[ ] Shares NCS MULTISTAGE HOLDINGS, INC. Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT [ ], 2017
Exhibit 1.1
[ ] Shares
NCS MULTISTAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
[ ], 2017
CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters,
c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Eleven Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10010
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
375 Park Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, New York 10152
Dear Sirs:
1. Introductory. NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), agrees with the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (“Underwriters”) to issue and sell to the several Underwriters [ ] shares (the “Firm Securities”) of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Securities”). The stockholders listed in Schedule B hereto (collectively, “Selling Stockholders”) agree to sell to the Underwriters, at the option of the Underwriters, an aggregate of not more than [ ] additional outstanding shares of the Securities (such [ ] aggregate shares of the Securities being hereinafter referred to as the “Optional Securities”), as set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement. The Firm Securities and the Optional Securities are herein collectively called the “Offered Securities.” As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (the “Designated Underwriter”) has agreed to reserve out of the Firm Securities purchased by it under this Agreement, up to [ ] shares, for sale to the Company’s directors and other parties associated with the Company (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in the Final Prospectus (as defined herein) under the heading “Underwriting” (the “Directed Share Program”). The Firm Securities to be sold by the Designated Underwriter pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the “Directed Shares”) will be sold by the Designated Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement at the public offering price. Any Directed Shares not subscribed for by the end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:
| (i) | Filing and Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Certain Defined Terms. The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-216580) covering the registration of the Offered Securities under the Act, including a related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses. At any particular time, this initial registration statement, in the form then on file with the Commission, including all information contained in the registration statement (if any) pursuant to Rule 462(b) and then deemed to be a part of the initial registration statement, and all 430A Information and all 430C Information, that in any case has not then been superseded or modified, shall be referred to as the “Initial Registration Statement”. The Company may also have filed, or may file with the Commission, a Rule 462(b) registration statement covering the registration of the Offered Securities. At any particular time, this Rule 462(b) registration statement, in the form then on file with the Commission, including the contents of the Initial Registration Statement incorporated by reference therein and including all 430A Information and all 430C Information, that in any case has not then been superseded or modified, shall be referred to as the “Additional Registration Statement.” |
As of the time of execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Initial Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Act and is not proposed to be amended. Any Additional Registration Statement has or will become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b) and is not proposed to be amended. The Offered Securities all have been or will be duly registered under the Act pursuant to the Initial Registration Statement and, if applicable, the Additional Registration Statement.
For purposes of this Agreement:
“430A Information,” with respect to any registration statement, means information included in a prospectus and retroactively deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(b).
“430C Information,” with respect to any registration statement, means information included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430C.
“Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Applicable Time” means [ ] [a/p]m (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.
“Closing Date” has the meaning defined in Section 3 hereof.
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“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Effective Time” with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or, if filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Additional Registration Statement means the date and time as of which such Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission or has become effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(c). If an Additional Registration Statement has not been filed prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement but the Company has advised the Representatives that it proposes to file one, “Effective Time” with respect to such Additional Registration Statement means the date and time as of which such Registration Statement is filed and becomes effective pursuant to Rule 462(b).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Final Prospectus” means the Statutory Prospectus that discloses the public offering price, other 430A Information and other final terms of the Offered Securities and otherwise satisfies Section 10(a) of the Act.
“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being so specified in Schedule C to this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Offered Securities in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not a General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
The Initial Registration Statement and the Additional Registration Statement are referred to collectively as the “Registration Statements” and individually as a “Registration Statement”. A “Registration Statement” with reference to a particular time means the Initial Registration Statement and any Additional Registration Statement as of such time. A “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such Registration Statement as of its Effective Time. For purposes of the foregoing definitions, 430A Information with respect to a Registration Statement shall be considered to be included in such Registration Statement as of the time specified in Rule 430A.
“Representatives” means Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.
“Rules and Regulations” means the rules and regulations of the Commission.
“Securities Laws” means, collectively, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”), the Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations, the auditing principles, rules, standards and practices applicable to auditors of “issuers” (as defined in Sarbanes-Oxley) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and, as applicable, the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market (“Exchange Rules”).
“Statutory Prospectus” with reference to a particular time means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any
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430A Information or 430C Information with respect to such Registration Statement. For purposes of the foregoing definition, 430A Information shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus as of the actual time that form of prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or Rule 462(c) and not retroactively.
“Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act.
“Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.
Unless otherwise specified, a reference to a “rule” is to the indicated rule under the Act.
