[ ] Shares Ramaco Resources, Inc. Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Underwriting Agreements
EX-1.1 2 d272210dex11.htm EX-1.1 EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

[            ] Shares

Ramaco Resources, Inc.

Common Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

                    , 2017

CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC

JEFFERIES LLC

BMO CAPITAL MARKETS CORP.,

  As Representatives of the Several Underwriters,

    c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC,

    Eleven Madison Avenue,

    New York, New York 10010-3629

Dear Sirs:

1. Introductory. Ramaco Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”) agrees with the several Underwriters named in Schedule B hereto (the “Underwriters”) to issue and sell to the several Underwriters [●] shares of its Common Stock (“Securities”) and the stockholders listed in Schedule A hereto (“Selling Stockholders”) agree severally with the Underwriters to sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate of [●] outstanding shares of the Securities (such [●] shares of Securities being hereinafter referred to as the “Firm Securities”). The Selling Stockholders also agree to sell to the Underwriters, at the option of the Underwriters, an aggregate of not more than [●] additional shares (the “Optional Securities”) of the Securities, as set forth below. The Firm Securities and the Optional Securities are herein collectively called the “Offered Securities”.

The Company is a Delaware corporation that was formed for the purpose of making the proposed issuance and sale of the Offered Securities (the “Offering”). It is understood and agreed to by all parties that concurrently with, or prior to, the closing of this Offering, the Company, will enter into certain corporate reorganization transactions (the “Reorganization Transactions”), pursuant to which the following transactions will occur:

A. In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, the certificate of incorporation of the Company will be amended and restated (as amended and restated, the “Company Restated Certificate of Incorporation”) and the bylaws of the Company will be amended and restated (as amended and restated, the “Company Restated Bylaws”).

B. Pursuant to that certain Master Reorganization Agreement, dated as of [●] (the “Master Reorganization Agreement”), by and among the Company, Ramaco Development,


LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Ramaco Development”), Ramaco Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Ramaco Merger Sub”), and the Existing Owners (as defined in the Master Reorganization Agreement), to among other things, establish the economic terms of the Company’s reorganization.

C. Pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, to be entered into on the Closing Date (the “Merger Agreement” and together with the Master Reorganization Agreement, the “Transaction Documents”), by and among the Company and Ramaco Merger Sub, (i) Ramaco Merger Sub will merge with and into Ramaco Development and (ii) the Existing Owners will exchange all of their interests in Ramaco Development for all of the Company’s issued and outstanding Securities. As a result, Ramaco Development will become a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.

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- 215363) 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 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 [●]:00 [a/p]m (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.

Closing Date” has the meaning defined in Section 3 hereof.

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

 

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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.

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.

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 New York Stock Exchange and 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 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 Securities Act Requirements. (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 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 and (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

 

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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 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 not misleading.

(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) 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.

(vi) 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

 

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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.

(vii) 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.

(viii) 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 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 as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have 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 (“Material Adverse Effect”).

(ix) Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own 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 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 those that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and the capital stock of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects.

(x) Offered Securities. The Offered Securities and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company will, after giving effect to the Reorganization Transactions, have been duly authorized; after giving effect to the Reorganization Transactions, the authorized equity capitalization of the Company will be as set forth in the General Disclosure Package; after giving effect to the Reorganization Transactions, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company will be, 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, will conform to the information in the General Disclosure Package and to the description of such Offered Securities contained in 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.

(xi) 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.

(xii) Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Registration Rights Agreement filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Registration Statement, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such

 

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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(l) hereof.

(xii) Listing. The Offered Securities have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Stock Market, subject to notice of issuance.

(xiii) 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 (i) such as have been obtained, or (ii) such as have been made or as may be required under state or foreign securities or “Blue Sky” laws or by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

(xiv) Title to Property. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, or except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, after giving effect to the Reorganization Transactions, the Company and its subsidiaries will have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, charges, encumbrances and defects that would affect the value thereof or 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 will hold any leased real 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.

(xv) 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 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 of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) any of their properties, or any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xvi) Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws 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.

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

(xviii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, 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 and have not received

 

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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 have a Material Adverse Effect.

