[] Shares GENWORTH FINANCIAL, INC.

EX-1.1 2 dex11.htm FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT Form of Underwriting Agreement

EXHIBIT 1.1

 

 

 

 

 

[·] Shares

 

 

GENWORTH FINANCIAL, INC.

 

CLASS A COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001 PER SHARE

 

 

 

 

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

[                ], 2005


EXHIBIT 1.1

 

[                ], 2005

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

1585 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

 

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

277 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10172

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

4 World Financial Center

New York, NY 10281

 

As Representatives of the several Underwriters

named in Schedule I hereto

 

Dear Sirs and Mesdames:

 

GE Financial Assurance Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Selling Stockholder”), as the sole selling stockholder, proposes to sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of [·] shares of the Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Firm Shares”) of Genworth Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). The Selling Stockholder also proposes to sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional [·] shares of the Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share of the Company (the “Additional Shares”), if and to the extent that Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as representatives of the several Underwriters (the “Representatives”), shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of Class A common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and Class B common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (including the Shares) are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.”

 


Concurrently with the offering of the Shares, the Company is repurchasing [                ] shares of Class A common stock pursuant to a share purchase agreement, dated as of [                ] (the “Share Repurchase”).

 

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

 

1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters, as of the end of the date hereof, that:

 

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission.

 

(b) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (iii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

 

(c) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of

 

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Delaware, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(d) Each subsidiary of the Company set forth on Schedule II hereto (each, a “Designated Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Designated Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated or formed, is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, has the full power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as currently conducted and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock of each Designated Subsidiary owned directly or indirectly by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except as described in the Prospectus; for purposes of this Agreement, Schedule II hereto includes each subsidiary of the Company that is a “significant subsidiary” (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission).

 

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

 

(f) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.

 

(g) The outstanding shares of Common Stock (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder) have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

(h) (A) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, (ii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries (except to the extent such contravention would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a

 

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material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole), or (iii) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and (B) no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any U.S. federal, state or local governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as has been obtained and as may be required to be obtained by the Company under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

 

(i) Neither the Company nor any of its Designated Subsidiaries is in violation of its certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other constituent documents; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except to the extent such default would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(j) There has not occurred any material adverse change in the financial condition or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement).

 

(k) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described therein or any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

 

(l) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement in the form used in the offering of the Shares and any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(m) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an

 

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“investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(n) Except as described in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

(o) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, or declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each case as described or otherwise contemplated in the Prospectus.

 

(p) The Company and its Designated Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases except such as are described in the Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(q) The Company and its Designated Subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, all material patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names currently employed by them in connection with the business now operated by them, except where the failure to so own, possess or be able to acquire on reasonable terms would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor any of its Designated Subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights

 

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of others with respect to any of the foregoing which, singly or in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(r) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, except as described in the Prospectus, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, except where such dispute would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(s) Each Designated Subsidiary of the Company that is engaged in the business of insurance or reinsurance (each an “Insurance Subsidiary”, collectively the “Insurance Subsidiaries”) is licensed or authorized to conduct an insurance or reinsurance business, as the case may be, under the insurance statutes of each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business requires such licensing or authorization, except for such jurisdictions in which the failure of the Insurance Subsidiary to be so licensed or authorized would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. The Insurance Subsidiaries have made all required filings under applicable insurance statutes in each jurisdiction where such filings are required, except for such filings the failure of which to make would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Each of the Insurance Subsidiaries has all other necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, consents, certificates, permits, registrations and qualifications (“Authorizations”), of and from all insurance regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective existing businesses as described in the Prospectus, except where the failure to have such Authorizations would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no Insurance Subsidiary has received any notification from any insurance regulatory authority to the effect that any additional Authorizations are needed to be obtained by any Insurance Subsidiary in any case where it could reasonably be expected that the failure to obtain such additional Authorizations or the limiting of the writing of such business would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no insurance regulatory authority having jurisdiction over any Insurance Subsidiary has issued any order or decree impairing, restricting or prohibiting (i) the payment of dividends by any Insurance Subsidiary to its parent, other than those restrictions applicable to insurance or reinsurance companies under such jurisdiction generally, or (ii) the continuation of the business of the Company or any of the Insurance Subsidiaries in all material respects as presently conducted, in each case except where such orders or decrees would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

