Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc. 4,000,000 Shares of 7.00% Series A Fixed-to- Floating Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc.

 

4,000,000 Shares of 7.00% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

November 22, 2021

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc.

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

 

As Representative of the several
Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representative (the “Representative”), and the Underwriters agree to purchase, severally and not jointly, an aggregate of 4,000,000 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of 7.00% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 600,000 shares of the Company’s 7.00% Series A Preferred Stock (the “Option Shares”) if and to the extent that the Underwriters shall have determined to exercise their option to purchase such Series A Preferred Stock granted to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Securities.”

 

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:

 

1.            Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 under the Securities Act on Form S-3 (File No. 333-258719), including a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), relating to the Securities and other securities that may be sold from time to time by the Company in accordance with Rule 415 of the Securities Act, and such amendments thereof as may have been required to the date of this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”). The term “Registration Statement” as used in this Agreement means the initial registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective and as supplemented or amended, including the information, if any, contained in any preliminary prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) and Rule 430B or 430C under the Securities Act. The term “Preliminary Prospectus” as used in this Agreement means the Base Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus supplement used or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) in the form provided to the Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Securities. The term “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus and any amendments or further supplements to such prospectus, and including, without limitation, the final prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) filed pursuant to and within the time limits described in Rule 424(b) with the Commission in connection with the proposed sale of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any 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 under the Securities Act as of 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 to “amend”, “amendment”, or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement”, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

 

At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, with the pricing information set forth on Annex A, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated November 22, 2021 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.

 

“Applicable Time” means 4:15 P.M., New York City time on November 22 2021.

 

2.            Purchase of the Securities.

 

(a)          Upon the basis of the warranties and representations herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Firm Shares to the Underwriters as provided in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”), and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Firm Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per share of $24.2125.

 

In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Option Shares. The Option Shares may be purchased by the Underwriters only for the purposes of covering over-allotments made in connection with the sale of the Firm Shares.

 

 

If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 11 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional shares as the Representative in their sole discretion shall make.

 

The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase the Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representative to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 hereof). Any such notice shall be given promptly prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.

 

(b)            The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representative is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.

 

(c)            Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representative, at the New York offices of Ropes & ▇▇▇▇ LLP at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on November 30, 2021, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representative in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Firm Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”, and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date.”

  

Payment for the Securities to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased on such date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Securities duly paid by the Company. Delivery of the Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct. Certificate for the Securities, if the shares are represented by certificates, will be made available for inspection and packaging by the Representative at the office of DTC or its designated custodian not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

 

 

 

(d)            The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representative nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

 

3.            Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

 

(a)            Preliminary Prospectus. The Company has not received, and has no notice of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose. In addition, each Preliminary Prospectus, included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and each part of the Preliminary Prospectus at the time of filing did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or did not 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 that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

(b)            Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain 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 that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package and no statement of material fact included in the Pricing Disclosure Package that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

 

 

(c)            Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; Marketing Materials. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i), (ii) and (iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act, (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, including a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto (the “Term Sheet”), which constitutes part of the Pricing Disclosure Package, and (iii) each electronic roadshow as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, investor presentation and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representative for use in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (together, the “Marketing Materials”). Each of the Marketing Materials, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of its date, each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and did not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not contain 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 that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

(d)            Term Sheet. The Company will prepare the Term Sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto, relating to the Securities, containing only information that describes the final terms of the Securities, as well as any required or advisable updates to the Preliminary Prospectus, and will file the Term Sheet within the period required by Rule 433(d)(5)(ii) following the date such final terms have been established for all classes of the offering of the Securities. The Term Sheet is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and is consented to by the Company and the Underwriters.

 

 

(e)            Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Securities has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus complies and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and will not contain 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 that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

(f)            Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstance under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(g)            Financial Statements. The financial statements (including the related notes and schedules thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information required to be stated therein; the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby; and the pro forma financial information and the related notes thereto, if any, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable and are set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

 

(h)            Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement (as defined below) (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2 to this Agreement are the only subsidiaries of the Company.

