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EXHIBIT 1.1
USFREIGHTWAYS CORPORATION
(a Delaware corporation)
Notes due 200__
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated: , 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PURCHASE AGREEMENT..........................................................................................1
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties..............................................................3
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company...............................................3
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements..........................................3
(ii) Incorporated Documents.............................................................4
(iii) Independent Accountants............................................................4
(iv) Financial Statements...............................................................4
(v) No Material Adverse Change in Business.............................................4
(vi) Good Standing of the Company.......................................................5
(vii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries......................................................5
(viii) Capitalization.....................................................................5
(ix) Authorization of Agreement.........................................................5
(x) Authorization of the Indenture.....................................................5
(xi) Authorization of the Securities....................................................6
(xii) Description of the Securities and the Indenture....................................6
(xiii) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts..................................................6
(xiv) Absence of Labor Dispute...........................................................7
(xv) Absence of Proceedings.............................................................7
(xvi) Accuracy of Exhibits...............................................................7
(xvii) Possession of Intellectual Property................................................7
(xviii) Absence of Further Requirements....................................................8
(xix) Possession of Licenses and Permits.................................................8
(xx) Title to Property..................................................................8
(xxi) Compliance with Cuba Act...........................................................9
(xxii) Investment Company Act.............................................................9
(xxiii) Environmental Laws.................................................................9
(b) Officer's Certificates......................................................................9
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.................................................10
(a) Securities.................................................................................10
(b) Payment....................................................................................10
(c) Denominations; Registration................................................................10
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company...................................................................11
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests.............................11
(b) Filing of Amendments.......................................................................11
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements........................................................11
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses...................................................................12
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws..................................................12
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications....................................................................12
(g) Rule 158...................................................................................13
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(h) Use of Proceeds............................................................................13
(i) Reporting Requirements.....................................................................13
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses........................................................................13
(a) Expenses...................................................................................13
(b) Termination of Agreement...................................................................13
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations....................................................13
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement....................................................14
(b) Opinions of Counsel for Company............................................................14
(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters........................................................14
(d) Officers' Certificate......................................................................14
(e) Accountant's Comfort Letter................................................................15
(f) Bringdown Comfort Letter...................................................................15
(g) Maintenance of Rating......................................................................15
(h) Additional Documents.......................................................................15
(i) Termination of Agreement...................................................................16
SECTION 6. Indemnification............................................................................16
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters............................................................16
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers.........................................17
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification......................................................17
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse.........................................17
SECTION 7. Contribution...............................................................................18
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery.............................19
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement...................................................................19
(a) Termination; General.......................................................................19
(b) Liabilities................................................................................20
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters.................................................20
SECTION 11. Notices....................................................................................20
SECTION 12. Parties....................................................................................21
SECTION 13. Governing Law and Time.....................................................................21
SECTION 14. Effect of Headings.........................................................................21
SCHEDULES
Schedule A - List of Underwriters.................................................Sch A-1
Schedule B - Pricing Information..................................................Sch B-1
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Schedule C - List of Subsidiaries.................................................Sch C-1
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A - Form of Opinion of Company's Counsel
and Form of Opinion of Company's
Vice President and General Counsel.......................................A-1
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USFREIGHTWAYS CORPORATION
(a Delaware corporation)
$100,000,000
Notes due 200__
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
[April ___], 1999
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & CO.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
Incorporated
[Name(s) of Co-Representative(s)]
as Representative(s) of the several Underwriters
▇/▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
Incorporated
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
USFreightways Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
confirms its agreement with ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated ("▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇") and each of the other Underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto (collectively, the "Underwriters", which term shall also
include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10
hereof), for whom ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ [and [insert name(s) of other lead manager(s),
if any] are] [is] acting as representative(s) (in such capacity, the
"Representative(s)"), with respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the
purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the
respective principal amounts set forth in said Schedule A of [$100,000,000]
aggregate principal amount of the Company's Notes due 200__ (the "Securities").
