HomeProperties, Inc.

 

Common Stock

 

($0.01 par value)

 

ATM EQUITY OFFERINGSM SALES AGREEMENT

 

December 3, 2009

 

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Home Properties, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time to or through Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”), as sales agent and/or principal, or BMO Capital Markets Corp. (“BMO”), as sales agent and/or principal (each an “Agent”, and together the “Agents”), up to 3,700,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value (the “Common Stock”), on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement (the “Agreement”).  The Company agrees that whenever it determines to sell Shares directly to either Agent as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement (each, a “Terms Agreement”) in substantially the form of Annex I hereto, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 3 of this Agreement.

 

Section 1. Representations and Warranties.  The Company represents and warrants to the Agents that as of the date of this Agreement, each Registration Statement Amendment Date (as defined in Section 3 below), each Company Periodic Report Date (as defined in Section 3 below), each Company Earnings Report Date (as defined in Section 3 below), (to the extent the conditions of Section 2 (j) are applicable), each Request Date (as defined in Section 3 below), each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(c) below) and each Settlement Date (as defined in Section 2 below):

 

(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements.  The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), on Form S-3 (File No. 333-141879), in respect of the Company’s Common Stock (including the Shares) (collectively, the “Securities”) not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, became effective on filing; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or any part thereof has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission, and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such form of registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the 1933 Act has been received by the Company (the base prospectus filed as part of such registration statement, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Basic Prospectus”; the various parts of such registration statement, excluding any Form T-1 but including all other exhibits thereto and any prospectus supplement or prospectus relating to the Shares that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of Rule 430B under the 1933 Act to be part of such registration statement, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Shares prepared and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act is hereinafter called the “Prospectus Supplement”; the Basic Prospectus, as amended and supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any reference herein to the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any prospectus supplement or base prospectus relating to the Shares filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act and any documents filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and incorporated therein, in each case after the date of the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, including any amendments or supplements thereto, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed under the 1934 Act after the date of this Agreement and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the 1933 Act relating to the Shares that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) is a “road show” that is a “written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) whether or not required to be filed with the Commission or (iii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”).

 

No order preventing or suspending the use of the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and the Basic Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and did not contain an 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” means, with respect to any Shares, the time of sale of such Shares pursuant to this Agreement; the Prospectus and the applicable Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior to such Applicable Time, taken together (collectively, and, with respect to any Shares, together with the public offering price of such Shares, the “General Disclosure Package”) as of each Applicable Time and each Settlement Date, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each applicable Issuer Free Writing Prospectus will not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the General Disclosure Package as of such Applicable Time, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(b) Incorporation of Documents by Reference.  The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, (a) at the time the Registration Statement became effective, (b) at the time the Prospectus was issued and (c) on the date of this Agreement, did not contain an 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.

 

(c) Independent Accountants.  The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

 

(d) Financial Statements.  The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and comprehensive income and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except for changes permitted or required by GAAP).  The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein.  The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.  All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or incorporated by reference therein, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable, in all material respects.

 

(e) No Material Adverse Change in Business.  Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except as otherwise disclosed therein: (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the results of operations or business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, and (C)  except for regular quarterly dividends on the Common Stock in amounts per share that are consistent with past practice, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

 

(f) Good Standing of the Company.  The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(g) Good Standing of Subsidiaries.  Each “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock, ownership interests or partnership interests, as the case may be, of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, in the case of capital stock is fully paid and non-assessable, and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary.  The only Subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Schedule 1 to this Agreement.

 

(h) Capitalization.  The shares of issued and outstanding Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.  The Company’s Common Stock has been registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the 1934 Act and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), and the Company has taken no action designed to terminate, or likely to have the effect of terminating, the registration of the Common Stock under the 1934 Act or delisting the Common Stock from the NYSE, nor has the Company received any written notification that the Commission or the NYSE is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.

 

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

 

(j) Authorization and Description of Securities.  The Shares have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; the Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus and the specimen evidencing such shares conforms with applicable law (including the requirements of the NYSE), under Maryland law or the Company’s charter or by-laws, no holder of the Shares will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

 

(k) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”) except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or of any Terms Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein or in any Terms Agreement and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Shares and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations.  As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any subsidiary.

 

(l) Absence of Labor Dispute.  No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent which would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m) Absence of Proceedings.  There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries would reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, or materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder.

