PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
March 9, 2012
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
As Representatives of the Initial Purchasers
c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Introductory. Silgan Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), proposes to issue and sell to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (Merrill Lynch), Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. (Deutsche Bank) and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (Wells Fargo) and the other several Initial Purchasers named in Schedule A (the Initial Purchasers), acting severally and not jointly, the respective amounts set forth in such Schedule A of $500 million aggregate principal amount of the Companys 5.00% Senior Notes due 2020 (the Securities). Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo have agreed to act as the representatives of the several Initial Purchasers (the Representatives) in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.
The Securities will be issued pursuant to an indenture, to be dated as of March 23, 2012 (the Indenture), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the Trustee). Securities will be issued only in book-entry form in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (the Depositary) pursuant to a letter of representations, to be dated on or before the Closing Date (as defined in Section 2 hereof) (the DTC Agreement), among the Company, the Trustee and the Depositary.
The holders of the Securities will be entitled to the benefits of a registration rights agreement, to be dated as of March 23, 2012 (the Registration Rights Agreement), among the Company and the Initial Purchasers, pursuant to which the Company will be required to file with the Commission (as defined below), under the circumstances set forth therein, (i) a registration statement under the Securities Act (as defined below) relating to another series of debt securities of the Company with terms substantially identical to the Securities (the Exchange Securities) to be offered in exchange for the Securities (the Exchange Offer) or (ii) a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act relating to the resale by certain holders of the Securities, and in each case, to use its best efforts to cause such registration statements to be declared effective. All references herein to the Exchange Securities and the Exchange Offer are only applicable if the Company is in fact required to consummate the Exchange Offer pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement.
This Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the DTC Agreement, the Securities, the Exchange Securities, and the Indenture are referred to herein as the Transaction Documents.
The Company understands that the Initial Purchasers propose to make an offering of the Securities on the terms and in the manner set forth herein and in the Pricing Disclosure Package (as defined below) and
agrees that the Initial Purchasers may resell, subject to the conditions set forth herein, all or a portion of the Securities to purchasers (the Subsequent Purchasers) on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package (the first time when sales of the Securities are made is referred to as the Time of Sale). The Securities are to be offered and sold to or through the Initial Purchasers without being registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) under the Securities Act of 1933 (as amended, the Securities Act, which term, as used herein, includes the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder), in reliance upon exemptions therefrom. Pursuant to the terms of the Securities and the Indenture, investors who acquire Securities shall be deemed to have agreed that Securities may only be resold or otherwise transferred, after the date hereof, if such Securities are registered for sale under the Securities Act or if an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act is available (including the exemptions afforded by Rule 144A under the Securities Act (Rule 144A) or Regulation S under the Securities Act (Regulation S)).
The Company has prepared and delivered to each Initial Purchaser copies of a Preliminary Offering Memorandum, dated March 9, 2012 (the Preliminary Offering Memorandum), and has prepared and delivered to each Initial Purchaser copies of a Pricing Supplement, dated March 9, 2012 (the Pricing Supplement), attached as Schedule B hereto, describing the terms of the Securities, each for use by such Initial Purchaser in connection with its solicitation of offers to purchase the Securities. The Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Pricing Supplement are herein referred to as the Pricing Disclosure Package. Promptly after this Agreement is executed and delivered, the Company will prepare and deliver to each Initial Purchaser a final offering memorandum dated the date hereof (the Final Offering Memorandum).
All references herein to the terms Pricing Disclosure Package and Final Offering Memorandum shall be deemed to mean and include all information filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended, the Exchange Act, which term, as used herein, includes the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder) prior to the Time of Sale and incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package (including the Preliminary Offering Memorandum) or the Final Offering Memorandum (as the case may be), and all references herein to the terms amend, amendment or supplement with respect to the Final Offering Memorandum shall be deemed to mean and include all information filed under the Exchange Act after the Time of Sale and incorporated by reference in the Final Offering Memorandum.
The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Initial Purchasers as follows:
1. Representations and Warranties. The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Initial Purchaser that, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (references in this Section 1 to the Offering Memorandum are to (x) the Pricing Disclosure Package in the case of representations and warranties made as of the date hereof and (y) the Final Offering Memorandum in the case of representations and warranties made as of the Closing Date):
(a) No Registration Required. Subject to compliance by the Initial Purchasers with the representations and warranties set forth in Section 2 hereof and with the procedures set forth in Section 7 hereof, it is not necessary in connection with the offer, sale and delivery of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers and the initial resale by the Initial Purchasers of the Securities to each Subsequent Purchaser in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum to register the Securities under the Securities Act or, until such time as the Exchange Securities are issued pursuant to an effective registration statement, to qualify the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the Trust Indenture Act, which term, as used herein, includes the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder).