( xix) 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 have a Material Adverse Effect. or except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

(xx) Possession of Intellectual Property. After giving effect to the Reorganization Transactions, the Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “intellectual property rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, and have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxi) 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 during the past five (5) years has been in violation of any 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 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, (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, including with respect to any Hazardous Substance, except for notices of violation which have been abated and are not outstanding, (iv) is party to any order, decree or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Environmental Law, or (v) is or during the past five (5) years 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 reasonably be expected to result in any violation of or 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, by-products or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls or toxic mold, and (B) any other toxic, radioactive, ignitable, corrosive, reactive or otherwise hazardous chemical, material, waste or substance. In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties); on the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and

 

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liabilities would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

(xxii) ERISA. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) 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”), has been satisfied by each “pension plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) which has been established or maintained by the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under Section 515 of ERISA; (iii) each pension plan and welfare plan established or maintained by the Company and/or its subsidiaries is in compliance with the currently applicable provisions of ERISA; and (iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred or could 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.

(xxiii) Accurate Disclosure. The statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions”, “Description of Capital Stock”, “Business – Legal Proceedings”, “Business – Environmental and Other Regulatory Matters”, “Certain ERISA Considerations” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders”, insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown.

(xxiv) Accurate Reserve Information. All information related to the coal reserves of the Company and its subsidiaries included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, (i) was and is accurate in all material respects, (ii) complies in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the requirements of the Exchange Act, as applicable, and (iii) when read together with the other information in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, as applicable, did 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(xxv) Absence of Manipulation. The Company and its affiliates have 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) 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.

(xxvii) Absence of FINRA Affiliation. To the knowledge of the Company, there are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and the Company, any of the Company’s officers or directors or the Company’s 5% or greater stockholders.

(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, its subsidiaries and the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) are in compliance with all applicable provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley and all applicable Exchange Rules. The Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures, internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting, an internal audit function and legal and regulatory compliance controls (collectively, “Internal Controls”) that comply with the Securities Laws and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with

 

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management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. General Accepted Accounting Principles (“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. The Internal Controls are, or upon consummation of the offering of the Offered Securities will be, overseen by the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board in accordance with Exchange Rules. The Company has not publicly disclosed or reported to the Audit Committee or the Board, and within the next 135 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board, a significant deficiency, material weakness, change in Internal Controls or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in Internal Controls (each, an “Internal Control Event”), any violation of, or failure to comply with, the Securities Laws, or any matter which, if determined adversely, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxi) Independent Accountants. Briggs & Veselka Co., who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, are independent registered public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder and as required by the Act and the applicable rules and guidance from the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(xxxii) Independent Reserve Engineers Weir International, Inc. (“Weir”), who has delivered the Elk Creek Property Reserve and Resource Study dated December 29, 2016, relating to Company’s reserves in Logan, Wyoming and Mingo Counties, West Virginia, the Berwind Property Reserve and Resource Study dated October 26, 2016, relating to the Company’s reserves in McDowell County, West Virginia and Buchanan and Tazewell Counties, Virginia, the Mathies Property Reserve Study dated September 18, 2015, relating to the Company’s reserves in Washington County, Pennsylvania and the Knox Creek Property Reserve Study dated December 29, 2016, relating to the Company’s reserves in Buchanan, Tazewell and Russell Counties, Virginia (together the “Weir Studies”), was, as of January 1, 2016, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent engineering firm with respect to the Company.

(xxxiii) Accurate Factual Information. The factual information underlying the estimates of the Company’s proven and probable coal reserves included in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, which was supplied by the Company to Weir for the purposes of preparing the Weir Studies, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates such estimates were made and such information was supplied and was prepared in accordance with customary industry practices; other than intervening market commodity price fluctuations (which are not included in such reports), and except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company is not aware of any facts or circumstances that would result in a material adverse change in the estimates of the Company’s proven and probable coal reserves, as reflected in the reports referenced in the Weir Studies.

(xxxiv) Accurate Industry Information. The Company believes that the information within the Doyle Trading Consultants, LLC Coking Coal Overview, dated October 7, 2016, was true and correct in all material respects on the date such overview was made. The Company has confirmed that such overview and the information within such overview was gathered and prepared in accordance with customary industry practices and the Company is not aware of any industry facts, developments or circumstances that would now render the Coking Coal Overview inaccurate in any material respect.

(xxxv) Litigation. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including 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

 

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adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are threatened or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated.

(xxxvi) Financial Statements. The historical 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, except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP; and the schedules included in each Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein.

(xxxvii) Material Contracts. There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the General Disclosure Statement or Final Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required.

