18,750,000 Shares VERSO PAPER CORP. Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
18,750,000 Shares
Common Stock
[—], 2008
CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.,
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters,
c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC,
Eleven Madison Avenue,
New York, N.Y. 10010-3629
Dear Sirs:
1. Introductory. Verso Paper Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), agrees with the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (“Underwriters”) to issue and sell to the several Underwriters 18,750,000 shares of its Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Securities”) (such 18,750,000 shares of Securities being hereinafter referred to as the “Firm Securities”). Verso Paper Management LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Selling Stockholder”), also agrees to sell to the Underwriters, at the option of the Underwriters, an aggregate of not more than 2,812,500 additional outstanding shares (“Optional Securities”) of the Securities, as set forth below. The Firm Securities and the Optional Securities are herein collectively called the “Offered Securities”. As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (the “Designated Underwriter”) has agreed to reserve out of the Firm Securities purchased by it under this Agreement, up to 5% of the Offered Securities, for sale to the Company’s directors, officers, employees and other parties associated with the Company (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in the Final Prospectus (as defined herein) under the heading “Underwriting” (the “Directed Share Program”). The Firm Securities to be sold by the Designated Underwriter pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the “Directed Shares”) will be sold by the Designated Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement at the public offering price. Any Directed Shares not subscribed for by the end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholder. (a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:
(i) Filing and Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Certain Defined Terms. The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-148201) covering the registration of the Offered Securities under the Act, including a related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses. At any particular time, this initial registration statement, in the form then on file with the Commission, including all information contained in the registration statement (if any) pursuant to Rule 462(b) and then deemed to be a part of the initial registration statement, and all 430A Information, that in any case has not then been superseded or modified, shall be referred to as the “Initial Registration Statement”. The Company may also have filed, or may file with the Commission, a Rule 462(b) registration statement covering the registration of Offered Securities. At any particular time, this Rule 462(b) registration statement, in the form then on file with the Commission, including the contents of the Initial Registration Statement incorporated by reference therein and including all 430A Information that in any case has not then been superseded or modified, shall be referred to as the “Additional Registration Statement”.
As of the time of execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Initial Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Act and is not proposed to be amended. Any Additional Registration Statement has or will become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) and is not proposed to be amended. The Offered Securities all have been or will be duly registered under the Act pursuant to the Initial Registration Statement and, if applicable, the Additional Registration Statement.
For purposes of this Agreement:
“430A Information”, with respect to any registration statement, means information included in a prospectus and retroactively deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(b).
“Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Applicable Time” means [•] P.M. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.
“Closing Date” has the meaning defined in Section 3 hereof.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Effective Time” with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or, if filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Additional Registration Statement means the date and time as of which such Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission or has become effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(c). If an Additional Registration Statement has not been filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement but the Company has advised the Representatives that it proposes to file one, “Effective Time” with respect to such Additional Registration Statement means the date and time as of which such Registration Statement is filed and becomes effective pursuant to Rule 462(b).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Final Prospectus” means the Statutory Prospectus that discloses the public offering price, other 430A Information and other final terms of the Offered Securities and otherwise satisfies Section 10(a) of the Act.
“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being so specified in Schedule B to this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Offered Securities in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not a General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
The Initial Registration Statement and the Additional Registration Statement are referred to collectively as the “Registration Statements” and individually as a “Registration Statement”. A “Registration Statement” with reference to a particular time means the Initial Registration Statement and any Additional Registration Statement as of such time. A “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such Registration Statement as of its Effective Time. For purposes of the foregoing definitions, 430A Information with respect to a Registration Statement shall be considered to be included in such Registration Statement as of the time specified in Rule 430A.
“Rules and Regulations” means the rules and regulations of the Commission.
“Securities Laws” means, collectively, the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 (“▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇”), the Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations, the auditing principles, rules, standards and practices applicable to auditors of “issuers” (as defined in ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (“Exchange Rules”).
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“Statutory Prospectus” with reference to a particular time means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any 430A Information with respect to such Registration Statement. For purposes of the foregoing definition, 430A Information shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus as of the actual time that form of prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or Rule 462(c) and not retroactively.
Unless otherwise specified, a reference to a “rule” is to the indicated rule under the Act.
