Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.

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

Exhibit 1.1

 

 

Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.

 

Common Stock

 

(par value, $0.01 per share)

 


 

Underwriting Agreement

 

 

June [    ], 2004

 

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

85 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

 

and

 

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

277 Park Avenue, 8th Floor

New York, New York 10172

 

As representatives of the several Underwriters

named in Schedule I hereto

 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Cendant Finance Holding Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Selling Stockholder”), the sole stockholder of Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of 37,500,000 shares of Common Stock (“Stock”) of the Company, and, at the election of the Underwriters, the Company proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell up to 5,625,000. additional shares of Stock. The aggregate of 37,500,000 shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder is herein called the “Firm Shares” and the aggregate of 5,625,000 additional shares to be sold by the Company is herein called the “Optional Shares.” The Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof are herein collectively called the “Shares”.

 

As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. has agreed to reserve out of the Shares set forth opposite its name on the Schedule I to this Agreement, up to 1,875,000 shares, for sale to the Company’s employees, officers, directors and franchisees (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in the Prospectus (as defined below) under the caption “Underwriting” (the “Directed Share Program”). The Shares to be sold by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the “Directed Shares”) will be sold by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. pursuant to this Agreement at the public offering price. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participants by 8:00 A.M. New York City time on the business day following the date on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. as set forth in the Prospectus.


Simultaneously with the closing of the offering described above, the Company will enter into a new revolving credit facility with a syndicate of financial institutions. The revolving credit facility will provide for borrowings of up to $100.0 million and will have a five-year maturity. The Company also intends to issue $175.0 million aggregate principal amount of notes to a limited group of institutional investors concurrently with the closing of this offering. These transactions are collectively referred to herein as the “Refinancings.”

 

1. (a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:

 

(i) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-113593) (the “Initial Registration Statement”) in respect of the Shares has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to you, and, excluding exhibits thereto, to you for each of the other Underwriters, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and including the information contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 6(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration Statement”; and such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”);

 

(ii) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, 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; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through Goldman, Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein;


(iii) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, 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; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through Goldman, Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein;

 

(iv) Jackson Hewitt Inc., Tax Services of America, Inc. and Hewfant, Inc. are the only significant subsidiaries of the Company as defined by Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X as promulgated by the Commission (the “Significant Subsidiaries”).

 

(v) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than exercises of options contemplated by the Prospectus) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to involve a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;

 

(vi) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or such as would not have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case, whether current or future (a “Material Adverse Effect”); and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries;

 

(vii) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction; and each Significant Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing (to the extent such concept exists) under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;


(viii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and conform to the description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors’ qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;

 

(ix) The Firm Shares have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform to the description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus and the unissued Optional Shares to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus;

 

(x) The issue and sale of the Optional Shares and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated, including, without limitation, the Refinancings, will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, (x) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (y) the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or (z) any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, except, in the case of clauses (x) and (z), for such conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, affect the validity of the Shares, or affect the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the registration under the Act of the Shares and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;

 

(xi) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound other than such defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or have a material adverse effect on the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder;


(xii) Other than as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

 

(xiii) Neither the Company nor any Significant Subsidiary is, or will after the application of any proceeds received from the sale of the Optional Shares, be, an “Investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act”);

 

(xiv) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does business with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba within the meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes;

 

(xv) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

 

(xvi) The Company and each of its subsidiaries has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except where the failure to file, request an extension or make a payment would not have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(xvii) The Company or its subsidiaries own, possess or have other rights to use or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate material patents, trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names, copyrights and other proprietary intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry out the business now operated by them, except where the failure to own or possess, or to be able to acquire, such Intellectual Property would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company has not received any notice from any person of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or any trade secrets, proprietary information, inventions, know-how, processes and procedures owned or used or licensed to the Company, which infringement or conflict, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(xviii) The Company and its subsidiaries have all necessary consents, authorizations, approvals, orders, certificates and permits of and from, and have made all declarations and filings with, all federal, state, local, foreign and other governmental authorities, all self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, to own, lease, license and use their properties and assets and to conduct their business in the manner in which it is described or contemplated in the Prospectus, with such exceptions as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(xix) The Company carries, or is covered by, insurance as is customary for companies similarly situated and engaged in similar businesses in similar industries, except where the failure to carry, or be covered by, such insurance would not have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(xx) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company or any of its subsidiaries and any person granting such person the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or to include any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus;