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(t) Except as described in the Prospectus, (i) all ceded reinsurance and retrocessional treaties, contracts, agreements and arrangements (“Reinsurance Contracts”) to which the Company or any Insurance Subsidiary is a party and as to which any of them reported recoverables, premiums due or other amounts in its most recent statutory financial statements are in full force and effect, except where the failure of such Reinsurance Contracts to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and (ii) neither the Company nor any Insurance Subsidiary has received any notice from any other party to any Reinsurance Contract that such other party intends not to perform such Reinsurance Contract in any material respect, and the Company has no knowledge that any of the other parties to such Reinsurance Contracts will be unable to perform its obligations thereunder in any material respect, except where (A) the Company or the Insurance Subsidiary has established reserves in its financial statements which it deems adequate for potential uncollectible reinsurance or (B) such nonperformance would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(u) Except as described in the Prospectus, the Company has no knowledge of any threatened or pending downgrading of the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ claims-paying ability rating or financial strength rating by A.M. Best Company, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Rating Group, Moody’s Investor Service, Inc., Fitch Ratings, Ltd. or any other “nationally recognized statistical rating organizations,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act, which currently has publicly released a rating of the claims-paying ability or financial strength of the Company or any subsidiary.

 

(v) The Company and each of its Designated Subsidiaries maintain a system of 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.

 

(w) The Shares have been authorized for listing on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), subject only to official notice of issuance and have been registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

 

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(x) Except as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement), the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

 

(y) The statements set forth in (i) the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Common Stock, and under the captions “Business – Legal Proceedings,” “Regulation,” “Arrangements between GE and Our Company,” “Description of Equity Units,” “Description of Certain Indebtedness,” “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” and “Certain U.S. Federal Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders,” and (ii) the Registration Statement in Items 14 and 15, in each case insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, fairly summarize in all material respects the matters described therein.

 

(z) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which might have been expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

(aa) KPMG LLP, whose report is included in the Prospectus, is an independent certified public accountant with respect to the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries within the meaning of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder. The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated and conform in all material respects with the rules and regulations adopted by the Commission under the Securities Act; and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all materials respects the information required to be stated therein. The pro forma financial information and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities

 

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Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable.

 

2. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a) The Selling Stockholder has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has the corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(b) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder.

 

(c) The execution and delivery by the Selling Stockholder of, and the performance by the Selling Stockholder of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene in any material respect any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Selling Stockholder or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Selling Stockholder that is material to the Selling Stockholder or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Selling Stockholder of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as has been obtained and as may be required by rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

 

(d) The Selling Stockholder has, and on the Closing Date will have, valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”) in respect of, the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares or a security entitlement in respect of the Shares.

 

(e) Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Shares, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such nominee as the crediting of such Shares on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter

 

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has notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the UCC to such Shares), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (C) no action based on any “adverse claim” (within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC) to such Shares may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, the Selling Stockholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, by-laws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.

 

(f) The Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

(g) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not, as of the Closing Date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (ii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain, as of the Closing Date, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph 2(g) are limited to statements or omissions based upon information relating to the Selling Stockholder and General Electric Company furnished to the Company in writing by the Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto (such information collectively, the “Selling Stockholder Information”).

 

3. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Selling Stockholder hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Selling Stockholder the respective numbers of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its name at [·] a share (the “Purchase Price”).

 

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On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Selling Stockholder agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to an aggregate of [·] Additional Shares at the Purchase Price. You may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares nor later than five business days after the date of such notice or such other date as shall be agreed between the Selling Stockholder and you. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

 

Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholder hereby agrees that it will not during the period ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated on behalf of the Underwriters, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock; or (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.

