EXCORESOURCES, INC. 50,000,000Shares of Common Stock UnderwritingAgreement

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Stock Agreements
EX-1.1 2 a06-5345_1ex1d1.htm UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 1.1

 

EXECUTION COPY

 

EXCO RESOURCES, INC.

 

50,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

February 8, 2006

 

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
  As Representatives of the
  several Underwriters listed
  in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
277 Park Avenue
New York, New York  10172

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

EXCO Resources, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of 50,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Underwritten Shares”) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 7,500,000 shares of common stock of the Company to cover over-allotments, if any, (the “Option Shares”).  The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Shares”.  The shares of common stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are herein referred to as the “Stock”.

 

Concurrently with the closing of the sale of the Underwritten Shares, EXCO Holdings Inc. (“Holdings”) will merge with and into the Company with the Company as the surviving corporation (the “Merger”), pursuant to and on the terms and conditions contained in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 9, 2006, between Holdings and the Company (the “Merger Agreement”).  Also concurrently with such closing, TXOK Acquisition, Inc. (“TXOK”) will redeem (the “Redemption”) all of the issued and outstanding shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock issued by it, upon which TXOK will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.   The Merger, the Redemption, the sale of the Underwritten Shares, and the application of the proceeds therefrom are referred to as the “Transactions.”

 

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

 

1.             Registration Statement.  The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,

 



 

and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-129935) including a prospectus, relating to the Shares.  Such registration statement, as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before it becomes effective, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon the request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares.  If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

At or prior to 7:15 P.M. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the information referred to in the next succeeding sentence, the “Time of Sale Information”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated February 6, 2006, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex B hereto.  In addition, the Underwriters have or will orally provide the pricing information set out on Annex B to prospective purchasers prior to confirming sales. If, subsequent to the date of this Agreement, the Company and the Underwriters have determined that such Time of Sale Information included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted a statement of material fact necessary to make the information therein, in the light of the circumstances under which it was made, not misleading and have agreed to provide an opportunity to purchasers of the Shares to terminate their old purchase contracts and enter into new purchase contracts in respect of the Shares, then “Time of Sale Information” will refer to the information available to purchasers at the time of entry into the first such new purchase contract in respect of the Shares.

 

2.             Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters.  (a)  The Company agrees to issue and sell the Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per share (the “Purchase Price”) of $12.35.   The public offering price of the Shares is not in excess of the price recommended by A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., acting as a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of Rule 2720 of the Rules of Conduct of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”).

 

In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth

 

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herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price.

 

If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.

 

The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase the Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of this Agreement, by written notice from the Representatives to the Company.  Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof).  Any such notice shall be given at least two Business Days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.

 

(b)           The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Prospectus.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Shares purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

 

(c)           It is understood that approximately 4,500,000 Shares (the “Directed Shares”) will initially be reserved by the several Underwriters for offer and sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the NASD to directors, officers and employees of the Company, as well as certain other persons, who have heretofore delivered to Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. (“Bear Stearns”) offers or indications of interest to purchase Shares in form satisfactory to Bear Stearns (such program, the “Directed Share Program”) and that any allocation of such Shares among such persons will be made in accordance with timely directions received by Bear Stearns from the Company; provided that, except as expressly provided under Section 7(b) of this Agreement, under no circumstances will Bear Stearns or any Underwriter be liable to the Company or to any such person for any action taken or omitted in good faith in connection with such Directed Share Program.  It is further understood that any Shares which are not orally confirmed for purchase by such persons by 8 A.M. (Eastern time) on the first trading day after the date of this Agreement will be offered by the Underwriters to the public upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

 

(d)           Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives, in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP at 11:00 A.M. (Eastern

 

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time) on February 14, 2006, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares.  The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date” and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, are herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date”.

 

Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date in definitive form registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not later than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Shares duly paid by the Company.

 

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

 

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

 

(a)           Preliminary Prospectus.  No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus.

