MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc. Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT dated [ ], 2005 Banc of America Securities LLC i

EX-1.1 2 a2161256zex-1_1.htm EXHIBIT 1.1

Exhibit 1.1

MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc.

Common Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

dated [ ], 2005

Banc of America Securities LLC

Underwriting Agreement

[•], 2005

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

9 West 57^th Street
New York , NY 10019

As Representative of the several Underwriters

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Introductory. MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of [ ] shares (the “Firm Shares”) of its Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”). In addition, the Company has granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional [ ] shares (the “Optional Shares”) of Common Stock to cover over-allotments, as provided in Section 2. The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised, the Optional Shares are collectively called the “Shares.” Banc of America Securities LLC (“BAS”) has agreed to act as representative of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the “Representative”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that up to [ ] of the Firm Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters (the “Directed Shares”) shall be reserved for sale by the Underwriters to certain eligible directors, officers and employees of the Company and persons having business relationships with the Company (collectively, the “DSP Participants”), as part of the distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters (the “Directed Share Program”) subject to the terms of this Agreement, the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the NASD, Inc. (the “NASD”) and all other applicable laws, rule and regulations. One of the Underwriters (the “DSP Underwriter”) shall be selected to process the sales to the DSP Participants under the Directed Share Program. To the extent that such Directed Shares are not orally confirmed for purchase by the DSP Participants by [7:30 A.M.] New York City time on the first business day after the date of this Agreement, such Directed Shares may be offered to the public as set forth in the Prospectus (as defined below).

The Company hereby confirms its engagement of William Blair & Company, LLC (“William Blair & Company”) as, and William Blair & Company hereby confirms its agreement with the Company to render services as, a “qualified independent underwriter”, within the meaning of Section (b)(15) of Rule 2720 of the NASD with respect to the offering and sale of the Shares. William Blair & Company, solely in its capacity as the qualified independent underwriter and not otherwise, is referred to herein as the “QIU.” The price at which the Shares will be sold to the public shall not be higher than the maximum price recommended by the QIU.

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-124264), which contains a form of prospectus to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form in which it was declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), including any information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434 under the Securities Act, is called the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act is called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,” and from and after the date and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Any preliminary prospectus included in the 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 term “Prospectus” shall mean the final prospectus relating to the Shares that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time or, if not filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) is required, shall mean the form of final prospectus relating to the Shares included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date. All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”).

The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters and the QIU as follows:

Section 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company.

The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules thereunder and, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to EDGAR (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at the date hereof, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date, at the date hereof, at the time of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date (as defined herein) and at any Subsequent Closing Date (as defined herein), did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact

necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representative expressly for use therein. There is no contract or other document required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which has not been described or filed as required.

(b) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the last Subsequent Closing Date (as defined below) and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the Registration Statement.

(d) Authorization of the Shares. The Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

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

(f) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.

(g) No Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus: (i) there has been no development or change that has resulted in a material adverse effect, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse effect, to the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, properties or operations, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity (a “Material Adverse Effect”); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction or agreement; and (iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, any of its subsidiaries on any class of capital stock or repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.

(h) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLC, who have expressed their opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company as

required by the Securities Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder.

(i) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. No other financial statements are required to be included the Registration Statement. The financial data set forth in the Prospectus under the captions “Prospectus Summary– Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data”, “Selected Financial Data” and “Capitalization” fairly present the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement.

(j) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and, in the case of the Company, to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. Each of the Company and each subsidiary 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 for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim except as set forth in the Pledge Agreement, dated June 18, 2002 by and among MWI Holdings, Inc. and MWI Veterinary Supply Co., as the Pledgors in favor of Bank of America, N.A., as agent for and representative of the Lenders under the Credit Agreement and the Pledge Amendment, dated December 22, 2004. The Company does not control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement.

(k) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus in the column “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Prospectus or upon exercise of outstanding options described in the Prospectus). The Common Stock (including the Shares) conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with federal securities laws and in all material respects with state securities laws. None of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity

or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those accurately described in the Prospectus. The description of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents in all material respects the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.