 

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (A) the shares of Common Stock to be sold pursuant to this Agreement or the Share Repurchase, (B) the shares of Common Stock issuable in connection with the Treasury Units or Corporate Units (as defined in the Prospectus) or the filing of any registration statement relating thereto to the extent required under the terms of the Equity Units (as defined in the Prospectus), (C) the grant by the Company of stock options, restricted stock or other awards pursuant to the Company’s benefit plans as described in the

 

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Prospectus; provided that such options, restricted stock or awards do not become exercisable or vest during such 180-day period, (D) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on or prior to the date hereof and which is described in the Prospectus of which the Underwriters have been advised in writing (E) issuances by the Company of shares of Common Stock in connection with the acquisition of another corporation or entity or the acquisition of the assets or properties of any such corporation or entity, so long as (i) the aggregate amount of such issuances does not exceed $500 million and (ii) each of the recipients of the Common Stock agrees in writing prior to the consummation of any such transaction to be bound by the provisions of the preceding paragraph for the remainder of such 180-day period as if such recipients were the Selling Stockholder, (F) the private transfer by the Selling Stockholder of restricted shares of Common Stock, so long as each of the recipients of the Common Stock agrees in writing prior to the consummation of any such transaction to be bound by the provisions of the preceding paragraph for the remainder of such 180-day period as if such recipients were the Selling Stockholder, (G) transactions by any person other than the Company relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the offering of the Shares and (H) the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 relating to the issuance of stock options, restricted stock and other awards pursuant to our benefit plans as described in the Prospectus. The Selling Stockholder also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Selling Stockholder’s share of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

4. Terms of Public Offering. The Company and the Selling Stockholder are advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Company and the Selling Stockholder are further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at [·] a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of [·] a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of [·] a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

 

5. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Selling Stockholder in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on [                ], 2005, or at

 

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such other time on the same or such other date, not later than [                ], 2005, as shall be agreed in writing by the parties. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

 

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Selling Stockholder in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Option Closing Date.

 

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

 

6. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Selling Stockholder to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than 5:30 PM (New York City time) on the date hereof.

 

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

 

(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

 

(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Company’s securities or the Company’s financial strength or claims-paying ability by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and

 

(ii) there shall not have occurred any material adverse change in the financial condition or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement).

 

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(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 6(a)(i) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

 

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

 

(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Selling Stockholder, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Selling Stockholder contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Selling Stockholder has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

 

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

 

(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and letter of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, outside U.S. counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, as set forth in Exhibit B.

 

(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P., special U.S. regulatory counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, as set forth in Exhibit C.

 

(f) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P., special U.K. counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, as set forth in Exhibit D.

 

(g) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Leon E. Roday, Esq., the Company’s General Counsel, dated the Closing Date, as set forth in Exhibit E.

 

(h) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Craig MacKenzie, Esq., the Company’s in-house Australian counsel, dated the Closing Date, as set forth in Exhibit F.

 

14


(i) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Winsor Macdonell, Esq., the Company’s in-house Canadian counsel, dated the Closing Date, as set forth in Exhibit G.

 

(j) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, outside counsel to the Selling Stockholder, dated the Closing Date, as set forth in Exhibit H.

 

(k) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Underwriters shall request.

 

The opinions of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P., Leon E. Roday, Esq., Craig MacKenzie, Esq. and Winsor Macdonell, Esq. described in Sections 6(d)- 6(k) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company or the Selling Stockholder, as the case may be, and shall so state therein.

 

(l) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from KPMG LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

 

(m) The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and each executive officer and director of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common 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.

 

The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

 

15


7. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a) To furnish to you, without charge, three signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement or as promptly as practicable thereafter and during the period mentioned in Section 7(c) below, as many copies of the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

 

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

 

(c) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.

 

(d) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request.

 

(e) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement covering the twelve-month period ending June 30, 2006 that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

16


8. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations and the obligations of the Selling Stockholder under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s and Selling Stockholder’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters (except any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, which shall be paid by the Selling Stockholder), (iii) the cost of printing or the reasonable fees of counsel in producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(d) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (v) all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show with the prior approval of the Company, and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholder hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 9 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution”, and the last paragraph of Section 11 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

 

17


The provisions of this Section shall not supersede or otherwise affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Stockholder may otherwise have for the allocation of such expenses among themselves.