 

(b)           Time of Sale Information.  The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale did not, and at the Closing Date and at the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,

 

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not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Time of Sale Information.  No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

 

(c)           Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.  Other than the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not made, used, prepared, authorized, approved or referred to and will not make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex B hereto and other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives.  Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and at the Closing Date and at the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

(d)           Registration Statement and Prospectus.  The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission.  No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or threatened against the Company by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company

 

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in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.

 

(e)           Financial Statements.  The financial statements and the related notes thereto of EXCO Holdings II, Inc., Holdings, the Company, ONEOK Energy Resources Company, TXOK, North Coast Energy, Inc. and their respective consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), as applicable (except to the extent waivers therefrom were granted by the Commission), and present fairly the financial position EXCO Holdings II, Inc., Holdings, the Company, ONEOK Energy Resources Company, TXOK, North Coast Energy, Inc. and their respective subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby except as otherwise noted in such financial statements; the other financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus have been derived from the accounting records of EXCO Holdings II, Inc., Holdings, the Company, ONEOK Energy Resources Company, TXOK, North Coast Energy, Inc. and their respective subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby; and the pro forma financial information and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable and are set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(f)            No Material Adverse Change.  Since the date of the most recent financial statements of EXCO Holdings II, Inc. included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of Holdings (formerly EXCO Holdings II, Inc.), TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by EXCO Holdings II, Inc., Holdings, the Company or TXOK on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations or prospects of Holdings (formerly EXCO Holdings II, Inc.), TXOK and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither Holdings, TXOK nor any of their respective subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement that is material to Holdings, TXOK and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to Holdings, TXOK and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither Holdings, TXOK nor any of their respective subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

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(g)           Organization and Good Standing.  The Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation in good standing under the laws of Texas, and Holdings has been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation in good standing under the laws of Delaware; each of the Company and Holdings has power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and each of the Company and Holdings is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, condition (financial or otherwise), properties or results of operations, after giving effect to the Transactions, of the Company and the Company’s subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).  The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement as well as TXOK and its subsidiaries; Holdings does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the Company as well as TXOK and its subsidiaries.  Each subsidiary of the Company, TXOK and each subsidiary of TXOK has been duly incorporated or formed and is an existing corporation, limited liability company or partnership, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, with corporate, limited liability company or partnership power and authority, as the case may be, to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and each subsidiary of the Company, TXOK and each subsidiary of TXOK is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or entity in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or equity interest of each subsidiary of the Company, TXOK and each subsidiary of TXOK has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable.

 

(h)           Capitalization.  Holdings has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company and Holdings have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights (except, in the case of Holdings, for such rights that will terminate on the Closing Date); except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company, Holdings or any of their respective subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company, Holdings or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company on the Closing Date and the Additional Closing Date will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of TXOK and of each subsidiary of Holdings and TXOK are owned directly or indirectly by Holdings or TXOK, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or

 

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transfer or any other claim of any third party, except for such liens, charges, encumbrances, security interests, restrictions or claims (i) under the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement among EXCO Resources, Inc., EXCO Operating, LP, North Coast Energy, Inc. and North Coast Energy Eastern, Inc., as Borrowers, and Bank One, NA, as Administrative Agent for itself and the Lenders defined therein, dated January 27, 2004, as amended; (ii) under the indenture, dated as of January 20, 2004, among the Company, certain guarantors and Wilmington Trust Company, as Trustee, as amended; (iii) under the Credit Agreement among EXCO Holdings Inc., as Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the Lenders defined therein, dated as of October 3, 2005; (iv) under the Credit Agreement for the Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility among TXOK Acquisition, Inc., as Borrower, certain of its subsidiaries as Guarantors, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the Lenders defined therein, dated September 27, 2005; (v) under the Credit Agreement for the Senior Secured Term Credit Facility among TXOK Acquisition, Inc., as Borrower, certain of its subsidiaries as Guarantors, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the Lenders defined therein, dated September 27, 2005; or (vi) under the Right of First Refusal and Co-Sale Agreement among TXOK Acquisition, Inc., BP EXCO Holdings LP and EXCO Holdings Inc., dated September 27, 2005 and except (with respect to the date hereof) for the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of TXOK.

