RAYONIER ADVANCED MATERIALS INC. (a Delaware corporation) 1,500,000 Shares MandatoryConvertible Preferred Stock, Series A (par value $0.01 per share) UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT Dated: August 4, 2016 RAYONIER ADVANCED MATERIALS INC. (a Delaware corporation) 1,500,000 Shares MandatoryConvertible Preferred Stock, Series A (par value $0.01 per share) UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

EX-1.1 2 d217717dex11.htm EX-1.1 EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

 

 

 

RAYONIER ADVANCED MATERIALS INC.

(a Delaware corporation)

1,500,000 Shares

Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A

(par value $0.01 per share)

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Dated: August 4, 2016

 

 

 


RAYONIER ADVANCED MATERIALS INC.

(a Delaware corporation)

1,500,000 Shares

Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A

(par value $0.01 per share)

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

August 4, 2016

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

and

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

550 S. Tryon Street

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”), J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (“J.P. Morgan”) and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (“Wells Fargo”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares (the “Initial Securities”) set forth in said Schedule A of the Company’s Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A (the “ Preferred Stock”) and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option to purchase all or any part of an additional 225,000 shares of Preferred Stock (the “Option Securities” and, together with the Initial Securities, the “Securities”) (the “Offering”). The Preferred Stock will be convertible into shares of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Common Stock”), par value $0.01 per share, at a variable conversion rate set forth in the Prospectus (as defined herein). The terms of the Preferred Stock will be set forth in a certificate of designations (the “Certificate of Designations”) to be filed as an amendment to the Company’s Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be filed by the Company with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

The Company understands and the Underwriters agree that the Underwriters shall make a public offering of the Securities as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and upon the terms and conditions set forth therein.


The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-209747) covering the public offering and sale of certain securities, including the Securities, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”), which registration statement became effective on March 25, 2016. Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto to such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;” provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the Applicable Time, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of such registration statement with respect to the Securities within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B, including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to the Rule 430B. Each preliminary prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus, in the form first furnished or made available to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system (“EDGAR”).

As used in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on August 4, 2016, or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.

“General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the most recent preliminary prospectus (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) and the information included on Schedule A hereto that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time, all considered together.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case 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), or (iv) the Final Term Sheet (as defined below).

 

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“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule C hereto.

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Applicable Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “1934 Act”), incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the Applicable Time.

SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.

(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i) Registration Statement and Prospectuses. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. The Offering of the Securities has been and remains eligible for registration by the Company on such shelf registration statement. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and received by the Company and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information with respect to the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus.

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the 1933 Act Regulations, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will

 

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comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”).

(ii) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, neither of (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will 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. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its date, at the time of their filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such documents incorporated by reference were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the first paragraph under the heading “Underwriting–Commissions and Discounts,” the information in the first and second paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting–Price Stabilization, Short Positions” and the information under the heading “Underwriting–Electronic Offer in each case contained in the preliminary prospectus and Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict in any material respect with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Securities made prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act Regulations) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by Rule 163 under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 163”) and otherwise complied with the requirements of Rule 163, including without limitation the legending requirement, to qualify such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the 1933 Act provided by Rule 163.

(iv) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or

 

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another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

(v) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements of the Company and the related notes and supporting schedules thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby on the basis stated therein, at the respective dates or for the respective periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby (except as may be noted therein). The selected financial data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is accurately presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis that is consistent with the audited financial statements from which it has been derived. Except as included or incorporated by reference therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. All “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or incorporated by reference therein comply with Regulation G of the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act in all material respects, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(vi) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no change in the financial condition, results of operations, business or properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, which together shall be considered as a whole, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of operation, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) except for regular quarterly dividends on the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), 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 (C) there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net liabilities of the Company.

(vii) Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and each of its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated, formed or organized as a corporation, a limited partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, formation or organization, as applicable, except to the extent the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and

 

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the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or limited liability company, as applicable, 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 to the extent the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(viii) Capitalization. The Company’s capitalization is as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization” and all of the outstanding shares of capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws in all material respects. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including by means of the exhibits), all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations) has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien or encumbrance, claim or equity.