 

(n) Accuracy of Exhibits.  There are no contracts or documents which are required: (i) to be described in the Registration Statement or, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or, (ii) to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

 

(o) Possession of Intellectual Property.  The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate 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, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(p) Absence of Further Requirements.  No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act, or applicable state securities laws.

 

(q) Absence of Manipulation.  Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares in contravention of applicable law.

 

(r) Possession of Licenses and Permits.  The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state or local regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, individually or in the aggregate result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(s) Title to Property.  The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are described in the Prospectus or (b) do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

(t) Investment Company Act.  The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and of the Shares as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

(u) Environmental Laws.  Except as described in the Registration Statement and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that the Company reasonably expects to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

 

(v) Registration Rights.  Except for certain registration rights granted to the holders of the Company’s 4.125% Exchangeable Senior Notes (the “Senior Notes”) and to holders of limited partnership units in Home Properties, L.P., no holders of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration Statement or to otherwise require registration of securities under the 1933 Act.

 

(w) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls.  The Company and its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.  Except as described in the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

The Company and its subsidiaries employ disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

 

(x) Well-Known Seasoned Issuer.  (A)(i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act or form of prospectus), and (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the 1933 Act) made any offer relating to the Shares in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the 1933 Act, the Company was a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act; and (B) at the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the 1933 Act) of the Shares, the Company was not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act.

 

(y) No Commissions.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person, other than as contemplated by this Agreement, that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Agents for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

 

(z) Actively-Traded Security.  The Common Stock is an “actively-traded security” exempted from the requirements of Rule 101 of Regulation M under the 1934 Act by subsection (c)(1) of such rule.

 

(aa) Deemed Representation.  Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company delivered to the Agents or to counsel for the Agents pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any Terms Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Agents as to the matters covered thereby as of the date or dates indicated in such certificate.

 

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

 

(cc) Payment of Taxes.  All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided.  The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided.  The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect to the extent required by GAAP.

 

(dd) REIT Status.  Starting with its taxable year ended December 31, 1994, the Company has elected under Section 856(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”), and such election has not been revoked or terminated.  The Company has qualified as a REIT for its taxable years ended December 31, 1994 through December 31, 2008 and the Company has operated and intends to continue to operate so as to qualify as a REIT thereafter.

 

(ee) Title Insurance.  The Company or its subsidiaries have title insurance on each of the Portfolio Properties in an amount at least equal to the cost of acquisition of such Portfolio Property except, in each case, where the failure to maintain such title insurance would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business.

 

(ff) Mortgages and Deeds of Trust.  The mortgages and deeds of trust encumbering the Portfolio Properties are not convertible into equity and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries holds a participating interest therein and said mortgages and deeds of trust are not cross-defaulted or cross-collateralized to any property not owned by the Company or its subsidiaries.

 

(gg) Insurance.  The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business subject to customary retainages and deductibles, and all such insurance is in full force and effect.  The Company has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a material adverse change.  Neither of the Company nor any subsidiary has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

 

(hh) Statistical and Market-Related Data.  Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

 

(ii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

(jj) Money Laundering Laws.  The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) except where the failure to comply therewith would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(kk) OFAC.  Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Company is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

Section 2. Sale and Delivery of Shares.

 

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to issue and sell through the Agents acting as sales agents or directly to the Agents acting as principals from time to time, and each Agent agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell as sales agent for the Company, the Shares.  Sales of the Shares, if any, through either Agent acting as sales agent or directly to either Agent acting as principal will be made by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions on the NYSE which meet the definition of an “at the market” offering under Rule 415(a)(4) at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, or, if agreed by the Company in writing, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

 