 

(i)            Due Authorization.  The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; each of the Company and Holdings has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver the Merger Agreement, the Articles of Merger, dated as of February 9, 2006, between Holdings and the Company, and the Certificate of Merger, dated as of February 9, 2006, between Holdings and the Company (together with this Agreement, the “Transaction Documents”) and to perform its obligations thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby (including the Redemption) has been duly and validly taken.

 

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

 

(k)           The Shares.  The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

 

(l)            Other Transaction Documents.  The Transaction Documents have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Company and Holdings.  The Merger Agreement is a valid and legally binding agreement enforceable against the Company and Holdings in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability.

 

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(m)          Descriptions of the Underwriting Agreement.  This Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(n)           No Violation or Default.  None of Holdings, TXOK, or any of their respective subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries is a party or by which Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Holdings, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(o)           No Conflicts.  The execution, delivery and performance by the Company (and, in the case of the Transaction Documents other than this Agreement, by Holdings) of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Shares and compliance by the Company (and, in the case of the Transaction Documents other than this Agreement, by Holdings) with the terms of, and the consummation of the transactions (including the Redemption) contemplated by, the Transaction Documents will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of Holdings, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which Holdings, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for such conflicts, breaches or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(p)           No Consents Required.  No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company (and, in the case of the Transaction Documents other than this Agreement, by Holdings) of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Shares and compliance by the Company (and, in the case of the Transaction Documents other than this Agreement, by Holdings) with the terms of, and the consummation of the transactions (including the Redemption) contemplated by, the Transaction Documents, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act, the acceptance by the Secretary of State of Delaware of the filing of the Certificate of Merger and by the Secretary of State of Texas of the filing of the Articles of Merger, the filing of a Form D with the Commission and applicable states with respect to the shares of common stock of the Company issued pursuant to the merger, such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and

 

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distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters, and any other consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or other action that either has been, or prior to the Closing Date will be, obtained or made or which, if not made, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(q)           Legal Proceedings.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings against or affecting Holdings, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries or properties that, if determined adversely to Holdings, TXOK or any or their respective subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company or Holdings to perform their obligations under the Transaction Documents or the ability of TXOK to consummate the Redemption; and, to the knowledge of the Company, no such actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(r)            Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms.  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who has audited certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, of Holdings and its subsidiaries, and of EXCO Holdings II, Inc., is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries, Holdings and its subsidiaries and EXCO Holdings II, Inc., within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and as required by the Securities Act.  KPMG LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of ONEOK Energy Resources Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to ONEOK Energy Resources Company and its subsidiaries, within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the PCAOB and as required by the Securities Act.  Ernst & Young LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries, within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission for the year ended December 31, 2002.  Hausser + Taylor LLC, who has certified certain financial statements of North Coast Energy, Inc. and its subsidiaries, is an independent public accounting firm with respect to North Coast Energy, Inc. and its subsidiaries, within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission for the years ended December 31, 2002 and 2003.

 

(s)           Title to Real and Personal Property.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, Holdings, TXOK and their respective subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, encumbrances and defects that would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, Holdings, TXOK

 

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and their respective subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no exceptions that would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(t)            Title to Intellectual Property.  Each of Holdings, TXOK and their respective subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “intellectual property rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, other than intellectual property rights the failure of which to possess would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if determined adversely to Holdings, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(u)           No Undisclosed Relationships.  No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Time of Sale Information.

 

(v)           Investment Company Act.  The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Transactions as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (including the Redemption), will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, “Investment Company Act”).

 

(w)          Public Utility Holding Company Act.  None of Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries is a “holding company” or a “subsidiary company” of a holding company or an “affiliate” thereof within the meaning of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.