(xxi) There are no contracts or documents required to be described in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto which are not so described or filed as required;

 

(xxii) No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent which might be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects of the Company;

 

(xxiii) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (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; and

 

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

 

(xxv) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock and under the captions “Risk Factors—Provisions in our charter documents and Delaware law may delay or prevent our acquisition by a third party”, “Business-Franchise Operations-The Franchise Agreement”, “Business-Regulation”, “Management-Employment Agreements”, “Shares Eligible for Future Sale”, and “Underwriting”, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, accurate, complete and fair in all material respects;

 

(xxvi) The Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, Securities to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company, or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.

 

(b) The Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters and the Company that:

 

(i) All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders necessary for the execution and delivery by the Selling Stockholder of this Agreement and for the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder, have been obtained; and the Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder;

 

(ii) The sale of the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder and the compliance by the Selling Stockholder with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under,


any statute, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Selling Stockholder is a party or by which the Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Selling Stockholder is subject in any material respect, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Selling Stockholder or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder or the property of the Selling Stockholder;

 

(iii) The Selling Stockholder has, and immediately prior to the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 5 hereof) the Selling Stockholder will have, good and valid title to the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims; and, upon delivery of such Shares and payment therefor pursuant hereto, good and valid title to such Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, will pass to the several Underwriters;

 

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

 

(v) All information furnished by the Selling Stockholder in writing expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (which the parties agree consists only of information specifically relating to the Selling Stockholder under the caption “Principal and Selling Stockholder”) did not at the time they became effective or were filed with the Commission, and will not at the time they become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;

 

(vi) To its knowledge, none of the representations and warranties of the Company herein are incorrect in any material respect; and

 

(vii) In order to document the Underwriters’ compliance with the reporting and withholding provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 with respect to the transactions herein contemplated, the Selling Stockholder will deliver to you prior to or at the First Time of Delivery (as hereinafter defined) a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).

 

2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the Selling Stockholder agrees to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Selling Stockholder, at a purchase price per share of $            , the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder.


The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at their election up to 5,625,000 Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2 for the sole purpose of covering sales of shares in excess of the number of Firm Shares, provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Company, given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement and setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 5 hereof) or, unless you and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.

 

3. Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholder hereby confirms its engagement of Goldman, Sachs & Co. as, and Goldman, Sachs & Co. hereby confirms its agreement with the Company to render services as, a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of Rule 2720(b)(15) of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”) with respect to the offering and sale of the Stock. Goldman, Sachs & Co., in its capacity as qualified independent underwriter and not otherwise, is referred to herein as the “QIU”. As compensation for the services of the QIU hereunder, the Selling Stockholder agrees to pay the QIU $1,000 on the Closing Date.

 

4. Upon authorization by you of the release of the Firm Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

 

5. (i) The Firm Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder shall be delivered by the Selling Stockholder to the Representatives for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Selling Stockholder, as their interests may appear, to the Representative at least forty-eight hours in advance. The certificates for the Firm Shares shall be duly indorsed or accompanied by duly executed stock powers so as to validly transfer title to the Representatives for the account of the Underwriters. The Company shall (x) cause its transfer agent to reissue such Firm Shares in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours’ prior notice to the Company; and (y) cause the certificates representing the Firm Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect thereto at the office of Goldman, Sachs & Co., 85 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004 (the “Designated Office”).

 

(ii) The Optional Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours’ prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company, as their interests may appear, to the Representative at least forty-eight hours in advance. The Company will cause the certificates representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect thereto at the Designated Office.


The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on                        , 2004 or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Selling Stockholder may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date specified by the Representatives in the written notice given by the Representatives of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the “First Time of Delivery,” such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the “Second Time of Delivery,” and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a “Time of Delivery.”