(b) The Shares are to be sold on a daily basis or otherwise as shall be agreed to by the Company and the Agent, through whom the sale of Shares are effected on that day, on any trading day (other than a day on which the NYSE is scheduled to close prior to its regular weekday closing time, each, a “Trading Day”) that the Company has satisfied its obligations under Section 6 of this Agreement and that the Company has instructed such Agent to make such sales.  On any Trading Day, the Company shall sell Shares through only one of the Agents, but in no event through both, and the Company shall give at least one business day prior written notice by telecopy or email to the Agents to notify any change of the Agent through whom the sale of Shares will be effected.  The requirement that the Company sell Shares through only one of the Agents on any Trading Day shall not apply to sales solely to employees or security holders of the Company or its subsidiaries, or to a trustee or other person acquiring such securities for the accounts of such persons in which either Merrill Lynch or BMO is acting for the Company in a capacity other than as Agent under this Agreement.  On any Trading Day, the Company may instruct the Agent through whom the sale of Shares are effected on that day by telephone (confirmed promptly by facsimile or email, which confirmation will be promptly acknowledged by such Agent) as to the maximum number of Shares to be sold by the Agent on such day (in any event not in excess of the number available for issuance under the Prospectus and the currently effective Registration Statement) and the minimum price per Share at which such Shares may be sold.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Agents shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to sell as sales agent all of the Shares so designated by the Company.  The Company and each of the Agents acknowledge and agree that (A) there can be no assurance that the Agents will be successful in selling the Shares, (B) the Agents will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Shares for any reason other than a failure by either Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Shares as required by this Agreement, and (C) neither Agent shall be under any obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis except as otherwise specifically agreed by an Agent and the Company pursuant to a Terms Agreement.  In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Terms Agreement, the terms of such Terms Agreement will control.

 

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not authorize the offer, issuance and/or sale of, and the Agents as sales agents shall not be obligated to use their commercially reasonable efforts to sell, any Shares: (i) at a price lower than the minimum price therefor authorized from time to time, or (ii) in a number or with an aggregate gross sales price in excess of the number or gross sales price, as the case may be, of Shares authorized from time to time to be offered, issued and sold under this Agreement, in each case, by the Company’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof, or in a number in excess of the number of Shares approved for listing on the NYSE, and in each case notified to the Agents in writing.  In addition, the Company or the Agents may, upon notice to the other party hereto by telephone (confirmed promptly by facsimile or email, which confirmation will be promptly acknowledged), suspend the offering of the Shares with respect to which the Agents are acting as sales agent for any reason and at any time; provided, however, that such suspension or termination shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Shares sold hereunder prior to the giving of such notice.

 

(d) The gross sales price of any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement by the Agent acting as sales agent of the Company shall be the actual sales price for such Shares, which may be the market price prevailing at the time of sale for shares of the Company’s Common Stock sold by the Agent on the NYSE or otherwise, at prices relating to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices, as agreed between the Company and either Agent.  The compensation payable to either Agent for sales of Shares with respect to which such Agent acts as sales agent in an “at-the-market” transaction shall be up to 2% of the gross sales price of the Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement.  The Company may sell Shares to the Agents as principal at a price agreed upon at the relevant Applicable Time and pursuant to a separate Terms Agreement. The remaining proceeds, after further deduction for any transaction fees, transfer taxes or similar taxes or fees imposed by any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales, shall constitute the net proceeds to the Company for such Shares (the “Net Proceeds”).  The Agents shall notify the Company as promptly as practicable if any deduction referenced in the preceding sentence will be required.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Company engages either Agent for a sale of Shares that would constitute a “distribution,” within the meaning of Rule 100 of Regulation M under the 1934 Act, the Company and such Agent will agree to compensation that is customary for such Agent with respect to such transactions.

 

(e) If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Agent through whom sales are effected shall provide written confirmation to the Company following the close of trading on the NYSE each day in which Shares are sold under this Agreement setting forth the number of Shares sold on such day, the aggregate gross sales proceeds of the Shares, the aggregate Net Proceeds to the Company and the aggregate compensation payable by the Company to such Agent with respect to such sales.

 

(f) Under no circumstances shall any Shares with respect to which the Agents act as sales agent be sold at a price lower than the minimum price therefor authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Agents in writing.

 

(g) If Company or either Agent believes that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the 1934 Act (applicable to securities with an average daily trading volume of $1,000,000 that are issued by an issuer whose common equity securities have a public float value of at least $150,000,000) are not satisfied with respect to the Company or the Shares, it shall promptly notify the other parties and sales of Shares under this Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of each party.