(xxxix) Rights-of-Way. The Company and its subsidiaries have such consents, easements, rights-of-way or licenses from each person (collectively, “rights-of-way”) as are necessary to conduct its business in the manner described, and subject to the limitations contained, in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, except for (i) qualifications, reservations and encumbrances as may be set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus which are not reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect upon the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to conduct its businesses in all material respects as currently conducted and as contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted and (ii) such rights-of-way that, if not obtained, would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect upon the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to conduct its businesses in all material respects as currently conducted and as contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted; other than as set forth, and subject to the limitations contained, in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company has fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to such rights-of-way and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or would result in any impairment of the rights of the holder of any such rights-of-way, except for such revocations, terminations and impairments that would not have a Material Adverse Effect upon the ability of the Company to conduct its businesses in all material respects as currently conducted and as contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted; and, except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, none of such rights-of-way contains any restriction that is materially burdensome to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(xl) 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 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, and (iii) except as disclosed in or contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, 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 and its subsidiaries.

(xli) 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”).

 

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(xlii) Ratings. No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined in 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.

(xliii) Taxes. Except as, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, 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, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due (except as currently being contested in good faith and for which any reserves required by GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company). No tax deficiency that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(xliv) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are adequate and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; all 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 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; 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 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.

(xlv) Anti-Corruption. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers or affiliates, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, any agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries, has 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 unlawfully influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

(xlvi) 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 jurisdictions where the 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

 

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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 best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xlvii) Economic Sanctions.

 

  (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers or affiliates, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent, 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 one or more Persons 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), Her Majesty’s Treasury (UK HMT), the Swiss Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO), the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

 

  (B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

 

  (ii) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

 

  (A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is 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 engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(b) Each Selling Stockholder severally represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:

(i) Ownership of Securities. Upon completion of the Reorganization Transactions, and immediately prior to any Closing Date on which such Selling Stockholder is selling the Offered Securities, such Selling Stockholder will be the record and beneficial owner of the Offered Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder on such Closing Date, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, restrictions on transfer or claims other than those arising under the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).

 

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(ii) Valid Security Entitlement. Upon payment for the Offered Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Offered Securities, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Offered Securities in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Offered Securities on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriters (i) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Offered Securities within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”), (ii) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Offered Securities, and (iii) an action based on an “adverse claim” (within the meaning of Sections 8-102 and 8-105 of the UCC) to such securities entitlement, whether framed in conversion, replevin, constructive trust, equitable lien or other theory may not be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement (assuming that the Underwriters are purchasing such Offered Securities without, and DTC has no, notice of any adverse claim). For purposes of this representation, such Selling Stockholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (w) the “securities intermediary’s jurisdiction” under Section 8-501 of the UCC with respect to DTC is the State of New York, (x) such Offered Securities will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, and (z) each Underwriter maintains a securities account with DTC and appropriate entries to those accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.

(iii) Letter of Instruction. Such Selling Stockholder will, prior to the First Closing Date, execute and deliver a letter of instruction (the “Letter of Instruction” and, together with all other similar letter instructions executed by the other Selling Stockholders, the “Letters of Instruction”) to American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as transfer agent (the “Transfer”), instructing the Transfer Agent to cause the Offered Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder to be transferred on the stock records of the Company for delivery under this Agreement.

(iv) 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 the Letter of Instruction or this Agreement in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities sold by the Selling Stockholders, except (A) such as have been or, prior to the First Closing Date will be, obtained or made, (B) for the registration of the Offered Securities under the Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange Act and applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and sale of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters, (C) for such that, if not obtained, have not or would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Selling Stockholders to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Letter of Instruction, and (D) as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

(v) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of the Letter of Instruction and this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions therein and herein contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of (i) 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 Offered Securities to be sold by any Selling Stockholder pursuant to, any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over any Selling Stockholder or any agreement or instrument to which any Selling Stockholder is a party or by which any Selling Stockholder is bound except for any

 

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breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, materially impair the Selling Stockholder’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Letter of Instruction, or (ii) the charter or by-laws of any Selling Stockholder that is a corporation or the constituent documents of any Selling Stockholder that is not a natural person or a corporation.

(vi) Authority. Such Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority, corporate or otherwise, to enter into this Agreement and the Letter of Instruction.

(vii) Compliance with Securities Act Requirements.

(a) (i) (A) At their respective Effective Times, and (B) on each Closing Date, each of the Initial Registration Statement and the Additional Registration Statement (if any) conformed and will conform in all respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, (ii) at their respective Effective Times, each of the Registration Statements, did not and as amended or supplemented, as applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) 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 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(b) As of the Applicable Time, none of (i) the General Disclosure Package, (ii) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, (iii) any road show presentation, or (iv) any individual 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.

