Comverge, Inc. 4,687,500 Shares1 Common Stock ($0.001 par value) Underwriting Agreement

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Underwriting Agreements
EX-1.1 2 dex11.htm FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT Form of Underwriting Agreement

Exhibit 1.1

Comverge, Inc.

4,687,500 Shares1

Common Stock

($0.001 par value)

Underwriting Agreement

New York, New York

April      , 2007

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Cowen and Company, LLC

RBC Capital Markets Corporation

Pacific Growth Equities, LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters,

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Comverge, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, 4,687,500 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value (“Common Stock”) of the Company (said shares to be issued and sold by the Company collectively being hereinafter called the “Underwritten Securities”). The persons named in Schedule II hereto (the “Selling Stockholders”) also propose to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 703,125 additional shares of Common Stock to cover over-allotments, if any (the “Option Securities”; the Option Securities, together with the Underwritten Securities, being hereinafter called the “Securities”). To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. In addition, to the extent that there is not more than one Selling Stockholder named in Schedule II, the term Selling Stockholder shall mean either the singular or plural. The use of the neuter in this Agreement shall include the feminine and masculine wherever appropriate. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 20 hereof.

As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. has agreed to reserve out of the Securities set forth opposite its name on the Schedule II to this Agreement up to 269,531 shares for sale to the Company’s employees, officers, directors and persons otherwise associated with the Company (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in the Prospectus under the heading “Underwriting” (the

 


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Plus an option to purchase from the Selling Stockholders up to 703,125 additional Securities to cover over-allotments.


“Directed Share Program”). The Securities to be sold by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the “Directed Shares”) will be sold by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. pursuant to this Agreement at the public offering price. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participants by 8:00 A.M. New York City time on the Business Day following the date on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. as set forth in the Prospectus.

1. Representations and Warranties.

(i) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 1.

(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission a registration statement (file number 333-137813) on Form S-1, including a related preliminary prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, has become effective. The Company may have filed one or more amendments thereto, including a related preliminary prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will file with the Commission a final prospectus in accordance with Rule 424(b). As filed, such final prospectus shall contain all information required by the Act and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein.

(b) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined herein) and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act; on the Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c)(i)-(iv) hereof.

 

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(c)(i) The Disclosure Package and the price to the public, the number of Underwritten Securities and the number of Option Securities to be included on the cover page of the Prospectus, when taken together as a whole and (ii) each electronic road show when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package and the price to the public, the number of Underwritten Securities and the number of Option Securities to be included on the cover page of the Prospectus, do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c)(i)-(iv) hereof.

(d)(i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

(e) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated by reference therein that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c)(i)-(iv) hereof.

(f) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or limited partnership, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized with full corporate or partnership power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign entity and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification.

(g) All of the outstanding equity interests of each subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all outstanding equity interests of the subsidiaries are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any perfected security interest or any other

 

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security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances, other than those relating to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of January 18, 2007 among Alternative Energy Resources, Inc., the other parties signatures thereto and General Electric Capital Corporation (the “GE Credit Agreement”).

(h) There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required by the Act to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required by the Act (and the Preliminary Prospectus contains in all material respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Prospectus); and the statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the heading “Description of Capital Stock,” insofar as such statements summarize agreements or documents discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such agreements or documents.

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

(j) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(k) No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein except such as have been obtained under the Act and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(l) Neither the issue and sale of the Securities nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties.

(m) Except as set forth in that certain Third Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement, dated February 14, 2006, among the Company and the signatories thereto, no holders of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration Statement.

 

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(n) The consolidated historical financial statements and schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). The selected financial data set forth under the caption “Selected Historical Financial Data” in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement fairly present, on the basis stated in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, the information included therein. The pro forma financial information included in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events described therein, the related pro forma financial information give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the historical financial statement amounts included in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement.

(o) No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”), whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(p) Each of the Company and each of its subsidiaries owns, leases or has a license to use all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted.

(q) Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its charter or bylaws, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for such violation or default as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(r) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have expressed its opinion regarding certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries

 

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and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act.

(s) There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Company or sale by the Company of the Securities.

(t) The Company has filed all tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business), except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(u) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened or imminent, which would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(v) 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 are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause, except such that would not have a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary 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 have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(w) Except as set forth in the GE Credit Agreement, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the

 

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Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(x) The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by all applicable authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses now operated by them and possessed at all times since January 1, 2006 such licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by all applicable authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as operated by them at such times, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singularly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(y) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with the Company’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with the Company’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for tangible assets is compared with the existence of tangible assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries’ internal controls over financial reporting are effective, and the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any material weakness in their internal controls over financial reporting.

(z) The Company and its subsidiaries maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

(aa) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(bb) The Company and its subsidiaries are (i) to the knowledge of the Company, 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 and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under any environmental law, except where such non-compliance with Environmental

 

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Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto). Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.

