Form of Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
[●] Shares
ASTERA LABS, INC.
COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.0001 PER SHARE
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
[●], 2024
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto
c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway New York,
New York 10036
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10179
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Astera Labs, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the Underwriters), and certain stockholders of the Company (the Selling Stockholders) named in Schedule I hereto severally propose to sell to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of [●] shares of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the Firm Shares), of which [●] shares are to be issued and sold by the Company and [●] shares are to be sold by the Selling Stockholders, each Selling Stockholder selling the amount set forth opposite such Selling Stockholders name in Schedule I hereto. The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional [●] shares of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the Additional Shares) if and to the extent that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (Morgan Stanley) and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representatives of the several Underwriters (collectively, the Representatives), shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the Shares. The shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the Common Stock. The Company and the Selling Stockholders are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the Sellers.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-277205), including a preliminary prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), is hereinafter referred to as the Registration Statement; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the Prospectus. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (a Rule 462 Registration Statement), then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.
For purposes of this Underwriting Agreement (this Agreement), free writing prospectus has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, preliminary prospectus shall mean each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted information pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Time of Sale Prospectus means the preliminary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness together with the documents and pricing information and the free writing prospectus, if any, set forth in Schedule III hereto, and broadly available road show means a bona fide electronic road show as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof.
Morgan Stanley has agreed to reserve a portion of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement for sale to certain of the Companys directors, business partners and other individuals identified by the Companys senior management and directors (collectively, Participants), as set forth in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the heading Underwriting (the Directed Share Program). The Shares to be sold by Morgan Stanley and its affiliates pursuant to the Directed Share Program, at the direction of the Company, are referred to hereinafter as the Directed Shares. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participant by the end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.
1. | Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that: |
(a) | The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act are pending before or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened by the Commission. |
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(b) | (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, 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, (iv) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does 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 and (v) the Prospectus, as of its date, does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, 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, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph (b) do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein. |
(c) | The Company is not an ineligible issuer in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or, if filed after the effective date of this Agreement, will comply, when filed, in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule III hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to the Representatives before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Representatives prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus. |
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(d) | The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, has the corporate power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. |
(e) | Each significant subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)) of the Company has been duly incorporated, organized or formed, is validly existing as a corporation or other business entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation (to the extent the concept of good standing is applicable in such jurisdiction), has the corporate or other business entity power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not be reasonably expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each significant subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except to the extent that such liens, encumbrances, equities or claims would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. |
(f) | This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. |
(g) | As of the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the authorized capital stock of the Company will conform as to legal matters in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. |
(h) | The shares of Common Stock (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders) outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. |
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(i) | The Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of the Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights that have not been validly waived. |
(j) | The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of (i) applicable law, (ii) the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company, (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole or (iv) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, except that in the case of clauses (i), (iii) and (iv) above, where such contravention would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as has been previously obtained and such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states or foreign jurisdictions or the rules and regulation of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. |
(k) | There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus. |
(l) | There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and proceedings that would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and are not so described in all material respects; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other |
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documents to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described in all material respects or filed as required. |
(m) | Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. |
(n) | The Company is not, and immediately after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an investment company as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. |
(o) | The Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (Environmental Laws), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. |
(p) | There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. |
(q) | There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except such as have been described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and duly waived or complied with in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares contemplated hereby. |
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(r) | None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or controlled affiliates, or any director, officer, or employee thereof, or, to the Companys knowledge, any agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, has (i) taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any person (including any government official, any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office (Government Official)) to improperly influence official action by that person for the benefit of the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates, or to otherwise secure any improper advantage, or to any person (including any Government Official) in violation of (A) the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, (B) the UK Bribery Act 2010, and (C) any other applicable law, regulation, order, decree or directive having the force of law and relating to bribery or corruption (collectively, the Anti-Corruption Laws), (ii) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity or (iii) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable Anti-Corruption Laws. |
(s) | The operations of the Company and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable anti-money laundering laws, rules, and regulations, including the financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements contained therein, and including the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, applicable provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, (collectively, the Anti-Money Laundering Laws). |
(t) | (i) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, or any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate, or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (Person) that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are: |
(1) | the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government (including the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control and the U.S. Department of State), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majestys Treasury, or any other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, Sanctions), or |
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(2) | located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive territorial Sanctions (including, without limitation, the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic, the so-called Luhansk Peoples Republic, or any other Covered Region of Ukraine identified pursuant to Executive Order 14065, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria). |
(ii) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have not engaged in, are not now engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was, or whose government is or was, the subject of Sanctions.
