1,800,000Shares ROCKYBRANDS, INC. COMMONSTOCK (WITHOUT PAR VALUE) UNDERWRITINGAGREEMENT

 

 

 

 

 

May 10, 2010

 

ROBERT W. BAIRD & CO. INCORPORATED

777 East Wisconsin Avenue

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

D.A. DAVIDSON & CO.

8 Third Street North

The Davidson Building

Great Falls, Montana 59401

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Rocky Brands, Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated (“Baird”) and D.A. Davidson & Co. (“D.A. Davidson” and, collectively with Baird, the “Underwriters”) 1,800,000 shares of common stock, (without par value) of the Company (the “Firm Shares”).

 

The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters up to an additional 270,000 shares of common stock (no par value) of the Company (the “Additional Shares”), if and to the extent that Baird shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof.  The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of the common stock (no par value) of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.”

 

The Company has prepared and filed, in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (file number 333-165170), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares, which registration statement and prospectus incorporate or are deemed to incorporate by reference documents that the Company has filed, or will file, with the Commission in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective for purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act (as such section applies to the Underwriters), including the documents filed as part thereof and information contained or incorporated by reference in the prospectus or otherwise deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 430B under the Securities Act, is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement.”  If the Company files an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.  The Company has also filed with, or transmitted for filing to, or shall promptly after the date of this Agreement file with or transmit for filing to, the Commission a prospectus supplement (in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act), the “Prospectus Supplement”) pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. The term “Base Prospectus” means the prospectus dated May 6, 2010, relating to the Shares, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement on or prior to the date of this Agreement. The term “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement. The term “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary form of Prospectus (including without limitation the preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated May 10, 2010, filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424).

 

For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus and the Preliminary Prospectus, together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, each identified in Schedule II hereto (each, a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”), and other information conveyed to purchasers of the Shares at or prior to the Time of Sale as set forth in Schedule II hereto; “Time of Sale” means 10:00 p.m. (Central Time) on the date of this Agreement; and “road show” has the meaning set forth in Rule 433(h)(4) under the Securities Act.  As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “Base Prospectus,” “Preliminary Prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, including, unless the context otherwise requires, the documents, if any, filed as exhibits to such incorporated documents.  The terms “supplement,” “amendment” and “amend” as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any free writing prospectus shall include all documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.

 

 

(a)           The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission.

 

(b)           The Base Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including, without limitation, Rule 430B(a) or 430A(b)).

 

 

(c)           (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; (ii) each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, did not contain and each such part, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (iii) the Registration Statement, as of the date hereof, does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (iv) the Registration Statement complies and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act; the conditions to the use of Form S-3 in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby have been satisfied; the Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby complies with, the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act (including without limitation Rule 415(a)(5)); (v) at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of the Preliminary Prospectus and the date on which the Preliminary Prospectus was filed with the Commission and ends immediately prior to the execution of this Agreement did any Preliminary Prospectus contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (vi) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the Time of Sale, at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4) and, if applicable, each Option Closing Date (as defined in Section 2), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (vii) each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus; (viii) each presentation or other information provided at any road show (the “Road Show Information”), when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and (ix) the Prospectus, as of the date it is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424, at the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date, if any, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act (including without limitation Section 10(a) of the Securities Act) and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the representations and warranties set forth in this Section 1(c) do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, any Road Show Information or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through Baird expressly for use therein, it being agreed that the only information furnished by the Underwriters to the Company expressly for use therein are the statements contained in the third, fourth and ninth paragraphs of the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus Supplement (and preliminary Prospectus Supplement).

 

 

(d)           Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Securities Act) or used any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Securities Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, in each case other than the Preliminary Prospectus and/or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses; the Company has not, directly or indirectly, prepared, used or referred to any free writing prospectuses, without the prior written consent of Baird, other than the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses and Road Show Information furnished or presented to the Underwriters before first use.  Each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus has been prepared, used or referred to in compliance with Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act; assuming that such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus is so sent or given after the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission (and after such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus was, if required pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, filed with the Commission), the sending or giving, by any Underwriter, of any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus will satisfy the provisions of Rule 164 and Rule 433 (without reliance on subsections (b), (c) and (d) of Rule 164); the conditions set forth in one or more of subclauses (i) through (iv), inclusive, of Rule 433(b)(1) under the Securities Act are satisfied, and the registration statement relating to the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby, as initially filed with the Commission, includes a prospectus that, other than by reason of Rule 433 or Rule 431 under the Act, satisfies the requirements of Section 10 of the Act; neither the Company nor the Underwriters are disqualified, by reason of subsection (f) or (g) of Rule 164 under the Act, from using, in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, free writing prospectuses pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Act; each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act; no Permitted Free Writing Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, Time of Sale Prospectus or Prospectus; and, to the Company’s knowledge, no free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of or used by any Underwriter contains any “issuer information” within the meaning of Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act.

 

(e)           The Company was, at the time of the Registration Statement was initially filed and when it became effective, eligible to use Form S-3 to register the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby.  The Company was not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) as of the eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Act with respect to the offering of the Shares contemplated by the Registration Statement.

 

(f)           The Common Stock is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”), and the Company has not received any notice from the NASDAQ regarding the delisting of such shares from the NASDAQ.  The Shares are duly listed and admitted and authorized for trading, subject to official notice of issuance, on the NASDAQ.  To the Company’s knowledge, there are no affiliations or associations between (i) any member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and (ii) the Company or any of the Company’s officers, directors or 5% or greater security holders or any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities that were acquired at any time on or after the 180th day immediately preceding the date the Registration Statement was initially filed with the Commission, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

 

(g)           The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not (i) have a material adverse effect on the assets, business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operation or prospects of Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) prevent or materially interfere with consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, or  (iii) result in the delisting of shares of Common Stock from the NASDAQ (the occurrence of any such effect, prevention, interference or result described in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) being herein referred to as a “material adverse effect”).

 

(h)           Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly organized, is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect; all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, other than liens or encumbrances granted to secure borrowings under those agreements listed on Exhibit C attached hereto or other such liens or encumbrances that do not interfere with the ownership or operations of such subsidiary.

 

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

 

(j)           The authorized and outstanding capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and will be as set forth in the Prospectus, subject, in each case, to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of stock options and warrants disclosed as outstanding in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, as the case may be, and the grant of options under existing stock option plans described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.  The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms and will conform as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(k)           The shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized, are validly issued, fully paid and non assessable, have been issued in compliance with applicable securities laws and were not issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights.

 

(l)           The Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non assessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

 

(m)           Neither the execution and delivery by the Company of, nor the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will conflict with, contravene, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or constitute a default under (i) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, regulatory or administrative agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary; (ii) the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or (iii) any contract, agreement, obligation, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or any of their respective assets) is subject or bound, other than, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) only, such conflicts, breaches or violations that could not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect.

 

(n)           No approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing with any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency, or of or with any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, NASDAQ), or approval of the Company’s shareholders, is required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, other than (i) registration of the Shares under the Securities Act, which has been effected (or, with respect to any Rule 462 Registration Statement, will be effected in accordance Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act), (ii) any necessary qualification under the securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Shares are being offered by the Underwriters or (iii) the filing of a notice of listing of additional shares and related materials with NASDAQ, (iv) under the FINRA rules or (v) any filings required by the Exchange Act.

 

(o)           There are no actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened or contemplated to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective directors or officers is or would be a party or of which any of their respective properties is or would be subject at law or in equity, before or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency, or before or by any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, NASDAQ) (i) other than any such action, suit, claim, investigation or proceeding accurately described in the Time of Sale Prospectus which, if resolved adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect or (ii) that are required to be described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and are not so described.  There are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

 

(p)           The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

 

(q)           The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in shareholders’ equity of the Company for the periods specified and have been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act and Exchange Act and in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved; all pro forma financial statements or data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, if any, comply with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the assumptions used in the preparation of such pro forma financial statements and data are reasonable, the pro forma adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances described therein and the pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements and data; the other financial and statistical data contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; the Company and its subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.

 

(r)           All statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required. Each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses has been made or reaffirmed with a reasonable basis and in good faith.

 

(s)           The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not have a material adverse effect.  There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would have a material adverse effect.

 

(t)           There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

(u)           Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) there has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the assets, business, condition (financial or otherwise), management, operations or earnings of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (iii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iv) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each case as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, respectively.

 

(v)           The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or liens or encumbrances granted to secure borrowings under the agreements listed on Exhibit C attached hereto, or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(w)              Each of the Company and its subsidiaries owns or possesses all inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), trade names, service names, copyrights, trade secrets and other proprietary information described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus as being owned or licensed by it or which is necessary for the conduct of, or material to, its businesses (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), and the Company is unaware of any claim to the contrary or any challenge by any other person to the rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Intellectual Property that has had or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has infringed or is infringing in any material respect the intellectual property of a third party, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of a claim by a third party to the contrary.

 

 

(x)           No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, except for such violations as would not have a material adverse effect.

 

(y)           The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a material adverse effect.

 

(z)           The Company and its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect.

 

(aa)         Except as otherwise would not have a material adverse effect, no subsidiary of the Company is subject to any material direct or indirect prohibition on paying any dividends to the Company, on making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, on repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or on transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(bb)         The Company maintains “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act.  The Company’s internal control over financial reporting has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, 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 and is effective in performing the functions for which it was established.  Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no significant deficiency or material weakness in the design or operation of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) which is reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information, and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

(cc)         The Company maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer by others within those entities, and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in performing the functions for which they were established; the principal executive officers (or their equivalents) and principal financial officers (or their equivalents) of the Company have made all certifications required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), and the statements made in each such certification are accurate; the Company, its subsidiaries and its directors and officers are each in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

(dd)        Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements referred to or described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, or referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or agreement.

 

(ee)         All tax returns required to be filed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries have been timely filed, and all taxes and other assessments of a similar nature (whether imposed directly or through withholding) including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto due or claimed to be due from such entities have been timely paid, other than those being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been provided.

 

(ff)          Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder; and the Company and its subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure continued compliance therewith, including without limitation a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

 

(gg)        Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

 

 

(hh)        Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of their respective directors, officers, affiliates or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or which has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

2.           Agreements to Sell and Purchase.  The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell 1,800,000 Shares to the several Underwriters at a price of $7.896 per share (the “Purchase Price”), and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions herein set forth, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company at the Purchase Price the number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as Baird may determine) set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter set forth in Schedule I hereto.

 

Moreover, the Company hereby agrees to issue and sell up to 270,000 Additional Shares to the Underwriters at the Purchase Price, and the Underwriters, upon the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, shall have the right (but not the obligation) to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to the Additional Shares at the Purchase Price.  Baird may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement.  Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased.  Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.  Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares.  On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as Baird may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

 

3.           Terms of Public Offering.  The Company is advised by the Underwriters that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after this Agreement have become effective as in the Underwriters’ judgment is advisable.  The Company is further advised by the Underwriters that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $8.40 per share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by Baird at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $0.3024 per share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow a concession, not in excess of $0.10 per share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

 

4.           Payment and Delivery.  Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by the Company shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in Milwaukee, Wisconsin against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., Central Time, on May 14, 2010, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than May 14, 2010, as shall be designated in writing by Baird.  The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

 

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in Milwaukee, Wisconsin against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., Central Time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than June 23, 2010, as shall be designated in writing by Baird.

 

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Underwriters shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be.  The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to the Underwriters on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

 

5.           Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations.  The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the condition that all representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained in this Agreement are, on the date hereof, on the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, if any, true and correct, the condition that the Company has performed its obligations required to be performed prior to the Closing Date and the following further conditions:

 

(a)           Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any:

 

(i)           there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and

 

(ii)          there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the assets, business, condition (financial or otherwise), management, operations, earnings or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in Baird’s judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in Baird’s judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to offer or sell the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

 

(b)           The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, a certificate, dated the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and signed by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and as to such other matters as Baird may reasonably request.  The delivery of the certificate provided for in this Section 5(b) shall constitute a representation and warranty of the Company as to the statements made in such certificate.

 

(c)           The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, an opinion of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto.  In rendering such opinion, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, may rely as to matters of fact (but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and of public officials.  The opinion of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

 

(d)           The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, an opinion of Lowenstein Sandler PC, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters. In rendering such opinion, Lowenstein Sandler PC, may rely as to matters of fact (but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and of public officials.

 

(e)           The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof, the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, a letter dated the date hereof, the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Schneider Downs, independent public accountants, 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 Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

 

(f)           No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus shall have been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the Commission; no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement shall have been received; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Underwriters’ satisfaction.

 

(g)           The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, between the Underwriters and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to the Underwriters on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

 

 

(h)           The Shares shall have been approved for listing on NASDAQ.

 

(i)           FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness or reasonableness of the underwriting, or other arrangements of the transactions, contemplated hereby.

 

The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to the Underwriters on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as the Underwriters may reasonably request, including certificates of officers of the Company, legal opinions and an accountants’ comfort letter, and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

 

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

 

(a)           To furnish to Baird, without charge, two signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. Central Time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 6(f) or 6(g) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

 

(b)           Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to Baird a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which Baird objects, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

 

(c)           To furnish to the Underwriters a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which Baird objects.

 

(d)           Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

 

(e)           To advise Baird promptly of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, Prospectus Supplement or Prospectus or for additional information with respect thereto, or of notice of institution of proceedings for, or the entry of a stop order, suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus; and if the Commission should enter such a stop order, to use its best efforts to obtain the lifting or removal of such order as soon as possible.

 

 

(f)           If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

 

(g)           If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses Baird will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by Baird on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

 

(h)           If, at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered, it is necessary or appropriate for a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, or a Registration Statement under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, to be filed with the Commission and become effective before the Shares may be sold, the Company will use its best efforts to cause such post-effective amendment or such Registration Statement to be filed and become effective, and will pay any applicable fees in accordance with the Securities Act, as soon as possible; and the Company will advise Baird promptly and, if requested by Baird, will confirm such advice in writing, (i) when such post-effective amendment or such Registration Statement has become effective, and (ii) if Rule 430A under the Securities Act is used, when the Prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (which the Company agrees to file in a timely manner in accordance with such Rules).

 

 

	Very truly yours,
	ROCKY BRANDS, INC.
	By:	/s/ Mike Brooks
		Name:  Mike Brooks
		Title:  Chief Executive Officer

Accepted as of the date hereof
ROBERT W. BAIRD & CO. INCORPORATED
By:	/s/ Chris Sciortino
	Name:  Chris Sciortino
	Title:  Director
D.A. DAVIDSON & CO.
By:	/s/ Daren J. Shaw
	Name:  Daren J. Shaw
	Title:  Managing Director

Underwriter		Number of Firm Shares To Be Purchased				Number of Additional Shares To Be Purchased
Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated			1,440,000				216,000
D.A. Davidson & Co.			360,000				54,000
Total:			1,800,000				270,000

Very truly yours,

(Name)

(Address)