(cc) None of the following events has occurred or exists: (i) a failure to fulfill the obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of the United States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to a Plan (as herein defined), determined without regard to any waiver of such obligations or extension of any amortization period; (ii) an audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other federal or state governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by any of the Company or any of its subsidiaries that could have a Material Adverse Effect; or (iii) any breach of any contractual obligation, or any violation of law or applicable qualification standards, with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that could have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (i) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans in the current fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such contributions made in the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries; (ii) a material increase in the “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 106) of the Company and its subsidiaries in the current fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such obligations in the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries; (iii) any event or condition giving rise to a liability under Title IV of ERISA that could have a Material Adverse Effect; or (iv) the filing of a claim by one or more employees or former employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries related to their employment that could have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “Plan” means a plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA with respect to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries may have any liability.

(dd) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes Oxley Act”) applicable to the Company and any of its directors or others, in their capacities as such.

(ee) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or

 

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indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA.

(ff) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and the money laundering statutes and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(gg) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and 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 or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

(hh) Alternative Energy Resources, Inc. is the only significant subsidiary of the Company as defined by Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X. Other than Alternative Energy Resources, Inc., all of the Company’s subsidiaries, when taken as a whole, are not significant subsidiaries of the Company as defined by Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

(ii) The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess, license or have other rights to use all patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of the Company’s business as now conducted or as proposed in the Prospectus to be conducted and (a) except pursuant to financing agreements that the Company has entered into, there are no rights of third parties to any such Intellectual Property; (b) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no material infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property; (c) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s rights in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the

 

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Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (d) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (e) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim except as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (f) there is no U.S. patent or published U.S. patent application which contains claims that dominate or may dominate any Intellectual Property described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being owned by or licensed to the Company or that interferes with the issued or pending claims of any such Intellectual Property; and (g) there is no prior art of which the Company is aware that may render any U.S. patent held by the Company invalid or any U.S. patent application held by the Company unpatentable which has not been disclosed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

(jj) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc. and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

(ii) Each Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that:

(a) Such Selling Stockholder is the record and beneficial owner of the Securities to be sold by it hereunder free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities and claims and has duly endorsed such Securities in blank, and has full power and authority to sell its interest in the Securities, and, assuming that each Underwriter acquires its interest in the Securities it has purchased from such Selling Stockholder without notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”)), each Underwriter that has purchased such Securities delivered on the Closing Date to The Depository Trust Company or other securities intermediary by making payment therefor as provided herein, and that has had such Securities credited to the securities account or accounts of such Underwriters maintained with The Depository Trust Company or such other securities intermediary, will have acquired a security entitlement (within the meaning of Section 8-102(a)(17) of the UCC) to such Securities purchased by such Underwriter, and no action based on an adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the UCC) may be asserted against such Underwriter with respect to such Securities.

 

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(b) Such Selling Stockholder has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(c) Certificates in negotiable form for preferred stock of the Company, which will be converted into such Selling Stockholder’s Securities immediately prior to the Closing Date, have been placed in custody, for delivery pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, under a Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney duly authorized (if applicable), executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder, in the form heretofore furnished to you (the “Custody Agreement”) with the Company, as Custodian (the “Custodian”); the Securities to be issued upon conversion of the preferred stock immediately prior to the Closing Date of the sale of the Securities, which are represented by the certificates so held in custody for each Selling Stockholder, are subject to the interests hereunder of the Underwriters; the arrangements for custody and delivery of such certificates representing the Securities, made by such Selling Stockholder hereunder and under the Custody Agreement, are not subject to termination by any acts of such Selling Stockholder, or by operation of law, whether by the death or incapacity of such Selling Stockholder or the occurrence of any other event; and if any such death, incapacity or any other such event shall occur before the delivery of such Securities hereunder, certificates for the Securities will be delivered by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Custody Agreement as if such death, incapacity or other event had not occurred, regardless of whether or not the Custodian shall have received notice of such death, incapacity or other event.

(d) No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required for the consummation by such Selling Stockholder of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as may have been obtained under the Act and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters and such other approvals as have been obtained.

(e) Neither the sale of the Securities being sold by such Selling Stockholder nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated by such Selling Stockholder or the fulfillment of the terms hereof by such Selling Stockholder will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under any law or the charter or bylaws of such Selling Stockholder or the terms of any indenture or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound, or any judgment, order or decree applicable to such Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries.

 

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(f) The sale of Securities by such Selling Stockholder pursuant hereto is not prompted by any information concerning the Company or any of its subsidiaries which is not set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(g) In respect of any statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto used by the Company or any Underwriter, as the case may be, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Selling Stockholder specifically for use in connection with the preparation thereof, such Selling Stockholder hereby makes the same representations and warranties to each Underwriter as the Company makes to such Underwriter under paragraphs (i)(b), (i)(c) and (i)(e) of this Section.