 

(x)            Taxes.  Holdings, TXOK and their subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof, except for any such failure to so pay or file that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, except for any such deficiency that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(y)           Licenses and Permits.  Each of Holdings, TXOK and their respective subsidiaries possess adequate certificates, authorities or permits issued by appropriate governmental agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit

 

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that, if determined adversely to Holdings, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(z)            No Labor Disputes.  No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of Holdings, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries exists or, to the best knowledge of the Company, is imminent that is reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(aa)         Compliance With Environmental Laws.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, none of Holdings, TXOK nor any of their respective subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, rule, regulation, requirement, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “environmental laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any environmental laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any environmental laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any environmental laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim; and there are no costs or liabilities associated with environmental laws of or relating to Holdings, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries except those that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(bb)         Compliance With ERISA.  Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by Holdings, TXOK or any of their affiliates for employees or former employees of Holdings, TXOK or their affiliates has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), except for any such failure to comply that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; and for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, (x) no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions and (y) no event has occurred or condition exists which could reasonably be expected to result in the termination of such plan.

 

(cc)         Disclosure Controls.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, the Company, TXOK and their subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms,

 

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including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.  The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

 

(dd)         Accounting Controls.  The Company, TXOK and their subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including, but not limited to internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the internal control of the Company, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries.

 

(ee)         Insurance.  Holdings, TXOK and their subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are adequate to protect Holdings, TXOK and their subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and none of Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

 

(ff)           No Unlawful Payments.  None of Holdings, TXOK nor any of their subsidiaries or, to the best knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of Holdings, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

 

(gg)         No Restrictions on Subsidiaries.  Except for any prohibitions that will terminate on the Closing Date or that are disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, none of TXOK or any subsidiary of the Company or TXOK is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is

 

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a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to Holdings (in the case of TXOK), the Company (in the case of a subsidiary of the Company) or TXOK (in the case of a subsidiary of TXOK) (such company, the “parent”), from making any other distribution on its capital stock, from repaying to the Company, Holdings or its parent any loans or advances to it from the Company, Holdings or its parent or from transferring any of its properties or assets to Holdings, TXOK or any other subsidiary of Holdings or TXOK.

 

(hh)         No Broker’s Fees.  None of Holdings, TXOK or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

 

(ii)           No Registration Rights.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, no person has the right to require Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares.

 

(jj)           No Stabilization.  The Company and Holdings have not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.

 

(kk)         Forward-Looking Statements.  No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(ll)           Statistical and Market Data.  Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

 

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

 

(nn)         Status under the Securities Act.  The Company is not an ineligible issuer as defined under the Securities Act, in each case at the times specified in the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

(oo)         Reserve Data.  (i) The oil and gas reserve estimates of the Company and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and September 30, 2005 and of ONEOK Energy Resources Company and its subsidiaries (including ONEOK Energy Resources Holdings, L.L.C.) as of September 30, 2005 contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus are derived from reports that have been prepared by, or have

 

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been audited by, Lee Keeling and Associates, Inc. as set forth therein; (ii) the pro forma oil and gas reserve estimates of the Company and its subsidiaries as of September 30, 2005 are derived from the estimates described in clause (i); and (iii) the estimates described in clauses (i) and (ii) fairly reflect the oil and gas reserves of the Company and its subsidiaries and of ONEOK Energy Resources Company and its subsidiaries, as applicable, at the dates indicated therein and are in accordance, in all material respects, with Commission guidelines applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.

 

(pp)         Independent Petroleum Engineers.  Lee Keeling and Associates, Inc. have represented to the Company that they are, and the Company believes them to be, independent petroleum engineers with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries and for the periods set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(qq)         Directed Share Program.  The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of the Closing Date, the Additional Closing Date and completion of the distribution of the Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in connection with the Directed Share Program, the enrollment materials prepared by Bear Stearns.

 

4.             Further Agreements of the Company.  The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

 

(a)           Required Filings.  The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A under the Securities Act, and will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

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

 

(c)           Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses.  Before using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the

 

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proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.

 

(d)           Notice to the Representatives.  The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

 

(e)           Ongoing Compliance.  If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) upon the advice of counsel to the Company or the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will as soon as practicable notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law, and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, if any, (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading or (ii) upon the advice of counsel to the Company or the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of

 

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Sale Information to comply with law, the Company will as soon as practicable notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the statements in the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.