The Securities are to be issued pursuant to an indenture dated as of [May 1,
1993] (the "Indenture") between the Company and NBD Bank, as trustee (the
"Trustee"). [The term "Indenture," as used herein, includes the Officers'
Certificate (as defined in the Indenture) establishing the form and terms of the
Securities pursuant to Sections 102 and 301 of the Indenture].
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public
offering of the
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Securities as soon as the Representative(s) deem(s) advisable after this
Agreement has been executed and delivered and the Indenture has been qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "1939 Act").
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-__________) covering
the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "1933 Act"), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses.
Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will either
(i) prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A
("Rule 430A") of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act
(the "1933 Act Regulations") and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule 424(b)") of
the 1933 Act Regulations or (ii) if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule
434 ("Rule 434") of the 1933 Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a
"Term Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b). The
information included in such prospectus or in such Term Sheet, as the case may
be, that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became
effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the
time it became effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred
to as "Rule 430A Information" or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is
referred to as "Rule 434 Information." Each prospectus used before such
registration statement became effective, and any prospectus that omitted, as
applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434 Information, that was used
after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, is herein called a "preliminary prospectus." Such registration
statement, including the exhibits thereto, schedules thereto, if any, and the
documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
under the 1933 Act, at the time it became effective and including the Rule 430A
Information and the Rule 434 Information, as applicable, is herein called the
"Registration Statement." Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule
462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein referred to as the "Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement," and after such filing the term "Registration Statement"
shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final prospectus,
including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of
Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for
use in connection with the offering of the Securities is herein called the
"Prospectus." If Rule 434 is relied on, the term "Prospectus" shall refer to the
preliminary prospectus dated [April __], 1999 together with the Term Sheet and
all references in this Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall mean the
date of the Term Sheet. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any Term
Sheet or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to
include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data
Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("▇▇▇▇▇").
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules
and other information which is "contained," "included" or "stated" in the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other
references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such
financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of
any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") which is
incorporated by
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reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be.
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the
Closing Time referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each
Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Company
meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. Each of
the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to
the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and
any request on the part of the Commission for additional information
has been complied with.
At the respective times the Registration Statement, any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto
became effective and at the Closing Time, the Registration Statement,
the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments and
supplements thereto complied and will comply in all material respects
with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and
the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the
1939 Act (the "1939 Act Regulations"), and did not and will not contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or
supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment
or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time, included or will
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will 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. If Rule 434 is used, the Company will comply with the
requirements of Rule 434. The representations and warranties in this
subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the
Registration Statement or Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any
Underwriter through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ expressly for use in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus.
Each preliminary prospectus and the 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 1933 Act,
complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act
Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus
delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering
was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed
with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted
by Regulation S-T.
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(ii) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, 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 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder (the "1934 Act Regulations"), and, when read
together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective, at the time the Prospectus was
issued and at the Closing Time, did not and will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
(iii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified
the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the
Registration Statement are independent public accountants as required
by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(iv) Financial Statements. The financial statements included
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the
related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of
the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated
and the statement of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows of
the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods
specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") applied on a
consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting
schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement present
fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated
therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial
information included in the Prospectus present fairly the information
shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of
the audited financial statements included in the Registration
Statement.
(v) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A)
there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial
or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business
prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business
(a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B) there have been no transactions
entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than
those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with
respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, and (C) except for regular quarterly dividends on the
common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the "Common
Stock") in amounts per share that are consistent with past practice,
there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid
or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.
(vi) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly
organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform
its obligations under
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this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign
corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other
jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason
of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business,
except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would
not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(vii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the
Company listed on Schedule C hereto (each a "Subsidiary" and,
collectively, the "Subsidiaries") has been duly organized and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a
foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in
each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by
reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of
business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good
standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as
otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued
and outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly
authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is
owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear
of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any
subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights
of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only subsidiaries of the
Company are (a) the subsidiaries listed on Schedule C hereto and (b)
certain other subsidiaries which, considered in the aggregate as a
single Subsidiary, do not constitute a "significant subsidiary" as
defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
(viii) Capitalization. The shares of issued and outstanding
capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding
shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the
preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the
Company.