(u) | The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person: |
(1) | to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions; |
(2) | to fund or facilitate any money laundering or terrorist financing activities; or |
(3) | in any other manner that would cause or result in a violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws, or Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise). |
(v) | The Company and its subsidiaries have conducted and will conduct their businesses in compliance with the Anti-Corruption Laws, the Anti-Money Laundering Laws, and Sanctions, and no investigation, inquiry, action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Corruption Laws, the Anti-Money Laundering Laws or Sanctions is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. The Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with the Anti-Corruption Laws, the Anti-Money Laundering Laws, Sanctions, and with the representations and warranties contained herein. |
(w) | Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock (except for acquisitions of capital stock by the Company pursuant to agreements that permit the Company to repurchase such shares upon the |
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applicable partys termination of service to the Company or in connection with the exercise of the Companys right of first refusal upon a proposed transfer), nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock (other than the exercise or forfeiture of equity awards outstanding under the Companys equity incentive plans as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus), short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except in each case as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus. |
(x) | The Company and each of its subsidiaries do not own any real property. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them (other than with respect to Intellectual Property, title to which is addressed exclusively in subsection (y)) which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries. |
(y) | Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect: (i) the Company and its subsidiaries own or have a valid license to use all patents, patent applications, inventions, copyrights and copyrightable works, know how, trade secrets, data and databases, systems, methods, procedures, trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names and other source indicators, other proprietary or confidential information, and all other intellectual property rights (collectively, Intellectual Property Rights) used in or reasonably necessary to the conduct of their businesses; (ii) the registrations of Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the Companys knowledge, the registrations of Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company and its subsidiaries, are valid, subsisting and enforceable, and there is no pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others against the Company or any of its subsidiaries challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any such Intellectual Property Rights; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice alleging any infringement, misappropriation or other violation of any third party Intellectual Property Rights; (iv) to the Companys knowledge, no third party is infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating, or has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights owned or purported to be owned by the Company or its subsidiaries (Company Intellectual Property Rights); (v) to the knowledge of |
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the Company, the conduct of the businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries do not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate, and have not infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights of any third party; (vi) all employees or contractors engaged in the development of Company Intellectual Property Rights on behalf of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company have executed an invention and intellectual property assignment agreement whereby such employees or contractors presently and adequately assign all of their right, title and interest in and to such Company Intellectual Property Rights to the Company or the applicable subsidiary, and to the Companys knowledge no such agreement has been breached or violated; and (vii) the Company and its subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality of their trade secrets. |
(z) | Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect: (i) the Company and its subsidiaries use and have used any and all software and other materials distributed under a free, open source, or similar licensing model (including but not limited to the MIT License, Apache License, GNU General Public License, GNU Lesser General Public License and GNU Affero General Public License) (Open Source Software) in compliance with all license terms applicable to such Open Source Software; and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries uses or distributes or has used or distributed any Open Source Software in a manner that requires or has required (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries to permit reverse engineering of any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (B) any software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to be (1) disclosed or distributed in source code form, (2) licensed for the purpose of making derivative works or (3) redistributed at no charge. |
(aa) | (i) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have complied and are presently in material compliance with all privacy policies, contractual obligations, industry standards, applicable laws, statutes, judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency and any other legal obligations, in each case, where binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries in connection with their collection, use, processing, transfer, import, export, storage, security, protection, disposal and disclosure of personal data and other confidential or regulated data (Data Security Obligations and such data, Data); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any written notification of or complaint regarding and, to the knowledge of the Company, are unaware of any facts that would reasonably indicate non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation; and (iii) there is no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency pending or threatened alleging non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation. |
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(bb) | The Company and each of its subsidiaries have taken all technical and organizational measures required by the Data Security Obligations to protect the information technology assets and equipment, systems, computers, software, networks, hardware, websites, applications, and databases (IT Systems) and Data used in connection with the operation of the Companys and its subsidiaries businesses, and such IT Systems are reasonably adequate for, and operate and perform as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company and its subsidiaries have used reasonable efforts to establish and maintain (and have maintained) commercially reasonable information technology, information security, cybersecurity and data protection policies and controls that are designed to protect against and prevent any breach, destruction, loss, violation, outage, unauthorized distribution, use, access, disablement, misappropriation or modification, or other compromise or misuse (Breach) of or relating to any IT Systems or Data used in connection with the operation of the Companys and its subsidiaries businesses (Company IT Systems and Data). There has been no material Breach of or relating to the Company IT Systems and Data, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any such Breach. |
(cc) | No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. |
(dd) | (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), and, as of the date hereof, the Company has no knowledge that any such event is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 302 of |
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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 equals or 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, other than those events as to which notice is waived) has occurred and, as of the date hereof, the Company has no knowledge that any such event is reasonably expected to occur; (vii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter (or opinion letter, if applicable) as to its qualified status under the Code, or has time remaining for application to the IRS for a determination of the qualified status of such Plan for any period for which such Plan would not otherwise be covered by an IRS determination and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would impact such favorable determination letter (or opinion letter, if applicable); (viii) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor, as of the date hereof, does the Company reasonably expect any such party 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 and, as of the date hereof, the Company has no knowledge that any of the following events 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, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. |
(ee) | Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or other applicable organization document), (ii) in violation of any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (iii) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or |
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instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound except, in the case of clause (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. |
(ff) | The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company reasonably believes are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. |
(gg) | The Company and each of its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to obtain such certificates, authorizations or permits would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company or its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. |
(hh) | The consolidated financial statements included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (U.S. GAAP) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby except for any normal year-end adjustments in the Companys quarterly financial statements. The other financial information included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate and such data is consistent with the sources from which they are derived, in each case in all material respects. |
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(ii) | PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and delivered its report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). |
(jj) | The Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, maintain a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Companys most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Companys internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Companys internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Companys internal control over financial reporting. |
(kk) | The Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants. |
(ll) | The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect) and have paid all taxes required to be paid, whether or not shown thereon, except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by U.S. GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company, and no unpaid tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, singly or in |
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the aggregate, has had (nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any unpaid tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which would reasonably be expected to have) a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. |
(mm) | Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any securities rated by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act. |
(nn) | From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an emerging growth company, as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an Emerging Growth Company). |
(oo) | The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication with any person (other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives) with entities that are reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are reasonably believed to be accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. Testing-the-Waters Communication means any communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) or Rule 163B of the Securities Act. |
(pp) | As of the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, none of (i) the Time of Sale Prospectus, (ii) any free writing prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus and (iii) any individual Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information (as defined in Section 11(c) of this Agreement). |