 

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

 

(g)           Earning Statement.  The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

 

(h)           Clear Market.  For a period of 180 days after the date of the initial public offering of the Shares, neither the Company nor Holdings will (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Stock, any shares of common stock of Holdings (“Holdings Stock”) or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock or Holdings Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or Holdings Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock, Holdings Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., other than (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Stock of the Company issued upon the exercise of options granted under existing employee stock option plans, (C) grants by the Company or Holdings of any employee stock options or restricted stock in accordance with the terms of Holdings’ 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan dated October 7, 2005 as in effect on the date hereof (the “Plan”), (D) the filing by the Company of any registration statement with the Commission on Form S-8 relating to the offering of securities pursuant to the terms of the Plan, (E) shares of Common Stock issued in accordance with the terms of the TXOK Series A Preferred Stock, and (F) shares of Common Stock (or options, warrants or convertible securities in respect thereof) issued in connection with a bona fide merger or acquisition transaction, provided that, in the case of (C) and (F), each recipient or grantee of Common Stock (or options, warrants or convertible securities in respect thereof; for the avoidance of doubt, Common Stock for this purpose shall include restricted stock granted under the Plan) so issued or granted is subject to the terms of a “lock-up” agreement substantially

 

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in the form of Exhibit A hereto.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) 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 (2) 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 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.

 

(i)            Use of Proceeds.  The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds”.

 

(j)            No Stabilization.  Neither the Company nor Holdings will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.

 

(k)           Exchange Listing.  The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”).

 

(l)            Reports.  To the extent not available on the Commission’s EDGAR system or the Company’s website, for a period of two years after the date hereof, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system.

 

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

 

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

 

(o)           Embedded Lockups.  Neither the Company nor Holdings shall waive any provisions of any “lock-up” or similar provision of any agreement entered into by the Company or Holdings with any securityholder of the Company or Holdings without the written consent of JP Morgan Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, and the Company and Holdings shall enforce such provisions at the request of the Underwriters.

 

(p)           Directed Share Program.  None of the Shares distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program will be offered or sold outside of the United States.

 

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

 

(a)           It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which

 

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term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company), other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex B or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above, or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company and the Representatives in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).

 

(b)           It has not and will not distribute any Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus referred to in clause (a)(i) in a manner reasonably designed to lead to its broad unrestricted dissemination.

 

(c)           It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission.

 

(d)           It will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each free writing prospectus used or referred to by it, in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

 

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

 

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

 

(a)           Registration Compliance; No Stop Order.  No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

 

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

 

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(c)           No Downgrade.  Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by Holdings, TXOK or any of their subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

 

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

 

(e)           Officer’s Certificate.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the Company signed by its Chief Financial Officer and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and, to the best knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Section 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.

 

(f)            Comfort Letters.  On the date of this Agreement and (except for KPMG LLP and Hausser + Taylor LLC) on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, each of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, KPMG LLP and Hausser + Taylor LLC shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annexes C-1 through C-6 hereto; provided, that the letters delivered by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than five calendar days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

(g)           Reserve Letters.  On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, Lee Keeling and Associates, Inc. shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, reserve report confirmation letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in such letters to underwriters with respect to the reserve and other operational information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

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(h)                                 Opinion of Counsel for the Company.  Haynes and Boone, LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A hereto.

 

(i)                                     Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

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

 

(k)                                  Good Standing.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company, TXOK and their subsidiaries and (solely on the Closing Date) Holdings in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate Governmental Authorities of such jurisdictions.

 

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

 

(m)                               Lock-up Agreements.  The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company or Holdings relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

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

 

(o)                                 Merger and Redemption.  (i) In the case of the obligation to purchase the Underwritten Shares, (A) Holdings and the Company shall be able to conduct the Merger on the Closing Date on the terms set forth in the Merger Agreement, and shall not have filed a Certificate of Revocation concerning the Merger or taken other steps to prevent the

 

21



 

consummation of the Merger and (B) TXOK shall be able to conduct the Redemption on the Closing Date on the terms set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; and (ii) in the case of the obligation to purchase the Option Shares, the Transactions shall have been consummated.