 

9. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (if used within the period set forth in paragraph (c) of Section 7 hereof and as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased Shares, or any person controlling such Underwriter or any affiliate of such Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act, if a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendment or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Shares to such person, and if the Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim, damage or liability, unless such failure is the result of noncompliance by the Company in furnishing copies of the Prospectus (or amendments or supplements thereto) pursuant to Section 7(a) hereof.

 

(b) The Selling Stockholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any

 

18


preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (if used within the period set forth in paragraph (c) of Section 7 hereof and as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to the Selling Stockholder Information; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased Shares, or any person controlling such Underwriter or any affiliate of such Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act, if a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendment or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Shares to such person, and if the Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim, damage or liability, unless such failure is the result of noncompliance by the Company in furnishing copies of the Prospectus (or amendments or supplements thereto) pursuant to Section 7(a) hereof. The liability of the Selling Stockholder under the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares sold by the Selling Stockholder under this Agreement.

 

(c) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Stockholder, the directors and officers of the Company and Selling Stockholder who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Stockholder within the meaning of either 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, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto.

 

(d) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 9(a), 9(b) or 9(c), such person (the “indemnified

 

19


party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Selling Stockholder and all persons, if any, who controls the Selling Stockholder within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representatives. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for the Selling Stockholder and such control persons of the Selling Stockholder, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Selling Stockholder. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

 

20


(e) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 9(a), 9(b) or 9(c) is unavailable to an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to under such paragraph, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) if the indemnifying party is the Company or the Selling Stockholder, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares, (ii) if the indemnifying person is an Underwriter, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of such Underwriter on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities or (iii) if the allocation provided by clause 9(e)(i) or 9(e)(ii) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 9(e)(i) above or the relative fault referred to in clause 9(e)(ii) but also the relative fault (in cases covered by clause 9(e)(i)) or such relative benefits (in cases covered by clause 9(e)(ii)) of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company or the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Selling Stockholder and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company or the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholder or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint. The liability of the Selling Stockholder under the contribution agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares sold by the Selling Stockholder under this Agreement.

 

(f) The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as

 

21


one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 9(e). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. 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 remedies provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

 

(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 9 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Stockholder contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder or any person controlling the Selling Stockholder, or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

 

10. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by the Representatives to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or materially limited, (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in the State of New York or the United States shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities, or (iii) there shall have occurred any material outbreak, or material escalation, of hostilities or other national or international calamity or crisis, of such magnitude and severity in its effect on the financial markets of the United States, in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, as to prevent or materially impair the marketing, or enforcement of contracts for sale, of the Shares.

 

11. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

 

22


If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 11 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased, and arrangements satisfactory to you, the Company and the Selling Stockholder for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Stockholder. In any such case either you or the Selling Stockholder shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company or the Selling Stockholder to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company or the Selling Stockholder shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company or the Selling Stockholder as the case may be will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of

 

23


their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

 

12. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

 

13. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

 

14. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

 

24


Very truly yours,

GENWORTH FINANCIAL, INC.

By:    
   

Name:

   
   

Title:

   

GE FINANCIAL ASSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

By:    
   

Name:

   
   

Title:

   

 

25


Accepted as of the date hereof

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

INCORPORATED

Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto.
By:  

MORGAN STANLEY & CO.

INCORPORATED

By:    
   

Name:

   
   

Title:

   

By:

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

By:

   
   

Name:

   
   

Title:

   

By:

 

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER &

SMITH INCORPORATED

By:

   
   

Name:

   
   

Title:

   

 

26


EXHIBIT 1.1

 

SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriter


   Number of Firm Shares
To Be Purchased


Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

   [·]

J.P Morgan Securities Inc.

   [·]

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

   [·]
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

Total:

   [·]
    

 

I-1


EXHIBIT 1.1

 

SCHEDULE II

 

LIST OF DESIGNATED SUBSIDIARIES

 

Designated Subsidiaries


  

Jurisdiction of
Incorporation


Brookfield Life Assurance Company Ltd.