(qq) | The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that, upon the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, it and its directors and officers, in their capacities as such, will be in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and its officers and directors at such time. |
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(rr) | Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or, to the Companys knowledge, affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares. |
(ss) | The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus comply, and any amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program. |
(tt) | No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency, other than those obtained, is required in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where the Directed Shares are being offered. |
(uu) | The Company has not offered, or caused Morgan Stanley or any Morgan Stanley Entity as defined in Section 12 to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customers or suppliers level or type of business with the Company, or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products. |
2. | Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholders. Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that: |
(a) | This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder. |
(b) | The execution and delivery by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder of, and the performance by such Selling Stockholder of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Custody Agreement signed by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder and Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, as Custodian, relating to the deposit of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder (the Custody Agreement), and the Power of Attorney appointing certain individuals as such Selling Stockholders attorneys-in-fact to the extent set forth therein, relating to the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement (the Power of Attorney) will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law, (ii) the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of such Selling Stockholder (if such Selling Stockholder is a corporation), (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon such Selling Stockholder or (iv) any judgment, order or decree of |
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any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder, except in the case of clauses (i), (iii) and (iv), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Selling Stockholder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by such Selling Stockholder of its obligations under this Agreement or the Custody Agreement, the Agreement to Sell or Power of Attorney of such Selling Stockholder, except such as have been previously obtained or as may be required under the Securities Act or such, the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder or as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states or foreign jurisdictions or the rules and regulations of the FINRA in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. |
(c) | Such Selling Stockholder has, and on the Closing Date will have, valid title to, or a valid security entitlement within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code in respect of, the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, subject to the Custody Agreement and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement, the Custody Agreement, the Agreement to Sell and the Power of Attorney and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or a security entitlement in respect of such Shares. |
(d) | The Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder and are valid and binding agreements of such Selling Stockholder, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and to general equity principles. |
(e) | Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Shares, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (Cede) or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (DTC), registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Shares on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the UCC)) to such Shares), (A) DTC shall be a protected purchaser of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (C) no action based on any adverse claim, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Shares may be successfully asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, such |
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Selling Stockholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Companys share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a clearing corporation within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC. |
(f) | Each such Selling Stockholder has delivered to the Representatives an executed lock-up agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. |
(g) | Such Selling Stockholder is not prompted to sell by any material non-public information concerning the Company or its subsidiaries which is not set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus to sell its Shares pursuant to this Agreement. |
(h) | (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, 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, (iii) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does 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 and (iv) the Prospectus as of its date does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, 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, except that (A) the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph 2(h) do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus made in reliance on and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the Underwriter Information and (B) the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph 2(h) are limited to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Selling Stockholder furnished to the Company in writing by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration |
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Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only information furnished by such Selling Stockholder consists of the name of such Selling Stockholder, the number of offered shares and the address and other information with respect to such Selling Stockholder (excluding percentages) which appear in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any Prospectus in the table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption Principal and Selling Stockholders (with respect to each Selling Stockholder, the Selling Stockholder Information). |
(i) | (1) None of such Selling Stockholder or, to the extent applicable, its subsidiaries or controlled affiliates, or any director, officer or employee thereof, or, to the knowledge of such Selling Stockholder, any director, officer, employee, agent, representative or controlled affiliate, has (i) taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any person (including any Government Official) to improperly influence official action by that person for the benefit of the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates, or to otherwise secure any improper advantage, or to any person (including any Government Official) in violation of Anti-Corruption Laws, (ii) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity or (iii) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit; (2) if such Selling Stockholder is a business entity, such Selling Stockholder and its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable Anti-Corruption Laws and such Selling Stockholder and its subsidiaries have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; and (3) neither the Selling Stockholder nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable Anti-Corruption Laws. |
(j) | If such Selling Stockholder is a business entity, such Selling Stockholder and its subsidiaries are and have conducted their operations at all times in material compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. |
(k) | (i) None of such Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries, if applicable, or any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is a Person that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are: |
(1) | the subject of any Sanctions; or |
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(2) | located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive territorial Sanctions (including, without limitation, the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic, the so-called Luhansk Peoples Republic, or any other Covered Region of Ukraine identified pursuant to Executive Order 14065, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria). |
(ii) | Such Selling Shareholder has not engaged in, is not now engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was, or whose government is or was, the subject of Sanctions. |
(l) | Such Selling Stockholder will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, 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 or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions; |
(ii) | to fund or facilitate any money laundering or terrorist financing activities; or |
(iii) | in any other manner that would cause or result in a violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws, or Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise). |
(m) | If such Selling Stockholder is a business entity, such Selling Stockholder and its subsidiaries have conducted and will conduct their businesses in compliance with the Anti-Corruption Laws, the Anti-Money Laundering Laws, and Sanctions, and no investigation, inquiry, action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving such Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Corruption Laws, the Anti-Money Laundering Laws or Sanctions is pending or, to the knowledge of the Selling Stockholder, threatened. Such Selling Stockholder and its subsidiaries and affiliates have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with the Anti-Corruption Laws, the Anti-Money Laundering Laws, Sanctions, and with the representations and warranties contained herein. |
(n) | Such Selling Stockholder represents and warrants that it is not (i) an employee benefit plan subject to Title I of ERISA, (ii) a plan or account subject to Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended or (iii) an entity deemed to hold plan assets of any such plan or account under Section 3(42) of ERISA, 29 C.F.R. 2510.3-101, or otherwise. |
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(o) | No stamp, documentary, issuance, registration, transfer, withholding, capital gains, income or other taxes or duties are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters, the Company or any of its subsidiaries in any non-U.S. jurisdiction in which such Selling Stockholder is a citizen, resident or doing business or to any taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or consummation of this Agreement, or (ii) the sale and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters. |
3. | Agreements to Sell and Purchase. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from such Seller at $[●] a share (the Purchase Price) the number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the number of Firm Shares to be sold by such Seller as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares. |
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [●] Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. The Representatives may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares or later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an Option Closing Date), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
4. | Terms of Public Offering. The Sellers are advised by the Representatives that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in the Representatives judgment is advisable. The Sellers are further advised by the Representatives that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially |
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at $[●] a share (the Public Offering Price) and to certain dealers selected by the Representatives at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $[●] a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $[●] a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers. |
5. | Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by each Seller shall be made to such Seller in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on [●], 2024, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than five business days thereafter, as shall be designated in writing by the Representatives. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the Closing Date. |
Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 3 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than ten business days thereafter, as shall be designated in writing by the Representatives.