(ix) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(x) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been
duly authorized by the Company and duly qualified under the 1939 Act
and, when duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee,
will constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as
the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency
(including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent
transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
enforcement of creditors' rights generally and except as enforcement
thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of
whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(xi) Authorization of the Securities. The Securities have
been duly authorized and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly
executed by the Company and, when
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authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided for in the
Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor
as provided in this Agreement, will constitute valid and binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all
laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or
similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors' rights generally and
except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of
equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding
in equity or at law), and will be in the form contemplated by, and
entitled to the benefits of, the Indenture.
(xii) Description of the Securities and the Indenture. The
Securities and the Indenture will conform in all material respects to
the respective statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus
and will be in substantially the respective forms filed or incorporated
by reference, as the case may be, as exhibits to the Registration
Statement.
(xiii) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws
or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any
of the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject
(collectively, "Agreements and Instruments") except for such defaults
that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the
Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein
and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of
the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the
Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of
Proceeds") and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder
and under the Indenture and the Securities have been duly authorized by
all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or
without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with
or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined
below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any
Subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such
conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that
would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action
result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of
the Company or any Subsidiary or any applicable law, statute, rule,
regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government,
government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, including,
without limitation, the Federal Highway Administration ("FHA"), the
United States Department of Transportation ("DOT") or any applicable
state highway and transportation agency, having jurisdiction over the
Company or any Subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or
operations. As used herein, a "Repayment Event" means any event or
condition that gives the holder of any note, debenture or other
evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's behalf)
the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or
a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any Subsidiary.
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(xiv) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the
employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge
of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any
existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its
or any Subsidiary's principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or
contractors, which, in either case, may reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xv) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the
Registration Statement, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry
or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency
or body, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the FHA,
the DOT or any applicable state highway and transportation agency, now
pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or
affecting the Company or any Subsidiary, that is required to be
disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed
therein), or that might reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect, or that might reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation
of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance
by the Company of its obligations hereunder; the aggregate of all
pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any
Subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective property or
assets is the subject that are not described in the Registration
Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the
business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(xvi) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or
documents that are required to be described in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference
therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto that have not been so
described and filed as required.
(xvii) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and
its Subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms,
adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights,
know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or
unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or
procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other
intellectual property (collectively, "Intellectual Property") necessary
to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise
aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others
with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or
circumstances that would render any Intellectual Property invalid or
inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the
subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity
or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or
authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or
agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of
its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or
sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or for
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the due execution, delivery or performance of the Indenture by the
Company, except such as have been already obtained or as may be
required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state
securities laws and except for the qualification of the Indenture under
the 1939 Act.
(xix) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its
Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and
other authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued by
the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or
bodies, including, without limitation, the FHA, the DOT and any
applicable state highway and transportation agencies, that are
necessary to conduct the business now operated by them; the Company and
its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all
such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would
not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of
the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect,
except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure
of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not
have a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the
revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses that
singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision,
ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect; and
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any
law, ordinance, administrative or governmental rule or regulation or
court decree applicable to it, including, without limitation, the FHA,
the DOT and any applicable state highway and transportation agency,
that singly or in the aggregate would result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(xx) Title to Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries have
good and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and
its Subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them,
in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security
interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such
as (a) are described in the Prospectus or (b) do not, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the leases
and subleases material to the business of the Company and its
subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the
Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor
any Subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that
has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any
Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or
affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary
to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under
any such lease or sublease.
(xxi) Compliance with Cuba Act. The Company has complied with,
and is and will be in compliance with, the provisions of that certain
Florida act relating to disclosure of doing business with Cuba,
codified as Section 517.075 of the Florida statutes, and the rules and
regulations thereunder (collectively, the "Cuba Act") or is exempt
therefrom.