(l) Quotation. The Shares have been approved for quotation on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., subject only to official notice of issuance.

(m) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation or in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) under (“Default”) its charter or by-laws, (ii) is in Default under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, deed of trust, note, contract, franchise, lease or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or such subsidiary is a party or by which it may be bound (including, without limitation, the Company’s Credit Agreement, dated as of June 18, 2002, by and among the Financial Institutions named therein as the Lenders, Bank of America, N.A. as the Agent and MWI Veterinary Supply Co., as amended), or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”), or (iii) is in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii) only, for such violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Prospectus (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any Default under the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, and (iii) will not result in any violation of any statute, law, regulation, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Prospectus, except (A) such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act, applicable state securities or blue sky laws and from the NASD [and (B) such as have been obtained under the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside the United States in which Directed Shares are offered.]

(n) No Material Actions or Proceedings. There are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened (i) against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director of, or property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) relating to environmental or discrimination matters, where in any such case (A) there is a reasonable possibility that such action, suit or proceeding might be determined adversely to the

Company or such subsidiary and (B) any such action, suit or proceeding, if so determined adversely, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(o) Labor Matters. No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or to the knowledge of the Company is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that could result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(p) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess, license or have other rights to use, on reasonable terms, all patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of the Company’s business as now conducted or as proposed in the Prospectus to be conducted. Except as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Business—Trademarks,” (a) no party has been granted an exclusive license to use any portion of such Intellectual Property owned by the Company; (b) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no material infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property owned by or exclusively licensed to the Company; (c) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s rights in or to any material Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (d) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; and (e) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company’s business as now conducted infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any other fact which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim.

(q) All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company and each subsidiary possess such valid and current licenses, certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their respective businesses except where the failure to possess such licenses, certificates, authorizations or permits that could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(r) Title to Properties. The Company and each of its subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 1(i) above, in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other defects, except for such security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims or defects that could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable

leases, with such exceptions that could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(s) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns in a timely manner and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them, except for any taxes, assessments, fines or penalties as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and any taxes, assessments, fines or penalties that could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has made appropriate provisions in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(i) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all current or prior periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries has not been finally determined except for taxes incurred after the date of such financial statements and taxes which if the Company failed to pay could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(t) Company Not an “Investment Company”. The Company has been advised of the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). The Company is not, and after receipt of payment for the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as contemplated under “Use of Proceeds” will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act and will conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act.

(u) Insurance. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries are insured by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are generally deemed adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes. All policies of insurance insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) 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 Effect.

(v) No Restrictions on Dividends. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

(w) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters may engage in passive market making transactions in the Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(x) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any subsidiary or any other person required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been described as required.

(y) Internal Controls and Procedures. The Company is in the process of documenting and testing its internal control procedures in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and will comply with Section 404 as required by the rules and regulations of the SEC.

(z) Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation, order, permit or other requirement relating to pollution or protection of human health or 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 emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum and petroleum products (collectively, “Materials of Environmental Concern”), or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Materials of Environment Concern (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), which violation includes, but is not limited to, noncompliance with any permits or other governmental authorizations required for the operation of the business of the Company or its subsidiaries under applicable Environmental Laws, or noncompliance with the terms and conditions thereof, nor has the Company or any of its subsidiaries received any written communication, whether from a governmental authority, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that alleges that the Company or any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any Environmental Law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) there is no claim, action or cause of action filed with a court or governmental authority, no investigation with respect to which the Company has received written notice, and no written notice by any person or entity alleging potential liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental responses costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, attorneys’ fees or penalties arising out of, based on or resulting from the presence, or release into the environment, of any Material of Environmental Concern at any location owned, leased or operated by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, now or in the past (collectively, “Environmental Claims”), pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no past, present or anticipated future

actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including, without limitation, the release, emission, discharge, presence or disposal of any Material of Environmental Concern, that reasonably could result in a violation of any Environmental Law, require expenditures to be incurred pursuant to Environmental Law, or form the basis of a potential Environmental Claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or against any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is subject to any pending or to the knowledge of the Company threatened proceeding under Environmental Law to which a governmental authority is a party and which is reasonably likely to result in monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more.