(c) The representations in this Section 1(b)(vii) are limited to any statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that are made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by such Selling Stockholder consists of (A) the legal name, address and the number of Securities owned by such Selling Stockholder upon completion of the Reorganization Transactions, (B) the other information with respect to such Selling Stockholder (excluding percentages) which appear in the table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption “Principal and Selling Shareholders” and (C) any biographical information provided by the Selling Stockholders with respect to representatives of the Selling Stockholders that are members of the board of directors (with respect to such Selling Stockholder, the “Selling Stockholder Information”).

(viii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Selling Stockholder.

 

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(ix) 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 Offered Securities.

(x) Testing-the-Waters Communication. Such Selling Stockholder has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication.

(c) Each Selling Stockholder that is a natural person severally represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that the sale of the Offered 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 in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

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 and each Selling Stockholder agree, severally and not jointly, to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company and each Selling Stockholder, at a purchase price of $[●] per share, that number of Firm Securities (rounded up or down, as determined by the Representatives in their discretion, in order to avoid fractions) obtained by multiplying [●] Firm Securities in the case of the Company and the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Selling Stockholder in Schedule A hereto, in the case of a Selling Stockholder, in each case by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule B hereto and the denominator of which is the total number of Firm Securities.

The Company and the Transfer Agent 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 in Federal (same day) funds by official bank check or checks or wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representatives drawn to the order of [●] in the case of [●] shares of Firm Securities and [●] in the case of [●] shares of Firm Securities, at the office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 600 Travis Street, Suite 3300, Houston, Texas 77002, at [●] A.M., New York time, on [●], 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. Delivery of the Firm Securities will be made through the facilities of DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

In addition, upon written notice from the Representatives given to the Company and 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; provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Optional Securities shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Securities but not payable on such Optional Securities. The Selling Stockholders agree, severally and not jointly, to sell to the Underwriters the respective number 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 A 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 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 to eliminate fractions) and may be purchased by the Underwriters only for the purpose 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 Company and 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

 

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Representatives but shall be not later than five full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Securities is given. The Selling Stockholder will deliver the Optional Securities being purchased 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 official bank check or checks or wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representatives drawn to the order of [●] in the case of [●] Optional Securities and [●] in the case of [●] Optional Securities, at the above office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. The delivery of any Optional Securities will be made through the facilities of the DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

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., 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 without the Representatives’ consent; 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

 

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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.

(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. The Company will furnish to the Representatives copies of each Registration Statement (four of which will be signed and will include all exhibits), 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 request. The Final Prospectus shall be so furnished on or prior to 3:00 P.M., New York time, on the business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement. All other such documents shall be so furnished as soon as available. The Company and the Selling Stockholders 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 designate and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution.

(h) Reporting Requirements. During the period of five 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) (“EDGAR”), it is not required to furnish such reports or statements to the Underwriters.

(i) Payment of Expenses. 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 Selling Stockholders under this Agreement, including but not limited to any filing fees and other expenses

 

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(including fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) incurred in connection with qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives designate and the preparation and printing of memoranda relating thereto, costs and expenses related to the review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) of the Offered Securities (including filing fees and the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such review), costs and expenses 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; provided, however, that the Underwriters shall be responsible for 50% of the costs of any private aircraft chartered by or on behalf of the Company in connection with such presentations, and any other expenses of the Company including fees and expenses incident to listing the Offered Securities on the NASDAQ Stock Market, fees and expenses in connection with the registration of the Offered Securities under the Exchange Act, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, delivery of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters, expenses incurred in distributing preliminary prospectuses and the Final Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto) to the Underwriters, expenses incurred for preparing, printing and distributing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses to investors or prospective investors. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section 5(i) and Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel and any road show expenses incurred by them (other than costs and expenses incurred by the Underwriters on behalf of the Company).

(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) (A) 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, (v) make any demand for or exercise any right or file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments, with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities or (vi) file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to Lock-Up Securities, or publicly disclose the intention to take any such action, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, except (a) grants of stock options or other compensatory awards of Lock-Up Securities or awards the value of which is based in whole or in part on the value of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the terms of a plan in effect prior to the closing of the Offering and described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, to individuals eligible to receive awards under such plan, (b) issuances of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the exercise of such options or the exercise of any other employee stock options outstanding on the date hereof or the vesting or settlement of any other award granted pursuant to the plan described in the immediately preceding clause (a), (c) issuances of Lock-Up Securities issued as consideration for the acquisition of equity interests or assets of any person, or the acquiring by the Company by any other manner of any business, properties, assets, or persons, in one transaction or a series of related transactions or the filing of a registration statement related to such Lock-Up Securities;

 

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provided that (x) no more than an aggregate of 5% of the number of shares of the Company’s capital stock outstanding as of the First Closing Date are issued as consideration in connection with all such acquisitions and (y) prior to the issuance of such shares of the Company’s capital stock each recipient of such shares agrees in writing to be subject to the “lock-up” described in this Section 5(l) for the remaining term of the Lock-Up Period and (d) the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 relating to, and the issuance and sale of Lock-Up Securities, each as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. 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.