 

(b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(m) hereof will be delivered at the offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 153 East 53rd Street, New York, New York 10022 (the “Closing Location”), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 5, “New York Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

6. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:

 

(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus which shall be disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to advise you, 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 any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus, 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 Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus or suspending any such qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;

 

(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you 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 distribution 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;


(c) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriter with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any events 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 period to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, to notify you and upon your request to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as you 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, and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as you may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;

 

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

 

(e) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided hereunder, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such substantially similar securities other than (i) pursuant to any employee stock option plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect on the date of this Agreement and described in the prospectus, (ii) pursuant to any non-employee director option plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect on the date of this Agreement and described in the prospectus, (iii) the issuance of Common Stock upon the conversion of securities or the exchange of warrants outstanding on the date of this Agreement and described in the prospectus or (iv) Common Stock issued as consideration in connection with acquisitions, provided that, the aggregate amount of such Common Stock issued shall not exceed 5% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the first such issuance, subject to proportionate adjustment in the event of a stock split, recombination or reclassification of the Common Stock;

 

(f) To furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first


three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail;

 

(g) During a period of two years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed, other than such reports and financial statements that are publicly available on the Commission’s EDGAR system; and (ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as you may from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to the Commission);

 

(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Optional Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”;

 

(i) To use its reasonable best efforts to list, subject, as the case may be, to notice of issuance the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”);

 

(j) To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q of Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Act; and

 

(k) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act; and

 

(l) Upon the reasonable request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, service marks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Shares (the “License”); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.

 

7. The Company and the Selling Stockholder, jointly and severally, covenant and agree with one another and with the several Underwriters that

 

(a) the Company and the Selling Stockholder will pay or cause to be paid a pro rata share (based on the number of Shares to be sold by the Company and the Selling Stockholder hereunder) 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 Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum, 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 6(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange; and (v) the filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, securing any required review by the NASD of the terms of the sale of the Shares;

 

(b) the Company will pay or cause to be paid: (i) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (ii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; and (iii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 7;

 

(c) the Selling Stockholder will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of the Selling Stockholder’s obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 7, including (i) any fees and expenses of counsel for the Selling Stockholder and (ii) all expenses and taxes incident to the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters hereunder; and

 

(d) the Company will pay or cause to be paid (i) all fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program, (ii) all costs and expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of copies of the Directed Share Program material and (iii) all stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program.

 

In connection with clause (c)(iii) of the preceding sentence, Goldman, Sachs & Co. agrees to pay New York State stock transfer tax, and the Selling Stockholder agrees to reimburse Goldman, Sachs & Co. for associated carrying costs if such tax payment is not rebated on the day of payment and for any portion of such tax payment not rebated. It is understood, however, that the Company shall bear, and the Selling Stockholder shall not be required to pay or to reimburse the Company for, the cost of any other matters not directly relating to the sale and purchase of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, and that, except as provided in this Section 7, and Sections 9 and 12 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

 

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

 

8. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company and of the Selling Stockholder herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have performed all of its and their obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

 

(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under


the Act and in accordance with Section 6(a) hereof; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; 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 all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;

 

(b) Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to you such written opinion reasonably acceptable to you, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

 

(c) Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, special counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion dated such Time of Delivery in substantially the form attached hereto as Annex II(a);

 

(d) In-house counsel for the Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to you its written opinion, dated the First Time of Delivery, in substantially the form attached hereto as Annex II(b)(1) and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, special counsel for the Selling Stockholder, shall have furnished to you their written opinion, dated the First Time of Delivery, in substantially the form attached hereto as Annex II(b)(2);

 

(e) Piper Rudnick LLP, special counsel for Jackson Hewitt Inc. and Hewfant, Inc., shall have furnished to you its written opinions, each dated the First Time of Delivery, in substantially the forms attached hereto as Annex II(c) and Annex II(d), respectively;

 

(f) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, Deloitte & Touche LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you, to the effect set forth in Annex I hereto (the executed copy of the letter delivered prior to the execution of this Agreement is attached as Annex I(a) hereto and a draft of the form of letter to be delivered on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement and as of each Time of Delivery is attached as Annex I(b) hereto);