(iii) Each Selling Stockholder hereto represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that such Selling Stockholder (a) has no reason to believe that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Section 1 are not true and correct, and (b) is familiar with the Disclosure Package and Registration Statement and has no knowledge of any material fact, condition or information not disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or any supplement thereto which has adversely affected or may adversely affect the business of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

Any certificate signed by any officer of any Selling Stockholder and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by such Selling Stockholder, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

2. Purchase and Sale. (i) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $ per share, the amount of the Underwritten Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.

(ii) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Selling Stockholders named in Schedule II hereto hereby grant an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to an aggregate of 703,125 Option Securities at the same purchase price per share as the Underwriters shall pay for the Underwritten Securities. Said option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters. Said option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 30th day after the date of the Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the Representatives to the Company and such Selling Stockholders setting forth the number of shares of the Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date. The maximum number of Option Securities to be sold by the Selling Stockholders is 703,125. The maximum number of Option Securities which each Selling Stockholder agrees to sell is set forth in Schedule II hereto. In the event that the Underwriters exercise less than their full over-allotment option, the number of Option Securities to be sold by each Selling

 

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Stockholder listed on Schedule II shall be, as nearly as practicable, in the same proportion as the maximum number of Option Securities to be sold by each Selling Stockholder and the number of Option Securities to be sold. The number of Option Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total number of shares of the Option Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten Securities, subject to such adjustments as you in your absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional shares.

3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities (if the option provided for in Section 2(ii) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the third Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date) shall be made at 10:00 AM, New York City time, on April , 2007, or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement among the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholders or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the respective aggregate purchase prices of the Securities being sold by the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders to or upon the order of the Company and the Selling Stockholders by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to the accounts specified by the Company and the Selling Stockholders. Delivery of the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

Each Selling Stockholder will pay all applicable state transfer taxes, if any, involved in the transfer to the several Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased by them from such Selling Stockholder, and the respective Underwriters will pay any additional stock transfer taxes involved in further transfers.

If the option provided for in Section 2(ii) hereof is exercised after the third Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date, the Selling Stockholders named in Schedule II hereto will deliver the Option Securities, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Selling Stockholders named in Schedule II by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to the accounts specified by the Selling Stockholders named in Schedule II hereto. If settlement for the Option Securities occurs after the Closing Date, the Company and such Selling Stockholders will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for the Option Securities, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option Securities shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.

4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Prospectus.

 

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5. Agreements.

(i) The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object. The Company will cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission, (ii) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment to the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.

(b) If, at any time prior to the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

(c) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material

 

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fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event; (ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5(i), an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and (iii) supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

(d) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.

(e) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.

(f) The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; 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 Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

(g) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company) directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any other shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 180 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement; provided, however, that the Company may issue and sell Common Stock pursuant to, and file a registration statement relating to, any employee

 

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stock option plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the Execution Time, and the Company may issue Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants outstanding at the Execution Time; provided, further, that the Company may issue shares of Common Stock that have an aggregate market value of up to $25.0 million on the date of issuance in connection with bona fide acquisitions, it being understood that any recipient of any such shares of Common Stock will be subject to the original 180-day period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (x) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs, or (y) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed in this clause shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event. The Company will provide the Representatives and any co-managers and each individual subject to the restricted period pursuant to the lockup letters described in Section 6(m) with prior notice of any such announcement that gives rise to an extension of the restricted period.

(h) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(i) The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (v) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq Global Market; (vi) any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) any filings required to be made with the NASD, Inc. (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings); (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (ix) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and

 

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expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company and the Selling Stockholders; provided, however, that the fees and expenses of counsel to the Selling Stockholders paid by the Company shall not exceed $25,000 in the aggregate, with any such fees and expenses in excess of such amount to be borne by each Selling Stockholder in proportion to the number of Option Securities offered by such Selling Stockholder; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of their obligations hereunder.

(j) The Company agrees to pay (1) all reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program, (2) all costs and expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of copies of the Directed Share Program material and (3) all stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program.

(k) The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Company that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided, that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule III hereto and any electronic road show. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives or the Company, as applicable, is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.

Furthermore, the Company covenants with Citigroup Global Markets Inc. that the Company will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations in each foreign jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.

(ii) Each Selling Stockholder agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(a) Such Selling Stockholder will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

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(b) Such Selling Stockholder will advise you promptly, and if requested by you, will confirm such advice in writing, so long as delivery of a prospectus relating to the Securities by an underwriter or dealer may be required under the Act, of (i) any material change in the Company’s condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties, (ii) any change in information in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto relating to such Selling Stockholder or (iii) any new material information relating to the Company or relating to any matter stated in the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus which comes to the attention of such Selling Stockholder.

(c) Such Selling Stockholder represents that it has not prepared or had prepared on its behalf or used or referred to, and agrees that it will not prepare or have prepared on its behalf or use or refer to, any Free Writing Prospectus, and has not distributed and will not distribute any written materials in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.