 

(h) Settlement for sales of Shares pursuant to this Section 2 will occur on the third business day that is also a Trading Day following the trade date on which such sales are made, unless another date shall be agreed to by the Company and the Agent selling such Shares (each such day, a “Settlement Date”).  On each Settlement Date, the Shares sold through an Agent for settlement on such date shall be delivered by the Company to such Agent against payment of the Net Proceeds from the sale of such Shares.  Settlement for all Shares shall be effected by book-entry delivery of Shares to such Agent’s account at The Depository Trust Company against payments by such Agent of the Net Proceeds from the sale of such Shares in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company.  If the Company shall default on its obligation to deliver Shares on any Settlement Date, the Company shall: (i) indemnify and hold the Agent selling such Shares harmless against any loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of such default by the Company and (ii) pay such Agent any commission to which it would otherwise be entitled absent such default.  In no event shall the Company be obligated to deliver Shares to an Agent unless the Company shall have received payment of the Net Proceeds for the Shares sold on any Settlement Date prior to or simultaneously with the delivery of such Shares.

 

(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not offer, sell or deliver, or request the offer or sale, any Shares and, by notice to the Agents given by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email), shall cancel any instructions for the offer or sale of any Shares, and the Agents shall not be obligated to offer or sell any Shares, (i) during any period in which the Company’s insider trading policy, as it exists on the date of the Agreement, would prohibit the purchases or sales of the Company’s Common Stock by its officers or directors, (ii) during any other period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public information or (iii) except as provided in Section 2(j) below, at any time from and including the date (each, an “Announcement Date”) on which the Company shall issue a press release containing, or shall otherwise publicly announce, its earnings, revenues or other results of operations (each, an “Earnings Announcement”) through and including the time that is 24 hours after the time that the Company files (a “Filing Time”) a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K that includes consolidated financial statements as of and for the same period or periods, as the case may be, covered by such Earnings Announcement.

 

(j) If the Company wishes to offer, sell or deliver Shares at any time during the period from and including an Announcement Date through and including the time that is 24 hours after the corresponding Filing Time, the Company shall: (i) prepare and deliver to the Agents (with a copy to counsel to the Agents) a Current Report on Form 8-K which shall include substantially the same financial and related information as was set forth in the relevant Earnings Announcement (other than any earnings projections, similar forward-looking data and officers’ quotations) (each, an “Earnings 8-K”), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, and obtain the consent of the Agents to the filing thereof (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), (ii) provide the Agents with the officers’ certificate, accountants’ letter  and opinions and letters of counsel called for by Sections (3)(j), (k) and (l) hereof; respectively, (iii) afford the Agents the opportunity to conduct a due diligence review in accordance with Section 3(o) hereof and (iv) file such Earnings 8-K with the Commission, then the provisions of clause (iii) of Section 2(i) shall not be applicable for the period from and after the time at which the foregoing conditions shall have been satisfied (or, if later, the time that is 24 hours after the time that the relevant Earnings Announcement was first publicly released) through and including the time that is 24 hours after the Filing Time of the relevant Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K, as the case may be. For purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that (A) the delivery of any officers’ certificate, accountants’ letter and opinions and letters of counsel pursuant to this Section 2(j) shall not relieve the Company from any of its obligations under this Agreement with respect to any Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K, as the case may be, including, without limitation, the obligation to deliver officers’ certificates, accountants’ letters and legal opinions and letters as provided in Section 3 hereof and (B) this Section 2(j) shall in no way affect or limit the operation of the provisions of clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 2(i), which shall have independent application.

 

(k) At each Applicable Time, Settlement Date, Registration Amendment Date, Company Periodic Report Date, Company Earnings Report Date and Request Date, the Company shall be deemed to have affirmed each representation and warranty contained in this Agreement.  Any obligation of the Agents to use their commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Shares on behalf of the Company as sales agent shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the continuing satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in Section 6 of this Agreement.

 

Section 3. Covenants.  The Company agrees with the Agents:

 

(a) During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of Shares (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 153 or 172, or in lieu thereof, a notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 1933 Act), (i) to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to any Settlement Date which shall be disapproved by the Agents promptly after reasonable notice thereof and to advise the Agents, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof, (provided, however, the Company may file such prospectus supplements to its Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-141879) without notice to or consent of the Agents to the extent required under the registration rights agreement with respect to the Company’s 4.125% Exchangeable Senior Notes), (ii) to file promptly all other material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act, (iii) to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act, (iv) to advise the Agents, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Shares, of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the form of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the 1933 Act, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the form of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information, and (v) in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus in respect of the Shares or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order; and in the event of any such issuance of a notice of objection, promptly to take such reasonable steps as may be necessary to permit offers and sales of the Shares by the Agents, which may include, without limitation, amending the Registration Statement or filing a new registration statement, at the Company’s expense (references herein to the Registration Statement shall include any such amendment or new registration statement).