   (Bermuda)

Federal Home Life Insurance Company

   (Virginia)

First Colony Life Insurance Company

   (Virginia)

GE Capital Life Assurance Company of New York

   (New York)

GE Capital Mortgage Insurance Company

   (Canada)

GE Life and Annuity Assurance Company

   (Virginia)

GE Mortgage Holdings, LLC

   (North Carolina)

GE Mortgage Insurance Company Pty Ltd.

   (Australia)

GE Mortgage Insurance Holdings Pty Ltd.

   (Australia)

GEFA International Holdings, Inc.

   (Delaware)

GEMIC Holdings Company

   (Canada)

General Electric Capital Assurance Company

   (Delaware)

General Electric Mortgage Insurance Corporation

   (North Carolina)

GNA Corporation

   (Washington)

Jamestown Life Insurance Company

   (Virginia)

 

II-1


EXHIBIT 1.1

 

EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF DIRECTOR & OFFICER LOCK-UP LETTER

 

[            ], 2005

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

As Representatives of the Several Underwriters

 

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

 

1585 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

 

Dear Sirs and Mesdames:

 

The undersigned understands that Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, J.P Morgan Securities Inc. and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (the “Representatives”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Genworth Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and GE Financial Assurance Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Selling Stockholder”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters, including the Representatives (the “Underwriters”), of shares (the “Shares”) of the Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share of the Company (the “Common Stock”).

 

To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 90 days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for

 

A-1


Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) the transfer of any shares of Common Stock to an immediate family member of the undersigned or to a trust where the beneficiaries of the trust are drawn solely from a group consisting of the undersigned and immediate family members of the undersigned, (b) the transfer of any shares of Common Stock to a transferee as a bona fide gift or gifts, (c) dispositions of shares of Common Stock to the Company following 45 days after the date of the Prospectus to cover only withholding tax obligations in connection with the vesting of restricted stock units, (d) the sale of shares of Common Stock following 45 days after the date of the Prospectus to cover the payment of withholding tax obligations related to the exercise of the Company’s stock options or (e) transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offerings; provided, however, that in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (a) or (b) of this sentence, (i) the transferee agrees in writing to be bound by the terms of this agreement and (ii) no filing by any party (donor, donee, 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 distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the 90 day period referred to above). Immediate family member of a person means the spouse, lineal descendants, father, mother, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law of such person. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 90 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 any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

The undersigned understands that the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns. The undersigned understands that if the Underwriting Agreement shall not be entered into within 60 days of the date hereof or the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this agreement.

 

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Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters.

 

Very truly yours,

 

(Name)

 

(Address)

 

A-3


EXHIBIT 1.1

 

EXHIBIT B-1

 

FORM OF U.S. COMPANY COUNSEL OPINION

 

1. The Company has been duly incorporated, is a corporation validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has all requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as described in the Prospectus.

 

2. GEFA International Holdings, Inc. and General Electric Capital Assurance Company (each, a “Subsidiary”) is a corporation validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has all requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted.

 

3. The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 1,500,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share, 700,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. All the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof, and have not been issued in violation of any preemptive rights pursuant to law or in the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation.

 

4. All the outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are owned of record by the Company or one of its subsidiaries. To our knowledge, such shares are also owned beneficially by the Company or one of its subsidiaries and are free and clear of all adverse claims, limitations on voting rights, options and other encumbrances.

 

5. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the Underwriting Agreement and to perform its obligations thereunder. The execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement by the Company have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company.

 

6. The execution and delivery by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement and the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder will not conflict with, constitute a default under or violate (i) any of the terms, conditions or provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or by-laws of the Company, (ii) any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any document, agreement or other instrument filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, (iii) the laws of the State of New York, the corporate laws of the State of Delaware or federal law or regulation (other than federal and state securities or

 

B-1-1


Blue Sky laws or insurance statutes or regulations, as to which we express no opinion in this paragraph), or (iv) any judgment, writ, injunction, decree, order or ruling of any court or governmental authority binding on the Company or any of its subsidiaries of which we are aware.