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

(bb) Brokers. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company any brokerage or finder’s fee or other fee or commission as a result of any transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(cc) No Outstanding Loans or Other Indebtedness. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of the members of any of them, except as disclosed in the Prospectus.

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

(ee) Compliance with Laws. The Company has not been advised, and has no reason to believe, that it and each of its subsidiaries are not conducting business in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which it is conducting business, except where failure to be so in compliance would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(ff) Subsidiaries. The subsidiaries listed on Annex A attached hereto are the only significant subsidiaries of the Company as defined by Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X (the “Subsidiaries”).

(gg) Immunity from Jurisdiction. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of its or their properties or assets has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution or otherwise) under the laws of Delaware.

(hh) Directed Share Program. (i) [The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus comply in all material respects, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply in all material respects, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program], and (ii) no authorization, approval, consent, license, order registration or qualification of or with any government, governmental instrumentality or court, other than such as have been obtained, is necessary under the securities laws and regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Directed Shares are offered outside the United States, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, any Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the 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.

Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters set forth therein.

Section 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Shares.

(a) The Firm Shares. The Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters the Firm Shares upon the terms herein set forth. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule A. The purchase

price per Firm Common Share to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company shall be $[ ] per share.

(b) The Closing Date. Delivery of certificates for the Firm Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Shearman & Sterling LLP, 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022 (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Representative) at 9:00 a.m. New York time, on [ ], 2005, or such other time and date not later than 1:30 p.m. New York time, on [ ], 2005,as the Representative shall designate by notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the “Closing Date”). The Company hereby acknowledges that circumstances under which the Representative may provide notice to postpone the Closing Date as originally scheduled include, but are in no way limited to, any determination by the Company or the Representative to recirculate to the public copies of an amended or supplemented Prospectus or a delay as contemplated by the provisions of Section 10.

(c) The Optional Shares; the Subsequent Closing Date. In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to an aggregate of [ ] Optional Shares from the Company at the purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Shares. The option granted hereunder may be exercised at any time and from time to time only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Firm Shares upon notice by the Representative to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30 days from the date of this Agreement. Such notice shall set forth (i) the aggregate number of Optional Shares as to which the Underwriters are exercising the option, (ii) the names and denominations in which the certificates for the Optional Shares are to be registered and (iii) the time, date and place at which such certificates will be delivered (which time and date may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the Closing Date; and in such case the term “Closing Date” shall refer to the time and date of delivery of certificates for the Firm Shares and the Optional Shares). Each time and date of delivery, if subsequent to the Closing Date, is called a “Subsequent Closing Date” and shall be determined by the Representative and shall not be earlier than three nor later than five full business days after delivery of such notice of exercise. If any Optional Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Optional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representative may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Optional Shares to be purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth on Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

(d) Public Offering of the Shares. The Representative hereby advises the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as described in the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Shares as soon after this Agreement has been executed and the Registration Statement has been declared effective as the Representative, in its sole judgment, has determined is advisable and practicable.

(e) Payment for the Shares. Payment for the Shares to be sold by the Company shall be made at the Closing Date (and, if applicable, at any Subsequent Closing Date) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company.

It is understood that the Representative has been authorized, for its own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Firm Shares and any Optional Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. BAS, individually and not as the Representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representative by the Closing Date or any Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.

(f) Delivery of the Shares. Delivery of the Firm Shares and the Optional Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.

(g) Delivery of Prospectus to the Underwriters. Not later than 10:00 a.m. on the second business day following the date the Shares are first released by the Underwriters for sale to the public, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered, copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at such places as the Representative shall request.

Section 3. Additional Covenants of the Company.

The Company further covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Representative’s Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. During such period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representative for review a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects.

(b) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Representative in writing (i) when the Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution Time, shall have become effective, (ii) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (iii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, (iv) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Stock from any securities exchange upon which it is listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company shall use reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or suspension of such use. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the

earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A and 434, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) were received in a timely manner by the Commission.

(c) Exchange Act Compliance. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act.