(B) 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(h) 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 the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver

(m) [Reserved]

(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.

6. Free Writing Prospectuses. 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 is 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 Company officers 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 a “comfort letter,” dated the date hereof, of Briggs & Veselka Co. in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, covering the financial information in the Registration Statements, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and other customary matters. In addition, on each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received from the accountant a “bring-down comfort letter” dated such Closing Date addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form of the “comfort letter” delivered on the date hereof, except that (i) it shall state the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings and (ii) procedures shall be brought down to a date no more than three (3) days prior to such Closing Date, except as otherwise agreed by the Representatives.

(b) [Reserved]

(c) Weir International, Inc. Comfort Letter. The Representatives shall have received a letter, dated the date hereof, of Weir, independent mining engineers, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, covering the coal reserves information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and other customary matters relating to the Company’s reserves in Logan, Wyoming and Mingo Counties, West Virginia, McDowell County, West Virginia, Buchanan and Tazewell Counties, Virginia, Washington County, Pennsylvania and Buchanan, Tazewell and Russell Counties, Virginia. In addition, on each Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received from such independent mining engineers a “bring-down comfort letter” dated such Closing Date addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form of the “comfort letter” delivered on the date hereof, except that (i) it shall cover the coal reserves information in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and (ii) procedures shall be brought down to a date no more than three (3) days prior to the Closing Date, except as otherwise agreed by the Representatives.

(d) 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 any Selling Stockholder, the Company or the Representatives, shall be contemplated by the Commission.

(e) 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 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

 

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rating of any debt securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating); (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 Representative, 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 NASDAQ Stock Market, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (v) 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 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 Representative, 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.

(f) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel for the Company, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

(g) Opinion of Special Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, special counsel for the Company, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

(h) Opinion of Counsel for Selling Stockholders. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of (i) Thompson & Knight LLP, counsel for certain of the Selling Stockholders, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C and (ii) Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for certain of the Selling Stockholders, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.

(i) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 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.

(j) 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: the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct; 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; 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; 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, subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material 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.

(k) Lock-Up Agreements. On or prior to the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received lockup agreements in the form set forth on Exhibit E hereto from each of the parties listed on Schedule D hereto.

 

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(l) Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives on the date hereof a certificate, signed by the Chief Financial Officer substantially in the form set forth on Exhibit F hereto (the “Initial CFO Certificate”). On or prior to the Closing Date or any Optional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Representatives shall have received from the chief financial officer of the Company a certificate (the “Bring-Down CFO Certificate”) (i) stating, as of the date of the Bring-Down CFO Certificate (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date of the Bring-Down CFO Certificate), the conclusions and findings of the chief financial officer with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the Initial CFO Certificate and (ii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the Initial CFO Certificate.

The Selling Stockholders and the Company 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 as of any time, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any road show presentation 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 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.

 

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(b) Indemnification of Underwriters by Selling Stockholders. The Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, 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 as of any time, the Final Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any road show presentation or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, 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 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: each Selling Stockholder’s name and corresponding share amounts set forth in the table of Principal and Selling Shareholders in the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus under the heading “Principal and Selling Stockholders” and each Selling Stockholder’s address.

(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, any road show presentation 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: (i) the sixth paragraph on the cover of the Final Prospectus, (ii) the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the fifth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” and (iii) the paragraph relating to stabilization by the Underwriters under the caption “Short Positions, Stabilization and Penalty Bids.”

(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not

 

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relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above 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) or (c) above. 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 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 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. 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.

(e) 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 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 (e) 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 (e). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (e), 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 or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (e) 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(e) 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(e).

 

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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 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 10 (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. 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 or the occurrence of any event specified in clause (iv), (vi) and (vii) of Section 7(e) hereof, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonably documented 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 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.

