Underwriting Agreement, dated November 2, 2021, among the Company and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and BofA Securities, Inc., acting as representatives of the several underwriters named therein
Exhibit 1.1
Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.
3,300,000 Shares of Common Stock
Underwriting Agreement
November 2, 2021
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
BofA Securities, Inc.
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10179
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Delaware 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 representatives (the Representatives), an aggregate of 3,300,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the Underwritten Shares) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 495,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the Option Shares). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the Shares. The shares of common stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are referred to herein as the Stock.
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, 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), a registration statement (File No. 333-260658), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (Rule 430 Information), is referred to herein as the Registration Statement; and as used herein, the term Preliminary Prospectus means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its
effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term Prospectus means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the Rule 462 Registration Statement), then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this underwriting agreement (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 1, 2021 and each free-writing prospectus (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.
Applicable Time means 6:05 P.M., New York City time, on November 2, 2021.
The Securities (as defined below) are being issued to fund, if consummated, a portion of the acquisition (the Acquisition) of all of the equity interests of, and the real property (the LHM Real Estate Business) related to the businesses of the Larry H. Miller Dealership (the LHM Dealership Business) and Total Care Auto, Powered by Landcar (the TCA Insurance Business and together with the LHM Dealership Business and the LHM Real Estate Business, the LHM Business) pursuant to (i) the Purchase Agreement (the Equity Purchase Agreement) among the Company and certain members of the Larry H. Miller Dealership family of entities (the Dealership Entities) dated as of September 28, 2021; (ii) the Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement (the Real Estate Purchase Agreement) among the Company and the Miller Family Real Estate, L.L.C. (together with its subsidiaries as set forth in the Real Estate Purchase Agreement, the Real Estate Entities) dated as of September 28, 2021; (iii) the Purchase Agreement (the Insurance Purchase Agreement) among the Company and certain equity owners (the TCA Entities) of the Total Care Auto, Powered by Landcar (TCA) insurance business affiliated with the Dealership Entities, dated as of September 28, 2021; and (iv) the related agreements and transactions (collectively, the Acquisition Agreements) and to pay fees and expenses related to the foregoing.
As used herein, the term Transactions means collectively, (i) the offer and sale of the Shares; (ii) the offer and sale of $1.50 billion aggregate principal amount of senior notes of the Company, (iii) the consummation of the Acquisition on the first closing date thereof; (iv) the entry into a multi-draw new real estate term loan credit agreement providing for term loans in an aggregate amount of approximately $750 million, subject to customary terms and conditions; (v) the amendments to the 2019 Senior Credit Facilities and (vi) the payment of all fees and expenses payable by the Company or its subsidiaries related to the foregoing
2. Purchase of the Shares.
(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in 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 at a price per share of $176.085 (the Purchase Price) from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriters name in Schedule 1 hereto.
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 Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option 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 Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.
The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase 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 Representatives to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate 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 10 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two business days 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 Shares, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.
(c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020, or by the electronic exchange of such documents at 10:00 A.M. New York City time on November 5, 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 Representatives 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 Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters election to purchase
such Option Shares. The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Underwritten Shares, except upon tender of payment by the Representatives for all Underwritten Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten 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 Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (DTC) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
(d) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Representatives and the other Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arms length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares 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 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 neither the Representatives nor the other Underwriters shall have any responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Representatives and the other 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 (it being understood that any representations and warranties with respect to the equity interests and any assets of the LHM Business are made to the knowledge of the Company):
(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and 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 no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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 Representatives 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 7(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 relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives 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 7(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. 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 Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) 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 or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies 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 does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, 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 relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives 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 7(b) hereof.
(d) 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 notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. 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 Shares has been initiated or 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 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 relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives 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 7(b) hereof.
(e) 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 complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act as in effect at the time of filing, 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 circumstances 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, 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.