The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to the Representatives on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.
6. | Conditions to the Underwriters Obligations. The obligations of the Sellers to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than [●] (New York City time) on the date hereof. |
The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:
(a) | Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date: |
(i) | no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened by the Commission; and |
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(ii) | there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in the Representatives judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the Representatives judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus. |
(b) | The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed on behalf of the Company by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 6(a)(i) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date. |
The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
(c) | The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and a negative assurance letter of Goodwin Procter LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, each in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives. |
(d) | The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Whalen LLP, counsel for the Selling Stockholders, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives. |
(e) | The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, each in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives. |
With respect to the negative assurance letters to be delivered pursuant to Sections 6(c) and 6(e) above, Goodwin Procter LLP and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP may state that their opinions and beliefs are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification, except as specified.
With respect to Section 6(d) above, Whalen LLP may rely upon an opinion or opinions of counsel for any Selling Stockholders and, with respect to factual matters and to the extent such counsel deems appropriate, upon the representations of each Selling Stockholder contained herein and in the Custody Agreement, the Agreement to Sell and Power of Attorney of such Selling Stockholder and in other documents and instruments;
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provided that (A) a copy of each opinion so relied upon is delivered to the Representatives and is in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, (B) copies of such Custody Agreements, the Agreements to Sell and Powers of Attorney and of any such other documents and instruments shall be delivered to the Representatives and shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and (C) Whalen LLP shall state in their opinion that they are reasonably justified in relying on each such other opinion.
The opinions described in Sections 6(c) and 6(e) above (and any opinions of counsel for any Selling Stockholder referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph) shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company or one or more of the Selling Stockholders, as the case may be, and shall so state therein.
(f) | The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants comfort letters to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a cut-off date not earlier than the date hereof. |
(g) | The lock-up agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between the Representatives and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to restrictions on sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to the Representatives on or before the date hereof (the Lock-up Agreements), shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date. |
(h) | The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a certificate dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, and signed by the chief financial officer of the Company, in his capacity as such, with respect to certain financial and accounting information in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives. |
(i) | The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares, if any, shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (Nasdaq), subject to official notice of the issuance. |
(j) | The Underwriters shall have received such other documents and certificates as the Representatives may reasonably request, including with respect to the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries. |
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(k) | The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to the Representatives on the applicable Option Closing Date of the following: |
(i) | a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, confirming that the certificate delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof remains true and correct as of such Option Closing Date; |
(ii) | an opinion and a negative assurance letter of Goodwin Procter LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion and negative assurance letter required by Section 6(c) hereof; |
(iii) | an opinion and negative assurance letter of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion and negative assurance letter required by Section 6(e) hereof; |
(iv) | a letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6(f) hereof; provided that the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a cut-off date not earlier than two business days prior to such Option Closing Date; |
(v) | a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date and signed by the chief financial officer of the Company, substantially in the same form and substance as the certificate delivered to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6(h) hereof; and |
(vi) | such other documents and certificates as the Representatives may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares. |
7. | Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows: |
(a) | To furnish to the Representatives, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) as agreed between the parties and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to the Representatives in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the |
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business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 7(e) or 7(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as the Representatives may reasonably request. |
(b) | Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to the Representatives a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule. |
(c) | To furnish to the Representatives a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which the Representatives reasonably object. |
(d) | Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder. |
(e) | If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, to forthwith prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law. |
(f) | If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of |
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the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, to forthwith prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Representatives will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law. |
(g) | To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Shares, or taxation in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject. |
(h) | To make generally available (which may be satisfied by filing with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System) to the Companys security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. |
(i) | To comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program. |
(j) | The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the Restricted Period (as defined in this Section 7). |
(k) | If at any time following the distribution of any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will |
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promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission. |
(l) | The Company will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), on the date of execution of this Agreement, a properly completed and executed Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers, together with copies of identifying documentation, and the Company undertakes to provide such additional supporting documentation as each Underwriter may reasonably request in connection with the verification of the foregoing Certification. |
(m) | 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 Shares. |
(n) | The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the Restricted Period), (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, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (iii) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. |
The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph (n) shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof as described in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus, (c) the grant of options or any other type of equity award described in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus, or the issuance of shares of Common Stock by the Company (whether upon the exercise of stock options or otherwise) to employees, officers, directors, advisors or consultants of the Company pursuant to employee benefit plans in effect on the date hereof and described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that each recipient of Common Stock pursuant to this clause (c) shall execute a Lock-up Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto with respect to the remaining portion of the Restricted Period, (d) the filing by the Company of a registration statement on Form S-8 relating to the issuance, vesting, exercise or settlement of equity awards granted or to be granted pursuant to any employee benefit plan in effect on the date hereof and described in the Time of Sale
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Prospectus, (e) facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a shareholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period, or (f) the sale or issuance of or entry into an agreement to sell or issue Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock in connection with one or more mergers, acquisitions of securities, businesses, property or other assets, products or technologies, joint ventures, commercial relationships or other strategic corporate transactions or alliances; provided, that the aggregate amounts of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (on an as-converted, as-exercised or as-exchanged basis) that the Company may sell or issue or agree to sell or issue pursuant to this clause (f) shall not exceed 10% of the total number of shares of Common Stock of the Company issued and outstanding immediately following the completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement determined on a fully-diluted basis to be completed as of that date and all recipients of any such securities shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a Lock-up Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto with respect to the remaining portion of the Restricted Period.