11. 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 at the following addresses: Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010-3629, Attention: LCD-IBD; Jefferies LLC, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: General Counsel; BMO Capital Markets Corp, 3 Times Square, New York, New York, 10036, Attn: Legal Department or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at 250 West Main Street, Suite 210, Lexington, Kentucky 40507, Attention: Randall W. Atkins, or, if sent to the Selling Stockholders or any of them, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to Yorktown Partners LLC at 410 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10022, Energy Capital Partners Mezzanine LLC at 1000 Louisiana Street, 52nd Floor, Houston, Texas 77002, and Randall W. Atkins at 250 West Main Street, Suite 210, Lexington, Kentucky 40507, Attention: Randall W. Atkins, with copy to Vinson & Elkins, LLP, 1001 Fannin, Suite 2500, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention: Julian Seiguer, and Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC, P.O. Box 1588, Charleston, West Virginia ###-###-####, Attention: Roger Nicholson; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to such Underwriter.

12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective natural persons, personal representatives and successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

 

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13. 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 jointly will be binding upon all the Underwriters.

14. 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.

15. 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;

(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.

16. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

The Company 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.

17. 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.

18. Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-

 

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56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients. The Company shall provide such information to the Underwriters as required.

 

27


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,
    RAMACO RESOURCES, INC.
      By  

 

      [Insert title]
   
  [Insert names of Selling Stockholders]
   

 

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

CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC
        By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
JEFFERIES LLC
        By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
BMO CAPITAL MARKETS CORP
        By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
  Acting on behalf of themselves and as the Representatives of the several Underwriters.

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


SCHEDULE A

 

Selling Stockholder

   Number of
Firm Securities
to be Sold
     Number of
Optional
Securities to
be Sold
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Schedule A


SCHEDULE B

 

Underwriter

   Number of
Firm Securities
to be Purchased
 

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

  

Jefferies LLC

  

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

  

Clarksons Platou Securities, Inc.

  

Seaport Global Securities LLC

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

 

 

Total

  
  

 

 

 

Schedule B


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:

1. [●]

 

2. Other Information Included in the General Disclosure Package

The following information is also included in the General Disclosure Package:

1. Price per share: $[●]

2. [●]

Schedule C


SCHEDULE D

Parties Signing Lock-Up Agreement

Randall Atkins

Michael Bauersachs

Marc Solochek

Michael Windisch

Mark Clemens

Bryan H. Lawrence

W. Howard Keenan, Jr.

Tyler Reeder

Trent Kososki

Richard Whiting

Patrick Graney, III

Energy Capital Partners Mezzanine Opportunities Fund, LP

Energy Capital Partners Mezzanine Opportunities Fund A, LP

ECP Mezzanine B (Ramaco IP), LP

Yorktown Energy Partners IX, L.P.

Yorktown Energy Partners X, L.P.

Yorktown Energy Partners XI, L.P.

Schedule D


Exhibit A

Form of Company Counsel Opinion

 

1. The Company is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware, with the corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in the States of Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia.

 

2. Each subsidiary of the Company (the “Delaware Subsidiaries”) is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation or incorporation, as applicable, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package; and each of the Delaware Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all jurisdictions listed on Schedule I to such opinion in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification.

 

3. The Offered Securities to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters under the Underwriting Agreement have been duly authorized in accordance with the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws (together, the “Governing Documents”) and, when issued and delivered by the Company to the Underwriters upon payment therefor in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued in accordance with the Governing Documents, free of preemptive rights under federal law, the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) or the Governing Documents, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

4. Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus and the Registration Rights Agreement, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights described in or created pursuant to any agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or registered by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) or otherwise; and, except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company described in or created pursuant to any agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement are outstanding.

 

5. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement and to issue and sell the Offered Securities.

 

6. The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

7. None of the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities, the execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement by the Company or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus will (a) result in a breach of or default under any of the agreements attached as Schedule II to such opinion, (b) violate the provisions of the limited liability company agreement, charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the Company or the Delaware Subsidiaries or (c) violate any federal (based on the limitations set forth in such opinion) rule or regulation applicable to the Company, or the DGCL, except, with respect to clause (c), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; it being understood that we express no opinion in clause (c) of this paragraph (7) with respect to any federal or state securities, Blue Sky or anti-fraud laws, rules or regulations.

 

8. The Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Act; to our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened by the Commission; and any required filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act has been made in the manner and within the time period required by such rule.

 

9. The Reorganization Transactions have been duly authorized by Ramaco Development, [Ramaco Merger Sub, LLC] and the Company (together, the “Company Parties”).

