PHH CORPORATION $220,000,000 6.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2017* Underwriting Agreement

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Underwriting Agreements
EX-1.1 2 a11-32267_3ex1d1.htm EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

 

Execution Version

 

PHH CORPORATION

 

$220,000,000
6.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2017*

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

January 10, 2012

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, New York 10179

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, NY 10036

 

As Representatives of the Underwriters

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

PHH Corporation, a corporation organized under the laws of Maryland (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, $220,000,000 principal amount of its 6.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2017 (the “Underwritten Securities”).  The Company also proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to $30,000,000 additional principal amount of its 6.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2017 to cover over-allotments (the “Option Securities”; the Option Securities, together with the Underwritten Securities, hereinafter called the “Securities”).  The Securities are convertible into cash and shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company at the conversion price set forth in the Final Prospectus.  The Securities are to be issued under a base indenture (the “Base Indenture”), to be dated as of the Closing Date (as defined in Section 3 herein), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture (the “Supplemental Indenture”), to be dated as of the Closing Date between the Company and the Trustee.  The Base Indenture, as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, is referred to herein as the Indenture.  To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you as the Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires.  Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the

 


* Plus an option to purchase up to $30,000,000 additional principal amount from the Company to cover over allotments

 



 

issue date of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.  The use of the neuter in this Agreement shall include the feminine and masculine wherever appropriate.  Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 21 hereof.

 

1.     Representations and Warranties.  The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 1.

 

(a)   The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission an automatic shelf registration statement, as defined in Rule 405 on Form S-3 (File No. 333-177723), including a related Base Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities.  Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time became effective upon filing.  The Company may have filed with the Commission, as part of an amendment to the Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 424(b), one or more preliminary prospectus supplements relating to the Securities, each of which has previously been furnished to you.  The Company will file with the Commission a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities in accordance with Rule 424(b).  As filed, such final prospectus supplement shall contain all information required by the Act and the rules thereunder, and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the Base Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein.  The Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).  The initial Effective Date of the Registration Statement was not earlier than the date three years before the Execution Time.

 

(b)   On each Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Final Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective, applicable rules thereunder; on each Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; on each Effective Date and on the Closing Date and any settlement date the Indenture did or will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules thereunder; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Final Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not contain any 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; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to (i) that part of the Registration Statement which shall

 

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constitute the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee or (ii) the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

(c)   (i) The Disclosure Package, and (ii) each electronic road show when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package, as of the Execution Time, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based 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 or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

(d)   (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption in Rule 163, and (iii) at the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (iii)), the Company was or is (as the case may be) a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405.  The Company agrees to pay the fees required by the Commission relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r).

 

(e)   (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Securities and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

 

(f)    Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, and the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(n) hereto does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated therein by reference and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.  The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based 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 or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

(g)   The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act.

 

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(h)   The Company is subject to and in compliance in all material respects with the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

(i)    The Company has not paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any of the Securities (except as contemplated in this Agreement).

 

(j)    The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale of the Securities.

 

(k)   Each of the Company and its significant subsidiaries (as listed in Annex A hereto) has been duly incorporated or formed and is validly existing as a corporation or other entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is incorporated or formed with full corporate or other power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as and if described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction that requires such qualification, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below in Section 1(o)).

 

(l)        All the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of each significant subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) and except for the equity or ownership interests of certain of the Company’s significant subsidiaries which are structured bankruptcy remote subsidiaries with securitization indebtedness, all outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of the significant subsidiaries that are owned by the Company either directly or through a subsidiary controlled by the Company are free and clear of any security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance.

 

(m)      The Company’s authorized capital stock is as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as of the dates set forth therein; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable; the shares of Common Stock initially issuable upon conversion of the Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued upon conversion of the Securities, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; the Board of Directors of the Company has duly and validly adopted resolutions reserving such shares of Common Stock for issuance upon conversion of the Securities; the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities or the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof; and, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company are outstanding other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus or upon exercise of outstanding options described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

 

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(n)   This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; the Indenture has been duly authorized, and assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, when executed and delivered by the Company, the Indenture will constitute a legal, valid, binding instrument enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity); and the Securities have been duly authorized, and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters as provided herein, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture (subject, as to enforcement, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity) and will be convertible into cash and Common Stock in accordance with their terms.

 

(o)   No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein or in the Indenture, except (i) such as may be required under the Act, the Trust Indenture Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Act, applicable state securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in which the Securities are offered and sold, and from FINRA.