 

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

 

7.                                       Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)                                  Indemnification of the Underwriters.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers and members and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) or any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information (including any Time of Sale Information that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

 

The Company also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. (“A.G. Edwards”), its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls A.G. Edwards within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred) incurred as a result of A.G. Edwards’s participation as a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of the Rules of Conduct of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

(b)                                 Indemnification of the Company.  Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the

 

22



 

indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information (including any Time of Sale Information that has subsequently been amended), it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the discussions of offering-related activities appearing in the fourth and tenth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting”, and the discussion of stabilization activities appearing in the twenty-second through twenty-fourth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting”; and the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and KeyBanc Capital Markets:  the description of certain relationships with the Company appearing in the third through seventh sentence of the twenty-seventh paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”.

 

(c)                                  Notice and Procedures.  If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section 7 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 7.  If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred.  In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary or (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person.  It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred; provided, however that if indemnity may be sought pursuant to the second paragraph of 7(a) above in respect of such proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm of the Underwriters, their affiliates, directors, officers and members and such control persons of the Underwriters the indemnifying party shall be liable for the fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for A.G. Edwards in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls A.G. Edwards within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the

 

23



 

Exchange Act (“A.G. Edwards Entities”); and provided, further, that if indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 7(f) below in respect of such proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm for the Underwriters and such separate firm for the A.G. Edwards Entities, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Bear Stearns Entities (as defined in Section 7(f)) for the defense of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of the Directed Share Program.  Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company.  The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.  No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

(d)                                 Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters from the offering of the Shares or A.G. Edwards in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, as the case may be, on the other or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters or A.G. Edwards in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, as the case may be, on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the

 

24



 

aggregate offering price of the Shares.  Benefits received by A.G. Edwards in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter” shall be deemed to be equal to the fee, if any, to be received by A.G. Edwards in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter.” The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters or A.G. Edwards in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, as the case may be, on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters or A.G. Edwards in its capacity as a “qualified independent underwriter”, as the case may be, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

(e)                                  Limitation on Liability.  The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above.  The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

 

(f)                                    Directed Share Program.  The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Bear Stearns, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls Bear Stearns within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act (“Bear Stearns Entities”), from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability or any action in respect thereof to which any of the Bear Stearns Entities may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action (i) arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the approval of the Company for distribution to participants in the Directed Share Program (“Directed Share Participants”) in connection with the Directed Share Program or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (subject to the provisions of Section 7(a) of this Agreement in respect of any such statements in, or omissions from, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus), (ii) arises out of, or is based upon, the failure of the Directed Share Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Directed Share Participant agreed to purchase or (iii) is otherwise related to the Directed Share Program; provided that, the Company shall not be liable under this clause (iii) for any loss, claim, damage, liability or action that is determined in a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Bear Stearns Entities.  The

 

25



 

Company shall reimburse the Bear Stearns Entities promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred.

 

(g)                                 Non-Exclusive Remedies.  The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

8.                                       Effectiveness of Agreement.  This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

 

9.                                       Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if as of or after the Time of Sale and prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; or (v) the representation in Section 3(b) is incorrect in any respect.

 

10.                                 Defaulting Underwriter.  (a)  If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement.  If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms.  If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes.  As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

 

26



 

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

 

(c)                                  If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-tenth of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters.  Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

 

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

 

11.                                 Payment of Expenses.  (a)  Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Shares under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; (ix) the fees and expenses of A.G. Edwards acting as “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of the aforementioned Rule 2720 of The Rules of Conduct; (x) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; (xi) all expenses and

 

27



 

application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange; and (xii) all costs, expenses, fees and taxes incident to the offer and sale of Shares by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program including the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters related thereto, the costs and expenses of preparation, printing and distribution of the Directed Share Program material and all stamp duties or other taxes incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program.

 

(b)                                 If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

 

12.                                 Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, members and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof.  Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.  No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

 

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

 

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

 

15.                                 Miscellaneous.  (a)  Authority of the Representatives.  Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

 

(b)                                 Notices.  All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., 277 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10172 (fax: (212)  ###-###-####); Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk.  Notices to the Company shall be given to it at EXCO Resources, Inc., 12377 Merit Drive, Suite 1700, Dallas, Texas 75251 (fax ###-###-####); Attention: J. Douglas Ramsey, Chief Financial Officer.