 

Exhibit A-1


10. The Agreement and Plan of Merger has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company Parties and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of each of the Company Parties, and is enforceable against the Company Parties in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited (A) by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity) relating to enforceability and (B) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

 

11. Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no consent, approval, authorization or order of, registration or qualification with any U.S. Federal or Delaware court or governmental agency is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement, the compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by the Company, being delivered on the date hereof pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, except (a) as have been obtained or made, (b) for the registration of the offering and sale of the Offered Securities under the Securities Act, (c) for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable federal or state securities or Blue Sky laws and the approval by FINRA of the underwriting terms and arrangements in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters or (d) for such consents that, if not obtained, have not or would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

12. The statements set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Business—Environmental and Other Regulatory Matters,” “Description of Capital Stock” and “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” and in the Registration Statement in Item 14, to the extent that they constitute descriptions or summaries of the terms of the Offered Securities or the documents referred to therein, or refer to statements of federal law, the laws of the State of Delaware or legal conclusions, are accurate in all material respects, subject to the assumptions and qualifications set for therein.

 

13. The statements contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of matters of United States federal tax law and regulations or legal conclusions with respect thereto, constitute accurate summaries of the matters described therein in all material respects, subject to the assumptions and qualifications set for therein.

 

14. The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Offered Securities pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds,” will not be, an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

15. Each of the Registration Statement, at the time it was declared effective, the General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, and the Final Prospectus, when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and at the Closing Date (in each case other than (a) the financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules thereto and the auditor’s report thereon and the other financial data derived therefrom and (b) coal reserve data or data underlying any mining plan or reports related to such reserves or mining plan, including any feasibility study or reasonableness review, in each case included in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as to which we express no opinion), appeared on their face to comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act.

We have participated in conferences with representatives of the Company and with representatives of its independent accountants and counsel for the Underwriters at which conferences the contents of the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto and related matters were discussed. Although we have not independently verified, are not passing upon, and are not assuming any responsibility for or expressing any opinion regarding the accuracy, completeness, or fairness of the statements contained in, the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (except to the extent specified in paragraphs (12) and (13) above), based on the foregoing, in participation in this transaction (and relying as to materiality as to factual matters on officers, employees, and other representatives of the Company), no facts have come to our attention that have caused us to believe that:

 

Exhibit A-2


(a) the Registration Statement, at the time it was declared effective (including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A to be part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading;

(b) the General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or

(c) the Final Prospectus, as of its date and as of the date hereof, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits 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;

except that in each case such counsel need not express any belief with respect to (i) the financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules thereto and the auditor’s report thereon, (ii) any other financial or accounting information; or (iii) any coal reserve data or data underlying any mining plan or reports related to such reserves or mining plan, including any feasibility study or reasonableness review, in each case included in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

Exhibit A-3


Exhibit B

Form of Company Special Counsel Opinion

 

1. None of the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities, the execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement by the Company or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus will result in a breach of or default under any of the agreements attached as Schedule I to such opinion.

 

Exhibit B-1


Exhibit C

Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Selling Stockholders

 

(i) Each Limited Partnership is a limited partnership that is validly existing and in good standing under laws of the State of Delaware.

 

(ii) Each Limited Partnership has:

(a) the limited partnership power to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, and

(b) taken all limited partnership action necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of, and the performance of its obligations under, such Transaction Documents.

 

(iii) Each Selling Shareholder has duly executed and delivered the Transaction Documents to which it or he is a party.

 

(iv) The Letter of Instruction to which a Selling Shareholder is a party is such Selling Shareholder’s valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

(v) The execution and delivery by each Selling Shareholder of the Underwriting Agreement do not, and the performance by each Selling Shareholder of its obligations thereunder will not:

(a) in the case of each Selling Shareholder that is a Limited Partnership, violate its certificate of limited partnership or limited partnership agreement;

(b) breach or result in a default or the creation of any lien under any agreement or instrument identified to us by a Selling Shareholder and listed in Schedule I.B hereto (the “Applicable Contracts”)) or any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award identified to us by a Selling Shareholder and listed in Schedule I.C hereto; or

(c) result in a violation by it of any Applicable Laws or, in the case of each Selling Shareholder that is a Limited Partnership, the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act.

 

(vi) No authorization, approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any United States federal or Delaware or New York governmental authority or regulatory body, or any third party that is a party to any Applicable Contract, is required under Applicable Laws or, in the case of any Selling Shareholder that is a Limited Partnership, the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act for the due execution or delivery by any Selling Shareholder of, or for the performance by any Selling Shareholder of its obligations under, any Transaction Document to which it or he is a party.