(f) Financial Statements. The financial statements, together with the related schedules and notes, included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the entities to which they relate as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be stated in the related notes thereto. The historical financial data set forth in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package under the caption SummarySummary Historical Consolidated Financial Data of Asbury fairly presents in all material respects the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package. The historical financial data set forth in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package under the caption SummarySummary Historical Combined Financial Data of LHM Business fairly presents in all material respects the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the LHM Businesss audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package. The pro forma financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries included under the caption SummarySummary Historical Consolidated Financial Data of Asbury and elsewhere in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, and the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 1, 2021 fairly presents in all material respects the information contained therein and have been properly presented on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. The pro forma condensed combined financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and the related notes thereto incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package fairly presents in all material respects the information contained therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commissions rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly presented on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. The statistical and market-related data and forward-looking statements included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package are based on or derived from sources that the Company and its subsidiaries believe to be reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(g) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, prospects, business or operations, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries (the Company Entities), considered as one entity (any such change is called a Material Adverse Change); (ii) the Company Entities, considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, any of its subsidiaries or any class of capital stock or repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.
(h) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company Entities. Each Company Entity has been duly incorporated or formed, as applicable, and is validly existing as a corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing or equivalent status under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, as applicable, and has corporate, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business in all material respects as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package and, in the case of the Company Entities, to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. Each Company Entity is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing or equivalent status in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing or equivalent status would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2 hereto.
(i) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. At September 30, 2021, on a consolidated basis, after giving pro forma effect to the issuance and sale of the Shares pursuant hereto and the Transactions, the Company would have had an outstanding as adjusted capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package under the column As Adjusted under the caption Capitalization (other than for subsequent issuances of capital stock, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package or upon exercise of outstanding stock options described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package).
(j) Equity Awards. With respect to any restricted stock units or performance share units (the Equity Awards) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the Company Stock Plans), (i) each Equity Award intended to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code so qualifies, (ii) each grant of an Equity Award was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Equity Award was by its terms to be effective (the Grant Date) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant of an Equity Award was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (the Exchange) and any other exchange on which Company securities are traded, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Companys filings with the Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Equity Awards prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Equity Awards with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.
(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) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(m) The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
(n) Descriptions of the Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(o) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. No Company Entity is (i) in violation of its charter, bylaws or other constitutive document, (ii) in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (Default) under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, contract, franchise, lease, Franchise Agreement (as defined herein), framework franchise agreement or other instrument to which any Company Entity is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound (including, without limitation, (A) the Companys Credit Agreement, dated as of November 13, 2018 by and among the Company, certain of its subsidiaries, and Bank of America, N.A., as lender (the Credit Agreement) and (B) the Companys Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 25, 2019, among the Company, as Borrower, certain of its subsidiaries, as Vehicle Borrowers, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Revolving Swing Line Lender, New Vehicle Floor Plan Swing Line Lender, Used Vehicle Floor Plan Swingline Lender and an L/C Issuer, and the other lenders party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Co-Syndication Agents, Toyota Motor Credit Corporation and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC, as Co-Documentation Agents and BofA Securities, Inc. as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager (as amended to date, the Amended and Restated Credit Facility)), or to which any of the property or assets of any Company Entity is subject (each, an Existing Instrument), or (iii) in violation of any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to any Company Entity, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such Defaults or violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Companys, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the Transactions (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, bylaws or other constitutive document of any Company Entity, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of any Company Entity pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, except for such conflicts, breaches, Defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to any Company Entity, except for such violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change or adversely affect the consummation of the Transactions. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency is required for the Companys execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or consummation of the Transactions, except (i) such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect, (ii) such as will be made or obtained under the Securities Act, applicable securities laws of the several states of the United States, or (iii) such as may be required by the securities laws of the several states of the United States with respect to the filing and effectiveness of a registration statement by the Company with the Commission under the Securities Act. As used herein, a Debt Repayment Triggering Event means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holders behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by any Company Entity.
(p) 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 Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for consents required to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement as set forth therein, the registration of the Shares 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) and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(q) No Material Actions or Proceedings. There are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened (i) against or affecting any Company Entity or (ii) which has as the subject thereof any property owned or leased by, any Company Entity and any such action, suit or proceeding, if determined adversely to such Company Entity, would reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change or adversely affect the consummation of the Transactions. No material labor dispute with the employees of any Company Entity, or with the employees of any principal supplier of the Company, exists or, to the Companys knowledge, is threatened or imminent.