 

(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Agents may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Agents may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the sale of the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction; and to promptly advise the Agents of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer or sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.

 

(c) During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required (whether physically or through compliance with Rules 153 or 172, or in lieu thereof, a notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 1933 Act) in connection with the offering or sale of Shares, the Company will make available to the Agents, as soon as practicable after the execution of this Agreement, and thereafter from time to time furnish to the Agents, copies of the most recent Prospectus in such quantities and at such locations as the Agents may reasonably request for the purposes contemplated by the 1933 Act.  During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required (whether physically or through compliance with Rules 153 or 172, or in lieu thereof, a notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 1933 Act) in connection with the offering or sale of Shares, and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the 1934 Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, to notify the Agents and to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to the Agents as many written and electronic copies as the Agents may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

 

(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the 1933 Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158).

 

(e) To pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Shares within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the 1933 Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the 1933 Act.

 

(f) To use the Net Proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement and any Terms Agreement in the manner specified in the Disclosure Package.

 

(g) In connection with the offering and sale of the Shares, the Company will file with the NYSE all documents and notices, and make all certifications, required by the NYSE of companies that have securities that are listed on the NYSE and will maintain such listing.

 

(h) To not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the 1934 Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

(i) At each Applicable Time, each Settlement Date, each Registration Statement Amendment Date (as defined below), each Company Earnings Report Date (as defined below), each Request Date and each Company Periodic Report Date (as defined below) and each date on which Shares are delivered to the Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company shall be deemed to have affirmed each representation, warranty, covenant and other agreement contained in this Agreement or any Terms Agreement.  In each Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed by the Company in respect of any quarter in which sales of Shares were made by or through the Agents under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement (each date on which any such document is filed, and any date on which an amendment to any such document is filed, a “Company Periodic Report Date”), the Company shall set forth with regard to such quarter the number of Shares sold through the Agents under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, the Net Proceeds received by the Company and the compensation paid by the Company to the Agents with respect to sales of Shares pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement.

 

(j) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement and each time Shares are delivered to either Agent as principal on a Settlement Date and promptly after each: (i) date the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than (1) by an amendment or supplement providing solely for the determination of the terms of the Shares, (2) in connection with the filing of a prospectus supplement that contains solely the information set forth in Section 3(i), (3) in connection with the filing of any current reports on Form 8-K (other than an Earnings 8-K and any other current reports on Form 8-K which contain financial information, financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data, including any current report on Form 8-K under Item 2.02 of such form that is considered “filed” under the 1934 Act) or (4) by a prospectus supplement relating to the offering of other securities (including, without limitation, other shares of Common Stock)) (each such date, a “Registration Statement Amendment Date”),and (ii) date on which an Earnings 8-K shall be filed with the Commission as contemplated by Section 2(j) hereof (a “Company Earnings Report Date”) and (iii) Company Periodic Report Date, and promptly after each reasonable request by either Agent (each date of any such request by an Agent, a “Request Date”) (each of the date of the commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, each such Settlement Date and each Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date and Request Date is hereinafter called a “Representation Date”),  the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents (with a copy to counsel to the Agents) a certificate the date of delivery thereof to the Agents (or, in the case of an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (including, without limitation, by the filing of any document under the 1934 Act that is incorporated by reference therein), the date of the effectiveness of such amendment to the Registration Statement or the date of filing with the Commission of such supplement or incorporated document, as the case may be), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents and their counsel, stating (i) with respect to the certificate referred to in Section 6(e)(i), the number of shares and gross dollar amount remaining outstanding and (ii) that the statements contained in the certificate referred to in Section 6(e)(ii) of this Agreement which was last furnished to the Agent are true and correct as of the date of such certificate as though made at and as of the date of such certificate (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package as amended and supplemented to the date of such certificate) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificates referred to in Section 6(e), but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package as amended and supplemented to the date of such certificate and to state the number of shares and gross dollar amount remaining outstanding.  As used in this paragraph, to the extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the applicable Representation Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable Time.