| (ii) | Compliance with the Requirements of the Act. (i) (A) At their respective Effective Times, (B) on the date of this Agreement and (C) on each Closing Date, each of the Initial Registration Statement and the Additional Registration Statement (if any) conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) on its date, at the time of filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (if no such filing is required) at the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement in which the Final Prospectus is included, and on each Closing Date, the Final Prospectus will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (iii) on the date of this Agreement, at their respective Effective Times or issue dates and on each Closing Date, each Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, any Statutory Prospectus, any prospectus wrapper and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied or comply, and such documents and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Final Prospectus, any Statutory Prospectus, any prospectus wrapper or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any such document based upon written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(c) hereof, or any written information furnished to the Company by a Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof. |
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| (iii) | Ineligible Issuer Status. (i) At the time of the initial filing of the Initial Registration Statement and (ii) at the date of this Agreement, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, including (x) the Company or any subsidiary of the Company in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 and (y) the Company in the preceding three years not having been the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar proceeding, not having had a registration statement be the subject of a proceeding under Section 8 of the Act and not being the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities, all as described in Rule 405. |
| (iv) | Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of the initial confidential submission of the Initial Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). |
| (v) | Filing Fees. The Company has paid or shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Offered Securities within the time required by Rule 456 and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456 and 457. |
| (vi) | General Disclosure Package. As of the Applicable Time, none of (i) the General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the preliminary prospectus, dated [ ], 2017 (which is the most recent Statutory Prospectus distributed to investors generally) and the other information, if any, stated in Schedule C to this Agreement to be included in the General Disclosure Package, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), (ii) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, or (iii) any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Statutory Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c) hereof, or any written information furnished to the Company by a Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof. |
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| (vii) | Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representatives as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement or as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would 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, (i) the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representatives and (ii) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission. |
| (viii) | Testing-the-Waters Communication. The Company (a) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication and (b) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communication. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication. |
| (ix) | Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own and/or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing (to the extent the concept of good standing is applicable in such jurisdiction) would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”). |
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| (x) | Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company that meets the definition in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X has been duly incorporated or formed and is existing and in good standing (to the extent the concept of good standing is applicable in such jurisdiction) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own and/or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; and each subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation, limited liability company or other entity in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing (to the extent the concept of good standing is applicable in such jurisdiction) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock, limited liability company interests or other ownership interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects. The subsidiaries of the Company listed on Schedule D of this Agreement are the only subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company and except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, each subsidiary of the Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary, direct or indirect, of the Company. |
| (xi) | Offered Securities. The Offered Securities and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized; the authorized equity capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and, when the Offered Securities have been delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement on each Closing Date, such Offered Securities will have been, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and will conform to the information in the General Disclosure Package and to the description of such Offered Securities contained in the Final Prospectus; except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Securities; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any of the Offered Securities by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act and the Rules and Regulations) or used any “prospectus” or made any offer (within the meaning of the Act and the Rules and Regulations) in connection with the offer or sale of the Offered Securities, in each case other than the preliminary prospectus referred to in Section 2(a)(vi) hereof. |
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| (xii) | No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering. |
| (xiii) | Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Act (collectively, “registration rights”), and any person to whom the Company has granted registration rights has agreed not to exercise such rights until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period referred to in Section 5(1) hereof. |
| (xiv) | Listing. The Offered Securities have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, subject to notice of issuance. |
| (xv) | Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities, except such as have been obtained, or made and such as may be required under state securities laws or by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). No authorization, consent, approval, license, qualification or order of, or filing or registration with any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) in any foreign jurisdiction is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of the Directed Shares under the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction except such as have been obtained or made. |
| (xvi) | Title to Property. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them which are material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, free and clear from all liens, charges, encumbrances and defects that would materially affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them. |
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| (xvii) | Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities will not (i) result in a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except, in the cases of clauses (i) or (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, lien, charge, encumbrance, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a (a) material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (b) Material Adverse Effect. A “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. |
| (xviii) | Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter, by-laws or similar organizational document or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. |
| (xix) | Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. |
| (xx) | Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess, and are in compliance with the terms of, all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits (“Licenses”) necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted by them |
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| and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. |
| (xxi) | Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. |
| (xxii) | Intellectual Property Rights Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (i) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no rights of third parties to any of the trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, domain names, trade secrets, know-how and other intellectual property rights, including registrations and applications for registration thereof (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) owned by the Company or its subsidiaries, other than pursuant to licenses granted in the ordinary course of business; (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no material infringement, misappropriation, or other violation by the Company or its subsidiaries of any Intellectual Property Rights of any third parties, and the Company is unaware of any other fact which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no material infringement, misappropriation, or other violation, by any third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights of the Company or its subsidiaries; (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s or any subsidiary’s rights in or to the Company’s Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (v) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any of the Company’s Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; and (vi) none of the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or its subsidiaries in their businesses as now conducted has been obtained or is being used by the Company or its subsidiaries in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or such subsidiaries, as applicable, or in violation of the rights of any persons, except in each case covered by clauses (i) – (vi) such as would not, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. |
| (xxiii) | Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is or has been in violation of any foreign, federal, state or local statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order, decree, decision, ordinance, code or other legally binding requirement (including common law) relating to the pollution, protection or restoration of the environment, wildlife or natural |
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| resources; human health or safety; or the generation, use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, discharge, disposal or release of, or exposure to, any Hazardous Substance (as defined below) (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) is conducting or funding, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, monitoring or other corrective action pursuant to any Environmental Law, including to address any actual or suspected Hazardous Substance present in the environment at concentrations in excess of those permitted under applicable Environmental Laws, (iii) has received notice of, or is subject to any action, suit, claim or proceeding alleging, any actual or potential liability under, or violation of, any Environmental Law, (iv) is party to any order, decree or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Environmental Law, or (v) is or has been in violation of, or has failed to obtain and maintain, any permit, license, authorization, identification number or other approval required under applicable Environmental Laws; (b) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no facts or circumstances that would result in the Company or any of its subsidiaries being cited for any violation of or incurring liability under any Environmental Law, including with respect to any Hazardous Substance, except in the case of clause (a) and (b) above, for such matters as would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is subject to any pending proceeding pursuant to any Environmental Law in which any foreign, federal, state or local governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, nor does the Company or any of its subsidiaries know any such proceeding is contemplated, (ii) is aware of any material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries resulting from compliance with Environmental Laws, or (iii) anticipates any material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws. For purposes of this subsection, “Hazardous Substance” means (A) any pollutant, contaminant, petroleum and petroleum products, petroleum by-products or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls or toxic mold, and (B) any other substance, material or waste defined as “toxic,” “hazardous,” a “pollutant,” a “contaminant,” or words of similar meaning and regulatory effect under applicable Environmental Law. |
| (xxiv) | Accurate Disclosure. The statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Material U.S. Federal Income and Estate Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders,” “Description of Capital Stock,” “Business—Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Matters” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are in all material respects accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown. |
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| (xxv) | Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities. |