 

(i)            No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as stated therein, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than issuance of capital stock pursuant to existing employee equity plans), short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (taken as a whole), or any dividend (other than the normal publicly announced quarterly dividend) or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, condition (financial or otherwise), properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) and no such transaction is probable of being entered into by the Company nor any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

 

(j)            Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and other than the issuance of shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) upon the vesting of restricted stock under the equity incentive plan described in or incorporated by reference or as otherwise disclosed or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

 

(k)            Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken.

 

(l)            Articles Supplementary. The Articles Supplementary designating the rights and preferences of the Series A Preferred Stock (the “Articles Supplementary”) will be in full force and effect on or prior to the Closing Date and the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and have been or will be filed with the State Department of Assessment and Taxation of the State of Maryland (the “SDAT”) and will comply with applicable legal requirements; the terms of the Series A Preferred Stock will conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and Prospectus and such description will conform in all material respects to the rights set forth in the Articles Supplementary. The Company has reserved for future issuance a sufficient number of Conversion Shares and the Conversion Shares when issued upon conversion and surrender of such Securities in accordance with the Articles Supplementary will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim, and the issuance of such Common Stock by the Company is not subject to preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of law, under the organizational documents of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or under any agreement to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or otherwise.

 

(m)            Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

 

(n)            The Securities. Each of the Securities to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities (the “Conversion Shares”) have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein or in accordance with the Articles Supplementary, as applicable, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the Company’s charter as supplemented by the Articles Supplementary and the bylaws and the issuance of the Securities and the Conversion Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

 

(o)            Listing. The Securities and the Conversion Shares have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to notice of issuance.

 

(p)            No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any property or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company and its subsidiaries, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(q)            No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the Conversion Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, the Articles Supplementary and the Registration Statement on Form 8-A covering the Series A Preferred Stock filed with the Commission, 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, result in the termination, modification or acceleration of, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property, right or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any property, right or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(r)            No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the Conversion Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, the Articles Supplementary and the Registration Statement on Form 8-A covering the Series A Preferred Stock filed with the Commission, except for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters.

 

 

(s)            Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (“Actions”) pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no such Actions are threatened or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and there are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(t)            Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP (the “Accountant”), who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

 

(u)            Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims, security interests, restrictions and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or may arise or exist directly as a result of borrowings under any applicable repurchase agreements which are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (ii) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (iii) could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(v)            Intellectual Property. The Company does not have any trademark, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property that is material to the present or proposed business activities of the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

 

(w)            No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers, suppliers or other affiliates of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.

 

(x)            Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

 

(y)            Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns in a timely manner, and all such tax returns are true, correct and complete in all material respects, and the Company and its subsidiaries have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them, except for any taxes, assessments, fines or penalties as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided, and except, in each case, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(z)            Real Estate Investment Trust. The Company made a timely election to be subject to tax as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) pursuant to Sections 856 through 860 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for its taxable year ended December 31, 2017. Commencing with its taxable year ending December 31, 2017, the Company has been organized and is operating in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code of 1986 and the Company’s current and proposed method of operation as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus does and will enable it to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for its taxable year ending December 31, 2021 and subsequent taxable years. The Company will use its best efforts to continue to qualify as a REIT for its taxable year ending December 31, 2021, and the Company will use its best efforts to continue to qualify as a REIT unless the Board of Directors of the Company determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to be so qualified. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has taken any action that would cause the Company to fail to qualify as a REIT for its taxable year ending December 31, 2021 or any subsequent taxable year. All statements regarding the Company’s qualification and taxation as a REIT and descriptions of the Company’s organization and proposed method of operation set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are true, complete and correct in all material respects.

 

 

 

 

 

(aa)           Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, sub-licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, sub-license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, sub-license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(bb)           No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of cancellation or termination with respect to any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party.

 

(cc)           Certain Environmental Matters. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state or local law, rule or regulation relating to pollution or the protection of human health, the environment or wildlife, including relating to the release of hazardous materials, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance, investigations or proceedings relating to any such violation or alleged violation.