 

(k) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement and each time the Shares are delivered to either Agent as principal on a Settlement Date, and promptly after each other Representation Date, the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents (with a copy to counsel to the Agent) the written opinion and letter of each counsel to the Company (who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Agents), dated the date of delivery thereof to the Agents (or, in the case of an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (including, without limitation, by the filing of any document under the 1934 Act that is incorporated by reference therein), the date of the effectiveness of such amendment to the Registration Statement or the date of filing with the Commission of such supplement or incorporated document, as the case may be), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents and their counsel, of the same tenor as the opinions and letters referred to in Section 6(c) of this Agreement, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package as amended and supplemented to the date of such opinion and letter or, in lieu of any such opinion and letter, counsel last furnishing such opinion and letter to the Agents shall furnish the Agents (with a copy to counsel for the Agents) with a letter substantially to the effect that the Agents may rely on such counsel’s last opinion and letter to the same extent as though each were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that statements in such last opinion and letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter authorizing reliance). As used in this paragraph, to the extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the applicable Representation Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable Time.

 

(l) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, and at the time Shares are delivered to the Agents as principal on a Settlement Date, and promptly after each other Representation Date, the Company will cause PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, or other independent accountants reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, to furnish to the Agents a letter, dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment or the date of filing of such supplement or other document with the Commission, as the case may be, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Agents and their counsel, of the same tenor as the letter referred to in Section 6(d) hereof, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented, or to the document incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, to the date of such letter. As used in this paragraph, to the extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the applicable Representation Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable Time.

 

(m) The Company consents to the Agents trading in the Company’s Common Stock for the Agents’ own account and for the account of its clients at the same time as sales of Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement.

 

(n) If, to the knowledge of the Company, all filings required by Rule 424 in connection with this offering shall not have been made or the representations in Section 1(a) shall not be true and correct on the applicable Settlement Date, the Company will offer to any person who has agreed to purchase Shares from the Company as the result of an offer to purchase solicited by the Agents the right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Shares.

 

(o) The Company will cooperate timely with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agents or its counsel from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or in any Terms Agreement, including, without limitation, and upon reasonable notice providing information and making available documents and appropriate corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Agents may reasonably request.

 

(p) The Company will not, without: (i) giving the Agents at least five business days’ prior written notice specifying the nature of the proposed sale and the date of such proposed sale and (ii) the Agents suspending activity under this program for such period of time as requested by the Company or as deemed appropriate by the Agents in light of the proposed sale, (A) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with Common Stock, or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing (other than a shelf registration statement under Rule 415 under the 1933 Act, a registration statement on Form S-8 or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement); or (B) enter into any swap or other agreement or any transaction that transfers in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (A) or (B) 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 (v) the Shares to be offered and sold through the Agents pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, (w) Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Company’s stock purchase and dividend reinvestment plan as it may be amended or replaced from time to time, (x) stock issuable upon exchange with holders of limited partnership interests in Home Properties, L.P. outstanding on the date of this Agreement or disclosed in the Registration Statement, (y)  stock issuable in connection with the Company’s Senior Notes, and (z) equity incentive awards approved by the board of directors of the Company or the compensation committee thereof or the issuance of Common Stock upon exercise thereof.

 

(q) If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Shares remain unsold, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to the Agents.  If the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to the Agents, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline.  The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the issuance and sale of the Shares to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Shares.  References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.

 

(r) As promptly as practicable after the close of each of the Company’s fiscal quarters, to prepare a Prospectus Supplement, which will set forth the number of Shares sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the net proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid by the Company to the Agents in a form previously approved by the Agents with respect to such sales and to file such Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (and within the time periods required by Rule 424(b) and Rules 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act); to provide copies of the Prospectus and such Prospectus Supplement and each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered or filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system thereto (collectively, “EDGAR”)) to Merrill Lynch via e-mail in “.pdf” format on such filing date to an e-mail account designated by Merrill Lynch; and, at Merrill Lynch’s request, to furnish copies of the Prospectus and such Prospectus Supplement to each exchange or market on which sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.

 

Section 4. Free Writing Prospectus.

 

(a)   (i)  The Company represents and agrees that without the prior consent of the Agents, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act; and

 

                                (ii) each Agent represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus required to be filed with the Commission.

 

(b) The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the 1933 Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including any free writing prospectus identified in Section 4(a) hereof), including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending.

 

Section 5. Payment of Expenses.