(xxii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon
the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the
application of the net proceeds
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therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be, an "investment
company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company" as such
terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
(the "1940 Act").
(xxiii) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the
Registration Statement or except as would not, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state,
local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code,
policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative
interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order,
consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of
human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient
air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or
wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating
to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants,
contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum
or petroleum products (collectively, "Hazardous Materials") or to the
manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage,
disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively,
"Environmental Laws"), (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all
permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable
Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements,
(C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or
judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens,
notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings
relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that might
reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or
remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or
governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental
Laws.
(b) Officer's Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered to the Representative(s) or to
counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties
herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at
the price set forth in Schedule B, the aggregate principal amount of Securities
set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any
additional principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter may become
obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
(b) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
certificates for, the Securities shall be made at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇▇, Ltd., ▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇., ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, or at such other
place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative(s) and the
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Company, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs
after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date
hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or
such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be
agreed upon by the Representative(s) and the Company (such time and date of
payment and delivery being herein called "Closing Time").
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to
the Representative(s) for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of
certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that
each Underwriter has authorized the Representative(s), for its account, to
accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the
Securities that it has agreed to purchase. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, individually and not
as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make
payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be purchased by any
Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time, but such
payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
(c) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Securities shall
be in such denominations ($1,000 or integral multiples thereof) and registered
in such names as the Representative(s) may request in writing at least one full
business day before the Closing Time. The certificates for the Securities, if
any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the
Representative(s) in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern
time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each
Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission
Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the
requirements of Rule 430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify
the Representative(s) immediately, and confirm the notice in writing,
(i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement
shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any
amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any
comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission
for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) of
the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing
or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the
suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale
in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any
proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect
the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps
as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of
prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for
filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will
promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable
effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order
is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible
moment.
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(b) Filing of Amendments. The Company will give the
Representative(s) notice of its intention to file or prepare any
amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under
Rule 462(b)), any Term Sheet or any amendment, supplement or revision
to either the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the
time it became effective or to the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the
1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, will furnish the Representative(s)
with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to
such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or
use any such document to which the Representative(s) or counsel for the
Underwriters shall object.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has
furnished or will deliver to the Representative(s) and counsel for the
Underwriters, without charge, 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,
and will also deliver to the Representative(s), without charge, a
conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of
each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters.
The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto
furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇,
except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to
each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary
prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company
hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the
1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge,
during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under
the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus
(as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably
request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto
furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇,
except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company
will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934
Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the 1939 Act
Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the
Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If
at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be
delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall
occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in
the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to
amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus
in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or
if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such
time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or
the 1933 Act
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Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the
Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment or supplement as
may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such requirements,
and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies
of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably
request.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best
efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the
Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws
of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the
Representative(s) may designate and to maintain such qualifications in
effect for a period of not less than one year from the later of the
effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not
be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to
qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any
jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to
taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it
is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the
Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such
statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such
jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for a period of
not less than one year from the effective date of the Registration
Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The Company will
also supply the Underwriters with such information as is necessary for
the determination of the legality of the Securities for investment
under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may request.
(g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports
pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally
available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings
statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated
by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds
received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified
in the Prospectus under "Use of Proceeds".
(i) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period
when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or
the 1934 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the
Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by
the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the
preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including
financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this
Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters, the Indenture and such other
documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale,
issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and
delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the
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fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel, accountants and other advisors,
(v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with
the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith
and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement
thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each
preliminary prospectus, any Term Sheets and of the Prospectus and any amendments
or supplements thereto, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the
Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii)
the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Securities and
(ix) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Representative(s) in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section
9(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their
out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of
the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof or
in certificates of any officer of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company
delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company
of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further
conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration
Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become
effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued
under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by
the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for
additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable
satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing
the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in
accordance with Rule 424(b) (or a post-effective amendment providing
such information shall have been filed and declared effective in
accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the Company has
elected to rely upon Rule 434, a Term Sheet shall have been filed with
the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b).
