EXHIBIT (1)(a)
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Debt Securities
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
New York, New York
To the Representatives named in Schedule I hereto
of the Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto
Dear Sirs:
International Business Machines Corporation, a New York corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to sell to the underwriters named in Schedule II hereto
(the "Underwriters"), for whom you are acting as representatives (the
"Representatives"), the principal amount of its Securities identified in
Schedule I hereto (the "Securities"), to be issued under an indenture dated as
of October 1, 1993 (the "Indenture"), between the Company and The Chase
Manhattan Bank, as trustee (the "Trustee"), as supplemented by the First
Supplemental Indenture dated as of December 15, 1995. If the firm or firms
listed in Schedule II hereto include only the firm or firms listed in Schedule I
hereto, then the terms "Underwriters" and "Representatives", as used herein
shall each be deemed to refer to such firm or firms.
1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to,
and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") and has filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement or
statements (the file number or numbers of which is or are set forth in
Schedule I hereto), including a related preliminary prospectus, on such
Form for the registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the
Securities. The Company may have filed one or more amendments thereto,
including the related preliminary prospectus, and has filed a preliminary
prospectus in accordance with Rules 415 and 424(b)(5), each of which has
previously been furnished to you. The Company will next file with the
Commission one of the following: (i) prior to effectiveness of such
registration statement, a further amendment thereto, including the form of
final prospectus, (ii) a final prospectus in accordance with Rules 430A and
424(b)(1) or (4), or (iii) a final prospectus in accordance with Rules 415
and 424(b)(2) or (5). In the case of clause (ii), the Company has included
in such registration statement or statements, as amended at the Effective
Date, all information (other than Rule 430A Information) required by the
Act and the rules thereunder to be included in the Prospectus with respect
to the Securities and the offering thereof. As filed, such amendment and
form of final prospectus, or such final prospectus, shall include all Rule
430A Information and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree
in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the
form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not
completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific
additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the
latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the
Execution Time, will be included or made therein. If the Registration
Statement contains the undertaking specified by Regulation S-K Item 512(a),
the Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, meets the requirements
set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).
The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the
meanings indicated. The term the "Effective Date" shall mean each date that
the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments
thereto became or become effective. "Execution Time" shall mean the date
and time that this
2
Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto. "Preliminary
Prospectus" shall mean any preliminary prospectus referred to in the
preceding paragraph and any preliminary prospectus included in the
Registration Statement at the Effective Date that omits Rule 430A
Information. "Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus relating to the
Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution
Time or, if no filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) is required, shall mean the
form of final prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the
Effective Date. "Registration Statement" shall mean the registration
statement or statements referred to in the preceding paragraph, including
incorporated documents as of the filing of the Company's Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q for the three month period ended September 30, 1996, exhibits
and financial statements, in the form in which it or they has or have or
shall become effective and, in the event any post-effective amendment
thereto becomes effective prior to the Closing Date (as hereinafter
defined), shall also mean such registration statement or statements as so
amended. Such term shall include Rule 430A Information deemed to be
included therein at the Effective Date as provided by Rule 430A. "Rule
415", "Rule 424", "Rule 430A" and "Regulation S-K" refer to such rules
under the Act. "Rule 430A Information" means information with respect to
the Securities and the offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the
Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A. Any
reference herein to the Registration Statement, a Preliminary Prospectus or
the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents
incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which
were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act")
on or before the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date
of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and
any reference herein to the terms "amend", "amendment" or "supplement" with
respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any
document under the Exchange Act after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, or the date of any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference.
(b) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did or will, and
when the Prospectus is first filed (if required) in accordance with Rule
424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Prospectus (and any supplements
thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective rules
thereunder; on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date the Indenture did
or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939 (the "Trust Indenture Act") and the rules thereunder;
on the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did not or will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading; and, on the Effective Date, the Prospectus, if not filed
pursuant to Rule 424(b), did not or will not, and on the date of any filing
pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Prospectus (together
with any supplement thereto) will not, include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no
representations or warranties as to (i) that part of the Registration
Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility and
Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee or
(ii) the information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by
or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically
for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto).
2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance
upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to
sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not
jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price set forth in
Schedule I hereto, the respective principal amounts of the Securities set forth
opposite each respective Underwriter's name in Schedule II hereto, except that,
if Schedule I hereto provides for the sale of Securities pursuant to delayed
delivery arrangements, the respective principal amounts of Securities to be
purchased by the Underwriters shall be as set forth in Schedule II hereto, less
the respective amounts of Contract Securities determined as provided below.
Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters are herein sometimes called the
"Underwriters' Securities"
3
and Securities to be purchased pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts as
hereinafter provided are herein called "Contract Securities".
If so provided in Schedule I hereto, the Underwriters are authorized to
solicit offers to purchase Securities from the Company pursuant to delayed
delivery contracts ("Delayed Delivery Contracts"), substantially in the form of
Schedule III hereto but with such changes therein as the Company may authorize
or approve. The Underwriters will endeavor to make such arrangements and, as
compensation therefor, the Company will pay to the Representatives, for the
account of underwriters, on the Closing Date, the percentage set forth in
Schedule I hereto of the principal amount of the Securities for which Delayed
Delivery Contracts are made. Delayed Delivery Contracts are to be with
institutional investors, including commercial and savings banks, insurance
companies, pension funds, investment companies and educational and charitable
institutions. The Company will make Delayed Delivery Contracts in all cases
where sales of Contract Securities arranged by the Underwriters have been
approved by the Company but, except as the Company may otherwise agree, each
such Delayed Delivery Contract must be for not less than the minimum principal
amount set forth in Schedule I hereto and the aggregate principal amount of
Contract Securities may not exceed the maximum aggregate principal amount set
forth in Schedule I hereto. The Underwriters will not have any responsibility in
respect of the validity or performance of Delayed Delivery Contracts. The
principal amount of Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter as set forth
in Schedule II hereto shall be reduced by an amount which shall bear the same
proportion to the total principal amount of Contract Securities as the principal
amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to
the aggregate principal amount set forth in Schedule II hereto, except to the
extent that you determine that such reduction shall be otherwise than in such
proportion and so advise the Company in writing; provided, however, that the
total principal amount of Securities to be purchased by all Underwriters shall
be the aggregate principal amount set forth in Schedule II hereto, less the
aggregate principal amount of Contract Securities.
3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Underwriters'
Securities shall be made at the office, on the date and at the time specified in
Schedule I hereto, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the
Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 8 hereof (such date
and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being called the "Closing
Date"). Delivery of the Underwriters' Securities shall be made to the
Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against
payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase
price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by certified or official bank
check or checks payable, or wire transfers, in immediately available funds. The
Debentures shall be delivered in definitive global form through the facilities
of The Depository Trust Company.
4. Agreements.
(a) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement, and any amendment thereof, if not effective at the Execution
Time, to become effective. If the Registration Statement has become or
becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A, or filing of the Prospectus is
otherwise required under Rule 424(b), the Company will file the Prospectus,
properly completed, pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b)
within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to
the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise
the Representatives (i) when the Registration Statement shall have become
effective, (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement relating
to the Securities shall have become effective, (iii) of any request by the
Commission for any amendment of the Registration Statement or amendment of
or supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of
the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the institution or
threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by
the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company
will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order
and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof. The
Company will not file any amendment of
4
the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus unless the
Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will
not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably
object.
(b) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is
required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a result of
which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to
amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange
Act or the respective rules thereunder, the Company will give the
Representatives immediate notice of the occurrence of such event and
promptly will prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first
sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 4, an amendment or supplement
which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will
effect such compliance.
(c) The Company will make generally available to its security holders
and to the Representatives as soon as practicable, but not later than 45
days after the end of the 12-month period beginning at the end of the
current fiscal quarter of the Company, an earnings statement (which need
not be audited) of the Company and its subsidiaries, covering a period of
at least 12 months beginning after the end of the current fiscal quarter of
the Company, which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act.
(d) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for
the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement
(including exhibits thereto) and each amendment thereto which shall become
effective on or prior to the Closing Date and, so long as delivery of a
prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act, as many
copies of any Preliminary Final Prospectus and the Final Prospectus and any
amendments thereof and supplements thereto as the Representatives may
reasonably request.
(e) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities
for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may
designate, will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required
for the distribution of the Securities and will arrange for the
determination of the legality of the Securities for purchase by
institutional investors.
(f) Until the earlier of the day on which the distribution of the
Securities is completed or the business day following the Closing Date, the
Company will not, without the consent of the Representatives, offer or
sell, or announce the offering of, any debt securities covered by the
Registration Statement or any other registration statement filed under the
Act.
5. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of
the Underwriters to purchase the Underwriters' Securities shall be subject to
the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company
contained herein as of the Execution Time, as of the date of the effectiveness
of any amendment to the Registration Statement filed prior to the Closing Date
(including the filing of any document incorporated by reference therein) and as
of the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in
any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the
Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) If the Registration Statement has not become effective prior to
the Execution Time, unless the Representatives agree in writing to a later
time, the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than
(i) 6:00 P.M. New York City time, on the date of determination of the
public offering price, if such determination occurred at or prior to 3:00
P.M. New York City time on such date or (ii) 12:00 Noon on the business day
following the day on which the public offering price was determined, if
such determination occurred after 3:00 P.M. New York City time on such
date; if filing of the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, is required
pursuant to Rule 424(b), the Prospectus shall have been filed in the manner
5
and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from
time to time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose
shall have been instituted or threatened.
(b) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives:
(i) the opinion of the General Counsel, an Assistant General
Counsel or an Associate General Counsel of the Company, dated the
Closing Date, to the effect that:
(A) the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
State of New York, with full corporate power and authority to own
its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each
jurisdiction within the United States which requires such
qualifications wherein it owns or leases material properties or
conducts material business;
(B) the Securities conform in all material respects to the
description thereof contained in the Prospectus;
(C) the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered, has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act,
and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject to
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting
creditors' rights generally from time to time in effect, and
subject, as to enforceability, to general principles of equity,
regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law); and the Securities have been
duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in
accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to
and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, in
the case of the Underwriters' Securities, or by the purchasers
thereof pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts, in the case of
any Contract Securities, will constitute legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the
Indenture (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium, and other
similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally from time to
time in effect);
(D) to the best knowledge of such counsel, there is no
pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding before any court
or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, of a character
required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement which is
not adequately disclosed in the Prospectus, and there is no
franchise, contract or other document of a character required to
be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to
be filed as an exhibit, which is not described or filed as
required;
(E) the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto
have become effective under the Act; any required filing of the
Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant to Rule 424(b) has
been made in the manner and within the time period required by
Rule 424(b); to the best knowledge of such counsel, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as
amended, has been issued, no proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or are pending or contemplated under the Act;
(F) this Agreement and any Delayed Delivery Contracts have
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
6
(G) no authorization, approval or other action by, and no
notice to, consent of, order of, or filing with, any United
States Federal or New York governmental authority or regulatory
body is required for the consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein or in any Delayed Delivery Contracts, except
such as have been obtained under the Act and such as may be
required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in
connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities
and such other approvals (specified in such opinion) as have been
obtained;
(H) such counsel has no reason to believe that (1) the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except the financial
statements and the notes thereto and other information of an
accounting or financial nature included therein, and the
Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) included as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, as to which such counsel need express no
view) were not appropriately responsive in all material respects
to requirements of the Act and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and (2) the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereof at the time it became
effective contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or
that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, contains any
untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material
fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each
case except for the financial statements and the notes thereto
and other information of an accounting or financial nature
included therein, as to which such counsel need express no view);
and
(I) none of the issue and sale of the Securities, the
consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated
or the fulfillment of the terms hereof or of any Delayed Delivery
Contracts will conflict with, result in a breach of, or
constitute a default under, the charter or by-laws of the Company
or the terms of any indenture or other agreement or instrument
known to such counsel and to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or bound, or any decree or regulation
known to such counsel to be applicable to the Company or any of
its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative
agency, governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over
the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
The statements described in one or more of paragraphs (B),
(C), (E), (F), (G) and (H)(1) of this subsection 5(b)(i) may be
omitted from the opinion of such counsel; provided, however, that
in such event the Company shall also have furnished to the
Representatives the corresponding opinion or letter of Cravath,
Swaine & ▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Company, described in subsection
5(b)(ii) or 5(b)(iii) immediately following.
(ii) in the event that the statements described in one or more of
paragraphs (B), (C), (E), (F) or (G) of foregoing subsection 5(b)(i)
is omitted from the opinion delivered pursuant to such subsection, the
opinion of Cravath, Swaine & ▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Company, dated the
Closing Date, to the effect of the statements so omitted.
In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely (A) as to
matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction
other than the State of New York or the United States, to the
extent they deem proper and specified in such opinion, upon the
opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe to be
reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters; and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they
deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the
Company and public officials.
(iii) in the event that the statements in paragraph (H)(1) of
subsection 5(b)(i) are omitted from the opinion provided pursuant to
such subsection, a letter of Cravath, Swaine & ▇▇▇▇▇ dated the Closing
Date to the effect that, having participated in conferences with
certain officers of, and with the accountants for, the Company and
having made certain inquiries and investigations in connection with
7
the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, such
counsel has no reason to believe that (i) the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus (except the financial statements and the notes
thereto and other information of an accounting or financial nature
included therein, and the Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) included
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, as to which such counsel
need express no view) were not appropriately responsive in all
material respects with requirements of the Act and the applicable
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) the
Registration Statement at the Effective Date contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus on the Closing Date
includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading
(in each case except for the financial statements and the notes
thereto and other information of an accounting or financial nature
included therein, as to which such counsel need express no view).