(d) Such Selling Stockholder will comply with the agreement of such Selling Stockholder contained in the proviso to Section 5(i)(i)(ix).

6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities, as the case may be, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained herein as of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders made in any certificates delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of their respective obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); any material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.

(b) The Company shall have requested and caused Andrews Kurth LLP, counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives their opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:

(i) the Registration Statement was declared effective under the Act; the Prospectus was filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) on April , 2007; to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the SEC; the Common Stock has been accepted for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market; the Registration

 

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Statement as of its effective date, the Preliminary Prospectus as of its date, and the Prospectus as of its date appeared on its fact to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Act (except counsel expresses no statement or believe as to Regulation S-T); to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no documents that are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so filed or any documents that are required to be summarized in the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus that are not so summarized; and no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused such counsel to believe that on the Effective Date the Registration Statement contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date included or includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the historical and pro forma financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules thereto and the auditor’s report thereon, any other financial or accounting data included in, or excluded from, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, and representations and warranties and other statements of fact included in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, as to which such counsel need express no opinion);

(ii) such counsel has no reason to believe that the Disclosure Package, as amended or supplemented at the Execution Time, and the price to the public, the number of Underwritten Securities and the number of Option Securities to be included on the cover page of the Prospectus, when taken together as a whole, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (other than the historical and pro forma financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules thereto and the auditor’s report thereon, any other financial or accounting data included in, or excluded from, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, and representations and warranties and other statements of fact included in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, as to which such counsel need express no opinion);

(iii) the Company is validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in the States of California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey and Utah. Each of the Applicable Subsidiaries is validly existing as a corporation or limited partnership, as applicable, and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing as listed on Schedule V;

(iv) the Company has the corporate power and corporate authority under the laws of the State of Delaware to carry on its business and to own, lease and operate its properties as described in the Disclosure Package and

 

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the Prospectus. Each of the Applicable Subsidiaries has the applicable corporate or limited partnership power and authority under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization listed on Schedule V to carry on its business and to own, lease and operate its properties as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;

(v) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(vi) the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 150,000,000 shares of Common Stock and 15,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), and such capital stock (including the shares of Common Stock owned by the Selling Stockholders) conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Description of Capital Stock.” All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. Immediately after giving effect to the consummation of the issuance and sale of Securities pursuant to this Agreement occurring as of the Closing Date, (a) shares of Common Stock of the Company will be issued and outstanding and (b) no shares of Preferred Stock will be issued and outstanding. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to such counsel’s knowledge, (i) no options or warrants issued by the Company, (ii) rights to convert any Company obligations into, or exchange any securities for, Common Stock or (iii) other rights to purchase, or agreements or other obligations to issue, capital stock of the Company, are outstanding;

(vii) all of the issued and outstanding equity interests of each of the Applicable Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned of record by the Company or by one of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries (except to the extent that such nonassessability may be affected by Section 153.112 of the Texas Business Organizations Code); and, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company or such wholly-owned subsidiary owns such equity interests free and clear of all Liens (A) in respect of which a financing statement under the Delaware Uniform Commercial Code or the Texas Uniform Commercial Code, as applicable, naming the owner of the equity interests of such Applicable Subsidiary as debtor is on file as of a recent date in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or the Secretary of State of the State of Texas, as applicable, or (B) otherwise known to such counsel without independent investigation;

(viii) the issuance and sale of the Securities have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company;

(ix) except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to any preemptive rights under the certificate of incorporation of the

 

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Company, the bylaws of the Company, the Delaware General Corporation Law or any Applicable Agreement (as defined in such opinion), to subscribe for the Securities;

(x) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no Person has the right, which has not been waived, under any Applicable Agreement to require the registration under the Act of any sale of securities issued by the Company, by reason of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement;

(xi) when delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Securities will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The certificates for the Securities comply as to form with the Delaware General Corporation Law, the certificate of incorporation of the Company and the bylaws of the Company;

(xii) none of (i) the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and (ii) the consummation by the Company of the issuance and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, (A) constituted, constitutes or will constitute a violation of the certificate of incorporation of the Company, the bylaws of the Company or the organizational documents of the subsidiaries, (B) constituted, constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default) under, or conflict with, any Applicable Agreement, (C) resulted, results or will result in the creation of any security interest in, or Lien upon, any of the property or assets of the Company or any Applicable Subsidiary pursuant to any Applicable Agreement, (D) resulted, results or will result in any violation of, or creation of a Lien under, (i) applicable laws of the United States of America, (ii) applicable laws of the State of New York, (iii) applicable laws of the State of Texas or (iv) the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or (E) resulted, results or will result in the contravention of any Applicable Order (as defined in such opinion);