If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions on the transfer of Shares set forth in a Lock-up Agreement for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
8. | Covenants of the Selling Stockholders. Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, covenants with each Underwriter as follows: |
(a) | Each Selling Stockholder will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8, as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such form. |
(b) | Each Selling Stockholder will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), on the date of execution of this Agreement, a properly completed and executed Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers, together with copies of identifying documentation, and each Selling Stockholder undertakes to provide such additional supporting documentation as each Underwriter may reasonably request in connection with the verification of the foregoing Certification. |
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(c) | Unless each Selling Stockholder obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus. |
9. | Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations and those of the Selling Stockholders under this Agreement, including (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Companys counsel, the Companys accountants and Whalen LLP, counsel for the Selling Stockholders (to the extent not agreed by the Selling Stockholders to be paid by them), in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the reasonable cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (provided that the amount payable by the Company with respect to the disbursements for counsel for the Underwriters incurred pursuant to subsections (iii) and (iv) of this Section 9 shall not exceed $30,000 in the aggregate), (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Stock and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on Nasdaq, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any road show undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and fifty percent (50%) of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show (the remaining fifty percent (50%) of the cost of such aircraft to be paid by the Underwriters), (ix) the document production charges and expenses |
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associated with printing this Agreement, (x) all fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholders hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section 9. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section 9, Section 11 entitled Indemnity and Contribution, Section 12 entitled Directed Share Program Indemnification and the last paragraph of Section 14 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make. |
The provisions of this Section shall not supersede or otherwise affect any agreement that the Sellers may otherwise have for the allocation of such expenses among themselves.
10. | Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter. |
11. | Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, 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), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except, with respect to each Underwriter, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any such 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 |
31
understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriters through the Representatives consists of the information described as such in paragraph (c) below. |
(b) | Each Selling Stockholder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing the Waters Communication or arise out of, or are based upon caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (i) except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance on and in conformity with the Underwriter Information and (ii) only to the extent such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance on and in conformity with the Selling Stockholder Information. The liability of each Selling Stockholder under the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate Public Offering Price (less underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) of the Shares sold by such Selling Stockholder under this Agreement (with respect to each Selling Stockholder, the Selling Stockholder Proceeds) less any amounts such Selling Stockholder is obligated to contribute pursuant to the contribution provisions of this Section 11 below. |
(c) | Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Stockholders, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company and the Selling Stockholders to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through or on behalf of the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, road show or the Prospectus or any amendment or |
32
supplement thereto. As used in this Agreement with respect to an Underwriter and an applicable document, Underwriter Information shall mean the written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession amount appearing in the third paragraph under the caption Underwriting, the information concerning sales to discretionary accounts appearing in the seventh paragraph under the caption Underwriting, and the first sentence, the second sentence, the fourth sentence, the fifth sentence, the sixth sentence, the seventh sentence, the ninth sentence and the eleventh sentence in the eleventh paragraph under the caption Underwriting (the Underwriter Information). |
(d) | In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 11(a) or 11(b), such person (the indemnified party) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the indemnifying party) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party 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 party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed in writing to the retention of such counsel; (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them; (iii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; or (iv) the indemnified party 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 party. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to one local counsel in each jurisdiction) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to one local counsel in each jurisdiction) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate |
33
firm (in addition to one local counsel in each jurisdiction) for all Selling Stockholders and all persons, if any, who control any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for the Selling Stockholders and such control persons of any Selling Stockholders, such firm shall be designated in writing by the persons named as attorneys-in-fact for the Selling Stockholders under the Powers of Attorney. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph (d), the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes (x) an unconditional release of such indemnified party 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 party. |
(e) | To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 11(a) or 11(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party 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 indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that |
34
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received by each Seller and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand 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 Sellers or by the Underwriters and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint. The Selling Stockholders obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 are several, and not joint. The liability of each Selling Stockholder under the contribution agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the Selling Stockholder Proceeds of such Selling Stockholder less any amounts that such Selling Stockholder is obligated to pay pursuant to the indemnity provisions of this Section 11 above by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. |
(f) | The Sellers and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 11 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 Section 11(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 11(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11, no (i) Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public 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 and (ii) no Selling Stockholder shall be required to contribute an amount in excess of the amount by which the Selling Stockholder Proceeds exceed the amount of any damages that such Selling Stockholder 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 |
35
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 11 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity. |
(g) | The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 11 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, any Selling Stockholder or any person controlling any Selling Stockholder or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares. |
12. | Directed Share Program Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Morgan Stanley, each person, if any, who controls Morgan Stanley within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of Morgan Stanley within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act (Morgan Stanley Entities) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) that arise out of, or are based upon, the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of Morgan Stanley Entities. |
(b) | In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any Morgan Stanley Entity in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 12(a), the Morgan Stanley Entity seeking indemnity, shall promptly notify the Company in writing and the Company, upon request of the Morgan Stanley Entity, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Morgan Stanley Entity to represent the Morgan Stanley Entity and any others the Company may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any Morgan Stanley Entity shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Morgan Stanley Entity unless (i) the Company shall have agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and the Morgan Stanley Entity and |
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representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. The Company shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of the Morgan Stanley Entities in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings 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 Morgan Stanley Entities. Any such separate firm for the Morgan Stanley Entities shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Company agrees to indemnify the Morgan Stanley Entities from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time a Morgan Stanley Entity shall have requested the Company to reimburse it for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the Company agrees that it 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 Company of the aforesaid request and (ii) the Company shall not have reimbursed the Morgan Stanley Entity in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Morgan Stanley Entity is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Morgan Stanley Entity, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of the Morgan Stanley Entities from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding. |