 

7. No consent, approval, waiver, license or authorization or other action by or filing with any federal, New York or Delaware corporate governmental authority is required in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement, the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby or the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder, except for those in connection with federal and state securities or Blue Sky laws or insurance statutes or regulations, as to which we express no opinion in this paragraph, and those already obtained or made.

 

8. The statements (A) in the Prospectus under the captions “Arrangements between GE and Our Company – Relationship with GE,” “Description of Capital Stock,” “Description of Equity Units,” “Shares Eligible for Future Sale,” “Management – GE 1990 Long-Term Incentive Plan; – Omnibus Incentive Plan; – Incentive Compensation Program” and “Certain U.S. Federal Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders” and (B) in the Registration Statement in response to the requirements of Items 14 and 15 of Form S-1, in each case insofar as such statements constitute summaries of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information required with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings and fairly summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects.

 

9. To our knowledge, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or overtly threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or any contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described, filed or incorporated as required.

 

10. The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act, and we are not aware of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

 

11. The Shares have been authorized for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance, and have been registered under the Exchange Act.

 

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EXHIBIT 1.1

 

EXHIBIT B-2

 

FORM OF U.S. COMPANY COUNSEL LETTER

 

The primary purpose of our professional engagement was not to establish or confirm factual matters or financial or quantitative information, and many determinations involved in the preparation of the Registration Statement and Prospectus are of a non-legal character. In addition, we have not undertaken any obligation to verify independently any of the factual matters set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus. Consequently, in this letter we are not passing upon and do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus. Also, we do not make any statement herein with respect to any of the financial statements and related notes thereto, the financial statement schedules or the financial, statistical or accounting data contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.

 

We have reviewed the Registration Statement and Prospectus and we have participated in conferences with representatives of the Company, its independent public accountants, its special insurance regulatory counsel, its local counsel, you and your counsel, and the Selling Stockholder, at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement and Prospectus and related matters were discussed.

 

Subject to the foregoing, we confirm to you that, on the basis of the information we gained in the course of performing the services referred to above, no facts have come to our attention which cause us to believe that (i) the Registration Statement or the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Rules and Regulations thereunder, (ii) the Registration Statement, on the effective date thereof, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading or (iii) the Prospectus, as of its date or as of the date hereof, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits 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 under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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EXHIBIT 1.1

 

EXHIBIT C

 

FORM OF U.S. COMPANY REGULATORY COUNSEL OPINION

 

1. Each subsidiary listed in Schedule A hereto (an “Insurance Subsidiary”) has the necessary permits, licenses and authorizations under the insurance laws and regulations of the jurisdiction set forth opposite such Insurance Subsidiary’s name on Schedule A hereto to conduct the lines of insurance business set forth opposite such Insurance Subsidiary’s name on Schedule A hereto, except where the failure to have such permits, licenses or authorizations would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

2. The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Firm Shares and the application of the net proceeds from such sale as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds” will not be, required to register as an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

3. The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions “Regulation,” “Arrangements Between GE and Our Company—Reinsurance Transactions,” “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Mortgage Insurance Segment” and “Glossary of Selected Insurance Terms,” insofar as such statements purport to describe provisions of documents referred to therein, the Federal laws of the United States of America, the laws of the State of New York or the insurance laws and regulations of the Connecticut, Delaware, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin, fairly summarize such provisions or such laws in all material respects.

 

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EXHIBIT 1.1

 

SCHEDULE A TO EXHIBIT C

 

    

Insurance Subsidiaries


  

Jurisdiction of
Domicile


  

Lines of Insurance Business


1.

   American Mayflower Life Insurance Company of New York    New York    Life, Annuities and Accident and Health Insurance

2.

   Federal Home Life Insurance Company    Virginia    Life, Annuities, Credit Accident and Sickness, Credit Life and Accident and Sickness

3.

   FFRL Re Corp.    Virginia    Life, Annuities, Accident and Sickness, Variable Life and Variable Annuities

4.