(b) Opinions of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the
Representative(s) shall have received the favorable opinions, dated as
of Closing Time, of (i) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Ltd., counsel for the
Company, and (ii) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Vice President and General Counsel
for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter
for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A
hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may
reasonably request.
(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the
Representative(s) shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as
of Closing Time, of Winston & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Underwriters,
together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for
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each of the other Underwriters with respect to the matters set forth in
clauses (i), (ii), (vi) through (xii), inclusive, and the penultimate
paragraph of Exhibit A hereto. In giving such opinion such counsel may
rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other
than the law of the State of New York, and the federal law of the
United States and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware,
upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representative(s).
Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves
factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon
certificates of officers of the Company and its Subsidiaries and
certificates of public officials.
(d) Officers' Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not
have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse
change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings,
business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in
the ordinary course of business, and the Representative(s) shall have
received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the
Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the
Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has
been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and
warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same
force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time,
(iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to
Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that
purpose have been instituted or are pending or are contemplated by the
Commission.
(e) Accountant's Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution
of this Agreement, the Representative(s) shall have received from
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative(s), together with signed or
reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters
containing statements and information 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.
(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the
Representative(s) shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP a
letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the
statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of
this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a
date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
(g) Maintenance of Rating. At Closing Time, the Securities
shall be rated at least ____ by Moody's Investor's Service Inc. and
____ by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group, a division of ▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇,
Inc., and the Company shall have delivered to the Representative(s) a
letter dated the Closing Time, from each such rating agency, or other
evidence satisfactory to the Representative(s), confirming that the
Securities have such ratings; and since the date of this Agreement,
there shall not have occurred a downgrading in the rating assigned to
the Securities or any of the Company's other debt securities by any
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"nationally recognized statistical rating agency", as that term is
defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933
Act, and no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has
under surveillance or review its rating of the Securities or any of the
Company's other debt securities.
(h) Additional Documents. At Closing Time, counsel for the
Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions
as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order
to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties,
or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all
proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and
sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in
form and substance to the Representative(s) and counsel for the
Underwriters.
(i) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in
this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be
fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative(s) by
notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time, and such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party
except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8
shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule
430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, 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 arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus or
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount
paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened,
or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or
omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided
that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected
with the written consent of the Company; and
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(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred
(including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending
against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any
such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such
expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and
the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each
Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its
directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a)
of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or
omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and
the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter
through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto) or such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall
give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of
any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought
hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such
indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not
materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it
from any liability that it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above,
counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, and, in
the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the
indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may
participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided,
however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the
consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In
no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more
than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own
counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or
separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of
the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental
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agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of
which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or
Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential
parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an
unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out
of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include
a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by
or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time
an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by
Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the
aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of
the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being
entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such
indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement.
SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section
6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or
expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is
not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the
other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective
proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company
and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case
as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, or, if Rule 434 is used, the
corresponding location on the Term Sheet, bear to the aggregate initial public
offering price of the Securities as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
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 relates to information
supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission.
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The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate
amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an
indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Securities 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 any 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 ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and
each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall
have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters'
respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in
proportion to the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their
respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive
Delivery. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this
Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force
and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters.
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Representative(s) may terminate this
Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i)
if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any
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material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States, any
outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any
change or development involving a prospective change in national or
international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the
effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative(s),
impracticable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of
the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been
suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq National Market,
or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock
Exchange or in the Nasdaq National Market has been suspended or materially
limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum
ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system
or by order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. or any other governmental authority, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has
been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this
Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections
1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and
effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more
of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time to purchase the Securities that
it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the "Defaulted
Securities"), the Representative(s) shall have the right, within 24 hours
thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all,
of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the
terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative(s) shall not have
completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10%
of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased
hereunder, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated,
severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the
proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder
bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting
Underwriters, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the
aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder,
this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination
of this Agreement, either the Representative(s) or the Company shall have the
right to postpone Closing Time for a period not exceeding seven days in order to
effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in
any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term "Underwriter"
includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
-19-
24
SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder
shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or
transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the
Underwriters shall be directed to the Representative(s) at ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ and notices to the Company shall
be directed to it at ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
attention of ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.