(ix) Due Authorization by the Company. The Securities have been duly authorized, and, at the Closing Time, when issued and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor as provided in this Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). The shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon such conversion by all necessary corporate action and such shares, when issued upon such conversion, will be validly issued and will be fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of such shares upon such conversion will not be subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

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

(xi) Description of the Securities and the Common Stock. The Securities will conform in all material respects to the respective statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Common Stock conforms in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(xii) Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this Agreement, other than those rights that have been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have been waived.

(xiii) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or similar organizational document or (ii) 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

 

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by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except, with respect to clause (ii), for such violation or default that would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xiv) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of the Agreement by the Company, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance with the terms and provisions thereof will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company, (ii) any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Company’s properties or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company is subject, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. A “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company.

(xv) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of its obligations under the Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and resale of the Securities by the Underwriters.

(xvi) Legal Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property owned or leased by the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject; (ii) no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings have been threatened in writing or, to the best knowledge of the Company and or its subsidiaries, contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority, in the case of (i) or (ii) that individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder; and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required by the 1933 Act Regulations or 1934 Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that are not so described.

(xvii) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company, was, prior to March 9, 2016, an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act and any non-audit services provided by Ernst & Young LLP to the Company have been approved by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company. Grant Thornton LLP, who have reviewed certain financial statements

 

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of the Company, is, as of March 9, 2016, an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act and any non-audit services provided by Grant Thornton LLP to the Company have been approved by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company.

(xviii) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no material contracts or documents which are required to be described pursuant to the 1933 Act Regulations or 1934 Act Regulations in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required pursuant to the 1933 Act Regulations or 1934 Act Regulations.

(xix) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, state securities laws or the rules of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) or except as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xx) Title to Real and Personal Property. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (including by means of exhibits), the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and title to all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, charges, encumbrances and defects that would reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries hold their leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxi) Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries (i) own or possess rights to use all material 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 (ii) have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property Rights, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii) that would reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

(xxiii) Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the

 

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aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect); and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have paid all taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties) required to be paid by them, except for any such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties currently being contested in good faith or as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxiv) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess and are in compliance in all material respects with the terms of, all certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits (collectively, “Licenses”) necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus to be conducted by them and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any License that would reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxv) No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with any collective bargaining unit of employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the best knowledge of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is imminent that would reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of cancellation or termination with respect to any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party.

(xxvi) Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances, the protection or restoration of the environment and natural resources, or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to regulation under any Environmental Laws, is liable for any offsite disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any pending or threatened claim relating to any Environmental Laws, and the Company is note aware of any pending investigation which would be reasonably expected to lead to such a claim.

(xxvii) Compliance with ERISA. Except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability, excluding any such plan that is a multiemployer plan,” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA (each, a “Plan”), has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no “prohibited transaction,” within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) with respect to each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency,” as defined in Section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (iv) the unfunded accrued benefits, if any, under each Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA are not expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (v) with respect to each Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, no “reportable event,” within the meaning of Section

 

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4043(c) of ERISA, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; and (vi) neither the Company nor any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA in respect of a Plan or a “multiemployer plan” that is subject to Title IV (other than contributions to such Plan or premiums to the PBGC, in the ordinary course and without default).

(xxviii) Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the 1934 Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management (including the Company’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer) as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the 1934 Act.

(xxix) Accounting Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the 1934 Act) that comply with the requirements of the 1934 Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, including, but not limited to internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data; and (ii) any identified fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal controls; and since the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and procedures, there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

(xxx) 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, with such deductibles and self-insured retention levels and covering such risks as are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged, including, without limitation, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company; all material policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company, any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect as of the date hereof; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects.

 

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(xxxi) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law (the “Anti-Corruption Laws”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any 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, in contravention of the Anti-Corruption Laws, and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the Anti-Corruption Laws and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(xxxii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in all material respects in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xxxiii) OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.

(xxxiv) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.

 

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(xxxv) Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter.