(r) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP, which expressed its opinion with respect to certain of the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) of the Company and supporting schedules filed with the Commission and included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and any non-audit services provided by Ernst & Young LLP to the Company or any of its subsidiaries have been approved by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company. KPMG LLP and Larson & Company, PC, which expressed their respective opinions with respect to certain of the financial statements of the LHM Business, respectively, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are, to the Companys knowledge, independent auditors with respect to the LHM Business within the meaning of the rules of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
(s) Title to Properties. Each Company Entity has good and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 3(h) hereof (or elsewhere in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other defects, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, including those imposed pursuant to the Credit Agreement and the Amended and Restated Credit Facility, in each case as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, and except such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by such Company Entity. The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by any Company Entity are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by such Company Entity.
(t) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company Entities own or possess sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, licenses, approvals, trade secrets and other similar rights (collectively, Intellectual Property Rights) reasonably necessary to conduct their businesses in all material respects as now conducted; and the expected expiration of any of such Intellectual Property Rights would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. No Company Entity has received any notice of infringement or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others, which infringement or conflict, would reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change.
(u) 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.
(v) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the 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).
(w) Tax Law Compliance. The Company Entities have filed all material federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed by any of them and have paid, or established in accordance with GAAP an adequate reserve for, all material taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar material assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them except as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings. The Company Entities have made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in accordance with GAAP in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 3(h) hereof in respect of all material federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of such applicable Company Entity and its consolidated subsidiaries has not been finally determined.
(x) All Necessary Permits, etc. Each Company Entity possess such valid and current certificates, franchises, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for such certificates, franchises, authorizations or permits which the failure to possess or obtain would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
(y) Compliance with and Liability under Environmental Laws. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change: (i) each Company Entity and their respective operations and facilities are in compliance with, and not subject to any known liabilities under, applicable Environmental Laws, which compliance includes, without limitation, having obtained and being in compliance with any permits, licenses or other governmental authorizations or approvals, and having made all filings and provided all financial assurances and notices, required for the ownership and operation of the business, properties and facilities of the Company Entities under applicable Environmental Laws, and compliance with the terms and conditions thereof; (ii) no Company Entity has received any written communication, whether from a governmental authority, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that alleges
that any Company Entity is in violation of any Environmental Law; (iii) there is no claim, action or cause of action filed with a court or governmental authority and with respect to which service of process has been validly served on any Company Entity, no investigation with respect to which any Company Entity has received written notice, and no written notice by any person or entity alleging actual or potential liability on the part of any Company Entity based on or pursuant to any Environmental Law pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened against any Company Entity or any person or entity whose liability under or pursuant to any Environmental Law any Company Entity has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law; (iv) no Company Entity is conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, response or other corrective action pursuant to any Environmental Law at any site or facility, nor is any of them subject or a party to any order, judgment, decree, contract or agreement which imposes any obligation or liability under any Environmental Law; (v) to the Companys knowledge, no lien, charge, encumbrance or restriction has been recorded pursuant to any Environmental Law with respect to any assets, facility or property owned, operated or leased by any Company Entity; and (vi) to the Companys knowledge there are no past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions or occurrences, including, without limitation, the Release or threatened Release of any Material of Environmental Concern, that would reasonably be expected to result in a violation of or liability under any Environmental Law on the part of any Company Entity, including without limitation, any such liability which any Company Entity has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law.