(ii) Compliance with Securities Act Requirements. (i) (A) On the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement, the Initial Registration Statement conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (B) on the Effective Date of the Additional Registration Statement (if any), each Registration Statement conformed or will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not include, or will not include, any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit, or will not omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (C) on the date of this Agreement, the Initial Registration Statement and, if the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement is prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Additional Registration Statement each conforms, and at the time of filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (if no such filing is required) at the Effective Date of the Additional Registration Statement in which the Prospectus is included, and on each Closing Date, the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and neither of such documents includes, or will include, any untrue statement of a material fact or omits, or will omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from a Registration Statement or the Prospectus based upon written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(c) hereof.
(iii) Ineligible Issuer Status. (i) At the time of the initial filing of the Initial Registration Statement and (ii) at the date of this Agreement, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, including (x) the Company or any other subsidiary in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 and (y) the Company in the preceding three years not having been the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar proceeding, not having had a registration statement be the subject of a proceeding under Section 8 of the Act and not being the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities, all as described in Rule 405.
(iv) General Disclosure Package. As of the Applicable Time, neither (i) the General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time and the preliminary prospectus, dated [•], 2008 (which is the most recent Statutory Prospectus distributed to investors generally) and the price to the public and the number of shares offered on the cover page of the Prospectus, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (ii) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Statutory Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
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Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c) hereof.
(v) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies Credit Suisse as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement or as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would 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, (i) the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify Credit Suisse and (ii) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission. The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c) hereof.
(vi) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be duly qualified or in good standing would not individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”).
(vii) Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company listed on Schedule C has been duly incorporated or formed and is an existing corporation or other entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, with corporate (or similar organizational) power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package; and each subsidiary of the Company listed on Schedule C is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or other entity in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be duly qualified or in good standing would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other ownership interests of each such subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and the capital stock or other ownership interests of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects except (A) as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and Final Prospectus, (B) for liens, encumbrances or defects in place as of the date hereof or to be in place as of the Closing Date or thereafter in connection with secured debt outstanding as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and Final Prospectus or (C) as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(viii) Offered Securities. The Offered Securities and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized; the authorized equity capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package; and (in the case of the Offered Securities, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement on each Closing Date) validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will be consistent with the
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information in the General Disclosure Package and will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; and the stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Securities.
(ix) No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.
(x) Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Act (collectively, “registration rights”), and any person to whom the Company has granted registration rights has agreed not to exercise such rights until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period referred to in Section 5(l) hereof.
(xi) Listing. The Offered Securities have been approved for listing on The New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance.
(xii) Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing with, any governmental agency or body or any court is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities, except (i) such as have been obtained and made on or prior to the Closing Date, (ii) such as may be required under the Act, the Rules and Regulations, foreign or state securities laws (including “Blue Sky” laws) or the rules and regulations of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”) and (iii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, or orders as would not adversely affect the Underwriters and as would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The foregoing representation is made after reasonable consultation with counsel having responsibility for the matters covered thereby.
(xiii) Title to Property. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and Final Prospectus and except for the liens, encumbrances or defects in place as of the date hereof or to be in place as of the Closing Date or thereafter, in each case in connection with secured debt outstanding as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, charge, encumbrances and defects that would materially affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and Final Prospectus or as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them.
(xiv) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, (i) any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or any of their properties, (ii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any such subsidiary is bound, which is material to the Company or its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or to which any of the properties of the Company or any such subsidiary is subject, or (iii) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any such subsidiary, except in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) where such breach, violation or default would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company has full corporate power and
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authority to authorize, issue and sell the Offered Securities as contemplated by this Agreement. The foregoing representation is made after reasonable consultation with counsel having responsibility for the matters covered thereby.
(xv) Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or (ii) in default in the performance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound, except for such default in the case of this clause (ii) that would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvi) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xvii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess adequate certificates, authorities or permits issued by appropriate governmental agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except for such certificates, authorities and permits the lack of which would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xix) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “intellectual property rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, except for the lack of which would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xx) Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, to the best knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company and any of its subsidiaries, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “environmental laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any environmental laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any environmental laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any environmental laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which would reasonably be expected to lead to such a claim.
(xxi) Accurate Disclosure. The descriptions in the General Disclosure Package of statutes, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents are accurate in all material respects. The foregoing representation is made after reasonable consultation with counsel having responsibility for the matters covered thereby.
(xxii) Absence of Manipulation. Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in a Registration Statement, a Statutory Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable.