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(b) No Integration of Offerings or General Solicitation. None of the Company, or, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501 under the Securities Act) (each, an Affiliate), or any person acting on its or any of their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes no representation or warranty) has, directly or indirectly, solicited any offer to buy or offered to sell, or will, directly or indirectly, solicit any offer to buy or offer to sell, in the United States or to any United States citizen or resident, any security which is or would be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner that would require the Securities to be registered under the Securities Act. None of the Company, its Affiliates, or any person acting on its or any of their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes no representation or warranty) has engaged or will engage, in connection with the offering of the Securities, in any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502 under the Securities Act. With respect to those Securities sold in reliance upon Regulation S, (i) none of the Company, its Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes no representation or warranty) has engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts within the meaning of Regulation S and (ii) each of the Company and its Affiliates and any person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes no representation or warranty) has complied and will comply with the offering restrictions set forth in Regulation S.
(c) Eligibility for Resale under Rule 144A. The Securities are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A and will not be, at the Closing Date, of the same class as securities listed on a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act or quoted in a U.S. automated interdealer quotation system.
(d) The Pricing Disclosure Package and Offering Memorandum. Neither the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Time of Sale, nor the Final Offering Memorandum, as of its date or (as amended or supplemented in accordance with Section 3(a), as applicable) as of the Closing Date, contains or represents an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that this representation, warranty and agreement shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Final Offering Memorandum or any amendment or supplement thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any Initial Purchaser through the Representatives expressly for use in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Final Offering Memorandum or amendment or supplement thereto, as the case may be. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Date and the completion of the Initial Purchasers distribution of the Securities, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum.
(e) Company Additional Written Communications. The Company has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or distributed and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or distribute any written communication that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities other than (i) the Pricing Disclosure Package, (ii) the Final Offering Memorandum and (iii) any electronic road show or other written communications, in each case used in accordance with Section 3(a). Each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (which does not, for avoidance of doubt, include the Initial Purchasers) pursuant to clause (iii) of the preceding sentence (each, a Company Additional Written Communication), when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not as of the Time of Sale, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material
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fact or 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; provided that this representation, warranty and agreement shall not apply to statements in or omissions from each such Company Additional Written Communication made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any Initial Purchaser through the Representatives expressly for use in any Company Additional Written Communication.
(f) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission (collectively, the Incorporated Documents) complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act.
(g) The Purchase Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(h) The Registration Rights Agreement and DTC Agreement. The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized and, on the Closing Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by, and will constitute a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles and except as rights to indemnification may be limited by applicable law. The DTC Agreement has been duly authorized and, on the Closing Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by, and will constitute a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.
(i) Authorization of the Securities, and the Exchange Securities. The Securities to be purchased by the Initial Purchasers from the Company will on the Closing Date be in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and the Indenture and, at the Closing Date, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture. The Exchange Securities will be duly and validly authorized for issuance by the Company prior to the time the Company is required to issue them pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, and when issued and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Exchange Offer, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of the rights and remedies of creditors or by general principles of equity and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
(j) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, at the Closing Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and will constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by
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bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.
(k) Description of the Transaction Documents. This Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities will conform in all material respects to the respective statements relating thereto contained in the Offering Memorandum.
(l) No Material Adverse Change. Since the filing date of the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, there has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business, properties, assets, operations, or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not occurring in the ordinary course of business (any such change is called a Material Adverse Change). The Company and its Subsidiaries have no material contingent obligations which are not disclosed in the Companys financial statements which are included or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum.
(m) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP, which expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the Commission and included or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum is an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, 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.