For purposes of this Agreement, Environment means ambient air, indoor air, surface water, groundwater, drinking water, soil, surface and subsurface strata, and natural resources such as wetlands, flora and fauna. Environmental Laws means the common law and all federal, state, local and foreign laws or regulations, ordinances, codes, orders, decrees, judgments and injunctions issued, promulgated or entered thereunder, relating to pollution or protection of the Environment or human health, including without limitation, those relating to (i) the Release or threatened Release of Materials of Environmental Concern; and (ii) the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, generation, treatment, storage, transport, handling or recycling of Materials of Environmental Concern. Materials of Environmental Concern means any substance, material, pollutant, contaminant, chemical, waste, compound, or constituent, in any form, including without limitation, petroleum and petroleum products, subject to regulation or which can give rise to liability under any Environmental Law. Release means any release, spill, emission, discharge, deposit, disposal, leaking, pumping, pouring, dumping, emptying, injection or leaching into the Environment, or into, from or through any building, structure or facility.
(z) 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 Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (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 Companys 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 Change.
(aa) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the Company by others within the Company or any of its subsidiaries. As of September 30, 2021, the disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
(bb) Companys Accounting System. The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Companys principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. As of September 30, 2021, the Companys internal control over financial reporting was effective, and the Company is not aware of any material weakness or significant deficiency in its internal control over financial reporting. Since September 30, 2021, there has been no change in the Companys internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Companys internal control over financial reporting.
(cc) 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 Commissions rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(dd) Insurance. Each Company Entity is insured by institutions the Company reasonably believes are financially sound with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are generally deemed adequate and customary for their businesses. The Company has no reason to believe that any Company Entity will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change.
(ee) Cybersecurity. (A) To the knowledge of the Company, there has been no material security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company Entities information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data and databases (including personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data), equipment or technology (collectively, IT Systems and Data); (B) no Company Entities have been notified of, and each of them have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any material security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data; and (C) the Company Entities have implemented appropriate controls, policies, procedures, and technological safeguards as the Company Entities generally deem reasonable adequate for their businesses to maintain and protect the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of their IT Systems and Data reasonably consistent with industry standards and practices, or as required by applicable regulatory standards, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any material incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. The Company Entities are presently in compliance in all material respects 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 Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.
(ff) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. No Company Entity nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of any Company Entity is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the FCPA, any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, the U.K. Bribery Act of 2010 (the Bribery Act), or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, direct or indirect payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any foreign official (as such term is defined in the FCPA or other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA or other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law, and the Company Entities and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA, the Bribery Act, and the other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws, and have instituted and maintain, and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
FCPA means Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(gg) No Conflict with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company Entities are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the Money Laundering Laws) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving any Company Entities with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(hh) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. No Company Entity nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate or representative (as that term is used in sanctions laws in the United States) of any Company Entity is an individual or entity (Person) that is currently the target or subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, including without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majestys Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, Sanctions), nor is any Company Entity located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering and sale of the Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person, (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, or is in Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Crimea, or in any other country or territory, that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering and sale of the Shares, whether as underwriter, initial purchaser, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past five years, the Company Entities have not knowingly engaged in, and are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in any dealings or transactions with any Person that, at the time of such dealing or transaction, is or was the subject or target of Sanctions or with or in any country or territory that is or was the target or subject of Sanctions.
(ii) No Brokers 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, finders fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(jj) 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 filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares.
(kk) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. No Company Entity has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(ll) Regulations T, U, X. No Company Entity nor any agent thereof acting on their behalf has taken, and none of them will take, any action that might cause this Agreement or the issuance or sale of the Shares to violate Regulation T, Regulation U or Regulation X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
(mm) Franchise Agreements. The Company has entered into a franchise agreement or a framework franchise agreement with each of the manufacturers listed on Schedule 3 hereto (collectively, the Franchise Agreements, and each a Franchise Agreement), each of which has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company is in full force and effect and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto) constitutes the valid and binding agreement between the parties thereto, enforceable against such entity in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable Federal and state franchise laws and subject further to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights, and to general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity); the Franchise Agreements permit the Company or one or more other subsidiary or subsidiaries to operate a vehicle sales franchise at the locations indicated therein, and the Company and their respective subsidiaries are in compliance with all material terms and conditions of the Franchise Agreements, and, to the knowledge of the Company, there has not occurred any material default under any of the Franchise Agreements or any event that with the giving of notice or the lapse of time would constitute a material default thereunder.