SECTION 12. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective
successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or
shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling
persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their
heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This
Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the
sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their
respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors
and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other
person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter
shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY
AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SPECIFIED
TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 14. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings
herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect
the construction hereof.
[signature page follows]
-20-
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement
between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
USFREIGHTWAYS CORPORATION
By
----------------------------------
Title:
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & CO.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LYNCH, PIERCE, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
INCORPORATED
[NAME(S) OF CO-REPRESENTATIVE(S)]
By: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LYNCH, PIERCE, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
INCORPORATED
By
-----------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
For [itself] [themselves] and as Representative(s) of the other Underwriters
named in Schedule A hereto.
-21-
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SCHEDULE A
Principal
Amount of
Name of Underwriter Securities
------------------- ----------
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
Incorporated
[Name(s) of Co-Representative(s)]
==============
--------------
Total [$100,000,000]
==============
Sch A-1
27
SCHEDULE B
USFREIGHTWAYS CORPORATION
$100,000,000 Notes due 200__
1. The initial public offering price of the Securities shall be __% of
the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from the date of
issuance.
2. The purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters for the Securities
shall be __% of the principal amount thereof.
3. The interest rate on the Securities shall be __% per annum.
Sch B-1
28
SCHEDULE C
List of Subsidiaries
--------------------
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Transport Inc.
Golden Eagle Group Inc.
USF Bestway Inc.
USF Caribbean Services Inc.
USF Coast Consolidators Inc.
USF Distribution Services Inc.
USF ▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
USF Holland Inc.
USF Logistics Inc.
USF Red Star Inc.
USF Reddaway Inc.
USF Sales Corporation
USF Seko Worldwide Inc.
Sch C-1
29
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY'S COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease and
operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Purchase
Agreement.
(iii) The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in
good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the
Company is as set forth in the Prospectus in the column entitled "Actual" under
the caption "Capitalization" (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant
to the Purchase Agreement or pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee
benefit plans referred to in the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of
convertible securities or options referred to in the Prospectus); the shares of
issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized
and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and none of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of
the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(v) Each Subsidiary (as such term is defined in the Purchase
Agreement) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation
in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has
corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a
foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, except where the failure
so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect (as such term is defined in the Purchase Agreement); all of the issued
and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and
validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and, to the best of our
knowledge, is owned by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries, free and
clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
equity.
(vi) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(vii) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof
by the Trustee) constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in
A-1
30
accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to
fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
enforcement of creditors' rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is
subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(viii) The Securities are in the form contemplated by the Indenture,
have been duly authorized by the Company and, assuming that the Securities have
been duly authenticated by the Trustee in the manner described in its
certificate delivered to you today (which fact such counsel need not determine
by an inspection of the Securities), the Securities have been duly executed,
issued and delivered by the Company and constitute valid and binding obligations
of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms,
except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency
(including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers),
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors'
rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general
principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law), and will be entitled to the benefits of the
Indenture.
(ix) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
(x) The Securities and the Indenture conform as to legal matters in
all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(xi) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, has been declared effective under the 1933 Act; any
required filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the
manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and, to the best of
our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the
1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending
or threatened by the Commission.
(xii) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information,
as applicable, the Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated by reference
therein, and each amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated by reference therein, as of
their respective effective or issue dates (other than the financial statements
and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, and the
Trustee's Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 (the "Form T-1"), as to which we
need express no opinion) complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(xiii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (other
than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or
omitted therefrom, as to which we need express no opinion), when they were filed
with the Commission complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder.