| (xxvi) | No Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith. |
| (xxvii) | Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in a Registration Statement, a Statutory Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication is based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects. |
| (xxviii) | Internal Controls and Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. General Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”). The Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, maintain a system of internal controls over financial reporting sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, none of the Company or its subsidiaries is aware, after due inquiry, of any (x) material weakness or significant deficiency (y) significant changes in the Company’s internal controls over financing reporting or (z) fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in internal controls over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to affect, the Company’s internal control over financing reporting, except, in the cases of clause (x) above, as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. |
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| (xxix) | Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective. |
| (xxx) | Litigation. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including, to the Company’s knowledge, any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Offered Securities; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened or contemplated. |
| (xxxi) | Financial Statements. The financial statements included in each Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis and the schedules included in each Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, which has certified the financial statements of the Company included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the Rules and Regulations and as required by the Act and the applicable rules and guidance from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). |
| (xxxii) | No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (i) there has been no change, nor any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or |
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| prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that is material and adverse, (ii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, (iii) there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (iv) there has been no material transaction entered into and there is no material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (v) there has been no obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, incurred by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business and (vi) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority. |
| (xxxiii) | Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). |
| (xxxiv) | Ratings. No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the Company’s retaining any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of the Company or (ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering any of the actions described in Section 7(c)(ii) hereof. |
| (xxxv) | Taxes. The Company and each of its subsidiaries has filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure to file would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect) and have paid all taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties) required to be paid thereon (except for cases in which failure to pay would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no material tax deficiency has been asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries. |
| (xxxvi) | No Restrictions on Payments by Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, (i) from paying any |
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| dividends to the Company, (ii) from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s equity interests, (iii) from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or (iv) from transferring any of such subsidiary’s material properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company. |
| (xxxvii) | ERISA. The minimum funding standard under Section 302 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”), or other applicable minimum funding standard, has been satisfied, in all material respects, if applicable, by each “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA), whether or not subject to ERISA, with respect to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries could have any material liability (each an “Employee Benefit Plan”), and the trust forming part of each such plan which is intended to be qualified under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), is so qualified and to the Company’s knowledge, nothing has occurred since the date of such qualification which could reasonably be expected to result in the loss of such qualification; each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under Section 515 of ERISA in all material respects; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries maintain or are required to contribute to a “welfare plan” (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) which provides retiree or other post-employment welfare benefits or insurance coverage (other than “continuation coverage” (as defined in Section 602 of ERISA)) that could result in a material liability to the Company; each Employee Benefit Plan is in and has been operated in compliance with all applicable laws, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code, except where the failure to comply would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; no event has occurred (including a “reportable event” as such term is defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) and, to the Company’s knowledge, no condition exists with respect to each Employee Benefit Plan that would subject the Company or any of its subsidiaries to any material tax, fine, lien, penalty or liability imposed by ERISA or the Code; no non-exempt “prohibited transaction” as defined under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code has occurred with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan that could result in a material liability to the Company; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have incurred or would reasonably be expected to incur any withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA, any liability under Section 4062, 4063 or 4064 of ERISA, or any other liability under Title IV of ERISA that could result in a material liability to the Company. |
| (xxxviii) | Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility and in such amounts as the Company reasonably believes are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; all material policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full |
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| 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, the failure of which to receive payment on would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; and the Company will obtain directors’ and officers’ insurance in such amounts as is customary for an initial public offering. |
| (xxxix) | No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director or officer, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any controlled affiliate, employee, agent, representative or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or affiliates has (A) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (B) taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; (C) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (D) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and all other applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote compliance with such laws. |
| (xl) | Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the |
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| Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. |
| (xli) | Economic Sanctions. |
| (i) | Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, thereof, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent, controlled affiliate, employee, or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is: |
| (A) | the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the United Nations Security Council (UN), the European Union (EU), the Swiss Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO), Her Majesty’s Treasury (UK HMT), the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor |
| (B) | located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is itself the subject of Sanctions (as of the date of this agreement, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria). |
| (ii) | The Company will not, directly or, to its knowledge, indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person: |
| (A) | to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person that is, or in any country or territory that is itself, at the time of such funding or facilitation, the subject of Sanctions; or |
| (B) | in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise). |
| (iii) | For the past five years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not knowingly engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person that is or was, or in any country or territory that is or was itself, at the time of the dealing or transaction the subject of Sanctions. |
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| (xlii) | Directed Share Program. None of the Participants is domiciled outside of the United States. |
| (xliii) | Absence of Unlawful Influence. The Company has not offered or sold, or caused the Underwriters to offer or sell, any Offered Securities to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products. |
(b) Each Selling Stockholder severally represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:
| (i) | Title to Securities. Such Selling Stockholder will have on each Closing Date hereinafter mentioned valid and unencumbered title to the Optional Securities to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date and full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Optional Securities to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date hereunder; and upon the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities on each Closing Date hereunder the several Underwriters will acquire valid and unencumbered title to the Optional Securities to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date. |
| (ii) | Good Standing of Selling Stockholders. To the extent any Selling Stockholder is an entity, such Selling Stockholder is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization. |
| (iii) | Power and Authority. Such Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority, corporate or otherwise, to enter into this Agreement. |
| (iv) | No Distribution of Offering Material. No Selling Stockholder has distributed or will distribute any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities. |
| (v) | Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required to be obtained or made by any Selling Stockholder for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the offering and sale of the Optional Securities sold by such Selling Stockholder, except such as have been obtained and made under the Act and such as may be required under state securities laws. |
| (vi) | Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets |
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| of any Selling Stockholder pursuant to, any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or its properties or any agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the properties of such Selling Stockholder is subject, or the charter or by-laws of or similar organizational documents of such Selling Stockholder or the constituent documents of any Selling Stockholder that is not a natural person or an entity except for any such breach, lien, charge, encumbrance, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to impair the consummation of such Selling Stockholder’s obligations hereunder. |
| (vii) | Final Prospectus. On its date, at the time of filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (if no such filing is required) at the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement in which the Final Prospectus is included, and on each Closing Date, the Final Prospectus will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The preceding sentence applies only to written information furnished to the Company by the such Selling Stockholder specifically for use in the Final Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof. |
| (viii) | General Disclosure Package. As of the Applicable Time, (i) the General Disclosure Package, (ii) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package or (iii) any individual Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence applies only to written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Stockholder specifically for use in the General Disclosure Package, any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof. |
| (ix) | Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Selling Stockholder. |
| (x) | No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between such Selling Stockholder and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the such Selling Stockholder or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering. |
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| (xi) | Absence of Manipulation. Such Selling Stockholder has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Optional Securities. |
| (xii) | No Undisclosed Material Information. The sale of the Optional Securities by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement is not prompted by any material information concerning the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is not set forth the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. |
| (xiii) | Testing-the-Waters Communication. Such Selling Stockholder has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication. |
3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $[ ] per share, the respective numbers of shares of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A hereto.
The Company will deliver the Firm Securities to or as instructed by the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representatives against payment of the purchase price for such Firm Securities by the Underwriters in Federal (same day) funds by wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representatives drawn to the order of the Company at the office of Baker Botts L.L.P, 910 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, at 9:00 A.M., New York time, on [ ], 2017 or at such other time not later than seven full business days thereafter as the Representatives and the Company determine, such time being herein referred to as the “First Closing Date”. For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act, the First Closing Date (if later than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the settlement date for payment of funds and delivery of securities for all the Offered Securities sold pursuant to the offering contemplated by this Agreement. Delivery of the Firm Securities will be made through the facilities of the Depositary Trust Company (the “DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct and evidence of their issuance will be made available to the Representatives.
In addition, upon written notice from the Representatives given to the Selling Stockholders from time to time not more than 30 days subsequent to the date of the Final Prospectus, the Underwriters may purchase all or less than all of the Optional Securities at the purchase price per Security to be paid for the Firm Securities. The Selling Stockholders agree, severally and not jointly, to sell to the Underwriters the respective numbers of Optional Securities obtained by multiplying the number of Optional Securities specified in such notice by a fraction the numerator of which is [ ], the number of shares set forth opposite the names of such Selling Stockholders in Schedule B hereto under the caption “Number of Optional Securities to be Sold” and the denominator of which is the total number of Optional Securities (subject to adjustment by the Representatives in its
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discretion to eliminate fractions). Such Optional Securities shall be purchased from each Selling Stockholder for the account of each Underwriter in the same proportion as the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name bears to the total number of Firm Securities (subject to adjustment by the Representatives in its discretion to eliminate fractions) and may be purchased by the Underwriters only for the purposes of covering over-allotments made in connection with the sale of the Firm Securities. No Optional Securities shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Representatives to the Selling Stockholders.
Each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities, being herein referred to as an “Optional Closing Date”, which may be the First Closing Date (the First Closing Date and each Optional Closing Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Closing Date”), shall be determined by the Representatives but shall be not later than five full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Securities is given. Each Selling Stockholder will deliver the Optional Securities being purchased from it on each Optional Closing Date to or as instructed by the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representatives, against payment of the purchase price therefore in Federal (same day) funds by wire transfer to an account at a bank specified by such Selling Stockholder (and acceptable to the Representatives), at the above office of Baker Botts L.L.P. Delivery of the Optional Securities will be made through the facilities of the DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct and evidence of their issuance will be made available to the Representatives.
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Offered Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
5. Certain Agreements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters and the Selling Stockholders that:
(a) Additional Filings. Unless filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) as part of the Additional Registration Statement in accordance with the next sentence, the Company will file the Final Prospectus, in a form approved by the Representatives, with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with subparagraph (1) (or, if applicable and if consented to by the Representatives, subparagraph (4)) of Rule 424(b) not later than the earlier of (A) the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement or (B) the fifteenth business day after the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of any such filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and provide satisfactory evidence to the Representatives of such timely filing. If an Additional Registration Statement is necessary to register a portion of the Offered Securities under the Act but the Effective Time thereof has not occurred as of the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will file the additional registration statement or, if filed, will file a post-effective amendment thereto with the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 462(b) on or prior to 10:00 P.M.,
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New York time, on the date of this Agreement or, if earlier, on or prior to the time the Final Prospectus is finalized and distributed to any Underwriter, or will make such filing at such later date as shall have been consented to by the Representatives.
(b) Filing of Amendments: Response to Commission Requests. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives of any proposal to amend or supplement at any time the Initial Registration Statement, any Additional Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus and will not effect such amendment or supplementation to which the Representatives’ reasonably object; and the Company will also advise the Representatives promptly of (i) the effectiveness of any Additional Registration Statement (if its Effective Time is subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement), (ii) any amendment or supplementation of a Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus, (iii) any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment to any Registration Statement, for any supplement to any Statutory Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of a Registration Statement or the threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, and (v) the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Offered Securities in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceedings for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(c) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act by any Underwriter or dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives of such event and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and the dealers and any other dealers upon request of the Representatives, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance. Neither the Representatives’ consent to, nor the Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof.
(d) Testing-the-Waters Communication. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such statement or omission.
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(e) Rule 158. As soon as practicable, but not later than the Availability Date (as defined below), the Company will make generally available to its security holders an earnings statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the Effective Time of the Initial Registration Statement (or, if later, the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement) which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act. For the purpose of the preceding sentence, “Availability Date” means the day after the end of the fourth fiscal quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes such Effective Time on which the Company is required to file its Form 10-Q for such fiscal quarter except that, if such fourth fiscal quarter is the last quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, “Availability Date” means the day after the end of such fourth fiscal quarter on which the Company is required to file its Form 10-K.
(f) Furnishing of Prospectuses. Upon the request from any Representative, the Company will furnish to the Representatives copies of each Registration Statement (including all exhibits), and upon request of the Representatives, signed copies of each Registration Statement, each related Statutory Prospectus, and, so long as a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act, the Final Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Final Prospectus shall be so furnished within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A under the Securities Act. All other such documents shall be so furnished as soon as available. The Company will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the Underwriters all such documents.
(g) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives reasonably designate and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters; provided that the Company will not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or to subject itself to a taxing authority where it is not now so subject.
(h) Reporting Requirements. During the period of two years hereafter, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and, upon request, to each of the other Underwriters, as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of its annual report to stockholders for such year; and the Company will furnish to the Representatives (i) as soon as available, a copy of each report and any definitive proxy statement of the Company filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act or mailed to stockholders, and (ii) from time to time, such other information concerning the Company as the Representatives may reasonably request. However, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and is timely filing reports with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system), it is not required to furnish such reports or statements to the Underwriters.
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(i) Payment of Expenses.
| (i) | The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholders under this Agreement, including but not limited to (i) any filing fees and other expenses (including reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) incurred in connection with qualification or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registering of ) all or any part of the Offered Securities for offer and sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives designate and the preparation and printing of memoranda relating thereto, (ii) costs and expenses related to the review by the FINRA of the Offered Securities (including filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such review); provided that the amount payable by the Company with respect to fees and disbursements of counsel pursuant to subsections (i) and (ii) shall not exceed $40,000, (iii) costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations or any “road show” in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities including, without limitation, any travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any other expenses of the Company including 50% of the cost of the chartering of airplanes in connection with the road show (the remaining 50% of the cost of such aircraft to be paid by the Underwriters), (iv) fees and expenses incident to listing the Offered Securities on NASDAQ Stock Market and other national and foreign exchanges, (v) fees and expenses in connection with the registration of the Offered Securities under the Exchange Act, (vi) any transfer taxes payable in connection with the delivery of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters, (vii) expenses incurred in distributing preliminary prospectuses and the Final Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto) to the Underwriters and expenses incurred in preparing, printing and distributing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses to investors or prospective investors and (viii) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 13 of Part II of the Registration Statement. |
| (ii) | Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, further agrees with the several Underwriters to pay (directly or by reimbursement) all fees and expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement that are not otherwise specifically provided for herein, including but not limited to (i) fees and expenses of counsel and other advisors for such Selling Stockholders and (ii) expenses and taxes incident to the sale and delivery of the Offered Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters hereunder. It being understood, however, that the Company shall bear, and the Selling Stockholders shall not be required to pay or to reimburse the Company for, the cost incurred by the Company of any other matters not directly relating to the sale and purchase of the Optional Securities sold by the applicable Selling Stockholders pursuant to this Agreement. |
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(j) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it in connection with this offering in the manner described in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the General Disclosure Package and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any Underwriter or affiliate of any Underwriter.
(k) Absence of Manipulation. The Company and the Selling Stockholders will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
(l) Restriction on Sale of Securities by the Company. For the period specified below (the “Lock-Up Period”), the Company will not, directly or indirectly, take any of the following actions with respect to its Securities or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of its Securities (“Lock-Up Securities”): (i) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of Lock-Up Securities, (ii) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, contract to purchase or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase Lock-Up Securities, (iii) enter into any swap, hedge or any other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequences of ownership of Lock-Up Securities, (iv) establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in Lock-Up Securities within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (v) file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to Lock-Up Securities, other than a registration statement on Form S-8, or publicly disclose the intention to take any such action, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, except (A) issuances of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or the exercise of warrants, options, restricted stock or restricted stock units, in each case outstanding on the date hereof and described in the General Disclosure Package, (B) grants of securities (including without limitation, options, restricted stock or restricted stock units) convertible into, or exercisable for, Securities pursuant to the terms of a plan or other equity compensation arrangement described in the General Disclosure Package or the issuance of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the exercise of such options, or (C) the issuance of up to 5% of the total number of Securities then outstanding in connection with the acquisition of the assets of, or a majority or controlling portion of the equity of another entity, or a joint venture with another entity, provided that each recipient of any Lock-Up Securities issued or sold pursuant to clause (C) above executes and delivers to the Representatives prior to such issuance or sale (as the case may be) an agreement having substantially the same terms as the lock-up agreements described in Section 7(i) hereof. The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date hereof and continue for 180 days after the date hereof or such earlier date that the Representatives consent to in writing.
(m) Agreement to Announce Lock-Up Waiver. If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up letter described in Section 7(i) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of such release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit F hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
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(n) Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Offered Securities within the meaning of the Act and (ii) completion of the Lock-Up Period.
(o) Transfer Restrictions. In connection with the Directed Share Program, the Company will ensure that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent required by FINRA or the FINRA 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 Designated Underwriter will notify the Company as to which 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.
(p) Payment of Expenses Related to Directed Share Program. The Company will pay all fees and disbursements of counsel (including non-U.S. counsel) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program.
(q) Compliance with Foreign Laws. The Company will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations in each foreign jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.
6. Free Writing Prospectuses(a) . The Company and Selling Stockholders represent and agree that, unless they obtain the prior consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping. The Company represents that it has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions in Rule 433 to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show.
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7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities on the First Closing Date and the Optional Securities to be purchased on each Optional Closing Date will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders herein (as though made on such Closing Date), to the accuracy of the statements of officer of the Company and the Selling Stockholders made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of their obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:
(a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. The Representatives shall have received letters, dated, respectively, the date hereof and each Closing Date, of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm and independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Laws and in the form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives (except that, in any letter dated a Closing Date, the specified date referred to in the comfort letters shall be a date no more than three days prior to such date).
(b) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. If the Effective Time of the Additional Registration Statement (if any) is not prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, such Effective Time shall have occurred not later than 10:00 P.M., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or, if earlier, the time the Final Prospectus is finalized and distributed to any Underwriter, or shall have occurred at such later time as shall have been consented to by the Representatives. The Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and Section 5(a) hereof. Prior to such Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Representatives, shall be contemplated by the Commission.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Offered Securities; (ii) any downgrading in the rating of any debt securities or preferred stock of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act), or any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities or preferred stock of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating) or any announcement that the Company has been placed on negative outlook; (iii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impractical to market or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market; (iv) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Stock Market, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (v) or any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (vi) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal or New York authorities; (vii) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment or clearance services in the United States or any other country where such securities are listed or (viii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act
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of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Representatives, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it impractical or inadvisable to market the Offered Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion and negative assurance letter, dated such Closing Date, of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, counsel for the Company, in the forms attached hereto as Exhibit A and Exhibit B. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer, LLP, Canadian counsel for the Company, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.
(e) Opinion of Counsel for Selling Stockholders. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, counsel for Advent-NCS Acquisition L.P. (the “Advent Selling Stockholder”), in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Dentons Canada LLP, counsel for Cemblend Systems, Inc. (the “Cemblend Selling Stockholder”), in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E.
(f) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received from Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may require, and the Selling Stockholders and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(g) Company Officers’ Certificate. The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated such Closing Date, of an executive officer of the Company and a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company in which such officers shall state that:
| (i) | The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date; |
| (ii) | No stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the best of their knowledge and after reasonable investigation, are contemplated by the Commission; |
| (iii) | The Additional Registration Statement (if any) satisfying the requirements of subparagraphs (1) and (3) of Rule 462(b) was timely filed pursuant to Rule 462(b), including payment of the applicable filing fee in accordance with Rule 111(a) or (b) of Regulation S-T of the Commission; and |
| (iv) | Subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there has been no material |
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| adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus or as described in such certificate. |
(h) Selling Stockholder Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated such Closing Date, of an authorized officer of each Selling Stockholder in which such officers shall state that:
| (i) | the representations and warranties of such Selling Stockholder set forth in are true and correct on and as of such Closing Date; and |
| (ii) | such Selling Stockholder has complied with all its agreements contained herein and has satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date. |
(i) Lock-Up Agreements. On or prior to the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received lock-up agreements in the form set forth on Exhibit G hereto from each executive officer and director of the Company and each Selling Stockholder. On or prior to the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received lock-up agreements in the form set forth on Exhibit H hereto from each Participant who (x) purchases at least $50,000 worth of Offered Securities and (y) is not obligated to deliver a lock-up agreement pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence of this Section 7(i).
(j) CFO Certificate. The Company shall have delivered to the Representatives a certificate, executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of the date hereof and each Closing Date, addressed to the Representatives on behalf of the several Underwriters and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
The Company and Selling Stockholders will furnish the Representatives with any additional opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives reasonably request and conformed copies of documents delivered pursuant to this Section 7. The Representatives may in their sole discretion waive on behalf of the Underwriters compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, whether in respect of an Optional Closing Date or otherwise.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters by Company. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus
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as of any time, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Statutory Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below.
The Company also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Designated Underwriter and its affiliates and each person, if any, who controls the Designated Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (the “Designated Entities”), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i) arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any written materials prepared specifically by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or arising out of or based upon any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) arising out of or based upon the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) arising out of, related to, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Designated Entities.
(b) Indemnification of Underwriters by Selling Stockholders. The Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Party against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or arise out of or are based upon the omission or
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alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Selling Stockholders will only be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any such Selling Stockholder specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Selling Stockholder consists of the following information: such Selling Stockholder’s name and corresponding share amounts set forth in the table of Principal and Selling Stockholders in the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus under the heading “Principal and Selling Stockholders” and such Selling Stockholder’s address. The liability of any Selling Stockholder pursuant to this subsection (b) shall not exceed the total net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by such Selling Stockholder from the sale of the Securities sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder.
(c) Indemnification of Company and Selling Stockholders. Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and each of its officers who signs a Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each Selling Stockholder (each, an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”) against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Final Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession figure appearing in
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the fourth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)” and the information with respect to stabilization transactions appearing in the seventeenth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)”.
(d) Indemnification of the Selling Stockholders by the Company. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Selling Stockholder, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls such Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, a “Selling Stockholder Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Selling Stockholder Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of any Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Statutory Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), not misleading, and will reimburse each Selling Stockholder Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Selling Stockholder Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any such Selling Stockholder specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Selling Stockholder consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) above (it being understood, for the avoidance of doubt, that this Section 8(d) (i) shall in no event affect any liability the Company may have to any Underwriter, or any partner, member, director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate of any Underwriter, or any person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and (ii) is an agreement solely between the Company and each Selling Stockholder and the other parties described in this Section 8(d) and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility in connection with any dispute between the Company, any Selling Stockholder and any other party described in this Section 8(d) with respect to an agreement solely between the Company and any Selling Stockholder and the other parties described in this Section 8(d)).
(e) Actions against Parties; Notification. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section or Section 10 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
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party under subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) above or Section 10, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a), (b),(c) or (d) above or Section 10 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) above or Section 10. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section or Section 10, as the case may be, for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if indemnity may be sought pursuant to the last paragraph in
Section 8(a) hereof in respect of such action or proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm for the indemnified parties, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Designated Underwriter for the defense of any losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising out of the Directed Share Program, and all persons, if any, who control the Designated Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act of Section 20 of the Exchange Act. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action 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 an indemnified party.
(f) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a), (b) or (c) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities 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 and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in
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the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Selling Stockholders or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (f) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (f). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (f), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this Section 8(f) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(f) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 8(f). The liability of any Selling Stockholder pursuant to this subsection (f) shall not exceed the total net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by such Selling Stockholder from the sale of the Securities sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder.
9. Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their obligations to purchase Offered Securities hereunder on either the First or any Optional Closing Date and the aggregate number of shares of Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total number of shares of Offered Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, the Representatives may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company and the Selling Stockholders for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate number of shares of Offered Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total number of shares of Offered Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholders for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after
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such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Stockholders, except as provided in Section 11 (provided that if such default occurs with respect to Optional Securities after the First Closing Date, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities or any Optional Securities purchased prior to such termination). As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. Qualified Independent Underwriter. The Company hereby confirms that at its request Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC has without compensation acted as “qualified independent underwriter” (in such capacity, the “QIU”) within the meaning of Rule 5121 of FINRA in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities. The Company and the Selling Stockholders will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the QIU, its directors, officers, employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls the QIU within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the QIU may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon the QIU’s acting (or alleged failing to act) as such “qualified independent underwriter” and will reimburse the QIU for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the QIU in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred and provided, further, that each Selling Stockholder shall only be subject to liability under this Section to the extent such liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or upon an omission or alleged omission based upon information provided by such Selling Stockholder or contained in a representation or warranty given by such Selling Stockholder in this Agreement.
11. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Selling Stockholders, of the Company or its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any Selling Stockholder, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities. If the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities, and the respective obligations of the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8 hereof and the obligations of the Company, the Selling Stockholders pursuant to Section 10 shall remain in effect. In addition, if any Offered Securities have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in Section 2 and all obligations under Section 5 shall also remain in effect.
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12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to the Representatives, c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010-3629, Attention: LCD-IBD, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, Attention: General Counsel, facsimile: (646) 291-1469, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 375 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10152, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department (fax no: (212) 214-5918), or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc., 19450 State Highway 249, Suite 200, Houston, TX 77070, Attention: P. Kevin Trautner, or, if sent to the Selling Stockholders, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed as set forth on Schedule B; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to such Underwriter.
13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective personal representatives and successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 8, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
14. Representation of Underwriters. The Representatives will act for the several Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and any action under this Agreement taken by the Representatives will be binding upon all the Underwriters.
15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
16. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company and the Selling Stockholders acknowledge and agree that:
(a) No Other Relationship. The Representatives have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company or the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Representatives, on the other, has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Final Prospectus, irrespective of whether the Representatives have advised or are advising the Company or the Selling Stockholders on other matters;
(b) Arms’ Length Negotiations. The price of the Offered Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by Company and the Selling Stockholders following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Stockholders are capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
36
(c) Absence of Obligation to Disclose. The Company and the Selling Stockholders have been advised that the Representatives and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company or the Selling Stockholders and that the Representatives have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company or the Selling Stockholders by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and
(d) Waiver. The Company and the Selling Stockholders waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims they may have against the Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agree that the Representatives shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company or the Selling Stockholders in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company.
17. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
18. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
[Signature pages follow]
37
If the foregoing is in accordance with the Representatives’ understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Selling Stockholders, the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| NCS MULTISTAGE HOLDINGS, INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| ADVENT-NCS ACQUISITION L.P. | ||
| By: [ ], ITS GENERAL PARTNER | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| CEMBLEND SYSTEMS, INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the date first above
written.
| CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC | ||||||
| By: | ||||||
| Name: | ||||||
| Title: | ||||||
| CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. | ||||||
| By: | ||||||
| Name: | ||||||
| Title: | ||||||
| WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC | ||||||
| By: | ||||||
| Name: | ||||||
| Title: |
Acting on behalf of themselves and as the
Representatives of the several
Underwriters.
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE A
| Underwriter | Number of Firm Securities to be Purchased | |||
| Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC | ||||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc | ||||
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | ||||
| J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | ||||
| Piper Jaffray & Co | ||||
| Raymond James & Associates, Inc | ||||
| RBC Capital Markets, LLC | ||||
| Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities, Inc | ||||
|
|
| |||
| Total | ||||
|
|
| |||
SCHEDULE B
| Selling Stockholder | Number of Optional Securities to be Sold | |||
| Advent-NCS Acquisition L.P | ||||
| Cemblend Systems, Inc | ||||
|
|
| |||
| Total | ||||
|
|
| |||
The notice address for each Selling Stockholder for purposes of Section 12 of this Agreement is as follows:
[ ]
SCHEDULE C
| 1. | General Use Free Writing Prospectuses (included in the General Disclosure Package) |
“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” includes each of the following documents:
[None.]
| 2. | Other Information Included in the General Disclosure Package |
The following information is also included in the General Disclosure Package:
Price per share to the public: $[ ].
SCHEDULE D
Subsidiaries of the Company
| Entity | Percentage Ownership | Jurisdiction | ||
| Pioneer Intermediate, Inc.(US) | 100% | Delaware | ||
| Pioneer Investment, Inc. (US) | 100% | Delaware | ||
| Pioneer NCS Energy Holdco, LLC (US) | 100% | Texas | ||
| NCS Multistage, LLC (US) | 100% | Texas | ||
| NCS International, LLC (US) | 100% | Texas | ||
| NCS International 2, LLC (US) | 100% | Texas | ||
| NCS Multistage, Inc. (Canada) | 100% | Canada | ||
| NCS Argentina, SRL (Argentina) | 100% | Argentina | ||
| Repeat Precision, LLC (US) | 50% | [Texas] | ||
| RJ Machine S de RL (Mexico) | 100% | Mexico |
Exhibit A
Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Company
Exhibit B
Form of Negative Assurance Letter of Counsel to the Company
Exhibit C
Form of Opinion of Canadian Counsel of the Company
Exhibit D
Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Advent Selling Stockholder
Exhibit E
Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Cemblend Selling Stockholder
Exhibit F
Form of Press Release
NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc.
[Date]
NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that Credit Suisse, Citigroup and Wells Fargo Securities, the lead book-running managers in the Company’s recent public sale of shares of common stock, are [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on , 20 , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Exhibit G
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
[ ], 2017
NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc.
19450 State Highway 249, Suite 200
Houston, TX 77070
CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Eleven Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10010
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
375 Park Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, New York 10152
Ladies and Gentlemen:
As an inducement to the underwriters to execute the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), pursuant to which an offering (the “Offering”) will be made that is intended to result in the establishment of a public market for the common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Securities”), of NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc., and any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereto (the “Company”), the undersigned hereby agrees that during the period specified in the following paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any Securities, enter into a transaction which would have the same effect, or enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Securities, whether any such aforementioned transaction is to be settled by delivery of the Securities or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any such transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement, without, in each case, the prior written consent of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (the “Representatives”). In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not, during the Lock-Up Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Securities or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for the Securities.
The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Lock-Up Agreement and continue and include the date that is 180 days after the public offering date set forth on the final prospectus used to sell the Securities (the “Public Offering Date”) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, to which you are or expect to become parties.
Any Securities received upon exercise of options or other securities of the Company granted to the undersigned will also be subject to this Lock-Up Agreement. Any Securities acquired by the undersigned, if the undersigned is not an officer or director, in an issuer directed share program will not be subject to this Lock-Up Agreement. If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing restrictions in this Lock-Up Agreement shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Securities the undersigned may purchase in the above-referenced offering.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer Securities:
| (i) | as a bona fide gift or gifts, |
| (ii) | to any beneficiary of the undersigned pursuant to a will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representatives, heirs, beneficiary or family member of the undersigned, |
| (iii) | to any trust, partnership, limited liability company or other entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or a family member of the undersigned, |
| (iv) | to any family member or other dependent, |
| (v) | as a distribution to limited partners, general partners, members or stockholders of the undersigned, |
| (vi) | to the undersigned’s affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned, |
| (vii) | to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (i) through (vi) above, |
| (viii) | by operation of law in connection with a qualified domestic order or a divorce settlement, |
| (ix) | pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency or to comply with any regulations related to the undersigned’s ownership of Securities; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to this clause, any filing under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Securities, shall state that such transfer is pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency or to comply with any regulations related to the ownership of the Securities unless such a statement would be prohibited by any applicable law, regulation or order of a court or regulatory agency, |
| (x) | to the Company or its affiliates upon death, disability or termination of employment, in each case, of the undersigned, |
| (xi) | to the Company or its affiliates (A) deemed to occur upon the cashless exercise of options or (B) for the primary purpose of paying the exercise price of such options or for paying taxes (including estimated taxes) due as a result of the exercise of such options or as a result of the vesting of Securities under restricted stock units or restricted stock awards, in each case pursuant to employee benefit plans disclosed |
| in the Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the Offering; provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to this clause (xi)(B), if the undersigned is required to make a filing under the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Securities during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such report to the effect that the purpose of such transfer was to cover tax obligations of the undersigned in connection with such exercise, |
| (xii) | in connection with transactions by any person other than the Company relating to Securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Offering, |
| (xiii) | pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer made to all holders of the Securities, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction involving a change of control (as defined below) of the Company, that, in each case, has been approved by the Company’s board of directors; provided, that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the undersigned’s Securities shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this Lock-Up Agreement or |
| (xiv) | to the Underwriters in connection with the offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement |
provided that,
| (1) | in the case of each transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (i) through (viii) above, each donee, trustee, distributee or transferee, as the case may be, agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, |
| (2) | in the case of each transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (i) through (viii) above, shall not involve a disposition for value and |
| (3) | in the case of each transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (i) through (vii) and (xii) above, no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act (other than a filing on Form 5) reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Securities, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Lock-Up Period. |
For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, a “family member” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin. For the purposes of clause (xiv) above, “change of control” shall mean the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, purchase, consolidation or other similar transaction the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of a majority of total voting power of the voting stock of the Company.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the undersigned may enter into a written trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act during the Lock-Up Period; provided that no direct or indirect offers, pledges, sales, contracts to sell, sales of any option or contract to purchase, purchases of any option or contract to sell, grants of any option, right or warrant to purchase, loans, or other transfers or disposals of any Securities or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Securities may be effected pursuant to such
plan during the Lock-Up Period; and provided that no public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act regarding the establishment of such plan shall be required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company during the Lock-Up Period.
In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, if the undersigned is a corporation, the corporation may transfer the Securities to any wholly-owned subsidiary of such corporation; provided, however, that in any such case, it shall be a condition to the transfer that the transferee execute an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and holding such Securities subject to the provisions of this Agreement and there shall be no further transfer of such Securities except in accordance with this Agreement, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent and registrar are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of Securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Agreement.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Securities, the Representatives will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Lock-Up Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
This Lock-Up Agreement shall be binding on the undersigned and the successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns of the undersigned. This Lock-Up Agreement shall lapse and become null and void on the earlier of (i) June 30, 2017, if the Public Offering Date shall not have occurred on or such date, (ii) the date on which for any reason the Underwriting Agreement is terminated (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) prior to payment for and delivery of the Securities to be sold thereunder (other than pursuant to the Underwriters’ over-allotment option), (iii) the date the Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the Offering is withdrawn or (iv) the date the Company notifies the Representatives in writing prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering.
This agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
[Signature page follows]
Very truly yours,
| IF AN INDIVIDUAL: | IF AN ENTITY: | |||||||
| By: |
|
| ||||||
| (duly authorized signature) | (please print complete name of entity) | |||||||
| Name: |
| By: |
| |||||
| (please print full name) | (duly authorized signature) | |||||||
| Name: |
| |||||||
| (please print full name) | ||||||||
| Address: | Address: | |||||||
|
|
| |||||||
|
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Exhibit H
Form of Directed Share Program Lock-Up Agreement
[ ], 2017
CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
As representatives of the several underwriters
c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC,
375 Park Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, New York 10152
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This agreement is being delivered to you in connection with the Directed Share Program (the “DSP”) for the underwritten public offering (the “Offering”) of the common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc., and any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereto (the “Company”), pursuant to the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among the Company and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (“Wells Fargo”), as representatives of a group of underwriters named therein.
As an inducement to Wells Fargo to sell the Common Stock to the undersigned through the DSP (the “Securities”) and in light of the benefits that the purchase of the Securities under the DSP will confer upon the undersigned, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, if the undersigned purchases at least $50,000 worth of Securities under the DSP, during the period specified in the following paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any Securities, enter into a transaction which would have the same effect, or enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Securities, whether any such aforementioned transaction is to be settled by delivery of the Securities or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any such transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement, without, in each case, the prior written consent of Wells Fargo. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of Wells Fargo, it will not, during the Lock-Up Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Securities or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for the Securities.
The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Lock-Up Agreement and continue and include the date that is 30 days after the public offering date set forth on the final prospectus used to sell the Securities (the “Public Offering Date”) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
A transfer of Securities to a family member or trust may be made; provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement prior to such transfer, such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value and no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period). For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, a “family member” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent and registrar are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of Securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Agreement.
This Lock-Up Agreement shall be binding on the undersigned and the successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns of the undersigned. This Lock-Up Agreement shall lapse and become null and void if the Public Offering Date shall not have occurred on or before [June 30, 2017]. This agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
[Signature page follows]
Very truly yours,
| By: |
| |
| (duly authorized signature) | ||
| Name: |
| |
| (please print full name) | ||
| Address: |
| |
|
| ||