 

(g) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than as set forth in the Prospectus) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;


(h) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities, if any, by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating, if any, of any of the Company’s debt securities;

 

(i) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;

 

(j) The Shares at such Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed, subject, if applicable, to notice of issuance, on the Exchange;

 

(k) The Company shall have obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed copies of an agreement from each party listed on Schedule II hereto (and to be in effect for the time period specified), substantially to the effect set forth in Section 6(e) hereof in form and substance satisfactory to you;

 

(l) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and

 

(m) The Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company and of the Selling Stockholder, respectively, satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholder, respectively, herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholder of all of their respective obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, and as to such other matters as you may reasonably request, and the Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished certificates as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (g) of this Section 8.

 

9. (a) The Company and the Selling Stockholder, jointly and severally, will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim promptly upon request, 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (“Losses”); provided, however, that the Company and the Selling Stockholder 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; provided further, that with respect to any untrue statement or omission of material fact made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 9(a) shall not (i) inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter occurs under the circumstance where it shall have been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment that (w) the Company had previously furnished copies of the Prospectus to the Representatives, (x) delivery of the Prospectus was required by the Act to be made to such person, (y) the untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus and (z) there was not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such securities to such person, a copy of the Prospectus or (ii) apply to any of the information contained in the last paragraph on page 90 of the Preliminary Prospectus and the first four paragraphs on page 91 of the Preliminary Prospectus or the same language in the Prospectus. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9(a), (i) if the Underwriters exercise their option to purchase Optional Shares pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall be first responsible under this Section 9 for any Losses of up to the amount of the proceeds of the sale of such Optional Shares and (ii) the aggregate liability of the Selling Stockholder under this Section 9 shall not exceed an amount equal to the initial offering price of the Shares as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus multiplied by the number of Firm Shares.

 

(b) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim promptly upon request, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in the supplement or prospectus wrapper material distributed in the United States in connection with the reservation and sale of the Directed Shares to eligible employees, directors, officers and franchisees of the Company or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein, when considered in conjunction with the Prospectus or any applicable Preliminary Prospectus, not misleading; 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 any supplement or prospectus wrapper material in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

 

(c) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Citigroup Global Markets Inc., the directors, officers, employees and agents of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and each person, who controls Citigroup Global Markets Inc. within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act


(“Citigroup Entities”), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities to which they may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim), insofar as such losses, claims damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) (i) caused by the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of the securities which immediately following the Effective Date of the Registration Statement, were subject to a properly confirmed agreement to purchase or (ii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to the extent that such loss, claim, damage or liability is finally judicially determined to have resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Citigroup Entities.

 

(d) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Selling Stockholder against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or the Selling Stockholder may become subject, under the 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading, 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company and the Selling Stockholder for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or the Selling Stockholder in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim promptly upon request.

 

(e) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) 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. 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 a single counsel (in addition to local counsel) reasonably 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 such subsection 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. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof in respect of such action or proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm for the indemnified parties, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for Citigroup Global Markets Inc., the directors, officers, employees and agents of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and all persons, if any, who control Citigroup Global Markets Inc. within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act for the defense of any losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising out of the Directed Share Program.

 

(f) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) 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 and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (e) above, 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 and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters 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 and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters 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 and the Selling Stockholder bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. 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 or the Selling Stockholder on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (f) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (f). 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 (f) 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 (f), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (f) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.


(g) The obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholder under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company and the Selling Stockholder may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Stockholder within the meaning of the Act.