(xiii) no Governmental Approval, which has not been obtained or taken and is not in full force and effect, is required to authorize, or is required for, the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement or the consummation of the issuance and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement. As used in this paragraph, “Governmental Approval” means any consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, any executive, legislative, judicial, administrative or regulatory body of the State of Delaware or the United States of America, pursuant to (i) applicable laws of the United States of America, (ii) applicable laws of the State of New York, (iii) applicable laws of the State of Texas or (iv) the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware;

(xiv) the statements under the caption “Description of Capital Stock” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, insofar as such

 

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statements purport to summarize certain provisions of documents and legal matters referred to therein and reviewed by such counsel as described in such opinion, fairly summarize such provisions and legal matters in all material respects, subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated therein;

(xv) the statements under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Tax Consequences for Non-U.S. Holders of Common Stock” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, insofar as they refer to statements of law or legal conclusions, fairly summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects, subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated therein;

(xvi) the Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of said term as used in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

(xvii) except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no Person has the right under the Applicable Agreements, the certificate of incorporation of the Company or the bylaws of the Company to require the registration under the Act of any sale of securities issued by the Company, by reason of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or offering or sale of the Securities; and

(xviii) to such counsel’s knowledge, there is not pending or threatened any action, suit or proceeding to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party, or to which the property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, before or brought by any court, regulatory authority, administrative authority or other governmental authority that are required to be summarized in the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and are not so summarized therein.

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York, the State of Texas, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or the Federal laws of the United States, to the extent they deem proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (b) shall also include any supplements thereto at the Closing Date.

(c) The general counsel to the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives his opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that the Company and each Applicable Subsidiary has been duly incorporated under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization.

 

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(d) If the option provided for in Section 2(ii) hereof is exercised, the Selling Stockholders shall have requested and caused Andrews Kurth LLP, and such other firm(s) as may be agreed by the Underwriters, counsel for the Selling Stockholders, to have furnished to the Representatives their opinion dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:

(i) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of each Selling Stockholder;

(ii) the Custody Agreement of each Selling Stockholder has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Selling Stockholder and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Selling Stockholder, enforceable against such Selling Stockholder in accordance with its terms, and such Selling Stockholder has the full legal right and authority to sell, transfer and deliver its shares of Common Stock in the manner provided by this Agreement, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally, and subject, as to enforceability, to general principles of equity, including principles of commercial reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity) and except that rights to indemnification thereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws or public policy relating thereto;

(iii) none of (i) the offering and sale by any of the Selling Stockholders of the Common Stock to be sold by such Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or (ii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by any of the Selling Stockholders, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby by any of the Selling Stockholders, (A) constituted, constitutes or will constitute a violation of the charter, bylaws or other organizational documents of such Selling Stockholder or (B) resulted, results or will result in any violation of (i) the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, (ii) the Delaware General Corporation Law, (iii) the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, (iv) the applicable laws of the State of Texas, (v) the applicable laws of the State of New York, (vi) the applicable laws of the State of California (vii) the applicable laws of the United States of America or (viii) such other applicable laws applicable to such Selling Stockholder. None of (i) the offering and sale by any of the Selling Stockholders of the Common Stock to be sold by such Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or (ii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by any of the Selling Stockholders, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby by any of the Selling Stockholders, (A) constituted, constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default) under, or conflict with, any Applicable Agreement (as defined in such opinion) or (B) resulted, results or will result in the contravention of any Applicable Order (as defined in such opinion);

 

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(iv) upon payment for the Common Stock to be sold by the Selling Stockholders, delivery of such Common Stock, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company, registration of such Common Stock in the name of Cede & Co. or such other nominee and the crediting of such Common Stock on the books of the Depository Trust Company to “securities accounts” (within the meaning of Section 8-501(a) of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York) of the Underwriters (assuming that neither the Depository Trust Company nor any such Underwriter has notice of any “adverse claim” (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York) to such Common Stock), (i) the Underwriters will acquire a valid “security entitlement” (within the meaning of Section 8-102(a)(17) of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York) in respect of such Common Stock and (ii) no action based on any “adverse claim” (within the meaning of Section 8-102(a)(1) of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York) to such Common Stock may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such “security entitlement”. For purposes of this opinion, such counsel may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (A) such Common Stock will have been registered in the name of Cede & Co. or another nominee designated by the Depository Trust Company, in each case on the Company’s Common Stock registry in accordance with its organizational documents and applicable law, (B) the Depository Trust Company will be registered as a “clearing corporation” (within the meaning of Section 8-102(a)(5) of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York) and (C) appropriate entries to the “securities accounts” of the several Underwriters on the records of the Depository Trust Company will have been made pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York; and

(v) no Governmental Approval is required for the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Selling Stockholders and for the consummation by the Selling Stockholders of the sale of the Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement, except as have been obtained or taken and is not in full force and effect. As used in this paragraph, “Governmental Approval” means any consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental agency or body of the State of Texas, the State of New York, the State of Delaware, the State of California or the United States of America, pursuant to (i) applicable laws of the State of Texas, (ii) applicable laws of the State of New York, (iii) the Delaware General Corporation Law, (iv) the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, (v) the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, (vi) applicable laws of the State of California (vii) applicable laws of the United States of America or (viii) such other applicable laws applicable to such Selling Stockholder.