A-2
31
(xiv) To the best of our knowledge, except as disclosed in the
Prospectus, there is not pending or threatened any action, suit, proceeding,
inquiry or investigation, to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party, or
to which the property of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject, before or
brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, that
might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or that
might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties
or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the
Purchase Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations
thereunder.
(xv) The information in "Description of Debt Securities" and in the
Registration Statement under Item 15, to the extent that it constitutes matters
of law, summaries of legal matters, the Company's Restated Certificate of
Incorporation and By-laws or legal proceedings, or legal conclusions, has been
reviewed by us and is correct in all material respects
(xvi) To the best of our knowledge, there are no statutes or
regulations that are required to be described in the Prospectus that are not
described as required.
(xvii) All descriptions in the Registration Statement of contracts and
other documents to which the Company or its Subsidiaries are a party are
accurate in all material respects; to the best of our knowledge, there are no
franchises, contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or
other instruments required to be described or referred to in the Registration
Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other than those described or
referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto,
and the descriptions thereof or references thereto are correct in all material
respects.
(xviii) To the best of our knowledge, neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary is in violation of its charter, certificate or articles of
incorporation or by-laws and no default by the Company or any Subsidiary exists
in the due performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement,
covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan
agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument that is described or
referred to in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or filed or
incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
(xix) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license,
order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental
authority or agency, domestic or foreign (other than under the 1933 Act and the
1933 Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be required under the
securities or blue sky laws of the various states and except for the
qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act, or other than the Federal
Highway Administration ("FHA"), the Department of Transportation ("DOT") or any
applicable state highway and transportation agency, as to which we need express
no opinion) is necessary or required in connection with the due authorization,
execution and delivery of the Purchase Agreement or the due execution, delivery
or performance of the Indenture by the Company or for the offering, issuance,
sale or delivery of the Securities.
(xx) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase
Agreement, the
A-3
32
Indenture and the Securities and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated in the Purchase Agreement and in the Registration Statement
(including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds
from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption
"Use Of Proceeds") and compliance by the Company with its obligations under the
Purchase Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities do not and will not,
whether with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, conflict
with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined in
Section 1(a)(xiii) of the Purchase Agreement) under or result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the
Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or any other agreement or
instrument, known to us, to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by
which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets
of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (except for such conflicts, breaches
or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not have a Material
Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions
of the charter, certificate or articles of incorporation or by-laws of the
Company or any Subsidiary, or any applicable Illinois law, United States Federal
law or regulation or Delaware corporate law (except we do not opine on highway
or transportation laws relating to the regulation of the Company, its
Subsidiaries or their businesses by the FHA, the DOT or any applicable state
highway and transportation agency), having jurisdiction over the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties.
(xxi) The Company is not an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company," as such terms are defined in the 1940
Act.
Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, including the Rule 430A
Information and Rule 434 Information (if applicable), (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by
reference therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which we need
make no statement), at the time such Registration Statement or any such
amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial statements and schedules
and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or
omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which we need make no statement), at
the time the Prospectus was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented
prospectus was issued or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted 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.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of fact
(but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on
certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. Such
opinion shall not state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is
otherwise subject to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to
legal opinions, including, without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the
ABA Section of Business Law (1991).
A-4
33
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY'S
VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(B)
(i) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of the FHA, the DOT or any applicable state highway and
transportation agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is required with respect to the due authorization, execution and
delivery of the Purchase Agreement or for the offering, issuance, sale or
delivery of the Securities (such counsel may rely on the opinions of local
counsel).
(ii) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement
and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the
Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as
described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use Of Proceeds") and compliance
by the Company with its obligations under the Purchase Agreement do not and will
not result in a violation of any law, ordinance, administrative or governmental
rule or regulation or court decree applicable to it of the FHA, the DOT or any
applicable state highway and transportation agency.