 

(p)   None of the execution and delivery of the Indenture, this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities or the issuance of cash or the Common Stock upon conversion thereof, or the consummation of any other of the transactions herein or therein contemplated, or the fulfillment of the terms hereof or thereof will conflict with, or result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws or comparable constituting documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (ii) the terms of any material indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other material agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject; or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties, except in the case of this clause (iii) for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”) or a material adverse effect upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(q)   The consolidated historical financial statements and schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of Regulation S-X and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein); and the selected financial

 

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data set forth under the caption “Selected Financial Data” in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus fairly present, on the basis stated in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, the information included or incorporated by reference therein.

 

(r)    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 or its or their property is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the Indenture, or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(s)   Each of the Company and its significant subsidiaries owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted, except where such failure would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(t)    Neither the Company nor any of its significant subsidiaries is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its charter or by-laws or comparable constituting documents; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its significant subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject; or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its significant subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company or such significant subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(u)   Deloitte & Touche LLP, which has audited certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered its report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act.

 

(v)   There are no stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties or other similar fees or charges required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance or sale of the Securities or upon the issuance of Common Stock upon conversion thereof.

 

(w)  The Company has filed all applicable tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto)) and has paid all taxes due and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such tax or assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

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(x)    No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, or except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(y)   The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are customary in 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 force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with the terms of such policies and instruments; there are no material claims by the Company or any of its significant subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries 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 have a Material Adverse Effect except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(z)    Except for generally applicable restrictions arising under applicable corporate law, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

 

(aa)         The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by all applicable authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect or as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(bb)         The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.  The Company and its subsidiaries’ internal controls over financial reporting were effective as of December 31, 2010, and to the Company’s knowledge,

 

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are effective as of the date hereof and the Company is not aware of any material weakness in their internal control over financial reporting.

 

(cc)         The Company and its subsidiaries maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of September 30, 2011, and, to the Company’s knowledge, are effective as of the date hereof.

 

(dd)         No interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language is included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, or the Final Prospectus.

 

(ee)         The Company and its subsidiaries are (i) in compliance with any and all applicable laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under any Environmental Law, except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).  Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.

 

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

 

(gg)         None of the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such person of (i) the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 or (ii) the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA.

 

(hh)         The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and money laundering statutes and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) 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 Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

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(ii)   None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(jj)   There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications, except where the failure to be in compliance, would not individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(kk)         Prior to the date hereof, the Company has furnished to the Representatives letters, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, duly executed by each officer and director of the Company listed in Annex F and addressed to the Representatives.

 

(ll)   Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

 

2.     Purchase and Sale.  (a) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, 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 97.00% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from January 17, 2012 to the Closing Date, the principal amount of Underwritten Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.

 

(b)           Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to $30,000,000 principal amount of Option Securities at the same purchase price set forth in Section 2(a) hereto for the Underwritten Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from January 17, 2012 to the settlement date for the Option Securities.  Said option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters.  Said option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time (but not more than once) on or before the 30th day after the date of the Final Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the aggregate principal amount of the Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date; provided, however, that either (i) the Option Securities settle no later than the 12th day after the date of the Final Prospectus or (ii) the Option Securities settle at a price that would not cause the Option Securities to have more than a “de minimis” amount of original issue discount (determined under Section 1273 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and applicable Treasury Department regulations) if the Option Securities were a separate issue for such purposes.  Delivery of the Option Securities, and payment therefor, shall be made as provided in Section 3 hereof. The aggregate principal amount of Option Securities to

 

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be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total aggregate principal amount of the Option Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten Securities, subject to such adjustments as you in your absolute discretion shall make to ensure that the Option Securities are not issued in minimum denominations of less than $1,000 or whole multiples thereof.

 

3.     Delivery and Payment.  Delivery of and payment for the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities (if the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the first Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date) shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on January 17, 2012, or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”).  Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to the account specified by the Company.  Delivery of the Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

 

If the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof is exercised after the first Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date, the Company will deliver the Option Securities (at the expense of the Company) to the Representatives, at the place and on the date specified by the Representatives (which shall be within three Business Days after exercise of said option) for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to the account specified by the Company.  If settlement for the Option Securities occurs after the Closing Date, the Company will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for the Option Securities, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option Securities shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.