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or the Federal laws of the United States, to the

 

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extent they deem proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Selling Stockholders and public officials.

(e) The Representatives shall have received from King & Spalding LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company and each Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(f) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board or the President and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as well as each electronic road show used in connection with the offering of the Securities, and this Agreement and that:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

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

(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(g) If the option provided for in Section 2(ii) hereof is exercised, each Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to the Representatives and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a certificate, signed by such person, if an individual, or signed by the Chairman of the Board or the President and the principal financial or accounting officer of such Selling Stockholder, if an entity, dated the Closing Date, to the

 

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effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and this Agreement and that the representations and warranties of such Selling Stockholder in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing Date to the same effect as if made on the Closing Date.

(h) The Company shall have requested and caused PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to have furnished to the Representatives at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that they are independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder and that they have performed a review of the audited financial information of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2006 and as at December 31, 2006, in accordance with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100 and stating in effect that:

(i) in their opinion the audited financial statements and financial statement schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and reported on by them comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission;

(ii) on the basis of a reading of the latest audited financial statements made available by the Company and its subsidiaries; a reading of the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders, directors and audit committee and the compensation committee of the Company and the subsidiaries; and inquiries of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters of the Company and its subsidiaries as to transactions and events subsequent to December 31, 2006, nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe that:

(1) with respect to the period subsequent to December 31, 2006, there were any changes, at a specified date not more than five days prior to the date of the letter, in the long-term liabilities of the Company and its subsidiaries or capital stock of the Company or decreases in the stockholders’ equity of the Company or decreases in working capital of the Company and its subsidiaries as compared with the amounts shown on the December 31, 2006 condensed consolidated balance sheet included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, or for the period from January 1, 2007 to such specified date there were any decreases, as compared with amounts shown at December 31, 2006, in total revenue or net loss, operating loss, loss before income taxes and net loss per share of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in all instances for changes or decreases set forth in such letter, in which case the letter shall be accompanied by an explanation by the Company as to the significance thereof unless said explanation is not deemed necessary by the Representatives;

 

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(2) the information included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus in response to Regulation S-K, Item 301 (Selected Financial Data), Item 302 (Supplementary Financial Information), Item 402 (Executive Compensation) and Item 503(d) (Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges) is not in conformity with the applicable disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K; and

(iii) they have performed certain other specified procedures as a result of which they determined that certain information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical information derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries) set forth in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, including the information set forth under the captions “Summary Historical Financial Data” and “Selected Historical Financial Data” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, agrees with the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, excluding any questions of legal interpretation.

References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (h) include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.

(i) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereof), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (h) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

(j) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

 

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(k) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company and, if the option provided for in Section 2(ii) hereof is exercised, the Selling Stockholders, shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements herein contained.

(l) The Securities shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Nasdaq Global Market, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Representatives.

(m) At the Execution Time, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto from each officer and director of the Company and the persons named in Schedule IV hereto addressed to the Representatives.

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company and each Selling Stockholder in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of King & Spalding LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at 1185 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, on the Closing Date.

7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company or any Selling Stockholders to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through Citigroup Global Markets Inc. on demand for all expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities. If the Company is required to make any payments to the Underwriters under this Section 7 because of any Selling Stockholder’s refusal, inability or failure to satisfy any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6, such Selling Stockholder(s) pro rata in proportion to the percentage of Securities to be sold by each such Selling Stockholder(s) shall reimburse the Company on demand for all amounts so paid.

8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company (i) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either

 

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the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (A) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (B) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (ii) agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Each Selling Stockholder identified in Schedule II hereto severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each other Selling Stockholder to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Selling Stockholder may otherwise have.

(c) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each Selling Stockholder, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company and each Selling Stockholder acknowledge that the statements set forth in (i) the last paragraph of the

 

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cover page regarding delivery of the Securities, (ii) the list of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities under the heading “Underwriting”, (iii) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances under the heading “Underwriting” and (iv) the paragraphs related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids under the heading “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

(d) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Citigroup Global Markets Inc., the directors, officers, employees and agents of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and each person who controls Citigroup Global Markets Inc. within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act (“Citigroup Entities”), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities to which they may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim), insofar as such losses, claims damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) (i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the prospectus wrapper material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution in foreign jurisdictions in connection with the Directed Share Program attached to the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein, when considered in conjunction with the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus, not misleading; (ii) caused by the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of the securities which immediately following the Effective Date of the Registration Statement, were subject to a properly confirmed agreement to purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, except that this clause (iii) shall not apply to the extent that such loss, claim, damage or liability is finally judicially determined to have resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Citigroup Entities.