(iii) Each Subsidiary of the Company to the best of my knowledge holds
all licenses, franchises, permits, authorizations, approvals and orders of and
from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies, including the FHA, the
DOT or any applicable state highway and transportation agencies, that are
necessary to own or lease their properties and conduct their businesses as
described in the Prospectus and are material to the consolidated financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(iv) To the best of my knowledge and other than as set forth in the
Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of
any law, ordinance, administrative or governmental rule or regulation or court
decree applicable to it of the FHA, the DOT or any applicable state highway and
transportation agency, or is not in compliance with any term or condition of, or
has failed to obtain, any license, permit, franchise or other administrative or
governmental authorization of the FHA, the DOT or any applicable state highway
and transportation agency, which violation, non-compliance or failure to obtain
would individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the
consolidated financial position, shareholder's equity or results or operations
of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
A-5
34
Annex A
FORM OF ACCOUNTANTS' COMFORT LETTER PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(e)
We are independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the
meaning of the 1933 Act and the applicable published 1933 Act Regulations
(i) in our opinion, the audited financial statements and the
related financial statement schedules included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply as to
form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the 1933 Act and the published rules and regulations
thereunder;
(ii) on the basis of procedures (but not an examination in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) consisting a
reading of the latest available unaudited interim consolidated
financial statements of the Company, a reading of the minutes of all
meetings of the stockholders and directors of the Company and its
Subsidiaries and the committees of the Company's Board of Directors
since January 1, 1999, inquiries of certain officials of the Company
responsible for financial and accounting matters, a review of interim
financial information in accordance with standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 71, Interim Financial Information ("SAS 71"),
with respect to the [three month periods ended March 31, 1998 and March
31, 1999] and such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified
in such letter, nothing came to our attention that caused us to believe
that:
(A) at [March 31, 1999] there was any change in the
capital stock, increase in consolidated long-term debt, or any
decreases in consolidated net current assets or stockholder's
equity of the Company as compared with amounts shown in the
latest balance sheet included in the Registration Statement,
except in each case for changes, decreases or increases that
the Registration Statement discloses have occurred or may
occur; or
(B) for the period from December 31, 1998 to March
31, 1999, there were any decreases in consolidated net sales
or operating profit, or in the total or per share amounts of
consolidated net income, in each case as compared with the
comparable period in the preceding year, except in each case
for any decreases that the Registration Statement discloses
have occurred or may occur and except as disclosed herein;
(iii) based upon the procedures set forth in clause (ii) above
and a reading of the Selected Consolidated Financial Data incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement and a reading of the
financial statements from which such data were derived, nothing came to
our attention that caused us to believe that the Selected Consolidated
Financial Data incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
do not comply as to form in all material respects with the disclosure
requirements of Item 301 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act, that the
amounts included in the Selected Consolidated Financial Data are not in
Annex A-1
35
agreement with the corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated
financial statements for the respective periods or that the financial
statements not included in the Registration Statement from which
certain of such data were derived are not in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles;
(iv) we have compared the information in the Registration
Statement under selected captions with the disclosure requirements of
Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act and on the basis of limited procedures
specified herein, nothing came to our attention that caused us to
believe that this information does not comply as to form in all
material respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 302, 402
and 503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(v) based upon the procedures set forth in clause (ii) above,
a reading of the unaudited consolidated financial statements of the
Company for the period ended March 31, 1999 that have not been included
in the Registration Statement and a review of such financial statements
in accordance with SAS 71, nothing came to our attention that caused us
to believe that the unaudited amounts for consolidated net sales or
operating profit, or in the total or per share amounts of consolidated
net income for the period ended March 31, 1999 do not agree with the
amounts set forth in the unaudited consolidated financial statements
for those periods or that such unaudited amounts were not determined on
a basis substantially consistent with that of the corresponding amounts
in the audited consolidated financial statements; and
(vi) in addition to the procedures referred to in clause (ii)
above, we have performed other procedures, not constituting an audit,
with respect to certain amounts, percentages, numerical data and
financial information appearing in the Registration Statement, which
are specified herein, and have compared certain of such items with, and
have found such items to be in agreement with, the accounting and
financial records of the Company.
Annex A-2