 

4.     Offering by Underwriters.  It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.

 

5.     Agreements.  The Company agrees with each Underwriter that:

 

(a)   The Company will furnish to the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus  and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

(b)   Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus) to the Base Prospectus unless the Company has furnished the

 

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Representatives a copy thereof for review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably objects.  The Company will cause the Final Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing.  The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), (ii) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv)  of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.  The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its reasonable best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.

 

(c)          If at any time prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any 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 or the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, or if it should be necessary to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to comply with applicable law, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event; (ii) subject to the requirements of Section 5(b), prepare an amendment or supplement that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and (iii) supply any supplemented or amended Disclosure Package to the several Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters without charge in such quantities as they may reasonably request.

 

(d)         If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus, as then supplemented, would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, including in connection with use or delivery of the Final Prospectus, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event, (ii)  subject to the requirements of Section 5(b), prepare and file with the Commission an amendment or supplement that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable in order to avoid any disruption in use of the Final Prospectus and (iv) supply

 

11



 

any supplemented or amended Final Prospectus to the several Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters without charge in such quantities as they may reasonably request.

 

(e)          As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 (it being understood that such delivery requirements shall be deemed to have been satisfied by the Company’s compliance with the applicable reporting requirements under the Exchange Act).

 

(f)            [Reserved].

 

(g)         The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale by the Underwriters under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate (including certain provinces of Canada) and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the sale of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

 

(h)         The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Company that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the 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 by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433, other than a free writing prospectus containing the information contained in the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(n) hereto; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule III hereto and any electronic road show.  Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.”  The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.

 

(i)             The Company will cooperate with the Representatives and use its reasonable best efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through The Depository Trust Company.

 

(j)             The Company will not for a period of 90 days following the Execution Time, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position

 

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within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock; or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, provided, however, that the Company may (i) issue and sell Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock pursuant to any employee benefit plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and in effect at the Execution Time, and the Company may issue Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants outstanding at the Execution Time and described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; and (ii) file a registration statement on Form S-3 with the Commission to replace the Registration Statement, registering the securities that are registered on the Registration Statement, if the Company is no longer a “well-known seasoned issuer” (as defined in Rule 405); provided, that the registration statement filed pursuant to clause (ii) may not register more than $500 million of such securities in the aggregate.

 

(k)          The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted, or that might reasonably be expected to, cause or result, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(l)             The Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, the full number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities.

 

(m)       Between the date hereof and the Closing Date, the Company will not do or authorize any act or thing that would result in an adjustment of the conversion price of the Securities.

 

(n)         The Company will, for a period of twelve months following the Execution Time, furnish to the Representatives all reports or other communications (financial or other) generally made available to stockholders, and deliver such reports or communications to the Representatives as soon as they are available, unless such documents are furnished to or filed with the Commission or any securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed and generally made available to the public.

 

(o)                     Prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters, the Company will comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Company’s directors and officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with such laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

(p)         The Company will prepare a final term sheet, containing solely a description of the Securities and the offering thereof, in the form approved by you and attached as Schedule II hereto and will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such Rule.

 

(q)         Prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters, the Company agrees to pay the reasonable costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation of the Indenture, which will not include the expenses of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, the issuance of the Securities, the fees of the Trustee, and the

 

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issuance of the Common Stock upon conversion of the Securities; (ii) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (iii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iv) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of the Securities; (v) any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (vi) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (vii) any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states, the provinces of Canada and any other jurisdictions specified pursuant to Section 5(g) (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (ix) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; (x) any filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder. Except as provided in this Section 5, Section 7 and Section 8 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.

 

6.               Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters.  The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities, as the case may be, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein at the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

 

(a)          The Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); the final term sheet contemplated by Section 5(n) hereto, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.

 

(b)         The Company shall have requested and caused each of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, DLA Piper LLP (US) and Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, counsel for the Company, to furnish to the Representatives its opinion, dated the Closing Date or any settlement date pursuant to Section 3, as the case may be, and addressed to the Representatives substantially in the form set forth in Annex B, Annex C, Annex D and Annex E herein.

 

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(c)          The Representatives shall have received from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion and negative assurance letter, dated the Closing Date or any settlement date pursuant to Section 3, as the case may be, and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus (as amended or supplemented at the Closing Date) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, 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.