 

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(c)                                  Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

(d)                                 Counterparts.  This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

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

 

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

 

29



 

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

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

EXCO RESOURCES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Douglas H. Miller

 

 

 

Name:

Douglas H. Miller

 

 

Title:

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

Accepted: February 8, 2006

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

 

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

By

/s/ Yaw Asamoah-Duodu

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC.

 

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

 

By

/s/ Stephen Straty

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

 

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

 

/s/ Goldman, Sachs & Co.

 

(Goldman, Sachs & Co.)

 



 

Schedule 1

 

Underwriter

 

Number of Shares

 

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

 

15,800,000

 

Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.

 

11,850,000

 

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

 

11,850,000

 

A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.

 

4,500,000

 

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

 

3,500,000

 

KeyBanc Capital Markets, a division of McDonald Investments Inc.

 

2,500,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

50,000,000

 

 



 

Annex A

 

[Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company]

 

A-1



 

Annex B

 

a.                                       Free Writing Prospectuses

 

None.

 

b.                                       Pricing Information Provided Orally by Underwriters

 

 

public offering price per share:

$13.00

 

 

 

 

 

underwriting discount per share:

$0.65

 

 

 

 

 

number of offered shares:

50,000,000

 

•                  proceeds, before expenses, to the Company:          $617,500,000.00

 

B-1



 

Annex C-1

 

[Form of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Comfort Letter regarding
 the Company and Holdings (Preliminary Prospectus)]

 

C-1-1



 

Annex C-2

 

[Form of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Comfort Letter regarding
EXCO Holdings II, Inc. (Preliminary Prospectus)]

 

C-2-1



 

Annex C-3

 

[Form of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Comfort Letter regarding
the Company and Holdings (Final Prospectus)]

 

C-3-1



 

Annex C-4

 

[Form of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Comfort Letter regarding
EXCO Holdings II, Inc. (Final Prospectus)]

 

C-4-1



 

Annex C-5

 

 [Form of KPMG LLP Comfort Letter]

 

C-5-1



 

Annex C-6

 

[Form of Hausser + Taylor LLC Comfort Letter]

 

C-6-1



 

Exhibit A

 

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

 

                    , 2006

 

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
As Representatives of
the several Underwriters listed in
Schedule I to the Underwriting
Agreement referred to below
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
277 Park Avenue
New York, NY  10172

 

Re:                               EXCO RESOURCES, INC. --- Public Offering

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with EXCO Resources, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of common stock of the Company (the “Securities”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Securities, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock, $0.001 per share par value, of the Company (the “Common Stock”), any shares of Common Stock (“Holdings Stock”), $0.001 per share par value, of EXCO Holdings Inc. or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or Holdings Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock or Holdings Stock which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or Holdings

 



 

Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock, Holdings Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or Holdings Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or Holdings Stock.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) 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 (2) 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 by this Letter 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.

 

The restrictions set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph shall not apply to (a) bona fide gifts to charitable or nonprofit institutions, (b) dispositions by will or under the laws of intestacy, (c) dispositions to the immediate family of the undersigned, (d) dispositions to any trust, partnership or limited liability company for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned and/or the immediate family of the undersigned, (e) dispositions to a spouse, former spouse, child or other dependent pursuant to a domestic relations order or an order of a court of competent jurisdiction or (f) dispositions to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (a) through (e) above; provided that (i) the transferee agrees in writing with the Underwriters to be bound by the terms of this Letter Agreement, and (ii), in the case of clauses (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f), no filing by any party (either transferor or transferee) under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or disposition (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the 180-day restricted period).  For purposes of this Letter Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.  In addition, notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, the corporation, partnership or limited liability company may transfer the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock to any entity that is an affiliate (as such term is defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of such corporation, partnership or limited liability company, provided that (i) any such transferee agrees in writing with the Underwriters to be bound by the terms of this Letter Agreement, and (ii) no filing by any party (either transferor or transferee) under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or disposition (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the 180-day restricted period).

 

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, Holdings, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.

 



 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

 

The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement.

 

The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.

 

This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

[NAME OF STOCKHOLDER]

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title: