, the compliance by such
Selling Stockholder with all the provisions hereof and thereof and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
will not (A) require any consent, approval, authorization or other
order of, or qualification with, any court or governmental body or
agency (except such as may be required under the securities or Blue
Sky laws of the various states), (B) conflict with or constitute a
breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a default under, any
indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or
instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which
any property of such Selling Stockholder is bound or (C) violate or
conflict with any applicable law or any rule, regulation, judgment,
order or decree of any court or any governmental body or agency
having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or any property of
such Selling Stockholder;
(xix) the Company and 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 which is
material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in
each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects
except such as are described in the Prospectus or such as do not
materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the
Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings
held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by
them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such
exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use
made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the
Company and its subsidiaries, in each case except as described in
the Prospectus;
(xx) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or
among the Company or any of its subsidiaries on the one hand, and
the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries on the other hand, which is
required by the Act to be described in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus which is not so described;
(xxi) all material tax returns required to be filed by the
Company and each of its subsidiaries in any jurisdiction have been
filed, other than those filings being contested in good faith, and
all material taxes, including withholding taxes, penalties and
interest, assessments, fees and other charges due pursuant to such
returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company or any
of its subsidiaries have been paid, other than those being
24
contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been
provided; and
(xxii) there is no (i) significant unfair labor practice
complaint, grievance or arbitration proceeding pending or threatened
against the Company or any of its subsidiaries before the National
Labor Relations Board or any state or local labor relations board,
(ii) strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or
threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii)
union representation question existing with respect to the employees
of the Company and its subsidiaries, except for such actions
specified above, which, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a
material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial
condition or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole. To the best of such counsel's
knowledge, no collective bargaining organizing activities are taking
place with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
The opinions of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ and LeBoeuf, Lamb, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
LLP described in Section 9(f) and (g) above shall be rendered to you at the
request of the Company and the Selling Stockholder, as applicable, and shall so
state therein.
(h) You shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion, dated
the Closing Date, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Underwriters, as to the
matters referred to in Sections 9(g)(i), 9(g)(ii), 9(g)(iv) (but only with
respect to the statements under the caption "Description of Capital Stock" and
"Underwriting") and 9(g)(xiv).
In giving such opinions with respect to the matters covered by
Sections 9(f)(vi) and 9(g)(xiv), Leboeuf, Lamb, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ may state that their opinion and belief are based
upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement and
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion
of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification
except as specified.
(i) You shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the
Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case
may be, in form and substance satisfactory to you, from Price Waterhouse LLP,
independent public accountants, containing the information and statements of the
type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(j) The Company shall have delivered to you the agreements specified
in Section 2 hereof which agreements shall be in full force and effect on the
Closing Date.
(k) The Shares shall have been duly listed on the Nasdaq National
Market.
25
(l) You shall have received a certificate of the Company, dated as
of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to you and counsel for
the Underwriters, as to the solvency of the Company following consummation of
the Acquisition.
(m) The Acquisition and the New Credit Facility shall be consummated
prior to, or simultaneously with, the Underwriters purchase of the Shares on
substantially the terms described in the Prospectus and as otherwise disclosed
to you, and you shall have received counterparts, conformed as executed, of the
Acquisition Agreement and the New Credit Facility and such other documentation
as you deem necessary to evidence consummation thereof.
(n) All of the opinions to be delivered by the Company pursuant to
the New Credit Facility and the Acquisition Agreement shall be addressed and
delivered to you.
(o) You shall have received from the Company, prior to the Closing
Date, such further information, certificates and documents as you may reasonably
request.
(p) The Company and the Selling Stockholder shall not have failed on
or prior to the Closing Date to perform or comply with any of the agreements
herein contained and required to be performed or complied with by the Company or
the Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, on or prior to the Closing Date.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase any
Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable
Option Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request from the
Company and the Selling Stockholder with respect to the good standing of the
Company, the due authorization and issuance of such Additional Shares and other
matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.
SECTION 10. Effectiveness of Agreement and Termination. This
Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the parties hereto.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time on or prior to the
Closing Date by you by written notice to the Sellers if any of the following has
occurred: (i) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or
international calamity or crisis or change in economic conditions or in the
financial markets of the United States or elsewhere that, in your judgment, is
material and adverse and, in your judgment, makes it impracticable to market the
Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus, (ii) the
suspension or material limitation of trading in securities or other instruments
on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Chicago Board
of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade
or the Nasdaq National Market or limitation on prices for securities or other
instruments on any such exchange or the Nasdaq National Market, (iii) suspension
of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the
over-the-counter market, (iv) the
26
enactment, publication, decree or other promulgation of any federal or state
statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or other governmental authority
which in your opinion materially and adversely affects, or will materially and
adversely affect, the business, prospects, financial condition or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (v) the
declaration of a banking moratorium by either federal or New York State
authorities or (vi) the taking of any action by any federal, state or local
government or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your
opinion has a material adverse effect on the financial markets in the United
States.
If on the Closing Date or on an Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase the
Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, which it or they have
agreed to purchase hereunder on such date and the aggregate number of Firm
Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters, as the case may be, agreed but failed or refused to
purchase is not more than one-tenth of the total number of Shares to be
purchased on such date by all Underwriters, each non-defaulting Underwriter
shall be obligated severally, in the proportion which the number of Firm Shares
set forth opposite its name in Schedule I bears to the total number of Firm
Shares which all the non-defaulting Underwriters, as the case may be, have
agreed to purchase, or in such other proportion as you may specify, to purchase
the Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters, as the case may be, agreed but failed or refused to
purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Firm Shares
or Additional Shares, as the case may be, which any Underwriter has agreed to
purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof be increased pursuant to this Section 10
by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Firm Shares or Additional
Shares, as the case may be, without the written consent of such Underwriter. If,
on the Closing Date any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to
purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to
which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm
Shares to be purchased by all Underwriters and arrangements satisfactory to you,
the Company and the Selling Stockholder for purchase of such Firm Shares are not
made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without
liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the
Selling Stockholder. In any such case which does not result in termination of
this Agreement, either you or the Sellers shall have the right to postpone the
Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the
required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or
any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing
Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase
Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to
which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of
Additional Shares to be purchased on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters
shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase
such Additional Shares or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional
Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to
purchase on such date in the absence of such default. Any action taken under
this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in
respect of any default of any such Underwriter under this Agreement.
27
SECTION 11. Agreements of the Selling Stockholder. The Selling
Stockholder agrees with you and the Company:
(a) To pay or to cause to be paid all transfer taxes payable in
connection with the transfer of the Shares to be sold by such Selling
Stockholder to the Underwriters.
(b) To do and perform all things to be done and performed by such
Selling Stockholder under this Agreement prior to the Closing Date and to
satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Shares to be sold by
such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement.
SECTION 12. Miscellaneous. Notices given pursuant to any provision
of this Agreement shall be addressed as follows: (i) if to the Company, to ASC
Holdings, Inc., P.O. Box 450, Sunday ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Attn:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, (ii) if to the Selling Stockholder, to such Selling
Stockholder ▇/▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇., ▇.▇. ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, Sunday ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ and (iii) if to any Underwriter or to you, to you c/▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Corporation, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Syndicate Department, or in any case to such other
address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing.
The respective indemnities, contribution agreements,
representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, the Selling
Stockholder and the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this
Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, and will survive
delivery of and payment for the Shares, regardless of (i) any investigation, or
statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter,
the officers or directors of any Underwriter, any person controlling any
Underwriter, the Company, the officers or directors of the Company, any person
controlling the Company, or the Selling Stockholder, (ii) acceptance of the
Shares and payment for them hereunder and (iii) termination of this Agreement.
If for any reason the Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of
any Seller as provided herein (other than as a result of any termination of this
Agreement pursuant to Section 10), the Sellers agree, jointly and severally, to
reimburse the several Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the
fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by them. Notwithstanding any
termination of this Agreement, the Company shall be liable for all expenses
which it has agreed to pay pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof. The Sellers also
agree, jointly and severally, to reimburse the several Underwriters, their
directors and officers and any persons controlling any of the Underwriters for
any and all fees and expenses (including, without limitation, the fees
disbursements of counsel) incurred by them in connection with enforcing their
rights hereunder (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 8 hereof).
Except as otherwise provided, this Agreement has been and is made
solely for the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Company, the Selling
Stockholder, the Underwriters, the Underwriters' directors and officers, any
controlling persons referred to
28
herein, the Company's directors and the Company's officers who sign the
Registration Statement and their respective successors and assigns, all as and
to the extent provided in this Agreement, and no other person shall acquire or
have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term "successors and
assigns" shall not include a purchaser of any of the Shares from any of the
several Underwriters merely because of such purchase.
This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York.
This Agreement may be signed in various counterparts which together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.
29
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement
among the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
ASC HOLDINGS, INC.
By:______________________________
Title:
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
_________________________________
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
SECURITIES CORPORATION
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ LLC
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INCORPORATED
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INC.
Acting severally on behalf of
themselves and the several
Underwriters named in
Schedule I hereto
By: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
SECURITIES CORPORATION
By:_______________________________
30
SCHEDULE I
Number of Firm Shares
Underwriters to be Purchased
------------ ---------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Lufkin & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities
Corporation
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ LLC
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Inc.
Total ______________
Annex I
[Insert names of stockholders of the Company who will be required to
sign lock ups]
2