(c) | To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 12(a) is unavailable to a Morgan Stanley Entity or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then the Company in lieu of indemnifying the Morgan Stanley Entity thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Morgan Stanley Entity 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 Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand from the offering of the Directed Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 12(c)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 12(c)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand in connection with any 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 Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Directed Shares (before deducting expenses) and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Morgan Stanley Entities for the Directed Shares, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Directed |
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Shares. If the loss, claim, damage or liability is caused by an untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement or the omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Morgan Stanley Entities and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. |
(d) | The Company and the Morgan Stanley Entities agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 12 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Morgan Stanley Entities 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 Section 12(c). The amount paid or payable by the Morgan Stanley Entities as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Morgan Stanley Entities in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 12, no Morgan Stanley Entity shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Directed Shares distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Morgan Stanley Entity has otherwise been required to pay. The remedies provided for in this Section 12 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity. |
(e) | The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 12 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Morgan Stanley Entity or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Directed Shares. |
13. | Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by the Representatives to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to or on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, (a) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, or the Nasdaq Market, (b) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (c) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (d) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (e) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in the Representatives judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (e), |
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makes it, in the Representatives judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus. |
14. | Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto. |
If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Representatives may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 14 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Stockholders for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Stockholders. In any such case either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (a) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (b) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
If (a) this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of any Seller to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, (b) for any reason any Seller shall be
39
unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement or (c) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.
15. | Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares. |
(b) | The Company and each Selling Stockholder acknowledge that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arms length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company, any of the Selling Stockholders or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company and each Selling Stockholder only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement, any contemporaneous written agreements and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company and each Selling Stockholder, and (iv) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice, or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person. The Company and each Selling Stockholder waive to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares. |
(c) | Each Selling Stockholder further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide certain Selling Stockholders with certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation in connection with the offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to any Selling Stockholder to participate in the offering or sell any Shares at the Purchase Price, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation. |
16. | Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. (a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. |
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(b) | In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. |
For purposes of this Section 16, a 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.
17. | 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 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. |
18. | Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. |
19. | Electronic Signatures. The words execution, signed, signature, delivery, and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement, the Shares or any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement or the Shares shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means. |
20. | Applicable 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 internal laws of the State of New York. |
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21. | Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders hereby submits to the non-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 and each of the Selling Stockholders waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding in such courts. Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholders agree that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and each Selling Stockholder, as applicable, and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which Company and each Selling Stockholder, as applicable, is subject by a suit upon such judgment. |
22. | 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. |
23. | Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement. |
24. | Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to the Representatives in care of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; in care of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; and if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Astera Labs, Inc., 2901 Tasman Drive, Suite 205, Santa Clara, California 95054, Attention: General Counsel, with a copy (which shall constitute notice) to Goodwin Procter LLP, 601 Marshall Street, Redwood City, California 94063, Attention: Bradley C. Weber; Julia R. White and if to the Selling Shareholders shall be delivered, mailed or sent to each of the Attorneys-in-Fact named in the Power of Attorney, c/o the Company at the address set forth on the cover of the Registration Statement, Attention: General Counsel, with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to Whalen LLP, 4701 Von Karman Ave, Suite 325, Newport Beach, CA 92660. |
[Signature pages follow]
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Very truly yours, | ||
ASTERA LABS, INC. | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
The Selling Shareholders named in Schedule I, acting severally | ||
| ||
Name: | ||
Title: Attorney-in-Fact |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
Accepted as of the date hereof
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | ||
Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto. | ||
By: | Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | |
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By: | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | |
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I
Selling Stockholder(s)1 | Total Number of Firm Shares To Be Sold | |
[●] | [●] | |
[●] | [●] | |
[●] | [●] | |
| ||
Total: | [●] |
1 | [●] has been appointed as the Attorney-in-Fact for the Selling Stockholders. |
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SCHEDULE II
Underwriter | Number of Firm Shares To Be Purchased | |
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | [●] | |
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | [●] | |
Barclays Capital Inc. | [●] | |
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. | [●] | |
Evercore Group L.L.C. | [●] | |
Jefferies LLC | [●] | |
Needham & Company, LLC | [●] | |
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | [●] | |
Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC | [●] | |
Roth Capital Partners, LLC | [●] | |
Loop Capital Markets LLC | [●] | |
Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC | [●] | |
| ||
Total: | [●] |
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SCHEDULE III
Time of Sale Prospectus
1. | Preliminary Prospectus issued [●], 2024 |
2. | [●] |
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
, 2024
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
As representatives (the Representatives) of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule II to the Underwriting Agreement referred to below
c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10179
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that the Representatives propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the Underwriting Agreement) with Astera Labs, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company) and the Selling Stockholders listed on Schedule I thereto (the Selling Stockholders), providing for the public offering (the Public Offering) by the several Underwriters, including the Representatives (collectively, the Underwriters), of shares (the Shares) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the Common Stock) by the Company and the Selling Stockholders pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the Registration Statement) to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC).