(n) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries, together with the related schedules and notes, as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company and the Subsidiaries, at the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, consistently (GAAP) applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation in all material respects of results for such periods have been made. The summary financial data included in the Offering Memorandum under the captions Offering Memorandum SummarySummary Financial and Other Information fairly present the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum. The statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum are based on or derived from sources that the Company and the Subsidiaries believe to be reliable and accurate in all material respects and represent their good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum and the Pricing Disclosure Package fairly present the information called for in all material respects and have been prepared in all material respects in accordance with the Commissions rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(o) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Offering Memorandum. Each of the subsidiaries of the Company as listed in Schedule C hereto (collectively, the Subsidiaries) has been duly organized
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and is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with corporate or limited liability company power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Offering Memorandum. There are no subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company that are significant subsidiaries as defined in Rule 1-02 (w) of Regulation S-X, other than as set forth on Schedule C hereto. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business and are in good standing in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of their business or ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification except as could not be reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The outstanding shares of capital stock or membership interests of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. The outstanding shares of capital stock or membership interests of each of the Subsidiaries are owned by the Company or another Subsidiary free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and equities and claims. other than (a) the pledges of such capital stock or membership interests existing on the date hereof made in connection with (A) the Credit Agreement, dated as of July 28, 2011, among Silgan Holdings Inc., Silgan Containers LLC, Silgan Plastics LLC, Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corporation, Silgan Can Company, Silgan Plastics Canada Inc., each other revolving borrower party thereto from time to time, each other incremental term loan borrower party thereto from time to time, various lenders party thereto from time to time, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as Administrative Agent, Deutsche Bank AG, Canada Branch, as Canadian Sub-Agent, Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as U.K. Sub-Agent, Bank of America, N.A., as Syndication Agent, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Co-Documentation Agents, and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (the Credit Agreement); (B) the US Pledge Agreement (as such term is defined in the Credit Agreement); (C) the Campbell Can Acquisition Documents (as such term is defined in the Credit Agreement), and (b) the contractual right of Campbell Soup Company or any affiliate thereof to purchase the capital stock of Silgan Can Company or any of the assets of Silgan Can Company (other than inventory in the ordinary course of business in accordance with the supply arrangements). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011.
(p) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will be, in violation of or in default under (i) its Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws, (ii) any agreement, lease, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of its properties, is bound and, solely with respect to this clause (ii), which violation or default could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Securities will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Company, as amended, or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of the subsidiaries that is material to the Company and the subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement or the Securities, except (1) such as may have been obtained, (2) as may be required by applicable federal or state securities laws, and (3) qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.
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(q) No Material Actions or Proceedings. Other than as described in the Offering Memorandum, there is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their properties before any court or administrative agency or otherwise which if determined adversely to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries might result in a Material Adverse Change or prevent the Company from performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement or the Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Offering Memorandum.
(r) All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries hold all material licenses, certificates and permits from governmental authorities which are necessary to the conduct of their businesses, except where the failure to hold any such license, certificate or permit would not result in a Material Adverse Change.
(s) Company Not an Investment Company. The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Offering Memorandum, will not be, required to register as an investment company as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(t) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(u) Compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley. The Company and the Subsidiaries and, to the Companys knowledge, their respective officers and directors are in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which term, as used herein, includes the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder).
(v) Companys Accounting System. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S.; and (iii) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(w) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Companys Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), for the Company and they have (i) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under their supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries (other than with respect to Silgan Holdings Austria GmbH and its subsidiaries (VN) as noted below), is made known to them by others within those entities, particularly during periods in which the periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are being prepared, (ii) evaluated the effectiveness of such disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by the Companys most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission, and (iii) concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that all material information required to be disclosed in the Companys most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission was made known
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to them in a timely fashion. In March 2011, the Company acquired VN. As provided under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, the Company will include the internal controls and procedures of VN in its annual assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting for its 2012 fiscal year. Since the most recent evaluation of the Companys disclosure controls and procedures described above, there have been no changes in internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Companys internal control over financial reporting.
(x) Regulations T, U, X. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor any agent thereof acting on their behalf has taken, and none of them will take, any action that might cause this Agreement or the issuance or sale of the Securities to violate Regulation T, Regulation U or Regulation X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
(y) Compliance with and Liability Under Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the Offering Memorandum, the Company and the Subsidiaries (1) 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), (2) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (3) 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 could not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(z) Costs of Environmental Compliance. 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 could, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(aa) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Offering Memorandum, 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 FCPA which could, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any foreign official (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
FCPA means Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
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(bb) No Conflict with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the Money Laundering Laws) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(cc) No Conflict with OFAC Laws. 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 currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (OFAC); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(dd) Regulation S. The Company, and its affiliates and all persons acting on their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to whom the Company makes no representation) have complied with and will comply with the offering restrictions requirements of Regulation S in connection with the offering of the Securities outside the United States and, in connection therewith, the Offering Memorandum will contain the disclosure required by Rule 902. The Company is a reporting issuer, as defined in Rule 902 under the Securities Act. The Securities sold in reliance on Regulation S will be represented upon issuance by a temporary global security that may not be exchanged for definitive securities until the expiration of the 40-day restricted period referred to in Rule 903 of the Securities Act and only upon certification of beneficial ownership of such Securities by non-U.S. persons or U.S. persons who purchased such Securities in transactions that were exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Initial Purchasers or to counsel for the Initial Purchasers shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Initial Purchaser as to the matters set forth therein.