(e) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as

 

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set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(d) hereof in respect of such action or proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm for the indemnified parties, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for Citigroup Global Markets Inc., the directors, officers, employees and agents of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and all persons, if any, who control Citigroup Global Markets Inc. within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act for the defense of any losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising out of the Directed Share Program.

(f) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company, the Selling Stockholders (severally) and the Underwriters (severally) agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company, the Selling Stockholders and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities; provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company, the Selling Stockholders (severally) and the Underwriters (severally) shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits

 

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but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company or the Selling Stockholders on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (f), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (f).

(g) The liability of each Selling Stockholder under such Selling Stockholder’s representations and warranties contained in Section 1 hereof and under the indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 shall be limited to an amount equal to the initial public offering price of the Securities sold by such Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters. The Company and the Selling Stockholders may agree, as among themselves and without limiting the rights of the Underwriters under this Agreement, as to the respective amounts of such liability for which they each shall be responsible.

9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all of the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not

 

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be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all of the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter, the Selling Stockholders or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company, the Selling Stockholders and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the Nasdaq Global Market or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on either of such exchanges, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers, of each Selling Stockholder and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any Selling Stockholder or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to the Citigroup Global Markets Inc. General Counsel (fax no.: (212)  ###-###-####) and confirmed to the General Counsel, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, 10013, Attention: General Counsel; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to (770)  ###-###-#### and confirmed to it at 3950 Shackleford Rd. #400, Duluth, Georgia 30096, attention of the Legal Department; or if sent to any Selling Stockholder, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed and confirmed to it at the address set forth in Schedule II hereto.

13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

 

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14. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby acknowledge that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company or the Selling Stockholders and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company and the Selling Stockholders agree that they are solely responsible for making their own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company or any Selling Stockholder on related or other matters). The Company and the Selling Stockholders agree that they will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company or any of the Selling Stockholders, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

15. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

16. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

17. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

19. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

20. Definitions. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Applicable Subsidiaries” shall mean the entities listed on Schedule V hereto.

“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.

“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

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“Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Preliminary Prospectus that is generally distributed to investors and used to offer the Securities, (ii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule III hereto, and (iii) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.

“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or becomes effective.

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.

“Liens” shall mean any lien, encumbrance, security interest, charge or other claim.

“Person” shall mean a natural person or a legal entity organized under the laws of any jurisdiction.

“Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(i)(a) above and any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date that omits Rule 430A Information.

“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus relating to the Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time.

“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(i)(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A, as amended at the Execution Time and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be.

“Rule 158”, “Rule 163”, “Rule 164”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430A” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Act.

“Rule 430A Information” shall mean information with respect to the Securities and the offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A.

 

35


“Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” shall mean a registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the offering covered by the registration statement referred to in Section 1(i)(a) hereof.

 

36


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the several Underwriters.

 

Very truly yours,
Comverge, Inc.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Easton Hunt Capital Partners L.P.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Emerson Ventures Inc.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Frank A. Magnotti
Norsk Hydro Technology Ventures AS
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Nth Power Technologies Fund II, L.P.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  


Nth Power Technologies Fund II-A, L.P.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Partners for Growth, L.P.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Richard L. Preston
Ridgewood Comverge, LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Robert M. Chiste

 

T. Wayne Wren


The foregoing Agreement is hereby

confirmed and accepted as of the date

first above written.

 

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.

COWEN AND COMPANY, LLC

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS CORPORATION

PACIFIC GROWTH EQUITIES, LLC

By:   Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
By:   Cowen and Company, LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
By:   RBC Capital Markets Corporation
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
By:   Pacific Growth Equities, LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

For themselves and the other several

Underwriters named in Schedule I to the

foregoing Agreement.


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriters

   Number of
Underwritten
Securities to be
Purchased

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

  

Cowen and Company, LLC

  

RBC Capital Markets Corporation

  

Pacific Growth Equities, LLC

  
    

Total

  


SCHEDULE II

 

Selling Stockholders:

  

Maximum Number

of Option Securities

to be Sold

         

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Attn: Andy Casale

7201 Hamilton Blvd.

Allentown, Pennsylvania 18195

        

Easton Hunt Capital Partners L.P.

Attn: Ed Meyer

767 Third Avenue

7th Floor

New York, New York 10017

        

Emerson Ventures Inc.

Attn: David Kapolnek

8000 West Florissant Avenue

St. Louis, Missouri 63136-8506

        

Frank A. Magnotti

89 Mountain Avenue

Millburn, New Jersey 07041

        

Norsk Hydro Technology Ventures AS

Attn: Richard Erksine

16, Kjorbov, Sandvika

Oslo, Norway N-0246

        

Nth Power Technologies Fund II, L.P.

Attn: Tim Woodward

50 California Street

Suite 840

San Francisco, California 94111

        

Nth Power Technologies Fund II-A, L.P.