To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period commencing on the date of this agreement (the Lock-Up Agreement) and ending 180 days (including such 180th day) after the date of the final prospectus (the Restricted Period) relating to the Public Offering (the Prospectus), (1) 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, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)), by the undersigned or any other securities so owned by the undersigned that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable (directly or indirectly) for Common Stock (such shares of
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Common Stock, options, rights, restricted stock units, preferred stock, warrants or other securities, collectively, Lock-Up Securities) or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transactions or arrangements (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) designed or intended, or which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition or transfer (whether by the undersigned or any other person) of any economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the undersigned may:
(a) transfer the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities (i) as one or more bona fide gifts or charitable contributions, or for bona fide estate planning purposes; (ii) upon death or by will, intestate succession, other testamentary document, or pursuant to a so-called living trust or other revocable trust established to provide for the disposition of property on the undersigneds death; (iii) if the undersigned is a natural person, to any member of the undersigneds immediate family (for purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, immediate family shall mean any relationship by blood, current or former marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin) or to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned or, if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustor, trustee, or beneficiary of the trust or the estate of a beneficiary of such trust; (iv) to a partnership, limited liability company, corporation or other entity of which the undersigned and the immediate family of the undersigned are the legal and beneficial owner of all of the outstanding equity securities or similar interests; (v) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (a)(i) through (iv) above; (vi) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, or other business entity, (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act)) of the undersigned, (B) to any investment fund or other entity controlling, controlled by, managing or managed by or under common control with the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned (including, for the avoidance of doubt, where the undersigned is a partnership, to its general partner or a successor partnership or fund, or any other funds managed by such partnership), (C) as part of a distribution, transfer, or disposition by the undersigned to its stockholders, partners, members or other equityholders, as the case may be, or to the estate of any such stockholders, partners, members or other equityholders, (D) to any wholly owned subsidiary of the undersigned or (E) if a transferee referred to in clauses (A) through (D) above is not a natural person, any director or indirect partner, member, stockholder or equityholder of such transferee until the Lock-Up Securities come to be held by a natural person; (vii) by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce
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settlement, divorce decree, separation agreement, or other order of a court or regulatory agency; (viii) to the Company from a current or former employee or service provider of the Company in connection with the repurchase of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, which plan is described in the Prospectus, or pursuant to the agreements pursuant to which such shares were issued, or upon death, disability or termination of employment, in each case, of such employee or service provider; (ix) if the undersigned is not an officer or director of the Company, in connection with a sale of the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities acquired (A) in the Public Offering or (B) in open market transactions after the closing date of the Public Offering; (x) to the Company in connection with the vesting, settlement or exercise of restricted stock units, shares of restricted stock, options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of Common Stock (including, in each case, by way of net or cashless exercise), including any transfer to the Company for the payment of tax withholdings or remittance payments due as a result of the vesting, settlement or exercise of such restricted stock units, shares of restricted stock, options, warrants or other rights, or in connection with the conversion of convertible securities, in all such cases pursuant to equity awards granted under a stock incentive plan or other equity award plan, or pursuant to the terms of convertible securities, each as described in or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus relating to the Shares included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the time the Underwriting Agreement is executed or the Prospectus, as applicable, provided that any securities received upon such vesting, settlement, exercise or conversion shall be subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement; (xi) in sell to cover or similar open market transactions (including, without limitation, sales pursuant to any written plan meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act relating to the transfer, sale or other disposition of the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities) during the Lock-Up Period to satisfy tax withholding obligations as a result of the exercise, vesting and/or settlement of Company equity awards (including options and restricted stock units) held by the undersigned and issued pursuant to a plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus; (xii) pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction that is approved by the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized committee thereof) of the Company involving a Change of Control of the Company (for purposes hereof, Change of Control shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons, of shares of capital stock if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity)); provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction is not completed, the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the provisions of this Lock-Up Agreement; or (xiii) with the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters; provided that (A) in the case of clauses (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) above, such transfer or distribution shall not involve a disposition for value, (B) in the case of clauses (a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) above, it shall be a condition to the transfer or distribution that the donee, devisee, transferee or distributee, as the case may be, shall sign and deliver a lock-up agreement in the form of this Lock-Up Agreement, (C) in the case of clauses (a)(ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and
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(vi) above, no filing by any party (including, without limitation, any donor, donee, devisee, transferor, transferee, distributor or distributee) under the Exchange Act, or other public filing, report or announcement reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Lock-Up Securities shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer or distribution, and (D) in the case of clauses (a)(i), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x) and (xi) above, no filing under the Exchange Act or other public filing, report or announcement shall be voluntarily made, and if any such filing, report or announcement shall be legally required during the Lock-Up Period, such filing, report or announcement shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto (A) the circumstances of such transfer or distribution and (B) in the case of a transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (a)(i) or (a)(vii) above, that the donee, devisee, transferee or distributee has agreed to be bound by a lock-up agreement in the form of this Lock-Up Agreement;
(b) exercise outstanding options, settle restricted stock units or other equity awards pursuant to plans described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) and the Prospectus or exercise warrants described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that any Lock-Up Securities received upon such exercise, vesting or settlement shall be subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement;
(c) enter into a written plan meeting the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act relating to the transfer, sale or other disposition of the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities, if then permitted by the Company, provided that none of the securities subject to such plan may be transferred, sold or otherwise disposed of until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (except to the extent otherwise allowed pursuant to this Lock-Up Agreement) and no public announcement, report or filing under the Exchange Act, or any other public filing, report or announcement, shall be voluntarily made regarding the establishment of such plan during the Lock-Up Period (other than as required under Item 408 and Item 601 of Regulation S-K); and
(d) sell the Shares to be sold by the undersigned, if any, pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement.
In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the Restricted Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.
If the undersigned is not a natural person, the undersigned represents and warrants that no single natural person, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than a natural person, entity or group (as described above) that has executed a lock-up agreement in substantially the same form as this Lock-Up Agreement, beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the common equity interests, or 50% or more of the voting power, in the undersigned.