(d) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with law, the Company agrees to (i) notify the Representative of any such event or condition and (ii) promptly prepare (subject to Section 3(a) hereof), file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to dealers, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus, necessary to make the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.

(e) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The Company agrees to furnish the Representative, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, as many copies of the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto as the Representative may request.

(f) Copies of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representative may reasonably request.

(g) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters to qualify or register the Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial Securities laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Representative, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Shares in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject. The Company will advise the Representative promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating

to) the Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.

(i) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Stock.

(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representative an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering the twelve-month period ending [___]that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.

(k) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act.

(l) Directed Share Program. In connection with the Directed Share Program, the Company will ensure that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent required by the NASD or the NASD rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The DSP Underwriter will notify the Company as to which DSP Participants will need to be so restricted. The Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon such securities for such period of time.

(m) Quotation. The Company will use its best efforts to quote, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.

(n) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Shares. During the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 180th day following the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of BAS (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of BAS), directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or establish an open “put equivalent position” or liquidate or decrease a “call equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition of), or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any shares of Common Stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of the Common Stock or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Shares); provided, however, that the Company may issue shares of its Common Stock or options to purchase its Common Stock, or Common Stock upon exercise of options, pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus, but

only if the holders of such shares, options, or shares issued upon exercise of such options, agree in writing not to sell, offer, dispose of or otherwise transfer any such shares or options during such 180-day period without the prior written consent of BAS (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of the BAS). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (x) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs, or (y) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed in this clause shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event. The Company will provide the Representative and any co-managers and each individual subject to the restricted period pursuant to the lockup letters described in Section 5(h) with prior notice of any such announcement that gives rise to an extension of the restricted period.

(o) Compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company will comply in all material respects with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and use its best efforts to cause the Company’s directors and officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with such laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

(p) Investment Limitation. The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

(q) No Manipulation of Price. The Company will 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 Exchange 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.

(r) Existing Lock-Up Agreement. The Company will enforce all existing agreements between the Company and any of its security holders that prohibit the sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation of any of the Company’s securities in connection with the Company’s initial public offering. In addition, the Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon any such securities of the Company that are bound by such existing “lock-up” agreements for the duration of the periods contemplated in such agreements.

Section 4. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Shares, (iii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock, (iv) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares to the Underwriters, (v) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors, (vi) all costs and expenses incurred in connection

with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vii) all filing fees, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Representatives, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, the NASD’s review and approval of the Underwriters’ participation in the offering and distribution of the Shares,(ix) the fees and expenses associated with quotation of the Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., (x) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 13 of Part II of the Registration Statement, and (xi) all reasonable costs and expenses of the Underwriters, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, in connection with matters related to the Directed Shares which are designated by the Company for sale to DSP Participants, provided that such fees and expenses shall not exceed $[ ] in the aggregate. Except as provided in this Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.

Section 5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares as provided herein on the Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Shares, any Subsequent Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though then made and, with respect to the Optional Shares, as of any Subsequent Closing Date as though then made, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:

(a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Representative shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants for the Company, a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A, confirming, among other things, that they are independent accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder, that they have performed an audit of the Company’s financial statements for the years indicated in their audit report and that they have performed a review of the unaudited interim financial information of the Company for the six-month period ended March 31,2005 and as at March 31, 2005, in accordance with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100.

(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection from NASD. For the period from and after effectiveness of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Shares, any Subsequent Closing Date:

(i) if the Registration Statement has not become effective prior to the Execution Time, unless the Representative agrees in writing to a later time, the Registration

Statement will become effective not later than (i) 6:00 P.M. New York City time on the date of determination of the public offering price, if such determination occurred at or prior to 3:00 P.M. New York City time on such date or (ii) 9:30 A.M. on the Business Day following the day on which the public offering price was determined, if such determination occurred after 3:00 P.M. New York City time on such date;

(ii) the Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information required by Rule 430A under the Securities Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; or the Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing the information required by such Rule 430A, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective; or, if the Company elected to rely upon Rule 434 under the Securities Act and obtained the Representative’s consent thereto, the Company shall have filed a Term Sheet with the Commission in the manner and within the time period required by such Rule 424(b);

(iii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the Commission; and

(iv) the NASD shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

(c) No Material Adverse Effect. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Shares, any Subsequent Closing Date:

(i) in the reasonable judgment of the Representative there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect; and

(ii) there shall not have been any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section 5 which is, in the reasonable judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On each of the Closing Date and any Subsequent Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of Dechert LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, the form of which is attached as Exhibit B.

(e) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. On each of the Closing Date and any Subsequent Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated as of such Closing Date, in a form satisfactory to the Representative.

(f) Officers’ Certificate. On each of the Closing Date and any Subsequent Closing Date, the Representative shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any supplements to the Prospectus and this Agreement, to the effect set forth in subsection (b) of this Section 5, and further to the effect that:

(i) for the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to such Closing Date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Effect;

(ii) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such Closing Date; and

(iii) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date.

(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On each of the Closing Date and any Subsequent Closing Date, the Representative shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 5, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date or Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be.

(h) Lock-Up Agreement from Certain Securityholders of the Company. On or prior to the date hereof, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative an agreement in the form of Exhibit C hereto from each director, officer and each beneficial owner of Common Stock listed on Exhibit hereto (as defined and determined according to Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, except that a 180-day period shall be used rather than the 60-day period set forth therein, and such agreement shall be in full force and effect on each of the Closing Date and any Subsequent Closing Date.

(i) Listing of Shares. The Shares shall have been authorized for quotation on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Representative.

(j) Additional Documents. On or before each of the Closing Date and any Subsequent Closing Date, the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.

If any condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at

any time on or prior to the Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Shares, at any time prior to the applicable Subsequent Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

Section 6. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative pursuant to Section 5, or Section 11, or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares on the Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representative and the other Underwriters (or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves), severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Representative and the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Shares, including but not limited to reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.

Section 7. Effectiveness of this Agreement. This Agreement shall not become effective until the later of (i) the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto and (ii) notification by the Commission to the Company and the Representative of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act.

Prior to such effectiveness, this Agreement may be terminated by any party by notice to each of the other parties hereto, and any such termination shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representative and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 4 hereof or (b) of any Underwriter to the Company.

Section 8. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such controlling person may become subject, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434 under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any prospectus wrapper material distributed in connection with the reservation and sale of Directed Shares to the DSP Participants, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and to reimburse each Underwriter, its officers, directors, employees, agents and each such controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by BAS) as such

expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter, or its officers, directors, employees and agents or such controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), provided further, that with respect to any preliminary prospectus, the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense purchased Shares based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any preliminary prospectus in an initial resale by such Underwriter, and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter results from the fact that there was not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such offered securities to such person, a copy of the Prospectus that the Company had previously furnished to such Underwriter, and the Prospectus corrected such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or arises out of or is 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, and only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Representative expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriters have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the names set forth in the table in the first paragraph and the statements set forth in the [ ] paragraphs concerning stabilization and other market transactions under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.

(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any liability which it may have for contribution or any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any reasonable legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (other than local counsel), reasonably approved by the indemnifying party (or by BAS in the case of Section 9), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action) or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.

(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 8 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 8(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified

party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding 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.

(e) Indemnification of the QIU. Without limitation and in addition to its obligation under the other subsections of this Section 8, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the QIU, its officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls the QIU within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act from and against any loss, claim, damage, liabilities or expense, as incurred, arising out of or based upon the QIU’s acting as a “qualified independent underwriter” (within the meaning of Rule 2720 to the NASD’s Conduct Rules) in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified person for any legal or other expense reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense results from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the QIU.

(f) Indemnification for Directed Shares. In connection with the offer and sale of the Directed Shares, the Company agrees, promptly upon a request in writing, to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from and against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by them as a result of the failure of the DSP Participants to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares which, by [7:30 A.M.] New York City time on the first business day after the date of this Agreement, were subject to a properly confirmed agreement to purchase. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the DSP Underwriter, its officer and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the DSP Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such DSP Underwriter or such controlling person may become subject, which (i) is caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) is caused by the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that such Participant agreed to purchase; or [(iii) arises out of or is based upon the violation of any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Directed Shares have been offered]. The indemnity agreement set forth in this paragraph shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

Section 9. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 8 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified

party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions or inaccuracies in the representations and warranties herein which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Shares as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact or any such inaccurate or alleged inaccurate representation or warranty relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 8(c), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 8(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 9; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 8(c) for purposes of indemnification.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 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 in this Section 9.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their names in Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 9, each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to

contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

Section 10. Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters. If, on the Closing Date or a Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally, in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the Representative with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date. If, on the Closing Date or a Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representative and the Company for the purchase of such Shares are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of the Company and any non-defaulting Underwriter to any other party except that the provisions of Section 4, Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case either the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or a Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected.

As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section 10. Any action taken under this Section 10 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

Section 11. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the Closing Date this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice given to the Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the NASD; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or New York authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States has occurred; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the sole judgment of the

Representative is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to market the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities. Any termination pursuant to this Section 11 shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representative and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 4 and 6 hereof or (b) any Underwriter to the Company.

Section 12. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement (i) will remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any (A) investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the QIU, the officers or employees of any Underwriter or the QIU, or the Company, the officers or employees of the Company, or any person controlling the Company, as the case may be or (B) acceptance of the Shares and payment for them hereunder and (ii) will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder.

Section 13. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:

If to the Representative:

Banc of America Securities LLC
9 West 57^th Street
New York, NY 10019
Facsimile: (212) 933-2217
Attention: Thomas M. Morrison

with a copy to:

Banc of America Securities LLC
9 West 57th Street
New York, New York 10019
Facsimile: (212) 583-8567
Attention: Legal Department

and

Shearman & Sterling LLP
599 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Facsimile: (212) 848-7179
Attention: Robert Evans III

If to the Company:

MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc.
651 S. Stratford Drive, Suite 100

Meridian, ID 83642
Facsimile: (208) 955-8904
Attention: James F. Cleary, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer

with a copy to:

Dechert LLP

4000 Bell Atlantic Tower

1717 Arch Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Fascimile: (215) 994-2222

Attention: James A. Lebovitz

Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.

Section 14. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant to Section 10 hereof, and to the benefit of (i) the Company, its directors, any person who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any officer of the Company who signs the Registration Statement, (ii) the Underwriters, the officers, directors, employees and agents of the Underwriters, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act , (iii) the QIU, the QIU’s officers, directors, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls the QIU within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and (iv) the respective successors and assigns of any of the above, all as and to the extent provided in this Agreement, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser of any of the Shares from any of the several Underwriters merely because of such purchase.

Section 15. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this 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.

Section 16. Governing Law Provisions. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN SUCH STATE.

Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan, or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in

the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

Section 17. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. The Company acknowledges and agrees that in connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated by this Agreement, the Company and each of the Underwriters have an arms length business relationship that creates no fiduciary duty on the part of each of the Underwriters and each expressly disclaims any fiduciary relationship. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 8 and the contribution provisions of Section 9, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.

	Very truly yours,

	MWI VETERINARY SUPPLY, INC.


	By:
		Name: James F. Cleary, Jr.
		Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Representative as of the date first above written.

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

Acting as Representative of the
several Underwriters named in
the attached Schedule A.

By:
	Managing Director

SCHEDULE A

Underwriters	Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased
Banc of America Securities LLC	[	]
William Blair & Company, LLC	[	]
Piper Jaffray & Co.	[	]

Total	[	]

EXHIBIT A

[Form of Accountants’ Comfort Letter]

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

(ii) on the basis of a reading of the latest unaudited financial statements made available by the Company and its subsidiaries; their limited review, in accordance with standards established under Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100, of the unaudited interim financial information for the -month period ended , 20 , and as at , 20 ; carrying out certain specified procedures (but not an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) which would not necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect to the comments set forth in such letter; a reading of the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders, directors and audit, compensation and corporate governance and nominating committees of the Company and the Subsidiaries; and inquiries of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters of the Company and its subsidiaries as to transactions and events subsequent to September 30, 2004, nothing came to our attention which caused us to believe that:

(A) any unaudited financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements of the Act and with the related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission with respect to registration statements on Form S-1; and said unaudited financial statements are not in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

(B) with respect to the period subsequent to December 31, 2004, there were any changes, at a specified date not more than five days prior to the date of the letter, in the long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries or capital stock of the Company or decreases in the stockholders’ equity of the Company as compared with the amounts shown on the December 31, 2004 consolidated balance sheet included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or for the period from January 1, 2005 to such specified date there were any decreases, as compared with , 20 in total revenues or income before income taxes or in total or per share amounts of net income of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in all instances for changes or decreases set forth in such letter, in which case the letter shall be accompanied by an explanation by the Company as to the significance thereof unless said explanation is not deemed necessary by the Representative;

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

(iii) we have performed certain other specified procedures as a result of which we determined that certain information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical information derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries) set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, agrees with the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, excluding any questions of legal interpretation.

(iv) [The Company shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP (and furnished to the Representative) a report with respect to a review of unaudited interim financial information of the Company for the eight quarters ending September 30, 2004, in accordance with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100.]

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EXHIBIT B

[Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company]

Opinion of counsel for the Company to be delivered pursuant to Section 5(d) of the Underwriting Agreement.

References to the Prospectus in this Exhibit B include any supplements thereto at the Closing Date.

(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the Stateof Delaware.

(ii) The Company 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 the Underwriting Agreement.

(iii) The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in the jurisdictions listed on Exhibit A hereto.

(iv) Each significant subsidiary of the Company (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, or lease, as the case may be, and to 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 of the jurisdictions listed on Exhibit B hereto.

(v) All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such significant subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and except as disclosed in the Prospectus is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or, to the knowledge of such counsel, any pending or threatened claim.

(vi) The Company’s authorized equity capitalization is as set forth in the Prospectus. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company (including the Common Stock) conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof set forth in the Prospectus. All of the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.

(vii) No stockholder of the Company or any other person has any preemptive right, right of first refusal or other similar right to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company arising (i) by operation of the charter or by-laws of the Company or the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or (ii) pursuant to any agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

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

(ix) The Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth therein, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

(x) The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. To the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness the Registration Statement, if any, has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

(xi) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus filed on or before the date hereof, as of their respective effective or issue dates (other than the financial statements and supporting footnotes and schedules and other financial information derived from such financial statements included therein or in exhibits to or excluded from the Registration Statement, as to which we express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act.

(xii) The Shares have been approved for quotation on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.

(xiii) To the knowledge of such counsel, there are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or threatened which are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, other than those disclosed therein.

(xiv) No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby and by the Prospectus, except as required under applicable state securities or blue sky laws and from the NASD (as to which we express no opinion) and the Securities Act.

(xv) The execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement by the Company and the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder (other than performance by the Company of its obligations under the indemnification section of the Underwriting Agreement, as to which we express no opinion) (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company; (ii) will not result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary; (iii) will not constitute a breach of, or Default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (A) the Company’s Credit Agreement, dated as of June 18, 2002, by and among the Financial Institutions named therein as the Lenders, Bank of America, N.A. as the Agent and MWI Veterinary Supply Co., as amended, or (B) any other agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; or (iv) will not result in any violation of any statute, law, rule, judgment, regulation, order or decree known to us applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative

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agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties.

(xvi) The Company is not, and after receipt of payment for the Shares will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of Investment Company Act.

(xvii) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus under the caption “Shares Eligible for Future Sale”, to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.

In addition, such counsel shall state in a separate letter that they have participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent public or certified public accountants for the Company and representatives of the Underwriters at which the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any supplements or amendments thereto, and related matters were discussed and, although such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (other than as specified in paragraphs and of our opinion delivered to you today), and any supplements or amendments thereto, on the basis of the foregoing, nothing has come to their attention which would lead them to believe that either the Registration Statement or any amendments thereto, at the time the Registration Statement or such amendments became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus, as of its date or at the Closing Date or any Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood that such counsel need express no belief as to the financial statements or footnotes or schedules or other financial data derived therefrom, included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto).

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the New York Corporation Law or the federal law of the United States, to the extent they deem proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion (which shall be dated the Closing Date or any Subsequent Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriters, shall expressly state that the Underwriters may rely on such opinion as if it were addressed to them and shall be furnished to the Representative) of other counsel of good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters; provided, however, that such counsel shall further state that they believe that they and the Underwriters are justified in relying upon such opinion of other counsel, and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials.

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EXHIBIT C

[•], 2005

Banc of America Securities LLC

As Representative of the Several Underwriters
c/o Banc of America Securities LLC
9 West 57^th Street
New York, NY ,10019

Re: MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc. (the “Company”)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned is an owner of record or beneficially of certain shares of Common Stock of the Company (“Common Stock”) or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock. The Company proposes to carry out a public offering of Common Stock (the “Offering”) for which you will act as the representatives of the underwriters. The undersigned recognizes that the Offering will be of benefit to the undersigned and will benefit the Company. The undersigned acknowledges that you and the other underwriters are relying on the representations and agreements of the undersigned contained in this letter in carrying out the Offering and in entering into underwriting arrangements with the Company with respect to the Offering.

In consideration of the foregoing, the undersigned hereby agrees that the undersigned will not, (and will cause any spouse or immediate family member of the spouse or the undersigned living in the undersigned’s household not to), without the prior written consent of Banc of America Securities LLC (which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion), directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell (including without limitation any short sale), pledge, transfer, establish an open “put equivalent position” or liquidate or decrease a “call equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise dispose of or transfer (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition of) including the filing (or participation in the filing of) of a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect of, any shares of Common Stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of Common Stock, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) by the undersigned (or such spouse or family member), or publicly announce an intention to do any of the foregoing, for a period commencing on the date hereof and continuing through the close of trading on the date 180

days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”). If (i) the Company issues an earnings release or material news, or a material event relating to the Company occurs, during the last 17 days of the lock-up period, or (ii) prior to the expiration of the lock-up period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the lock-up period, the restrictions imposed by this agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, unless Banc of America Securities LLC waives, in writing, such extension. The undersigned hereby acknowledges that the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to provide written notice of any event that would result in an extension of the Lock-Up Period pursuant to the previous paragraph to the undersigned (in accordance with Section 13 of the Underwriting Agreement) and agrees that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have given to, and received by, the undersigned. The undersigned hereby further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement during the period from the date of this Lock-Up Agreement to and including the 34th day following the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period (as such may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock held by the undersigned except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may without the prior written consent of Banc of America Securities LLC transfer shares of Common Stock (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that prior to such transfer the donee or donees agree in writing to be bound by the restrictions set forth herein, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or immediate family of the undersigned, provided that prior to such transfer the trustee of the trust agrees in writing to be bound by the restrictions set forth herein, (iii) if such transfer occurs by operation of law, such as rules of descent and distribution, statutes governing the effects of a merger or a qualified domestic order, provided that prior to such transfer the transferee agrees in writing to be bound by the restrictions set forth herein, (iv) as a distribution to limited partners or shareholders of the undersigned, provided that prior to such transfer the distributees agree in writing to be bound by the restrictions set forth herein, (v) that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (other than on a Form S-8) that are purchased by the undersigned either directly from the underwriters or in the open market after the Offering and the undersigned, at the time of transfer, is not an affiliate of the Company. For purposes of this agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.

With respect to the Offering only, the undersigned waives any registration rights relating to registration under the Securities Act of any Common Stock owned either of record or beneficially by the undersigned, including any rights to receive notice of the Offering.

It is understood that if the Company and Banc of America Securities LLC notify you that they do not intend to proceed with the Offering, if the Underwriting Agreement is not executed and delivered by the parties thereto or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to delivery of the Common Stock, or if the Offering shall not have occurred by December 31, 2005, the undersigned will e released from its obligations under this agreement.

This agreement is irrevocable and will be binding on the undersigned and the respective successors, heirs, personal representatives, and assigns of the undersigned.


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