(xxxvi) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the 1934 Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

(xxxvii) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any third-party statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

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

SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price set forth in Schedule A, the aggregate number of shares of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A, plus any additional number of shares of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, subject to such adjustments as the Representatives in their discretion shall make solely to ensure that any sales or purchases are in authorized denominations.

(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase the Option Securities, at the price set forth in Schedule A. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon written notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the amount of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be, unless agreed by the Company, sooner than three full business days nor later than seven full business days after the notice of the exercise of said option has been delivered to the Company, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of shares of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of shares of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of shares of Initial Securities, subject in each case to such adjustments as the Representatives in their discretion shall make to solely ensure that any sales or purchases are in authorized denominations.

(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York

 

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City time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company.

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates or security entitlements for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for their respective accounts, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. The Representatives, individually and not as representatives of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission as to the Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to the preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension. and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof.

(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply in all material respects with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the

 

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Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will upon request deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver upon request by the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for the offering and sale under the applicable securities

 

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laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities at the Closing Time or Date of Delivery, as applicable; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

(f) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement (which need not be audited for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(h) Listing. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange within the period described in the preliminary prospectus and Prospectus.

(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee or retiree benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (D) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(j) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the 1933 Act.

(k) Certificate of Designations. The Company agrees to duly execute the Certificate of Designations, deliver a copy of the Certificate of Designations to the Underwriters and duly file an original of the Certificate of Designations with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on or before the Closing Date.

 

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(l) Reservation of Shares. The Company agrees to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive or similar rights the full number of shares of Common Stock issuable under the Securities (whether upon conversion or payment of dividends).

(m) Conversion of Securities. The Company agrees, during the period from and including the date hereof through and including the earlier of (a) the purchase by the Underwriters of all of the Additional Shares and (b) the expiration of the Underwriters’ option to purchase Additional Shares, not to do or authorize or cause any act or thing that would result in an adjustment of the conversion rates of the Securities.

(n) Final Term Sheet; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company will prepare a final term sheet (the “Final Term Sheet”), in the form set forth in Schedule B hereto, reflecting the final terms of the Securities, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, and shall file such Final Term Sheet as an “issuer free writing prospectus” pursuant to Rule 433 prior to the close of business two business days after the date hereof; provided that the Company shall furnish the Representatives with copies of any such Final Term Sheet a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not use or file any such document to which the Representatives or counsel to the Underwriters shall object. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representatives will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representatives. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representatives as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. 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 contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or 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 Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

(a) Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters and the Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto (provided that the aggregate fees and

 

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disbursements in this clause (v) and clause (viii) below shall not exceed $25,000), (vi) all fees and expenses of the Trustee and any expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities or the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with their FINRA due diligence, and (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities or the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange.

(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or (iii) or Section 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein on the date hereof and as of the Closing Time or Date of Delivery, as applicable, or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become effective and, at the Closing Time, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto.

(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters with respect to the matters set forth in Exhibit A, clauses (v), (vi) (solely as to preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of law or under the charter or by-laws of the Company), (viii), (x), (xiv) (solely as to the information in the Prospectus under “Description of Notes”), the penultimate paragraph of Exhibit A hereto, and other customary and related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

 

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(d) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the financial condition, results of operation, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, except where such condition has been waived by the Representatives, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

(e) Accountants Comfort Letters. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Grant Thornton LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Grant Thornton LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(g) Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Securities and the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.

(h) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.

(i) Certificate of Designation. The form of certificate used to evidence the Securities shall comply in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the law of the State of Delaware, the New York Stock Exchange and the Company’s Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws, and will be duly authorized and approved by the board of directors of the Company. The Company shall file an original of the Certificate of Designation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

 

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(j) Maintenance of Rating. Since the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the rating of any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(k) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company and any of its subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:

(i) Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(ii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representatives, the favorable opinion of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. If requested by the Representatives, the favorable opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.