   First Colony Life Insurance Company    Virginia    Life, Credit Life, Annuities, Accident and Sickness, Industrial Life, Variable Life, Variable Annuities, Credit Accident and Sickness

5.

   GE Capital Life Assurance Company of New York    New York    Life, Annuities and Accident and Health Insurance

6.

   GE Group Life Assurance Company    Connecticut    Accident and Health, Reinsurance, Life Non-Participating

7.

   GE Life and Annuity Assurance Company    Virginia    Life, Credit Life, Annuities, Accident and Sickness, Industrial Life, Variable Life, Variable Annuities, Credit Accident and Sickness

8.

   GE Mortgage Reinsurance Corporation of North Carolina    North Carolina    Credit Insurance

9.

   GE Residential Mortgage Insurance Corporation of North Carolina    North Carolina    Credit Insurance

10.

   General Electric Capital Assurance Company    Delaware    Life, including annuities, Variable Annuities and Health

 

SCH A-1


    

Insurance Subsidiaries


  

Jurisdiction of
Domicile


  

Lines of Insurance Business


11.

   General Electric Home Equity Insurance Corporation of North Carolina    North Carolina    Credit Insurance

12.

   General Electric Mortgage Insurance Corporation    North Carolina    Credit Insurance

13.

   General Electric Mortgage Insurance Corporation of North Carolina    North Carolina    Credit Insurance

14.

   Jamestown Life Insurance Company    Virginia    Life, Credit Life, Annuities, Accident and Sickness, Industrial Life, Variable Life, Variable Annuities, Credit Accident and Sickness

15.

   Private Residential Mortgage Insurance Corporation    North Carolina    Credit Insurance

16.

   Professional Insurance Company    Texas    Life; Accident and Health

17.

   River Lake Insurance Company    South Carolina    Reinsurance of specified risks from First Colony Life Insurance Company

18.

   Verex Assurance, Inc.    Wisconsin    Mortgage Insurance

 

SCH A-2


EXHIBIT 1.1

 

EXHIBIT D

 

FORM OF U.K. COMPANY COUNSEL OPINION

 

1. GE Mortgage Insurance Limited (the “UK Insurance Subsidiary”) is a company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of England and Wales, has been in continuous existence since 26th June 1991, and is not in liquidation and has the corporate power, and necessary UK Financial Services Authority (“FSA”) authorization to effect and carry out contracts of insurance in the United Kingdom in classes 14, 15 and 16 (credit, miscellaneous financial loss and suretyship).

 

2. The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions “Regulation - U.K. Insurance Regulation” and “Regulation - Mortgage Insurance- International Regulation – United Kingdom and Continental Europe,” insofar as such statements purport to describe provisions of documents governed by the laws of England and Wales referred to therein or the laws of England and Wales, fairly summarize such provisions or laws, in all material respects.

 

D-1


EXHIBIT 1.1

 

EXHIBIT E

 

FORM OF COMPANY GENERAL COUNSEL OPINION

 

1. The Company is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

2. Each Designated Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formed, has the full power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

3. All of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company and each Designated Subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned, with respect to each Designated Subsidiary, directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

 

4. The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any document, agreement or other instrument filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, or, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

 

5. The Company and each Designated Subsidiary of the Company that is engaged in the business of insurance or reinsurance (each an “Insurance Subsidiary”, collectively the “Insurance Subsidiaries”) are duly licensed to

 

E-1


conduct an insurance or reinsurance business, as the case may be, under the insurance statutes of each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business requires such licensing, except for such jurisdictions in which the failure of the Company or the Insurance Subsidiaries to be so licensed would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

6. The statements in the Prospectus under the captions “Business – Legal Proceedings”, “Corporate Reorganization” and “Description of Certain Indebtedness” in each case insofar as such statements constitute summaries of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings and fairly summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects.