Attn: Tim Woodward

50 California Street

Suite 840

San Francisco, California 94111

        


Selling Stockholders:

  

Maximum Number

of Option Securities

to be Sold

         

Partners for Growth, L.P.

Attn: Lorraine Nield

180 Pacific Avenue

San Francisco, California 94111

        

Richard L. Preston

1937 Willeo Creek Pt.

Marietta, Georgia 30068

        

Ridgewood Comverge, LLC

Attn: Leslie Golden

947 Linwood Avenue

Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450

        

Robert M. Chiste

15834 Hidden Cove

Houston, Texas 77079

        

T. Wayne Wren

40 Sugarberry Circle

Houston, Texas 77024

        
          

Total

        


SCHEDULE III

Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package


SCHEDULE IV

List of Persons and Entities Subject to Lock-up Agreements

 

Acorn Factor, Inc.

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Alexander Ellis III

Arthur Vos

Easton Hunt Capital Partners, L.P.

ECP II Interfund L.P.

Edward Myszka

Emerson Ventures, Inc.

EnerTech Capital Partners II L.P.

E.ON Venture Partners

Frank A. Magnotti

John Moore

John Rossi

Michael D. Picchi

Nth Power Management II-A, L.P.

Nth Power Management II, L.P.

Nora Mead Brownell

Norsk Hydro Technology Ventures

Partners for Growth, L.P.

R. Blake Young

Ridgewood Capital

Robert F. McCullough

Robert M. Chiste

RockPort Capital Partners, L.P.

RP Co-Investment Fund I, L.P.

Scott Ungerer

Shell Internet Ventures B.V.

T. Wayne Wren

Tim Woodward

Thomas E. Van Denover

William J. Grealis


SCHEDULE V

Applicable Subsidiaries

 

Entity Name

  

Type of Entity

  

State of Organization

Alternative Energy Resources, Inc.

   Corporation    Delaware

Comverge Energy Management, Inc.

   Corporation    Texas

Comverge Energy Partners, Ltd.

   Limited Partnership    Texas

6D Comverge, Inc.

   Corporation    Delaware


EXHIBIT A

[Form of Lock-Up Agreement]

[Letterhead of officer, director or major shareholder of Corporation]

Comverge, Inc.

Public Offering of Common Stock

[                  ], 2007

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Cowen and Company, LLC

RBC Capital Markets Corporation

Pacific Growth Equities, LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters,

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among Comverge, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the selling stockholders party thereto and each of you as representatives of a group of Underwriters named therein, relating to an underwritten public offering (the “Offering”) of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company.

In order to induce you and the other Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise, other than the exercise of any stock option granted as a direct or indirect result of any Company program, including but not limited to, any form of “cashless” exercise generally available for such grants, provided that the net resulting shares from such exercise are not sold during the Lock-Up Period (as defined below)) by the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned or any person in privity with the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (other than a registration statement relating to employee benefit plans of the Company) in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and


Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, such capital stock (collectively, the “Lock-up Securities”), or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 180 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), other than shares of Common Stock (1) transferred to the Underwriters pursuant to the Offering and the Underwriting Agreement or (2) disposed of as bona fide gifts approved by Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

If (i) the Company issues an earnings release or material news, or a material event relating to the Company occurs, during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period, or (ii) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the restrictions imposed by this agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, unless Citigroup Global Markets Inc. waives, in writing, such extension. The undersigned hereby acknowledges that the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to provide written notice to the undersigned of any event that would result in an extension of the Lock-Up Period and agrees that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have given to, and received by, the undersigned.

Except as may otherwise be agreed to by the undersigned and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., the agreements of the undersigned contained in this letter are conditioned on all holders of at least 1% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock (on an as-converted basis) entering into agreements with you providing for substantially similar restrictions as those set forth herein; provided that if any such holder (other than the undersigned) is fully or partially released from such restrictions, the undersigned shall be similarly released with respect to that portion of the Lock-up Securities held by the undersigned (determined on a percentage basis) equal to the portion of Lock-up Securities held by such holder with respect to which such restrictions were released.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, to the extent that (i) at any time subsequent to the execution of this agreement the undersigned is not required to make any filings under Section 16 or Sections 13(d) or (g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with respect to any shares of Common Stock, and (ii) the undersigned has entered into or will enter into an agreement similar to this agreement (a) in connection with a bona fide issuer directed share program relating to the underwritten public offering of Common Stock (a “DSP Program”) with respect to any shares of Common Stock to be purchased in such DSP Program (the “DSP Shares”) and (b) with any member of the underwriting syndicate or any affiliate of such member who is acting as administrator of such DSP Program, the terms of such other similar lock-up agreement and not of this agreement shall govern the undersigned’s rights with respect to such DSP Shares.


If for any reason the Company notifies you that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective or the Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated prior to the Closing Date (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement), the agreement set forth above shall likewise be terminated.

 

Yours very truly,
[Signature of officer, director or major stockholder]
[Name and address of officer, director or major stockholder]