 

(a) The Company covenants and agrees with the Agents that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following:  (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the 1933 Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, Prospectus Supplement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Agents; (ii) the cost of printing or producing this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 3(b) hereof, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and Legal Investment Surveys; (iv) any filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with, any required review by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (v) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the Exchange; (vi) the cost of preparing the Shares in book entry form; (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent or registrar or any dividend distribution agent; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Section 7 hereof, the Agents will pay all of its own costs and expenses, including the fees of its counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by it, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers it may make.

 

(b) If an aggregate of 600,000 shares have not been offered and sold under this Agreement by December 31, 2010 (or such earlier date on which the Company terminates this Agreement), the Company shall reimburse the Agents for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of a single counsel for the Agent incurred by it in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement.

 

Section 6. Conditions of Agent’s Obligation.  The obligations of the Agents hereunder shall be subject, in each of their sole discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof are true and correct as of the time of the execution of this Agreement, the date of any executed Terms Agreement and as of each Representation Date, Applicable Time and Settlement Date, to the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

 

(a) The Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act on or prior to the date hereof and in accordance with Section 3(a) hereof, any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the form of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the 1933 Act shall have been received; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

 

(b) On every date specified in Section 3(k) hereof (including, without limitation, on every Request Date), Sidley Austin llp, counsel for the Agents, shall have furnished to the Agents such written opinion or opinions, dated as of such date, with respect to such matters as the Agents may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

(c) On every date specified in Section 3(k) hereof (including, without limitation, on every Request Date), Nixon Peabody LLP, counsel for the Company, and General Counsel to the Company shall have each furnished to the Agents written opinion or opinions, dated as of such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agents.

 

(d) At the dates specified in Section 3(l) hereof (including, without limitation, on every Request Date), the independent accountants of the Company who have certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus shall have furnished to the Agents a letter dated as of the date of delivery thereof and addressed to the Agents in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents and their counsel, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(e) (i) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement and on such other dates as reasonably requested by either Agent, the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished promptly to the Agents a certificate of an officer in a form satisfactory to the Agents stating the minimum gross sales price per share for the sale of such Shares pursuant to this Agreement and the maximum number of Shares that may be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement or, alternatively, maximum gross proceeds from such sales, as authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, and the number of Shares that have been approved for listing on the NYSE or, in connection with any amendment, revision or modification of such minimum price or maximum Share number or amount, a new certificate with respect thereto and (ii) on each date specified in Section 3(j) (including, without limitation, on every Request Date), the Agents shall have received a certificate of executive officers of the Company, one of whom shall be the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Treasurer, or Executive Vice President in the area of capital markets and investments, dated as of the date thereof, to the effect that (A) there has been no Material Adverse Effect since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, (B) the representations and warranties in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of such date and (C) the Company has complied with all of the agreements entered into in connection with the transaction contemplated herein and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied.

 

(f) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements then included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, no Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred.

 

(g) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 3(c) hereof with respect to the timely furnishing of prospectuses.

 

(h) On such dates as reasonably requested by the Agents, the Company shall have conducted due diligence sessions, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agents.

 

(i) All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the 1933 Act to have been filed by each Applicable Time or related Settlement Date shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424 (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)).

 

(j) The Shares shall have received approval for listing on the NYSE prior to the first Settlement Date.

 

(k) Counsel for the Agents shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably request in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, contained herein or in any applicable Terms Agreement; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein or in any applicable Terms Agreement and in connection with the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any such Terms Agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Agents and counsel for the Agents.

 

Section 7. Indemnification.

 

(a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Agent against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which either Agent may become subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Company roadshow materials used in connection with the offer of Shares or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Agents for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Agents in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Company roadshow materials used in connection with the offer of Shares, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agents expressly for use therein.

 

(b) The Agents will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agents expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by either Agent consists of the following information in the Prospectus Supplement furnished on behalf of each Agent: (i) the last sentence of the first paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution” and (ii) the first sentence of the seventh paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution”; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

 

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection except and then only to the extent such indemnifying party is materially prejudiced thereby. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 7 for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agents on the other from the offering of the Shares to which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Agents on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agents on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions received by the Agents.  The relative fault 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 on the one hand or the Agents on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.  The Company and the Agents agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Agents were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d).  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include 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 subsection (d), neither Agent shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares sold by it to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Agent 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 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to the directors and officers of each Agent and to each person, if any, who controls such Agent within the meaning of the 1933 Act and each broker dealer affiliate of each Agent; and the obligations of the Agents under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability which the Agents may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act.