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If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Shares (as referred to in FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2)(A) the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering pursuant to an allocation of Shares that is directed in writing by the Company.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, the Representatives will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed, or will agree, in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service (or such other method approved by the Representatives that satisfies the requirements of FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2)) at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration or that is to an immediate family member as defined in FINRA Rule 5130(i)(5) and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Lock-Up Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(1) if (a) the undersigned is an employee or other service provider of the Company (but excluding in all cases any director of the Company, any officer of the Company (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) under the Exchange Act) or any employee of the Company having the title of vice president or more senior title) or is otherwise not an affiliate of the Company (as defined under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, a Non-Affiliate) and (b) the closing price per share of the Common Stock on the exchange on which the Common Stock is listed for any five Trading Days (as defined below) out of the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Initial Post-Offering Earnings Release Date (as defined below) is at least 25% greater than the initial public offering price per share of Common Stock set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus, then 20% of the aggregate Common Stock and Lock-Up Securities (i) for which all vesting conditions are satisfied as of February 15, 2024 (the Measurement Date), including any restricted stock units that have satisfied the time and service vesting condition on February 15, 2024 but for which the satisfaction of the liquidity event condition is delayed until the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and (ii) that are held by the undersigned as of such Measurement Date (the Eligible Securities), including such shares and other securities that are held by any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the holder or of an immediate family member of the holder, will be automatically released from the restrictions contained in this Lock-Up Agreement and may be sold in the public market, subject to compliance with applicable securities laws including, without limitation, Rule 144 under the Securities Act, and compliance with the Companys insider trading policy, beginning at the commencement of the second Trading Day after the date that the Company publicly announces its earnings for the first
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completed quarterly period (which, for this purpose, shall not include flash numbers or preliminary, partial earnings) (the Initial Post-Offering Earnings Release Date) following the most recent period for which financial statements are included in the Prospectus; and
(2) in addition, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Lock-Up Period shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the opening of trading on the second Trading Day immediately following the Companys release of earnings (which for this purpose shall not include flash numbers or preliminary, partial earnings) for the second quarter following the most recent period for which financial statements are included in the Prospectus and (ii) 180 days after the date of the Prospectus.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if the undersigned is an employee, officer or a director of the Company, the undersigned hereby acknowledges that the undersigned shall remain subject to the Companys regular quarterly black-out periods under the Companys insider trading policy.
Any release of Lock-Up Securities from the restrictions contained in this Lock-Up Agreement pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) above shall be referred to as an Earnings-Related Lockup Release. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Earnings-Related Lockup Release shall not occur unless the Company shall have announced the date of the earnings announcement that shall give rise to such Earnings-Related Lockup Release and the anticipated date of such Earnings-Related Lockup Release, on a Current Report on Form 8-K.
For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement a Trading Day is a day on which the Nasdaq Global Market is open for the buying and selling of securities.
The undersigned now has, and, except as contemplated hereby, for the duration of this Lock-Up Agreement will have, good and marketable title to the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims whatsoever. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Companys transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigneds Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this Lock-Up Agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this Lock-Up Agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigneds heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the Underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Public Offering of the Shares and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide certain Regulation Best Interest and
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Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation to you in connection with the Public Offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to you to participate in the Public Offering or sell any Shares at the price determined in the Public Offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.
This Lock-Up Agreement shall automatically terminate and the undersigned shall be automatically released from all of his, her or its obligations hereunder upon the earlier of (i) the date on which the Registration Statement filed with the SEC with respect to the Public Offering is withdrawn, (ii) the date on which for any reason the Underwriting Agreement is terminated (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares to be sold thereunder (other than pursuant to the Underwriters option thereunder to purchase additional Shares), (iii) the date on which the Company notifies the Representatives, in writing and prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that it does not intend to proceed with the Public Offering and (iv) September 30, 2024, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by such date (provided, however, that the Company may, by written notice to the undersigned prior to such date, extend such date by a period of up to an additional 90 days).
Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.
This Lock-Up Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Lock-Up Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. This Lock-Up Agreement may be delivered via electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com or www.echosign.com) or other transmission method, and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
[Signature page follows]
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Very truly yours, | ||
IF AN INDIVIDUAL: | ||
By: |
| |
(duly authorized signature) | ||
Name: |
| |
(please print full name) | ||
IF AN ENTITY: | ||
| ||
(please print complete name of entity) | ||
By: |
| |
(duly authorized signature) | ||
Name: |
| |
(please print full name) | ||
Title: |
| |
(please print full title) |
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EXHIBIT B
FORM OF WAIVER OF LOCK-UP
, 20
[Name and Address of
Officer or Director
Requesting Waiver]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]:
This letter is being delivered to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters (the Representatives), in connection with the offering by Astera Labs, Inc. (the Company) of shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value (the Common Stock), of the Company and the lock-up agreement dated [●], 2024 (the Lock-up Agreement), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated , 2024, with respect to shares of Common Stock (the Shares).
The Representatives hereby agree to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Agreement, but only with respect to the Shares, effective , 2024; provided, however, that such [waiver] [release] is conditioned on the Company announcing the impending [waiver] [release] by press release through a major news service at least two business days before effectiveness of such [waiver] [release]. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].
Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
[Signature pages follow]
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Very truly yours, | ||
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | ||
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | ||
Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in | ||
Schedule II hereto | ||
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
cc: Astera Labs, Inc.
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FORM OF PRESS RELEASE
Astera Labs, Inc.
[●], 2024
Astera Labs, Inc. (the Company) announced today that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, the lead book-running managers in the Companys recent public sale of shares of its common stock is [waiving][releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Companys common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver][release] will take effect on , 2024, and the shares may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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