 

(d)         The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by (x) the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer and (y) the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date or any settlement date pursuant to Section 3, as the case may be, to the effect that:

 

(i)                                     the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of such date in all material respects with the same effect as if made on such date, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the such date;

 

(ii)                                  no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and

 

(iii)                               since the date of the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(e)          At the Execution Time and at the Closing Date or any settlement date pursuant to Section 3, as the case may be, the Company shall have requested and caused Deloitte & Touche LLP to furnish to the Representatives letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date or any settlement date pursuant to Section 3, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that they are independent accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the respective applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder and containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus and Final Prospectus.

 

(f)            Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment therof) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section 6; or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting

 

15



 

the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(g)         The Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through The Depository Trust Company.

 

(h)         Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating accorded to the Securities or any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

 

(i)             Prior to the Execution Time, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto from each officer and director of the Company listed in Annex F hereto, and addressed to the Representatives.

 

(j)             [Reserved]

 

(k)          The shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Representatives.

 

(l)             Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date or any settlement date pursuant to Section 3, as the case may be, by the Representatives.  Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

 

The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 will be delivered at the office of counsel for the Underwriters, at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 450 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10017, on the Closing Date.

 

7.               Reimbursement of Expenses.  If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement

 

16



 

herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated on demand for all expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

 

8.               Indemnification and Contribution.  (a)  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, Affiliates and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other U.S. federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law 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 a material fact contained in the registration statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or any other preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Securities, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the information contained in the final term sheet required to be prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(n) hereto, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or in any electronic road show, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; 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 any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein.  This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have.

 

(b)         Each Underwriter severally, and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity.  This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may otherwise have.  The Company acknowledges that (i) the statements set forth in the twelfth paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the Securities and (ii), under the heading “Underwriting”, (A) the third paragraph related to the offering price of the Securities, (B) the eleventh paragraph regarding short sales, syndicate covering transactions and stabilizing transactions and the third and fourth sentences in the twelfth paragraph in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Underwriters for inclusion in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto.

 

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(c)          Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above.  The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel (including local counsel) of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party.  Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel (including local counsel) to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest; (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party; (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action; or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party.  An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.

 

(d)         In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any loss, claim, damage, liability or action) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities; provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder.  If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that

 

18



 

resulted in such Losses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Final Prospectus.  Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission.  The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), 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.  For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee, Affiliate and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).

 

9.               Default by an Underwriter.  If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter hereunder at the Closing Date or any settlement date and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate principal amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company.  In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date or any such settlement date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.  Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company or any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

 

10.         Termination.  This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the reasonable discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of, and payment for, the Securities, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or

 

19



 

minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange; (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by U.S. federal or New York State authorities or by the authorities of Maryland; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as set forth  in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

11.   Representations and Indemnities to Survive.  The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters or the Company or any of the indemnified persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.  The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

 

12.   Notices.  All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10179 (fax no.:  212 ###-###-####), Attention: High Grade Syndicate Desk; and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036 (fax no.: 646 ###-###-####), Attention: Syndicate Department (with a copy to: fax no. 212 ###-###-####, Attention: ECM Legal); or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to ###-###-#### and confirmed to it at PHH Corporation, 3000 Leadenhall Road, Mt. Laurel New Jersey 08054.  Attention: General Counsel, with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates, 4 Times Square, New York, New York 10035 (fax:  (212) 735-2000);  Attention:  Michael Zeidel.

 

13.   Successors.  This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the indemnified persons referred to in Section 8 hereof and their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

 

14.   Jurisdiction.  The Company agrees that any suit, action or proceeding against the Company brought by any Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of any Underwriter, or by any person who controls any Underwriter, arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in any State or U.S. federal court in The City of New York and County of New York, and waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding, and irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding.

 

15.   Integration.  This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

16.   Applicable Law.  This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

 

20



 

17.   Waiver of Jury Trial.  The Company hereby irrevocably waives, 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.

 

18.   No Fiduciary Duty.  The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any Affiliate through which they may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters).  The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

 

19.   Counterparts.  This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

20.   Headings.  The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

21.   Definitions.  The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

 

“Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

“Affiliate” shall mean an affiliate, as defined in Rule 405.

 

“Base Prospectus” shall mean the base prospectus referred to in Section 1(a) above contained in the Registration Statement at the Execution Time.

 

“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in The City of New York.