 

Section 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery.  The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Agents, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of the Agents or any controlling person of either Agent, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

 

Section 9. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Agents are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of such offering) and (ii) the Agents have not assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Agents have advised or are currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iii) the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Agents have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

 

Section 10. Termination.

 

(a) The Company shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time.  Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except that (i) with respect to any pending sale through either Agent for the Company or with respect to any pending sale to either Agent pursuant to a Term Agreement or any offering or resale of any Shares purchased or to be purchased by either Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the obligations of the Company, including in respect of compensation of such Agent, shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination; and (ii) the provisions of Section 1, Section 5(b), Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(b) Each Agent shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time.  Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 1, Section 5(b), Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(c) This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until and unless terminated pursuant to Section 10(a) or (b) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided that any such termination by mutual agreement or pursuant to this clause (c) shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 1, Section 5(b), Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(d) Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Agents or the Company, as the case may be.  If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall settle in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(h) hereof.

 

(e) In the case of any purchase by either Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, such Agent may terminate this Agreement, at any time at or prior to the Settlement Date: (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of the Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus or General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the reasonable judgment of such Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of Shares, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission of the NYSE, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the NYSE or Nasdaq has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or (iv) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, or (v) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal of New York authorities.

 

Section 11. Notices.  All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Agents shall be delivered or sent by mail, e-mail or facsimile transmission to:

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

       Incorporated

 

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

3 Times Square

27th Floor

New York, New York 10036

Attention:  Lori Begley

Fax:   ###-###-####

E-Mail:   ***@***

and if to the Company to:

Home Properties, Inc.

850 Clinton Square

Rochester, New York  14604

Fax No.:   ###-###-####

Attention:  David P. Gardner

E-Mail:   ***@***

 

Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

 

Section 12. Parties.  This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Agents and the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and the Agents and each person who controls the Company or either Agent, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.  No purchaser of Shares through the Agents shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

 

Section 13. Time of the Essence.  Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement.  As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

 

Section 14. Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.  No proceeding related to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement or any transactions contemplated hereby or thereby may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Company consents to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto.  The Company waives all right to trial by jury in any proceeding (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement.  The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such proceeding brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any other courts to whose jurisdiction the Company is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.

 

Section 15. Governing Law.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW.

 

Section 16. Counterparts.  This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.  This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be delivered by any party by facsimile or other electronic transmission.

 

Section 17. Severability.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof or thereof, as the case may be.  If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between the Agents and the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,

Home Properties, Inc.

By: /s/ David P. Gardner                                                                

                  Name:  David P. Gardner

                  Title: Chief Financial Officer and

       Executive Vice President

Accepted as of the date hereof:

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

By: /s/ Jack Vissicchio               

      Name: Jack Vissicchio

      Title: Managing Director

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

By: /s/ David M. Rubin            

      Name:  David M. Rubin

      Title:  Managing Director

Home Properties I, LLC

Home Properties Trust

Home Properties, L.P.

 

Home Properties, Inc.

 

Common Stock

 

($0.01 par value)

 

 

[ADDRESS OF AGENT]

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Home Properties, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the ATM Equity Offering Sales Agreement, dated [●] (the “Sales Agreement”), between the Company and [●] (the “Agent”), to issue and sell to the Agent the securities specified in the Schedule hereto (the “Purchased Securities”).  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Sales Agreement.

 

Each of the provisions of the Sales Agreement not specifically related to the solicitation by the Agent, as agent of the Company, of offers to purchase securities is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein. Each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Terms Agreement and the Applicable Time, except that each representation and warranty in Section 1 of the Sales Agreement which makes reference to the Prospectus (as therein defined) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty as of the date of the Sales Agreement in relation to the Prospectus, and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Terms Agreement and the Settlement Date in relation to the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to relate to the Purchased Securities.

 

An amendment to the Registration Statement (as defined in the Sales Agreement), or a supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Securities, in the form heretofore delivered to the Agent is now proposed to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Sales Agreement which are incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Agent and the latter agrees to purchase from the Company the number of shares of the Purchased Securities at the time and place and at the purchase price set forth in the Schedule hereto.

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between the Agents and the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

THIS TERMS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

Home Properties, Inc.

 

By:                                                      

 

Name:

 

 

Accepted as of the date hereof:

 

[AGENT]

 

By:                                                        

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

---