(c) The Representatives shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the
Closing Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the
Indenture, any Delayed Delivery Contracts, the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably
require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such
documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon
such matters.
(d) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a
certificate of the Company, signed by the principal financial or accounting
officer (or Vice President and Treasurer) of the Company, dated the Closing
Date, to the effect that the signer of such certificate has carefully
examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any supplement to the
Prospectus and this Agreement and that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this
Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of
the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date
and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all
the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to
the Closing Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, as amended, has been issued and no proceedings
for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company's knowledge,
threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements
included in the Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change
in the condition (financial or other), earnings, business or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, whether or not arising
from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set
forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus.
(e) At the Closing Date, Price Waterhouse LLP shall have furnished to
the Representatives a letter or letters (which may refer to a letter
previously delivered to one or more of the Representatives), dated as of
the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, confirming that they are independent accountants within
the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective applicable
published rules and regulations thereunder, that the response, if any, to
Item 10 of the Registration Statement is correct insofar as it relates to
them and stating in effect that:
(i) in their opinion the audited financial statements and
schedules thereto included or incorporated in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and reported on by them comply as to form
in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements
of the Exchange Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder
with respect to financial statements and financial statement schedules
included or incorporated in annual reports on Form 10-K under the
Exchange Act;
8
(ii) on the basis of a reading of the unaudited financial
statements included or incorporated in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus and of the latest unaudited financial statements made
available by the Company and its subsidiaries; carrying out certain
specified procedures (but not an examination in accordance with
generally accepted auditing standards) which would not necessarily
reveal matters of significance with respect to the comments set forth
in such letter; a reading of the minutes of the meetings of the
stockholders, directors and executive committees of the Company and
the Subsidiaries since the date of the latest audited balance sheet,
through a specified date not more than five business days prior to the
date of the letter; and inquiries of certain officials of the Company
who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters of the
Company and its subsidiaries as to transactions and events subsequent
to the date of the most recent financial statements incorporated in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, nothing came to their
attention which caused them to believe that:
(1) any unaudited financial statements included or
incorporated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus do
not comply as to form in all material respects with applicable
accounting requirements and with the published rules and
regulations of the Commission with respect to financial
statements included or incorporated in quarterly reports on Form
10-Q under the Exchange Act; and said unaudited financial
statements are not stated on a basis substantially consistent
with that of the audited financial statements included or
incorporated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; or
(2) with respect to the period subsequent to the date of the
most recent financial statements incorporated in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, there were, at a specified date not
more than five business days prior to the date of the letter, any
increases in long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries
or decreases in the capital stock of the Company or decreases in
the stockholders' equity of the Company and its subsidiaries as
compared with the amounts shown on the most recent consolidated
balance sheet included or incorporated in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, except in all instances for
increases or decreases set forth in such letter, in which case
the letter shall be accompanied by an explanation by the Company
as to the significance thereof unless said explanation is not
deemed necessary by the Representatives; and
(iii) they have performed certain other procedures as a result of
which they determined that the information described in a schedule to
be delivered on behalf of the Underwriters of an accounting, financial
or statistical nature (which is limited to accounting, financial or
statistical information derived from the general ledger of the
Company) set forth in the Registration Statement, as amended, the
Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, and in Exhibit 12 to the
Registration Statement (including selected accounting, financial or
statistical information included or incorporated in the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated in the Prospectus or any of
the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form l0-Q incorporated therein),
agrees with the general ledger of the Company and its subsidiaries,
excluding any questions of legal interpretation.
References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (e) include any supplements
thereto at the date of the letter.
(f) Subsequent to the respective dates of which information is given
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there shall not have been
(i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to
in paragraph (e) of this Section 5 or (ii) any change, or any development
involving a prospective change, in or affecting the business or properties
of the Company and its subsidiaries the effect of which, in any case
referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the judgment of the
Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the
Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.
9
(g) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the
Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the
Representatives may reasonably request.
(h) The Company shall have accepted Delayed Delivery Contracts in any
case where sales of Contract Securities arranged by the Underwriters have
been approved by the Company.
(i) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any
decrease in the ratings of any of the Securities by ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Investor's
Service, Inc. ("▇▇▇▇▇'▇") or Standard & Poor's Corporation ("S&P") and
neither ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ nor S&P shall have publicly announced that it has placed
any of the Securities on a credit watch with negative implications.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 5 shall not have been
fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if
any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this
Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form
and substance to the Representatives and their counsel, this Agreement and all
obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled at, or at any time
prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation
shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or telegraph confirmed
in writing.
6. Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses. If the sale of the Securities
provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations
of the Underwriters set forth in Section 5 hereof is not satisfied or because of
any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any
agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a
default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters
severally upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in
connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.
7. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of either the Act or 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 under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or
state statutory law or regulation, at common law 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 a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of
the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse
each such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred,
as incurred, by them in connection with investigating or defending any such
loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that (i) 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 any such untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made
therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for use in connection with the preparation thereof, and (ii) such
indemnity with respect to any Preliminary Prospectus shall not inure to the
benefit of any Underwriter (or any person controlling such Underwriter) from
whom the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability purchased
the Securities which are the subject thereof if such person did not receive a
copy of the Prospectus (or the Prospectus as supplemented) excluding documents
incorporated therein by reference at or prior to the confirmation of the sale of
such Securities to such person in any case where such delivery is required by
the Act and the untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in
such Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus (or the Prospectus
as supplemented prior to the confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such
person). This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the
Company may otherwise have.
10
(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration
Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either
the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from
the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information
relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such
Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use in the preparation
of the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity
agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may
otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth in the
last paragraph of the cover page of the Prospectus and under the heading
"Underwriting" or "Plan of Distribution" and, if Schedule I hereto provides for
sales of Securities pursuant to delayed delivery arrangements, in the last
sentence under the heading "Delayed Delivery Arrangements" in any Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus, constitute the only information furnished in
writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, and you, as the Representatives,
confirm that such statements are correct.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a
claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this
Section 7, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof;
but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from
any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under
this Section 7. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified
party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the
indemnifying party will be entitled to appoint counsel satisfactory to such
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party in such action; provided,
however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party
and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably
concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other
indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to
the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to
select separate counsel to defend such action on behalf of such indemnified
party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such
indemnified party of its election so to appoint counsel to defend such action
and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will
not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 7 for any legal or
other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection
with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed
separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence
(it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable
for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to any local
counsel), approved by the Representatives in the case of paragraph (a) of this
Section 7, representing the indemnified parties under such paragraph (a) who are
parties to such action), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the
indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the
action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized the employment of counsel
for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party; and except
that, if clause (i) or (iii) is applicable, such liability shall be only in
respect of the counsel referred to in such clause (i) or (iii).
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) of this
Section 7 is due in accordance with its terms but is for any reason held by a
court to be unavailable from the Company on grounds of policy or otherwise, the
Company and the Underwriters shall contribute to the aggregate losses, claims,
damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
in connection with investigating or defending same) to which the Company and one
or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion so that the
Underwriters are responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that
the underwriting discount bears to the sum of such discount and the purchase
price of the Securities set forth on Schedule I hereto and the Company is
responsible for the balance; provided, however, that (y) in no case shall any
Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters
relating to the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in
excess of the underwriting discount applicable to the Securities purchased by
such Underwriter hereunder and (z) no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to
11
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 7, each person who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act shall have
the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who
controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act,
each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and
each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the
Company, subject in each case to clauses (y) and (z) of this paragraph (d). Any
party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of
commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect of
which a claim for contribution may be made against another party or parties
under this paragraph (d), notify such party or parties from whom contribution
may be sought, but the omission to so notify such party or parties shall not
relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other
obligation it or they may have hereunder or otherwise than under this paragraph
(d).
8. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to
purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such
Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall
constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this
Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up
and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set
forth opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate amount
of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters)
the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate
amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Securities set
forth in Schedule II hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to
purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the
Securities, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the
Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting
Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set
forth in this Section 8, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period,
not exceeding seven days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that
the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or
in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in
this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if
any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by
its default hereunder.
9. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the
absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior
to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if prior to such time (i) trading
in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended
or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such Exchange, (ii)
a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York
State authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or material
escalation of hostilities or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on the
financial markets of the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of
the Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities.
10. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreement
representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or
its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this
Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers,
directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and will
survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 6
and 7 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective
only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered
or telegraphed and confirmed to them, at the address specified in Schedule I
hereto; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and
confirmed to it, at ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇; attention of the Treasurer.
12
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 7 hereof, and no other
person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
13. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this
letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company
and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES
CORPORATION
By: ____________________________________
The foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted on the
date specified in Schedule I hereto.
By:
By: ____________________________________
For themselves and the other several
Underwriters, if any, named in
Schedule II to the foregoing Agreement.