 

“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Base Prospectus, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus used most recently prior to the Execution Time, including any document that is incorporated by reference therein, (iii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule III hereto, (iv) the final term sheet prepared and to be filed pursuant to Section 5(n) hereto, if any, and (v) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.

 

“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or becomes effective.

 

21



 

“Exchange Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

 

“Final Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that was first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time, together with the Base Prospectus.

 

“FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

 

“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.

 

“Investment Company Act” shall mean the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.

 

“Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above which is used prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus, together with the Base Prospectus.

 

“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B, as amended on each Effective Date and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended.

 

“Rule 158”, “Rule 163”, “Rule 164”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430B” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Act.

 

“Regulation S-X” shall mean Regulation S-X under the Act.

 

“Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the U.S. Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

“Well-Known Seasoned Issuer” shall mean a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405.

 

22



 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement between the Company and the several Underwriters.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

PHH Corporation

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Mark E. Johnson

 

 

Name: Mark E. Johnson

 

 

Title: Senior Vice President and Treasurer

 



 

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

 

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

 

By:

/s/ Santosh Sreenivasan

 

 

Name:

Santosh Sreenivasan

 

Title:

Managing Director

 

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

 

 

By:

/s/ Prasanth B. Rao-Kathi

 

 

Name:

Prasanth B. Rao-Kathi

 

Title:

Managing Director

 

 

For themselves and the other several
Underwriters named in
Schedule I to the foregoing Agreement.

 



 

SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriters

 

Principal Amount
of Securities to be
Purchased

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

$

82,500,000

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

 

82,500,000

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

 

11,000,000

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

 

11,000,000

 

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

 

11,000,000

 

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

 

11,000,000

 

RBS Securities Inc.

 

11,000,000

 

Total

 

$

220,000,000

 

 

Sch-II-1



 

SCHEDULE III

 

Schedule of Free Writing Prospectus included in the Disclosure Package

 

None

 

Sch-III-1



 

Exhibit A

 

January 10, 2012

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, New York 10179

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036

 

As Representatives of the Underwriters

 

Re:          Proposed Public Offering by PHH Corporation

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned, an officer and/or director of PHH CORPORATION, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), understands that J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (“J.P. Morgan”) and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company providing for the public offering of $220,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s Convertible Senior Notes due 2017 (the “Securities”).  In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as an officer and/or director of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Underwriting Agreement that, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the date that is 90 days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Lock-up Period”), the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan and Merrill Lynch, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”), or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any of the Lock-up Securities, or file or cause to be filed any registration statement in connection therewith, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer (a) shares of Common Stock as a bona fide gift or gifts or charitable contributions approved by J.P. Morgan and Merrill Lynch, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned, (b) the Lock-Up Securities by will or intestacy, including, without limitation, transfers by will or intestacy to your family members or to a settlement trust established under the laws of any country (provided that the transferee shall enter into a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this letter covering the

 

Exhibit-A-1



 

remainder of the Lock-up Period), (c) Lock-Up Securities through transactions pursuant to a trading plan established pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act, in existence as of the date hereof, and (d) Lock-Up Securities to the Company in connection with tax withholdings related to the exercise of options or other rights to purchase Common Stock or the vesting of restricted shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any employee benefit plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, this letter shall not prevent the exercise by the undersigned of options or other rights to purchase Common Stock held by the undersigned (provided, however, that shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise shall be subject to this letter).

 

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

Signature:

 

 

Print Name:

 

 

Exhibit-A-2



 

ANNEX A

 

Significant Subsidiaries

 

Atrium Reinsurance Corporation

Chesapeake Finance Holdings LLC

Chesapeake Funding LLC

D. L. Peterson Trust

PHH Broker Partner Corporation

PHH Canadian Holdings, Inc.

PHH Home Loans, LLC

PHH Mortgage Corporation

PHH Vehicle Management Services Inc. (Canada)

PHH Vehicle Management Services, LLC (d/b/a PHH Arval)

 

Annex-E-1



 

Annex F

 

Glen A. Messina

David Coles

Luke S. Hayden

Adele T. Barbato

Jeff S. Bell

William F. Brown

James W. Brinkley

James O. Egan

Thomas P. Gibbons

Mark E. Johnson

George J. Kilroy

Allan Z. Loren

Jonathan T. McGrain

Gregory J. Parseghian

Smriti Laxman Popenoe

Milton S. Prime

Deborah M. Reif

Carroll R. Wetzel, Jr.

 

Annex-F-1