 

(vii) [In a letter dated the date hereof] the Transfer Agent has advised us that each Selling Stockholder, as of the date hereof and before giving effect to the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, is the registered holder of a number of shares of Common Stock that is at least equal to the number of Selling Shareholder Shares to be delivered by such Selling Stockholder on the date hereof under the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Exhibit C-1


Exhibit D

Form of Press Release

Ramaco Resources Inc.

[Date]

Ramaco Resources Inc., (the “Company”) announced today that Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Jefferies LLC and BMO Capital Markets Corp., 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 [●], [●] 201[●], 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 D-1


Exhibit E

Form of Lock-Up Agreement

[Insert date]

Ramaco Resources Inc.

250 West Main Street, Suite 210

Lexington, Kentucky 40507

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Jefferies LLC

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

    As Representatives of the Several Underwriters

 

c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10010-3629

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 Common Stock (the “Securities”) of Ramaco Resources 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, Jefferies LLC and BMO Capital Markets Corp. (together, 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 or participate in the filing of, 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.

The undersigned agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement during the period from the date of this Lock-Up Agreement to and including the 34th day following the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period (as may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.

Any Securities received upon exercise of options or other securities of the Company granted to the undersigned and any Securities acquired by the undersigned in the open market will also be subject to this Lock-Up Agreement. However, the restrictions in this Lock-Up Agreement shall not apply to (a) any transactions relating to Securities acquired in the open market after the closing of the offering, provided that with respect to any sale or other disposition of such Securities, no filing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) (other than on Form 5) or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made by any party in connection with subsequent sales of such Securities acquired in such open market transactions during the Lock-Up Period, (b) any exercise of options or vesting or exercise of any other equity-based award, in each case under the Company’s equity incentive plan or any other plan or agreement described in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement, including any Securities withheld by the Company to pay the applicable exercise price or taxes associated with such

 

Exhibit E-1


awards (provided that to the extent such transaction is required to be disclosed on a Form 4, such Form 4 contains an explanatory note disclosing that such Securities were withheld by the Company to pay such applicable exercise price or taxes associated with such awards), provided that any Securities received upon such exercise or vesting, following any applicable net settlement or net withholding, will also be subject to this Lock-Up Agreement, (c) transfers by testate or intestate succession, 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 or public announcement by any party (transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act or otherwise shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer (other than a filing on a Form 5), (d) transfers through a distribution to limited partners or stockholders of the undersigned, provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, and provided, further, that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (e) transfers to the undersigned’s affiliates or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned, provided that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, and provided, further, that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, or (f) the establishment of any written contract, instruction or plan that satisfies all of the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 (a “Rule 10b5-1 Plan”) under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that no sales of Securities or securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, Securities, shall be made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Plan prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as the same may be extended pursuant to the provisions hereof); and provided further, that no party is required to publicly announce, file, or report the establishment of such Rule 10b5-1 Plan in any public report, announcement, or filing with the Commission under the Exchange Act during the Lock-Up Period and does not otherwise voluntarily effect any such public report, announcement, or filing regarding such Rule 10b5-1 Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no circumstance shall the undersigned distribute any Securities during the Lock-Up Period to its equity holders other than in complete liquidation.

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, 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.

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 if the Public Offering Date shall not have occurred on or before []. This agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

[Signature page follows]

 

Exhibit E-2


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:   
  

 

        

 

  

 

        

 

 

 

Exhibit E-3


Exhibit F

Certificate of the Chief Financial Officer

Ramaco Resources Inc.

250 West Main Street, Suite 210

Lexington, Kentucky 40507

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Jefferies LLC

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

    As Representatives of the Several Underwriters

c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Eleven Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10010-3629

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned, in his capacity as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, hereby certifies, pursuant to Section 7(l) of this Agreement, that he is familiar with the matters described herein and that:

(i) The undersigned has examined the information included in the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus under the caption “[●]” (the “[●] Financial Data”).

(ii) The [●] Financial Data has been (i) derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects and (ii) prepared (a) in a manner consistent with the financial information included in the Prospectus for the Company for the years ended [December 31, 2014 and 2015] subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus and (b) in good faith based upon the assumptions that the Company’s management believes are reasonable and consistent with the Company’s internal records and information systems.

[Signature page follows]

 

Exhibit F-1


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed and delivered this chief financial officer’s certificate on behalf of the Company, and not in his personal capacity, as of the date first written above.

 

By:  

 

Name:
Title:

 

Exhibit F-2