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(xxii) Internal Controls. The Company maintains and will maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act) designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported in accordance with the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Company will carry out evaluations, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, of the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures in accordance with Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
(xxiii ) Litigation. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Offered Securities; and to the best knowledge of the Company, no such actions, suits or proceedings are threatened. The foregoing representation is made after reasonable consultation with counsel having responsibility for the matters covered thereby.
(xxiv) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in each Registration Statement and the General Disclosure Package present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis and the schedules included in each Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein.
(xxv) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package (i) there has been no change, nor any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that is material and adverse and (ii) except as disclosed in or contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.
(xxvi) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”).
(xxviii) Ratings. No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the Company’s retaining any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of the Company or (ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering (a) the downgrading, suspension, or withdrawal of, or any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change in, any rating so assigned or (b) any change in the outlook for any rating of the Company or any securities of the Company.
(xxix) Absence of Unlawful Influence. The Company has not offered or sold, or caused the Underwriters to offer or sell, any Offered Securities to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.
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(b) In the event that the Underwriters elect to purchase any Optional Securities from the Selling Stockholder pursuant to Section 3 of this Agreement, the Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:
(i) Title to Securities. On each Closing Date hereinafter mentioned the Selling Stockholder will have valid and unencumbered title to the Offered Securities to be delivered by the Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date and the Selling Stockholder has the full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Offered Securities to be delivered by the Selling Stockholder on each Closing Date hereunder; and upon the delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities on each Closing Date hereunder the several Underwriters will receive valid title to the Offered Securities to be delivered by the Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date free and clear of any lien, security interest or other encumbrance, including, without limitation, any restriction on transfer, granted, created or expressly consented to by the Selling Stockholder.
(ii) Compliance with Securities Act Requirements. On the (A) Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement, the Initial Registration Statement did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (B) Effective Date of the Additional Registration Statement (if any), each Registration Statement did not include, or will not include, any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit, or will not omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (C) date of this Agreement, the Initial Registration Statement and, if the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement is prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Additional Registration Statement and, at the time of filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (if no such filing is required) at the Effective Date of the Additional Registration Statement in which the Prospectus is included, and on each Closing Date, each Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not include, or will not include, any untrue statement of a material fact or do not omit, or will not omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties in this section 2(b)(ii) shall apply only to the extent that any statements in or omissions from a Registration Statement or the Prospectus are based upon written information furnished to the Company by the Selling Stockholder specifically for use therein; it being understood that the only such information furnished in writing to the Company by the Selling Stockholder specifically for use therein is that information described in Section 8(b) of this Agreement.
(iii) General Disclosure Package. As of the Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the representation and warranty in this section 2(b)(iii) shall apply only to the extent that any statements in or omissions from the General Disclosure Package or any Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus are based upon written information furnished to the Company by the Selling Stockholder specifically for use therein; it being understood that the only such information furnished in writing to the Company by the Selling Stockholder specifically for use therein is that information described in Section 8(b) of this Agreement.
(iv) No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Selling Stockholder and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Selling Stockholder or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.
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(v) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder.
(vi) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Selling Stockholder and the consummation by the Selling Stockholder of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Selling Stockholder is a party or by which the Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Selling Stockholder is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the Selling Stockholder or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder or the property or assets of the Selling Stockholder, except in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) for such conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults as would not reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the Selling Stockholder’s ability to perform its obligations hereunder.
(vii) Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder or the property or assets of the Selling Stockholder is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Selling Stockholder and the consummation by the Selling Stockholder of the transactions contemplated hereby, except (i) such as have been obtained and made on or prior to the applicable Closing Date, (ii) such as may be required under the Act, the Rules and Regulations, foreign or state securities laws (including “Blue Sky” laws) or the rules and regulations of the NASD and (iii) for such consents, approvals, authorizations or orders as would not adversely affect the Selling Stockholder’s ability to perform its obligations hereunder.
3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company at a purchase price of $[•] per share, that number of Firm Securities (rounded up or down, as determined by the Representatives in their discretion, in order to avoid fractions) obtained by multiplying 18,750,000 Firm Securities of the Company by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A hereto and the denominator of which is the total number of Firm Securities.
The Company will deliver the Firm Securities to or as instructed by the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representatives against payment of the purchase price in Federal (same day) funds by official bank check or checks or wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representatives drawn to the order of the Company at the office of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, at [•] A.M., New York time, on [•], 2008, or at such other time not later than seven full business days thereafter as the Representatives and the Company determine, such time being herein referred to as the “First Closing Date”. For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the First Closing Date (if later than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the settlement date for payment of funds and delivery of securities for all the Offered Securities sold pursuant to the offering. The Firm Securities so to be delivered or evidence of their issuance will be made available for checking at the above office of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ at least 24 hours prior to the First Closing Date.
In addition, upon written notice from the Representatives given to the Selling Stockholder from time to time not more than 30 days subsequent to the date of the Final Prospectus, the Underwriters may purchase all or less than all of the Optional Securities at the purchase price per Security to be paid for the Firm Securities. The Selling Stockholder agrees to sell to the Underwriters the number of shares of Optional Securities specified in such notice and the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase such Optional Securities. Such Optional Securities shall be purchased from the Selling Stockholder for the account of each Underwriter in the same proportion as the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite such
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Underwriter’s name bears to the total number of Firm Securities (subject to adjustment by the Representatives to eliminate fractions) and may be purchased by the Underwriters only for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the sale of the Firm Securities. No Optional Securities shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Representatives to the Selling Stockholder.
Each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities, being herein referred to as an “Optional Closing Date”, which may be the First Closing Date (the First Closing Date and each Optional Closing Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Closing Date”), shall be determined by the Representatives but shall be not later than five full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Securities is given. The Selling Stockholder will deliver the Optional Securities being purchased on each Optional Closing Date to or as instructed by the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representatives, against payment of the purchase price therefore in Federal (same day) funds by official bank check or checks or wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representatives drawn to the order of the Selling Stockholder at the above office of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. The Optional Securities being purchased on each Optional Closing Date or evidence of their issuance will be made available for checking at the above office of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ at a reasonable time in advance of such Optional Closing Date.
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Offered Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
5. Certain Agreements of the Company and the Selling Stockholder. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters and the Selling Stockholder that:
(a) Additional Filings. Unless filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) as part of the Additional Registration Statement in accordance with the next sentence, the Company will file the Final Prospectus, in a form approved by the Representatives, with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with subparagraph (4) of Rule 424(b) not later than the earlier of (A) the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement or (B) the fifteenth business day after the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of any such filing pursuant to Rule 424(b). If an Additional Registration Statement is necessary to register a portion of the Offered Securities under the Act but the Effective Time thereof has not occurred as of the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will file the additional registration statement or, if filed, will file a post-effective amendment thereto with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 462(b) on or prior to 10:00 P.M., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or, if earlier, on or prior to the time the Final Prospectus is finalized and distributed to any Underwriter, or will make such filing at such later date as shall have been consented to by the Representatives.
(b) Filing of Amendments: Response to Commission Requests. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives of any proposal to amend or supplement at any time the Initial Registration Statement, any Additional Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus and will not effect such amendment or supplementation without the Representatives’ consent; and the Company will also advise the Representatives promptly of (i) the effectiveness of any Additional Registration Statement (if its Effective Time is subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement), (ii) any amendment or supplementation of a Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus, (iii) any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment to any Registration Statement, for any supplement to any Statutory Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of a Registration Statement or the threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, and (v) the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Offered Securities in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceedings for such purpose. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
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(c) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act by any Underwriter or dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives of such event and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and the dealers and any other dealers upon request of the Representatives, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance. Neither the Representatives’ consent to, nor the Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof.
(d) Rule 158. As soon as practicable, but not later than the Availability Date (as defined below), the Company will make generally available to its security holders an earnings statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement (or, if later, the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement) which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act. For the purpose of the preceding sentence, “Availability Date” means the day after the end of the fourth fiscal quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes such Effective Time on which the Company is required to file its Form 10-Q for such fiscal quarter except that, if such fourth fiscal quarter is the last quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, “Availability Date” means the day after the end of such fourth fiscal quarter on which the Company is required to file its Form 10-K.
(e) Furnishing of Prospectuses. The Company will furnish to the Representatives copies of each Registration Statement (three of which will be signed and will include all exhibits), each related Statutory Prospectus, and, so long as a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act, the Final Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case in such quantities as the Representatives request. The Final Prospectus shall be so furnished on or prior to 3:00 P.M., New York time, on the business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement. All other such documents shall be so furnished as soon as available. The Company will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the Underwriters all such documents.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives designate and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution.
(g) Reporting Requirements. During the period of five years hereafter, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and, upon request, to each of the other Underwriters, as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of its annual report to stockholders for such year; and the Company will furnish to the Representatives (i) as soon as available, a copy of each report and any definitive proxy statement of the Company filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act or mailed to stockholders, and (ii) from time to time, such other information concerning the Company as the Representatives may reasonably request. However, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and is timely filing reports with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“▇▇▇▇▇”), it is not required to furnish such reports or statements to the Underwriters.
(h) Payment of Expenses. The Company and the Selling Stockholder agree with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, under this Agreement, including
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but not limited to any filing fees and other expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) incurred in connection with qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives designate and the preparation and printing of memoranda relating thereto and expenses related to the review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. of the Offered Securities (including filing fees and the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such review), for any travel costs and expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any other expenses of the Company and the Selling Stockholder relating to investor presentations or any “road show” in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities, fees and expenses incident to listing the Offered Securities on the New York Stock Exchange, fees and expenses in connection with the registration of the Offered Securities under the Exchange Act, any transfer taxes on the sale by the Selling Stockholder of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters and expenses incurred in distributing preliminary prospectuses and the Final Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto) to the Underwriters and for expenses incurred for preparing, printing and distributing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses to investors or prospective investors. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this paragraph, the Company and the Underwriters each agree to pay 50% of the cost relating to a chartered aircraft to be used by the Underwriters and the Company in connection with such investor presentations or any “road show.” It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section 5 and Sections 8, 9, 10 and 11, the Underwriters will pay all of their respective costs and expenses, including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of their counsel.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it in connection with this offering in the manner described in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the General Disclosure Package and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and Final Prospectus, the Company does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.
(j) Absence of Manipulation. The Company and the Selling Stockholder will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
(k) Restriction on Sale of Securities by Company. For the period specified below (the “Lock-Up Period”), the Company will not, directly or indirectly, take any of the following actions with respect to its Securities or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of its Securities (“Lock-Up Securities”): (i) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of Lock-Up Securities, (ii) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, contract to purchase or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase Lock-Up Securities, (iii) enter into any swap, hedge or any other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequences of ownership of Lock-Up Securities, (iv) establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in Lock-Up Securities within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (v) file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to Lock-Up Securities, or publicly disclose the intention to take any such action, without the prior written consent of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, except (i) issuances of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or the exercise of warrants or options, in each case outstanding on the date hereof or described in the Prospectus as being outstanding on or prior to the First Closing Date, (ii) grants of employee or director stock options or other equity-based compensation pursuant to the terms of a plan in effect on the date hereof or described in the Prospectus as being in effect on or prior to the First Closing Date or issuances of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the exercise of such options or other equity-based compensation awards, (iii) issuances of Lock-Up Securities in connection with a bona fide merger or acquisition transaction; provided that such Lock-Up Securities so issued are subject to the terms of an agreement having substantially the same terms as the lock-up letters described in Section 7(h) of this Agreement; and provided further that the aggregate amount of Lock-Up Securities issued pursuant to this clause (iii) does not exceed 5% of the market capitalization of the Company on the First Closing Date, (iv) the sale to the Underwriters of the Offered Securities pursuant to
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this Agreement and (v) the filing by the Company with the Commission of any Registration Statement on Form S-8 relating to any shares that have been or may be issued pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above. The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date hereof and continue for 180 days after the date hereof or such earlier date that Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC consents to in writing; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the occurrence of the materials news or material event, as applicable, unless the Representatives waive, in writing, such extension. The Company will provide the Representatives with notice of any announcement described in clause (2) of the preceding sentence that gives rise to an extension of the Lock-Up Period.
(l) Transfer Restrictions. In connection with the Directed Share Program, the Company will ensure that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent required by the NASD rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Designated Underwriter will notify the Company as to which Participants will need to be so restricted. The Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon such securities for such period of time.
(m) Payment of Expenses Related to Directed Share Program. The Company will pay all fees and disbursements of counsel (including non-U.S. counsel) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program.
(n) Compliance with Foreign Laws. The company will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations in each foreign jurisdiction, if any, in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.
6. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company and the Selling Stockholder represent and agree that, unless they obtain the prior consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping. The Company represents that is has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions in Rule 433 to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show.
7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities on the First Closing Date and the Optional Securities to be purchased on each Optional Closing Date will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and, with respect to any Optional Closing Date, the Selling Stockholder herein (as though made on such Closing Date), to the accuracy of the statements of Company officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholder of their obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:
(a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. The Representatives shall have received letters, dated, respectively, the date hereof and each Closing Date, of Deloitte & Touche LLP confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm and independent public accountants within the meaning of the
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Securities Laws and otherwise in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, concerning the financial information with respect to the Company set forth in the Registration Statements and the General Disclosure Package.
(b) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. If the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement (if any) is not prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, such Effective Time shall have occurred not later than 10:00 P.M., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or, if earlier, the time the Final Prospectus is finalized and distributed to any Underwriter, or shall have occurred at such later time as shall have been consented to by the Representatives. The Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and Section 5(a) hereof. Prior to such Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Selling Stockholder, the Company or the Representatives, shall be contemplated by the Commission.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Offered Securities; (ii) any downgrading in the rating of any debt securities of the Company or any subsidiary by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)), or any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities of the Company or any subsidiary (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating); (iii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impractical to market or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market; (iv) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (v) or any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (vi) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal or New York authorities; (vii) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment or clearance services in the United States or any other country where such securities are listed or (viii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Representatives, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it impractical or inadvisable to market the Offered Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Company, substantially in the form as set forth on Exhibit A hereto;
(e) Opinion of Counsel for Selling Stockholder. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Optional Closing Date, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Selling Stockholder, substantially in the form as set forth on Exhibit B hereto,
(f) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may require, and the Selling Stockholder and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(g) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated such
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Closing Date, of an executive officer of the Company and a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company in which such officers shall state that: the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct; the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the best of their knowledge and after reasonable investigation, are contemplated by the Commission; the Additional Registration Statement (if any) satisfying the requirements of subparagraphs (1) and (3) of Rule 462(b) was timely filed pursuant to Rule 462(b), including payment of the applicable filing fee in accordance with Rule 111(a) under the Act, prior to the Applicable Time; and, subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the General Disclosure Package, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and Final Prospectus or as described in such certificate.
(h) Lock-Up Agreements. On or prior to the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received lockup letters from each of the executive officers and directors of the Company and from each stockholder of the Company.
(i) With respect to any Optional Closing Date, to avoid a 28% backup withholding tax the Selling Stockholder will deliver to the Representatives a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).
The Selling Stockholder and the Company will furnish the Representatives with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives reasonably request. The Representatives may in their sole discretion waive on behalf of the Underwriters compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, whether in respect of an Optional Closing Date or otherwise.
8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) Indemnification of Underwriters by Company. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below.
The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Designated Underwriter its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls the Designated Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
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Exchange Act (the “Designated Entities”), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i) arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program arising out of or based upon any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) arising out of or based upon the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) arising out of, related to or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Designated Entities.
(b) Indemnification of Underwriters by Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Selling Stockholder will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below; provided further, however, that the Selling Stockholder shall only be subject to such liability to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance on and in conformity with written information provided by the Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, it being understood that the only such information furnished by the Selling Stockholder consists of the statements relating to the Selling Stockholder under the caption “Principal and Selling Stockholders” in any Registration Statement as of any time, Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and provided further, that the liability under this Section 8(b) of the Selling Stockholder shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate gross proceeds after underwriting commissions and discounts, but before expenses, received by the Selling Stockholder from the sale of any Optional Securities hereunder.
(c) Indemnification of Company and Selling Stockholder. Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and each of its officers who signs a Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the Selling Stockholder (each, an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”) against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus at any time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
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information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Final Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the [•] paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” and the information contained in the [ ] paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting”.
(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under subsection (a), (b), or (c) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a), (b), or (c) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a), (b), or (c) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if indemnity may be sought pursuant to the last paragraph in Section 8 (a) hereof in respect of such action or proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm for the indemnified parties, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Designated Underwriter for the defense of any losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising out of the Directed Share Program, and all persons, if any, who control the Designated Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act of Section 20 of the Exchange Act. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action 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 an indemnified party.
(e) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b), or (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a), (b), or (c) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (the “Independent Underwriter”) in its capacity as “qualified independent underwriter” shall be deemed to be equal to the compensation received by the Independent Underwriter for acting in such capacity. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters.
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The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Selling Stockholder or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (e). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (e), (i) 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 such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission, (ii) the Independent Underwriter in its capacity as “qualified independent underwriter” (within the meaning of NASD Conduct Rule 2720) shall not be responsible for any amount in excess of the compensation received by the Independent Underwriter for acting in such capacity and (iii) the Selling Stockholder shall not be required to contribute an amount in excess of the aggregate gross proceeds after underwriting commissions and discounts, but before expenses, received by the Selling Stockholder from the sale of any Optional Securities hereunder. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (e) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(e) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 8(e).
(f) Indemnification of Independent Underwriter by Company and Selling Stockholder. Without limitation of and in addition to its obligations under the other paragraphs of this Section 8, the Company and the Selling Stockholder agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Independent Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person who controls the Independent Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon the Independent Underwriter’s acting as a “qualified independent underwriter” (within the meaning of NASD Conduct Rule 2720) in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement, and will reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding, whatsoever; provided, however, that neither the Company nor the Selling Stockholder will be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability results from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Independent Underwriter.
9. Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their obligations to purchase Offered Securities hereunder on either the First or any Optional Closing Date and the aggregate number of shares of Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total number of shares of Offered Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, the Representatives may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company and the Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate number of shares of Offered Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total number of shares of Offered Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, except as provided in Section 10 (provided that if
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such default occurs with respect to Optional Securities after the First Closing Date, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities or any Optional Securities purchased prior to such termination). As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Selling Stockholder, of the Company or its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Selling Stockholder, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities. If the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities, and the respective obligations of the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8 hereof shall remain in effect. In addition, if any Offered Securities have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in Section 2 and all obligations under Section 5 shall also remain in effect.
11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to the Representatives, c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010-3629, Attention: LCD-IBD, or, if sent to the Company or the Selling Stockholder, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at Verso Paper Corp., ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, General Counsel; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to such Underwriter.
12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 8, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
13. Representation. The Representatives will act for the several Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and any action under this Agreement taken by the Representatives jointly or by Credit Suisse will be binding upon all the Underwriters.
14. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
15. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company and the Selling Stockholder acknowledge and agree that:
(a) No Other Relationship. The Representatives have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company or the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Representatives, on the other, has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Final Prospectus, irrespective of whether the Representatives have advised or is advising the Company or the Selling Stockholder on other matters;
(b) Arms’ Length Negotiations. The price of the Offered Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by Company and the Selling Stockholder following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Stockholder are capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
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(c) Absence of Obligation to Disclose. The Company and the Selling Stockholder have been advised that the Representatives and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company or the Selling Stockholder and that the Representatives have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company or the Selling Stockholder by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and
(d) Waiver. The Company and the Selling Stockholder waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims they may have against the Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agree that the Representatives shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company or the Selling Stockholder in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company or the Selling Stockholder, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company or the Selling Stockholder.
16. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
The Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with the Representatives’ understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Selling Stockholder, the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | ||||||||||||
|
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||||||||||||
| By: |
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| [Insert title]
|
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| VERSO PAPER MANAGEMENT LP
| ||||||||||
| By: | VERSO PAPER INVESTMENTS LP | |||||||||
| General Partner
| ||||||||||
| By: | VERSO PAPER INVESTMENTS MANAGEMENT LLC | |||||||||
| General Partner
| ||||||||||
| By: |
| |||||||||
| [Insert title] | ||||||||||
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.
| CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
| ||
| Acting on behalf of themselves and as the Representatives of the several Underwriters.
| ||
| By CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC
| ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
|
By CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
| ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
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EXHIBIT A
Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company
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EXHIBIT B
Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Stockholder
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SCHEDULE A
| Number of Firm Securities to Be Sold By |
Total Number of Firm Securities to be Purchased | |||||
| Underwriter |
Company | Selling Stockholder |
||||
| Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
||||||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
||||||
| Deutsche Bank Securities Inc |
||||||
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc |
||||||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers Inc |
||||||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated |
||||||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated |
||||||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Partners L.P |
||||||
| Total |
||||||
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SCHEDULE B
| 1. | General Use Free Writing Prospectuses (included in the General Disclosure Package) |
“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” includes each of the following documents:
[1. Final term sheet, dated [, a copy of which is attached hereto].]
2. [list other documents]
| 2. | Other Information Included in the General Disclosure Package |
The following information is also included in the General Disclosure Package:
[1. The initial price to the public of the Offered Securities.
2. [list other information]]
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SCHEDULE C
Subsidiaries of Verso Paper Corp.
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