 

E-2


EXHIBIT 1.1

 

EXHIBIT F

FORM OF AUSTRALIAN COMPANY COUNSEL OPINION

 

1. GE Mortgage Insurance Company Pty Limited (“GEMICO”) and each of its related companies – GE Mortgage Insurance Holdings Pty Limited, GE Mortgage Insurance Finance Holdings Pty Limited and GE Mortgage Insurance Finance Pty Limited (collectively, the “Genworth Australia Entities”) have been duly incorporated, are validly existing as corporations in good standing under the laws of the State of Victoria, Australia, have the corporate power, necessary permits, licenses, approvals and authority to own their own property and (in the case of GEMICO) to conduct its business as carried on as of the date hereof.

 

2. All of the issued shares of capital stock of each of the Genworth Australia Entities have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

 

3. The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions “Regulation – Mortgage Insurance – International regulation – Australia” insofar as such statements purport to describe Australian legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly summarize such legal matters, documents and proceedings in all material respects.

 

F-1


EXHIBIT 1.1

 

EXHIBIT G

 

FORM OF CANADIAN COMPANY COUNSEL OPINION

 

1. GE Capital Mortgage Insurance Company (Canada) (“GECMIC”) has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of Canada and has the corporate power, necessary permits, licenses, approvals and authority to own its own property and to conduct its business as carried on as of the date hereof.

 

2. All of the issued shares of capital stock of GECMIC have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

 

3. The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions “Regulations – Mortgage Insurance – International regulation – Canada” and “Business – International mortgage insurance – Canada” insofar as such statements purport to describe Canadian legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly summarize such legal matters, documents and proceedings in all material respects.

 

G-1


EXHIBIT 1.1

 

EXHIBIT H

 

FORM OF U.S. SELLING STOCKHOLDER COUNSEL OPINION

 

1. The Selling Stockholder has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the Underwriting Agreement and to perform its obligations thereunder. The execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement by the Selling Stockholder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Selling Stockholder.

 

2. The execution and delivery by the Selling Stockholder of the Underwriting Agreement and the performance by the Selling Stockholder of its obligations thereunder will not conflict with, constitute a default under or violate (i) any of the terms, conditions or provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or by-laws of the Selling Stockholder, (ii) any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any document, agreement or other instrument listed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to which the Selling Stockholder is party, (iii) the laws of the State of New York, the corporate laws of the State of Delaware or federal law or regulation (other than federal and state securities or Blue Sky laws or insurance statutes or regulations, as to which we express no opinion in this paragraph), or (iv) any judgment, writ, injunction, decree, order or ruling of any court or governmental authority binding on the Selling Stockholder of which we are aware.

 

3. No consent, approval, waiver, license or authorization or other action by or filing with any federal, New York or Delaware corporate governmental authority is required in connection with the execution and delivery by the Selling Stockholder of the Underwriting Agreement, the consummation by the Selling Stockholder of the transactions contemplated thereby or the performance by the Selling Stockholder of its obligations thereunder, except for those in connection with federal and state securities or Blue Sky laws or insurance statutes or regulations, as to which we express no opinion in this paragraph, and those already obtained or made.

 

4. The Shares are owned of record by the Selling Stockholder. To our knowledge, the Shares are also owned beneficially by the Selling Stockholder and are free and clear of all adverse claims, options and other encumbrances.

 

5. Assuming that each Underwriter acquires the Shares being sold to it pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement without notice of an adverse claim thereto, upon (a)(i) indication by the Depositary Trust Company (the “DTC”) by book entry that the Shares have been credited to such Underwriter’s securities account at DTC or (ii) DTC’s acquisition of such Shares for the Underwriter and acceptance of such Shares for such Underwriter’s securities account (assuming in

 

H-1


either such case that DTC does not have notice of any adverse claim) and (b) payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, (x) DTC shall be a protected purchaser of such Shares, (y) the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares, and (z) no action based on an adverse claim may be validly asserted against such Underwriter with respect to its interest in such Shares. For purposes of this paragraph, the terms “adverse claim,” “notice of an adverse claim,” “protected purchaser,” “securities account” and “security entitlement” have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in Sections 8-102(a)(1), 8-102(a)(17), 8-105, 8-303 and 8-501 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York

 

H-2