(nn) 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 has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(oo) Solvency. The Company is, and immediately after the Closing Date will be, Solvent. As used herein, the term Solvent means, with respect to any person on a particular date, that on such date (i) the fair market value of the assets of such person is greater than the total amount of liabilities (including contingent liabilities) of such person, (ii) the present fair salable value of the assets of such person is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liabilities of such person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (iii) such person is able to realize upon its assets and pay its debts and other liabilities, including contingent obligations, as they mature and (iv) such person does not have unreasonably small capital.
(pp) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, their respective officers and directors are in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which term, as used herein, includes the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder).
(qq) 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 Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer, and is a well-known seasoned issuer, in each case as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company has paid the registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act or will pay such fee within the time period required by such rule (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.
(rr) The Acquisition Agreements. To the knowledge of the Company, the representations and warranties of the LHM Business contained in the Acquisition Agreements (as qualified therein and in the disclosure schedules thereto) were, as of the date of the Acquisition Agreements, and are, as of the date hereof, true and accurate in all material respects (or, if any such representations or warranties are qualified by materiality, material adverse effect or similar language, true and correct in all respects). To the knowledge of the Company, the LHM Business was not, as of the date of the Acquisition Agreements, and is not, as of the date hereof, in default or breach, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such default or breach, of the due performance or observance of any term, agreement, covenant or condition contained in the Acquisition Agreements (as qualified therein and in the disclosure schedules thereto), in each case except to the extent that such default or breach would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition, or results of operations of the LHM Business or on the ability of the LHM Business to consummate the Acquisition.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters set forth therein.
4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 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 Shares; 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 Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the registration fee for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (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 Representatives 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 Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares 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 Shares 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, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, whether before or after the time that the Registration Statement becomes effective, the Company will furnish to the Representatives 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 Representatives reasonably objects.
(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed or distributed; (iv) 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; (v) 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 the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) 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; (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (viii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best 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 Shares and, if any such order is issued, will 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 law, the Company will immediately 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 Representatives 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 law, the Company will immediately 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 Representatives 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 Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; 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 Representatives 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.
(h) Clear Market. For a period of 60 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not (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, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or submit to, or file with, the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock, or publicly disclose the intention to undertake any of the foregoing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than the Shares to be sold hereunder.
The restrictions described above do not apply to (i) the issuance of shares of Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or the exercise of warrants or options (including net exercise) or the settlement of restricted stock units or performance share units (collectively, RSUs) (including net settlement), in each case outstanding on the date of this Agreement and the description of which is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus; (ii) grants of stock options, stock awards, restricted stock, RSUs, or other equity awards and the issuance of shares of Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Stock (whether upon the exercise of stock options or otherwise) to the Companys employees, officers, directors, advisors, or consultants pursuant to the terms of an equity compensation plan in effect as of the Closing Date and the description of which is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, provided that any such executive officers or directors enter into a lock-up agreement with the Underwriters; or (iii) the filing of any registration statement on Form S-8 relating to securities granted or to be granted pursuant to any plan in effect on the date of this Agreement and the description of which is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus or any assumed benefit plan pursuant to an acquisition or similar strategic transaction.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading Use of proceeds.
(j) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries or affiliates will 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 Stock.
(k) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to list, subject to issuance, the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the Exchange).
(l) Reports. So long as the Shares are outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, 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 the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on the Commissions Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system.
(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) Shelf Renewal. If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the Renewal Deadline) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Shares remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives. If the Company is not eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 180 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the issuance and sale of the Shares to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Shares. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.
5. 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 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), 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 Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex C hereto 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).
6. Conditions of Underwriters Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten 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 Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus 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 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(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 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 debt securities, convertible securities or preferred stock issued, or guaranteed by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) under 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 such debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(d) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(g) 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 Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares 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.
(e) Officers Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a written certificate executed by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company (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, (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, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.
(f) Comfort Letters. On the date hereof, the Underwriters shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Company, a customary comfort letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, covering the financial information contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and other customary matters of the Company. In addition, on the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Underwriters shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a customary bring-down comfort letter dated the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form of their comfort letter delivered on the date hereof, except that (i) it shall cover the financial information of the Company in the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and (ii) procedures shall be brought down to a date no more than three days prior to the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be. On the date hereof, the Underwriters shall have received from each of KPMG LLP and Larson & Company, PC, the independent auditors for the LHM Business, respectively, a customary comfort letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, covering the financial information contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and other customary matters of the LHM Business, respectively. In addition, on the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Underwriters shall have received from each of KPMG LLP and Larson & Company, PC a customary bring-down comfort letter, each dated the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form of their comfort letter delivered on the date hereof, except that (i) it shall cover the financial information of the LHM Business in the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and (ii) procedures shall be brought down to a date no more than three days prior to the Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(ii) On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, of its chief financial officer with respect to certain financial data contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, providing management comfort with respect to such information, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Jones Day, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters.
(h) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement, addressed to the Underwriters, of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives 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.
(i) No Legal Impediment to Issuance and Sale. 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 Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares.
(j) Good Standing. The Representatives 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 and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(k) Exchange Listing. The Shares 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 Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.
(l) Lock-up Agreements. The lock-up agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and certain executive officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be full force and effect on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(m) 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 Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives 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.
7. 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, legal fees and other expenses 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 Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any issuer information filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a road show) 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 Representatives 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 paragraph (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 Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any road show 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: third, sixteenth and seventeenth paragraphs 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 the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7, 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 the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7 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 the preceding paragraphs of
this Section 7. 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 fees and expenses in such proceeding and shall pay the 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 fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such 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 Representatives 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, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. 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 30 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) or (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 Shares 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 Shares 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 Shares. 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 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 Shares 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 7 paragraphs (a) through (e) 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.
8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above.
9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, 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 New York Stock Exchange 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 Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares 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.
10. 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 Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares 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 Shares, 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 Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares 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 10, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares 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 Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriters pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares 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 Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the
aggregate amount of Shares 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 Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 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 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 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.
11. 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 Shares 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 fees and expenses of the Companys counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Shares under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (v) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (vii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA; (viii) all expenses incurred in connection with any road show presentation to potential investors, other than transportation expenses, which shall not be incurred in excess of $15,000 without the Companys consent; and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
12. 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 7 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 Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
13. 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 Shares 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 or the directors, officers, controlling persons or affiliates referred to in Section 7 hereof.
14. 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.
15. Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the PATRIOT Act) and the requirements of 31 C.F.R. §1010.230 (the Beneficial Ownership Regulation), 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 in accordance with the PATRIOT Act or the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
16. 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 and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:
If to the Underwriters:
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10179
Fax: (212) 622-8358
Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk
BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
Email: ***@***
Attention: Syndicate Department, with a copy to ECM Legal (email: ***@***)
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Latham & Watkins LLP
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Attention: Stelios Saffos, Esq. and Andrew Baker, Esq.
If to the Company:
Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.
2905 Premiere Parkway, NW, Suite 300
Duluth, Georgia 30097
Attention: George A. Villasana, Chief Legal Officer
with a copy to:
Jones Day
1420 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 800
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Facsimile: (404) 581-8330
Attention: Joel T. May
(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. The Company hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and New York state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding in such courts. The Company agrees that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which Company is subject by a 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) Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(i) 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.
(ii) 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.
As used in this Section 16(e):
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 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication, facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law will be deemed original signatures for purposes of this Agreement) or other electronic transmission (i.e., a pdf or tif)), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(g) 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.
(h) 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.
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, | ||
ASBURY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ David W. Hult | |
Name: David W. Hult | ||
Title: President & Chief Financial Officer |
Accepted: As of the date first written above | ||
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC | ||
For itself and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto. | ||
By: | /s/ Ryan Griswold | |
Name: Ryan Griswold | ||
Title: Managing Director |
BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | ||
For itself and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto. | ||
By: | /s/ Ravi Mani | |
Name: Ravi Mani | ||
Title: Managing Director |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]