 

10. (a) The Company and the Selling Stockholder, jointly and severally, will indemnify and hold harmless Goldman, Sachs & Co., in its capacity as QIU, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the QIU may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) any act or omission to act or any alleged act or omission to act by Goldman, Sachs & Co. as QIU in connection with any transaction contemplated by this Agreement or undertaken in preparing for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares, except as to this clause (iii) to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability results from the gross negligence or bad faith of Goldman, Sachs & Co. in performing the services as QIU, and will reimburse the QIU for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the QIU in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

 

(b) Promptly after receipt by the QIU under subsection (a) above of notice of the commencement of any action, the QIU shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company under such subsection, notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the Company shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to the QIU otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against the QIU and it shall notify the Company of the commencement thereof, the Company 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 the QIU (who shall not, except with the consent of the QIU, be counsel to the Company), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to the QIU of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the QIU under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by the QIU, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Company shall not, 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 QIU is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the QIU 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 QIU.


(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless Goldman, Sachs & Co., in its capacity as QIU, under subsection (a) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the QIU 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 QIU on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the QIU failed to give the notice required under subsection (b) above, then the Company shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by the QIU 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 QIU 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 QIU 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, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, bear to the fee payable to the QIU pursuant to Section 3 hereof. 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 QIU 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 QIU agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (c) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (c). The amount paid or payable by the QIU as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (c) 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. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

(d) The obligations of the Company under this Section 10 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls the QIU within the meaning of the Act.

 

11. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, you may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Company and the Selling Stockholder that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company and the Selling Stockholder notify you that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, you or the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have the right to postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.

 


 

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company and the Selling Stockholder as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

 

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company and the Selling Stockholder as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all of the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company or the Selling Stockholder, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 9 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

 

12. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the several Underwriters, 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 any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or the Selling Stockholder, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, or any controlling person of the Selling Stockholder, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

 

13. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 11 hereof, neither the Company nor the Selling Stockholder shall then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7, 9 and 10 hereof; but, if for any other reason any Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company and the Selling Stockholder as provided herein, the Company and the Selling Stockholder pro rata (based on the number of Shares to be sold by the Company and the Selling Stockholder hereunder) will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter in respect of the Shares not so delivered except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof.

 

14. In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by you jointly or by Goldman, Sachs & Co. and J.P. Morgan Securities on behalf of you, as representatives.


All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the Representatives in care of Goldman, Sachs & Co., 85 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004, Attention: Registration Department; if to the Selling Stockholder shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to counsel for the Selling Stockholder at its address set forth in Schedule III hereto; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: General Counsel; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters’ Questionnaire or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company or the Selling Stockholder by you on request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

 

15. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholder and, to the extent provided in Sections 9 and 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company, the Selling Stockholder or any Underwriter, 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 any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

 

16. 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.

 

17. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

18. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

19. The Company and the Selling Stockholder are authorized, subject to applicable law, to disclose any and all aspects of this potential transaction that are necessary to support any U.S. federal income tax benefits expected to be claimed with respect to such transaction, and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) related to those benefits, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind.


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us counterparts hereof, one for the Company, the Selling Stockholder and each of the Representatives and one for each Counsel and the Custodian, and upon the acceptance hereof by you on behalf of each of the Underwriters this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholder. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company and the Selling Stockholder for examination, upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.

 

 

Very truly yours,

Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.

By:    
   
    Name:
    Title:
Cendant Finance Holding Corporation
By:
   
    Name:
    Title:

 

Accepted as of the date hereof:

 

 

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

By:

   
   
    (Goldman, Sachs & Co.)
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

By:

   
   
    (J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.)


On behalf of each of the Underwriters


 

SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriter


   Total Number of
Firm Shares to
be Purchased


   Number of Optional
Shares to be
Purchased if
Maximum Option
Exercised


Goldman, Sachs & Co.

         

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

         

Banc of America Securities LLC

         

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

         

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

         

Credit Suisse First Boston LLC

         

Blaylock & Partners, L.P.

         

CIBC World Markets Corp.

         

Lehman Brothers Inc.

         

Total

         


SCHEDULE II

 

Each director and officer of the Company (180 days)

 

Certain employees of the Company (90 days)


SCHEDULE III

 

Address of Selling Stockholder:

 

Cendant Finance Holding Corporation

c/o Cendant Corporation

9 West 57th Street

New York, New York 10021

Attention: Eric J. Bock, Esq.

Facsimile: (212) 413-1922