(iv) Bring-down Comfort Letter. If requested by the Representatives, a letter from Ernst & Young LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery. If requested by the Representatives, a letter from Grant Thornton LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

(l) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

(m) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the

 

19


Representatives by written notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the express approval of, the Company and its counsel in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission by the Company; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the

 

20


Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give written notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on

 

21


the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

SECTION 8. Representations and Warranties to Survive. All representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

 

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SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

(a) Termination. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the financial condition, results of operation, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each of case (i) or (ii) the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE MKT or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

(i) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

(ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

 

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In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representatives or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to Merrill Lynch at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of Syndicate Department (facsimile: (646) 855-3073), with a copy to ECM Legal (facsimile: (212) 230-8730), to J.P. Morgan at 383 Madison Avenue, 4th floor, NYC 10179 (Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, facsimile: 212 ###-###-####), and to Wells Fargo at 375 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10152, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department (fax: (212) 214-5918); notices to the Company shall be directed to it at Rayonier Advanced Materials, Inc., attention of Michael R. Herman, General Counsel, 1301 Riverplace Boulevard, Suite 2300, Jacksonville, FL 32207 (facsimile:  ###-###-####), with a copy to David K. Lam, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, 51 West 52 Street, New York, NY 10019 (facsimile:  ###-###-####).

SECTION 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or their respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

SECTION 13. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

 

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SECTION 14. Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

SECTION 15. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

SECTION 16. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 17. 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.

SECTION 18. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,
RAYONIER ADVANCED MATERIALS INC.
By  

/s/ Frank A. Ruperto

Name:   Frank A. Ruperto
Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice
  President

 

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

     as of the date first above written:

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
                              INCORPORATED
By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
                                     INCORPORATED
By  

/s/ Joseph P. Messina

Name:   Joseph P. Messina
Title:   Managing Director
By: J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
By  

/s/ Sudheer Tegulapalle

Name:   Sudheer Tegulapalle
Title:   Managing Director
By: WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
By  

/s/ Adam Bilali

Name:   Adam Bilali
Title:   Director

For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


SCHEDULE A

Title, Purchase Price and Description of Securities:

Title: Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A of Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc.

Number of Initial Securities to be sold by the Company: 1,500,000 shares

Number of Option Securities to be sold by the Company: 225,000 shares

Price per Share to Public (include accrued dividends, if any): $100.00 per share

Price per Share to the Underwriters – total: $97.00

 

Name of Underwriter    Number of
Shares
 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

                      Incorporated

     1,050,000   

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

     150,000   

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

     150,000   

DNB Markets, Inc.

     37,500   

PNC Capital Markets LLC

     37,500   

TD Securities (USA) LLC

     37,500   

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

     37,500   

Total

     1,500,000  
  

 

 

 

 

Sch A-1


SCHEDULE B

Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses

Final Term Sheet

 

Sch B-1


Pricing Term Sheet    Free Writing Prospectus
Dated August 4, 2016    Filed pursuant to Rule 433
   Relating to the
   Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated August 3, 2016 to the
   Prospectus dated February 26, 2016
   Registration No. 333-209747

 

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc.

8.00% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock

The information in this pricing term sheet relates only to Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc.’s offering (the “Offering”) of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock and should be read together with (i) the preliminary prospectus supplement dated August 3, 2016 relating to the Offering (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”), including the documents incorporated by reference therein and (ii) the related base prospectus dated February 26, 2016, each filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Registration No. 333-209747. The information in this pricing term sheet supplements the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement to the extent it is inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. Terms not defined in this pricing term sheet have the meanings given to such terms in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. All references to dollar amounts are references to U.S. dollars.

 

Issuer:    Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc.
Ticker / Exchange for the Common Stock:    RYAM / The New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”)
Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock Offered:    1,500,000 shares of the Issuer’s 8.00% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock”), subject to the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock to cover over-allotments.
Over-Allotment Option:    Up to 225,000 additional shares of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount.
Use of Proceeds:   

The Issuer estimates that it will receive approximately $145 million from the sale of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock in the Offering, after deducting the underwriting discount and the Issuer’s estimated expenses of the Offering (or $167 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock in full). The Issuer expects to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock for general corporate purposes, which may include but are not limited to investments in or the financing of research and development for new products, capital expenditures for the Issuer’s existing business, possible acquisitions and the reduction of indebtedness.

 

See “Use of Proceeds” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.


     Per Share    Total

Public Offering Price

   $100.00    $150,000,000

Underwriting Discounts

   $    3.00    $    4,500,000

Proceeds to the Issuer (Before Expenses)

   $  97.00    $145,500,000
Dividends:   

8.00% on the Liquidation Preference (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) of $100 per share of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock per year (equivalent to $8.00 per annum per share of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock). Dividends will accumulate from the Initial Issue Date and, to the extent that the Issuer is legally permitted to pay dividends and its board of directors, or an authorized committee thereof, declares a dividend payable with respect to the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, the Issuer will pay such dividends in cash or, subject to certain limitations, by delivery of shares of the Issuer’s common stock (the “Common Stock”) or through any combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, as determined by the Issuer in its sole discretion, as described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement; provided that any unpaid dividends will continue to accumulate.

 

The expected dividend payable on the first Dividend Payment Date is approximately $2.111 per share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock. Each subsequent dividend is expected to be $2.00 per share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock.

Dividend Record Dates:    The February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 immediately preceding the relevant Dividend Payment Date.
Dividend Payment Dates:    February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing on November 15, 2016 and ending on, and including, August 15, 2019.
Mandatory Conversion Date:    The third Business Day immediately following the last Trading Day of the 20 consecutive Trading Day period beginning on, and including, the 23rd Scheduled Trading Day immediately preceding August 15, 2019.
Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock on the NYSE on August 4, 2016:    $12.91
Initial Price:    $100 divided by the Maximum Conversion Rate, which is initially equal to approximately $12.91 (which is the Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock on the NYSE on August 4, 2016), subject to adjustment as described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.
Threshold Appreciation Price:    $100 divided by the Minimum Conversion Rate, which is initially equal to approximately $15.17, which initially represents a premium of approximately 17.50% over the Initial Price, subject to adjustment as described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.

 

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Floor Price:    $4.52, which is initially equal to approximately 35% of the Initial Price, subject to adjustment as described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.
Conversion Rate per Share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock:   

The conversion rate for each share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock will not be more than 7.7459 shares of Common Stock and not less than 6.5923 shares of Common Stock (each subject to adjustment as described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) (respectively, the “Maximum Conversion Rate” and “Minimum Conversion Rate”), depending on the Applicable Market Value (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) of the Common Stock, as described below.

 

The following table illustrates the conversion rate per share of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, subject to certain adjustments described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, based on the Applicable Market Value of the Common Stock:

 

     Applicable Market Value of the
Common Stock
   Conversion Rate per Share of
Mandatory Convertible
Preferred Stock
   Greater than the Threshold Appreciation Price    6.5923 shares of Common Stock
   Equal to or less than the Threshold Appreciation Price but greater than or equal to the Initial Price    Between 6.5923 and 7.7459 shares of Common Stock, determined by dividing $100 by the Applicable Market Value
   Less than the Initial Price    7.7459 shares of Common Stock
Optional Conversion:    Other than during a Fundamental Change Conversion Period (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement), a holder of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock may, at any time prior to August 15, 2019, elect to convert such holder’s shares of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, in whole or in part (but in no event less than one share of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock), at the Minimum Conversion Rate, subject to adjustment as described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.

 

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Fundamental Change:    If a Fundamental Change (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) occurs on or prior to August 15, 2019, holders of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock will have the right to convert their shares of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, in whole or in part (but in no event less than one share of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock), into shares of Common Stock at the Fundamental Change Conversion Rate (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) during the period beginning on, and including, the Effective Date (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) of such Fundamental Change and ending on, and including, the date that is 20 calendar days after such Effective Date (or, if later, the date that is 20 calendar days after holders receive notice of such Fundamental Change, but in no event later than August 15, 2019).
   The following table sets forth the Fundamental Change Conversion Rate per share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock based on the Effective Date of the Fundamental Change and the Stock Price (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) in the Fundamental Change:

 

    Stock Price on Effective Date  

Effective Date

  $8.00     $9.00     $10.00     $11.00     $12.91     $14.00     $15.17     $16.00     $20.00     $50.00     $100.00     $150.00     $200.00  

August 10, 2016

    6.3347        6.2792        6.2230        6.1735        6.1073        6.0867        6.0762        6.0750        6.1133        6.4204        6.4911        6.5088        6.5174   

August 15, 2017

    6.7705        6.6854        6.5951        6.5102        6.3828        6.3336        6.2985        6.2829        6.2792        6.4843        6.5245        6.5362        6.5420   

August 15, 2018

    7.2862        7.1960        7.0795        6.9524        6.7293        6.6311        6.5538        6.5151        6.4543        6.5399        6.5580        6.5639        6.5669   

August 15, 2019

    7.7459        7.7459        7.7459        7.7459        7.7459        7.1429        6.5923        6.5923        6.5923        6.5923        6.5923        6.5923        6.5923   

 

  The exact Stock Price and Effective Date may not be set forth on the table, in which case:
 

•    if the Stock Price is between two Stock Prices on the table or the Effective Date is between two Effective Dates on the table, the Fundamental Change Conversion Rate per share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock will be determined by straight-line interpolation between the Fundamental Change Conversion Rates per share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock set forth for the higher and lower Stock Prices and the earlier and later Effective Dates, as applicable, based on a 365- or 366-day year, as applicable;

 

•    if the Stock Price is in excess of $200.00 per share (subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Stock Prices set forth in the column headings of the table above as described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement), then the Fundamental Change Conversion Rate per share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock will be the Minimum Conversion Rate, subject to adjustment as described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement; and

 

4


  

•    if the Stock Price is less than $8.00 per share (subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Stock Prices set forth in the column headings of the table above as described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement), then the Fundamental Change Conversion Rate per share of Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock will be the Maximum Conversion Rate, subject to adjustment as described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.

Discount Rate for Purposes of Fundamental Change Dividend Make-Whole Amount:    The discount rate for purposes of determining the Fundamental Change Dividend Make-Whole Amount (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) is 8.00% per annum.
Listing:    The Issuer intends to apply to list the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock on the NYSE under the symbol “RYAM PR A” and expects trading of the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock on the NYSE to begin within 30 days of the Settlement Date.
Trade Date:    August 5, 2016.
Settlement Date:    August 10, 2016.
CUSIP / ISIN for the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock:    75508B 203 / US75508B2034
Joint Book-Running Managers:   

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

                     Incorporated

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

Co-Managers:   

DNB Markets, Inc.

 

PNC Capital Markets LLC

 

TD Securities (USA) LLC

 

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

The Issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus and related preliminary prospectus supplement) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the related base prospectus in that registration statement and the other documents the Issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and the Offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies may be obtained from BofA Merrill Lynch, by telephone at (800)  ###-###-####; J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, by telephone at (866)  ###-###-####, or by email at ***@***; or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Attn: Equity Syndicate Department, 375 Park Avenue, New York, New York, 10152, by telephone at (800)  ###-###-####, or by email to ***@***.

This communication should be read in conjunction with the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the related base prospectus. The information in this communication supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the related base prospectus to the extent it is inconsistent with the

 

5


information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement or the related base prospectus. In all other respects, this term sheet is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the related base prospectus.

ANY DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES THAT MAY APPEAR BELOW ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS COMMUNICATION AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. SUCH DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES WERE AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED AS A RESULT OF THIS COMMUNICATION BEING SENT VIA BLOOMBERG OR ANOTHER EMAIL SYSTEM.

 

6


SCHEDULE C

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus

None

 

Sch C - 1


SCHEDULE D

List of Persons and Entities Subject to Lock-up

Paul G. Boynton

Frank A. Ruperto

Michael R. Herman

James L. Posze, Jr.

C. David Brown, II

Charles E. Adair

DeLyle W. Bloomquist

Mark E. Gaumond

James F. Kirsch

Lisa M. Palumbo

Thomas I. Morgan

Ronald Townsend

 

D - 1