 

 

(dd)           Compliance with ERISA, (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or any entity that would be regarded as a single employer with the Company under Section 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Code would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no Plan has failed (whether or not waived), or is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) applicable to such Plan; (iv) no Plan is, or is reasonably expected to be, in “at risk status” (within the meaning of Section 303(i) of ERISA) and no Plan that is a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA is in “endangered status” or “critical status” (within the meaning of Sections 304 and 305 of ERISA) (v) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (vi) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (vii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification; (viii) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (ix) none of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (A) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company or its Controlled Group affiliates in the current fiscal year of the Company and its Controlled Group affiliates compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Company’s and its Controlled Group affiliates’ most recently completed fiscal year; or (B) a material increase in the Company and its subsidiaries’ “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715-60) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year, except in each case with respect to the events or conditions set forth in (i) through (ix) hereof, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ee)           Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

 

 

(ff)           Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13 a-15 (f) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

 

(gg)           eXtensible Business Reporting Language. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

(hh)           Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims, covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, in such amounts as are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the Company has obtained or will obtain directors’ and officers’ insurance in such amounts as is customary for companies engaged in the type of business conducted by the Company.

 

(ii)            No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, controlled affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.

 

 

(jj)           Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA Patriot Act), the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(kk)           No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. None of the Company, its subsidiaries, or directors, officers, or employees acting on its behalf, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”),the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past five years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

 

(ll)           No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock or similar ownership interest, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.

 

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

 

(nn)           No Registration Rights. No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the issuance and sale of the Securities.

 

(oo)            No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

 

(pp)           Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

 

(qq)           Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included or incorporated by reference in any of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or included in the Marketing Materials has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(rr)           Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by referee in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or included in the Marketing Materials is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

 

(ss)           ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Section 302 and 906 related to certifications.

 

 

(tt)           Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(uu)           No Ratings. There are (and prior to the Closing Date, will be) no debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act.

 

(vv)           Cybersecurity; Data Protection. The information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases utilized by the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants.  The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with their businesses, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor are there any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same.   The Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.

 

4.            [Intentionally Omitted]

 

5.            Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a)            Required Filings. The Company will file the Prospectus Supplement with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representative may reasonably request.

 

 

(b)            Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representative upon their reasonable request, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case excluding all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein to the extent it is filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (“▇▇▇▇▇”); and (ii) to each Underwriter through the Representative (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representative may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.

 

(c)            Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably object.

 

(d)            Notice to the Representative. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will advise the Representative promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective (other than the filing of reports with the Commission under the Exchange Act); (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus related to this offering has been filed or distributed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to the knowledge of the Company the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event or development within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would 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 existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or to the knowledge of the Company the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

 

 

(e)            Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist 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 in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with applicable law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.

 

(f)            Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

 

 

(g)            Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representative as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such statement to its security holders to the extent it is filed on ▇▇▇▇▇.

 

(h)            Clear Market. For a period of 60 days after the date of the Prospectus Supplement, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Series A Preferred Stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Series A Preferred Stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, or (ii) establish or increase a “put equivalent position” or liquidate or decrease a “call equivalent position” within the meaning of Section 16 of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations, or otherwise enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Series A Preferred Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Series A Preferred Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representative other than the Securities to be sold hereunder.

 

(i)            Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.

 

(j)            No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

 

(k)            Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to maintain the listing of the Series A Preferred Stock on the NYSE for so long as any Securities are outstanding.

 

(l)            Reports. During the period from two (2) years from the date of this Agreement, so long as the Securities are outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Representative, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Securities, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided that the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representative to the extent they are filed on ▇▇▇▇▇.

 

(m)            Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

 

 

(n)            DTC. The Company will assist the Underwriters in arranging for the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.

 

(o)            Filings. The Company will file with the Commission such reports as may be required by Rule 463 under the Securities Act.

 

(p)            Term Sheet. The Company will prepare the Term Sheet, containing a description of the final terms of the Securities and the offering thereof, in the form approved by the Representative and attached as Annex B hereto, and to file such term sheet as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such Rule.

 

(q)            Share Reservation. The Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of the Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy any obligation to issue Conversion Shares upon the conversion of the Securities in accordance with the Articles Supplementary.

 

6.            Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

 

(a)            It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 5(c) above (including any electronic roadshow), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).

 

(b)            It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Securities unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use the Term Sheet without the consent of the Company; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.

 

(c)            It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

 

 

 

 

7.             Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Firm Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

 

(a)            Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus Supplement and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative.

 

(b)            Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

(c)            No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(i) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representative makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(d)            No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Applicable Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any securities of or guaranteed by the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any securities of or guaranteed by the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

 

(e)            Officers’ Certificates. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representative, substantially in the form of Annex C (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct and (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

 

(f)            Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Accountant shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off’ date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

(g)           Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, (i) a written opinion for the Company and 10b-5 statement for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters, of Skadden, Arps, Slate, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Company, and (ii) a written opinion for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, Maryland counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

  

(h)           Tax Opinion. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a tax opinion, addressed to the Underwriters, of Skadden, Arps, Slate, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, tax counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

  

(i)            10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a 10b-5 statement, addressed to the Underwriters, of Ropes & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representative may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

  

(j)            No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.

 

(k)            Good Standing. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company in the state of Maryland and its good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

 

 

(l)            DTC. The Securities and the Conversion Shares shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.

  

(m)          Exchange Listing. The Securities to be delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE subject to official notice of issuance.

  

(n)           Articles Supplementary. The Articles Supplementary shall have been filed and accepted by the SDAT.

  

(o)           Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative such further certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.

  

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

 

8.            Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)           Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented legal fees and other documented expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any Marketing Materials or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein 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 insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly 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 (b) below.

  

 

(b)           Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Marketing Materials or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” and the information relating to stabilizing transactions, penalty bids and syndicate covering transactions contained in the eighteenth and nineteenth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”.

  

(c)           Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) 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 Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable and documented fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representative and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

 

(d)           Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

 

(e)           Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to paragraph (d) above 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 that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any reasonable and documented legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (d) and (e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to paragraphs (d) and (e) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

  

(f)            Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

  

9.            Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above.

 

10.          Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representative, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the NYSE or The Nasdaq Stock Market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representative, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

11.           Defaulting Underwriter.

 

(a)           If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 11, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

 

 

(b)           If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Securities that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Securities to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

 

(c)           If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Securities that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Securities on the Additional Closing Date, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 12 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 8 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

  

(d)          Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

 

 

12.           Payment of Expenses.

  

(a)           Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing, distributing and filing this Agreement; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) up to $5,000 of the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the reasonable and documented related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (viii) the filing fees and up to $10,000 of all expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA, including the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any roadshow presentation to potential investors in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities including, without limitation, (1) any travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and (2) any other expenses of the Company, provided that the cost of chartering of airplanes shall be split 50/50 between the Company and the Underwriters; (x) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Securities on the NYSE; (xi) the fees and expenses in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act; and (xii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by DTC. It is understood, however, that, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Underwriters will pay all fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(b)           If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 10, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement (other than a termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 11(c) hereof), the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their external counsel but not in-house counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

 

13.           Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 8 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

 

14.           Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.

 

 

15.           Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

16.           Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. U. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

 

17.           Miscellaneous.

  

(a)           Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representative c/o Raymond ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: General Counsel, with a copy to Ropes & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc., ▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Chief Financial Officer, with a copy to Skadden, Arps, Slate, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. Coco and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇.

  

(b)           Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

(c)           Submission to Jurisdiction. No claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Company consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. The Company hereby consents to personal jurisdiction, service and venue in any court in which any claim arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement is brought by any third party against the Representative or any indemnified party. The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any other courts in the jurisdiction of which the Company is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.

 

(d)           Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

 

 

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

 

(f)            Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

 

(g)           Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

18.           Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters’ respective research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ respective research analysts and research departments may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering of Securities that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their respective research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriters’ respective investment banking divisions. The Company acknowledge that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the Company and other entities that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

For purposes of this Section 19, the following definitions shall apply:

 

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

 

“Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

 

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

 

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

 

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

	Very truly yours,
	GRANITE POINT MORTGAGE TRUST INC.
	By:	/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
	Name:	▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Accepted and agreed to as of the date first written above, on behalf of themselves and the other Underwriters listed in Schedule 1
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & ASSOCIATES, INC.
By:	/s/ Jozsi Popper
	Name:	Jozsi Popper
	Title:	Manager Director of Real Estate Investment Banking

 

 

Schedule 1

 

 

 

Underwriter		Number of Firm Shares
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc.			3,800,000
JMP Securities LLC			200,000
Total:			4,000,000

 

 

Schedule 2

  

List of Subsidiaries

  

GP Commercial CB LLC

 

GP Commercial CIBC LLC

  

GP Commercial GS Holdings LLC

 

GP Commercial GS Issuer Holdings LLC

  

GP Commercial GS Issuer LLC

 

GP Commercial GS LLC

 

GP Commercial Holdings LLC

 

GP Commercial Investment Corp.

 

GP Commercial JPM Holdings LLC Delaware

  

GP Commercial JPM LLC

 

GP Commercial Mortgage LLC

  

GP Commercial MS Holdings LLC

 

GP Commercial MS LLC

 

GP Commercial WF Holdings LLC

 

GP Commercial WF LLC

 

GP SPE Loan Party LLC

 

GPMT 2018-FL1 LLC

 

GPMT 2018-FL1, Ltd.

 

GPMT 2019-FL2 LLC

 

GPMT 2019-FL2, Ltd.

 

GPMT 2021-FL3 LLC

 

GPMT 2021-FL3, Ltd.

 

 

GPMT 2021-FL4 LLC

 

GPMT 2021-FL4, Ltd.

 

GPMT CLO Holdings LLC

 

GPMT CLO REIT Holdings LLC

 

GPMT CLO REIT LLC

 

GPMT Collateral Manager LLC

  

GPMT Seller LLC

 

Granite Point Operating Company LLC

  

 

Annex A

  

a.

Pricing Disclosure Package

 

Term sheet containing the terms of the Securities, substantially in the form of Annex B.

 

b.

Other Information Included in the Pricing Disclosure Package

 

None.

 

 

Annex B

Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc.

 

Pricing Term Sheet

 

Pricing Term Sheet

 

Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc.

7.00% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

(Liquidation Preference $25.00 Per Share)

 

Issuer:	Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc. (the “Issuer”)
Securities Offered:	7.00% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”)
Shares Offered:	4,000,000 shares
Over-Allotment Option:	600,000 shares
Trade Date:	November 22, 2021
Settlement and Delivery Date:	November 30, 2021 (T+5)*
Public Offering Price:	$25.00 liquidation preference per share; $100,000,000 in aggregate liquidation preference (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised)
Underwriting Discount:	$0.7875 per share; $3,150,000 total (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised)
Net Proceeds to the Issuer, before Expenses:	$24.2125 per share; $96,850,000 total (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised)
Dividend Rate:	(i) From and including the original issue date to, but excluding, January 15, 2027 (the “Fixed Rate Period”), at a fixed rate equal to 7.00% per annum of the $25.00 per share liquidation preference (equivalent to $1.75 per annum per share) and (ii) from and including January 15, 2027 (the “Floating Rate Period”), at a floating rate equal to a Benchmark rate, which is expected to be the Three-Month Term SOFR (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement), plus a spread of 5.83% per annum of the $25.00 per share liquidation preference (the “Floating Rate”); provided, however, that in no event shall the Floating Rate be lower than 7.00% per annum.
Dividend Payment Date:	The 15th day of April, July, October and January of each year (provided that if any dividend payment date is not a business day, then the dividend which would otherwise have been payable on that dividend payment date may be paid on the next succeeding business day), commencing on January 15, 2022.
Dividend Record Date:	Such date as designated by the Issuer’s board of directors for the payment of dividends that is not more than 90 days nor fewer than 10 days prior to the dividend payment date; the first dividend record date is expected to be on or around January 1, 2022.

 

 

Liquidation Preference:	$25.00 per share
Optional Redemption:	Not redeemable prior to November 30, 2026, except under circumstances intended to preserve the Issuer’s qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes or as otherwise described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. On and after November 30, 2026, the Issuer may, at its option, redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price equal to $25.00 per share, plus any accumulated and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the date fixed for redemption.
Conversion Rights:	Share Cap: 4.0683
	Exchange Cap: Subject to certain adjustments, the aggregate number of shares of the Issuer’s common stock (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration, as applicable) issuable or deliverable, as applicable, in connection with the exercise of a Change of Control Conversion Right will not exceed 16,273,200 shares of the Issuer’s common stock (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration, as applicable), subject to proportionate increase to the extent the underwriters’ over-allotment option to purchase additional shares of Series A Preferred Stock is exercised, not to exceed 18,714,180 shares of the Issuer’s common stock in total (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration, as applicable).
Ranking:	Notwithstanding any contrary disclosure in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 22, 2021, the Series A Preferred Stock will rank, with respect to rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Issuer’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on a parity with the Issuer’s 10% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (1,000 shares outstanding with a $1,000,000 liquidation preference) and all other equity securities issued by the Issuer with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Issuer’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
Proposed NYSE Listing Symbol:	GPMT PrA
CUSIP:	38741L 305
ISIN:	US38741L3050

 

 

Sole Book-Running Manager:	▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc.
Co-Managers:	JMP Securities LLC
Use of Proceeds:	The Issuer plans to use the net proceeds from the sale of the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock for general corporate purposes, which may include, without limitation, the partial repayment of the Issuer’s 8.00% senior secured term loan facilities of certain of the Issuer’s subsidiaries due 2025, including any accrued interest and early repayment fees related thereto, and/or the origination or acquisition of the Issuer’s target assets. The amount and timing of any use of proceeds will be in the Issuer’s sole discretion.

 

* We expect that delivery of the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock will be made to investors on or about the fifth business day following the date of this prospectus (such settlement being referred to as “T+5”). Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade shares of the Series A Preferred Stock prior to the close of business on the second day before their delivery will be required, by virtue of the fact that the shares initially settle in T+5, to specify an alternative settlement arrangement at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock who wish to trade shares prior to the close of business on the second day before their delivery hereunder should consult their advisors.

 

The Issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus and a prospectus supplement) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and the prospectus supplement in that registration statement and other documents the Issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting ▇▇▇▇▇ on the SEC website at ▇▇▇.▇▇▇.▇▇▇. Alternatively, the Issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus and the prospectus supplement if you request it by calling ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc. at (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇. Any disclaimer or other notice that may appear below is not applicable to this communication and should be disregarded. Such disclaimer or notice was automatically generated as a result of this communication being sent by Bloomberg or another email system.

 

 

Annex C

 

Form of Company Officer’s Certificate

 

GRANITE POINT MORTGAGE TRUST INC.

 

OFFICERS’ CERTIFICATE

 

[●], 2021

  

The undersigned, ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, President and Chief Executive Officer, and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Chief Financial Officer of Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Underwriting Agreement, dated November 22, 2021 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between the Company and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates, Inc., as the representative (the “Representative”) of the other several underwriters listed on Schedule 1 thereto (together with the Representative, the “Underwriters”), each hereby certifies in their capacity as officers of the Company and on behalf of the Company, that:

 

1.

he has carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to his knowledge, the representations and warranties of the Company as set forth in Section 3(b) and 3(d) of the Underwriting Agreement are true and correct on and as of the date hereof;

 

2.

the representations and warranties of the Company in the Underwriting Agreement (other than those set forth in Section 3(b) and 3(d) of the underwriting Agreement) are true and correct as of the date hereof 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 date hereof; and

 

3.

no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened.

 

Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings as ascribed to such terms in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Each of Ropes & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel to the Company, is entitled to rely on this Certificate in connection with the opinions that each firm is rendering pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.