2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Securities.
(a) The Securities. The Company agrees to issue and sell to the Initial Purchasers, severally and not jointly, all of the Securities, and. subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Initial Purchasers agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their names on Schedule A, at a purchase price of 98.375% of the principal amount thereof payable on the Closing Date, in each case, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms herein set forth.
(b) The Closing Date. Delivery of certificates for the Securities in definitive form to be purchased by the Initial Purchasers and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP, 885 Third Ave., New York, NY, 10022 (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and Merrill Lynch) at 9:00 a.m. New York City time, on March 23, 2012, or such other time and date as Merrill
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Lynch shall designate by notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the Closing Date). The Company hereby acknowledges that circumstances under which Merrill Lynch may provide notice to postpone the Closing Date as originally scheduled include, but are in no way limited to, any determination by the Company or the Initial Purchasers to recirculate to investors copies of an amended or supplemented Offering Memorandum or a delay as contemplated by the provisions of Section 17 hereof.
(c) Delivery of the Securities. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Merrill Lynch for the accounts of the several Initial Purchasers certificates for the Securities at the Closing Date against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The certificates for the Securities shall be in such denominations and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of the Depositary, pursuant to the DTC Agreement, and shall be made available for inspection on the business day preceding the Closing Date at a location in New York City, as Merrill Lynch may designate. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Initial Purchasers.
(d) Initial Purchasers as Qualified Institutional Buyers. Each Initial Purchaser severally and not jointly represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Company that:
(i) it will offer and sell Securities only to (a) persons who it reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A (Qualified Institutional Buyers) in transactions meeting the requirements of Rule 144A or (b) upon the terms and conditions set forth in Annex I to this Agreement;
(ii) it is an institutional accredited investor within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act; and
(iii) it will not offer or sell Securities by, any form of general solicitation or general advertising, including but not limited to the methods described in Rule 502(c) under the Securities Act.
3. Additional Covenants. The Company further covenants and agrees with each Initial Purchaser as follows:
(a) Preparation of Final Offering Memorandum; Initial Purchasers Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements and Company Additional Written Communications. As promptly as practicable following the Time of Sale and in any event not later than the second business day following the date hereof, the Company will prepare and deliver to the Initial Purchasers the Final Offering Memorandum, which shall consist of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum as modified only by the information contained in the Pricing Supplement. The Company will not amend or supplement the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Pricing Supplement. The Company will not amend or supplement the Final Offering Memorandum prior to the Closing Date unless the Representatives shall previously have been furnished a copy of the proposed amendment or supplement prior to the proposed use or filing, and shall not have reasonably objected to such amendment or supplement. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving or distributing any Company Additional Written Communication, the Company will furnish to the Representatives a copy of such written communication for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve or distribute any such written communication to which the Representatives reasonably object.
(b) Amendments and Supplements to the Final Offering Memorandum and Other Securities Act Matters. If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur
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or condition shall exist as a result of which any of the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement any of the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Initial Purchasers thereof and forthwith prepare and (subject to Section 3(a) hereof) furnish to the Initial Purchasers such amendments or supplements to any of the Pricing Disclosure Package as may be necessary so that the statements in any of the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or so that any of the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with all applicable law. If, prior to the completion of the placement of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers with the Subsequent Purchasers, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Final Offering Memorandum, as then amended or supplemented, in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Final Offering Memorandum is delivered to a Subsequent Purchaser, not misleading, or if in the judgment of the Representatives or counsel for the Initial Purchasers it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Final Offering Memorandum to comply with law, the Company agrees to promptly prepare (subject to Section 3 hereof) (or in the case of documents incorporated by reference into the Final Offering Memorandum, to file with the Commission) and furnish at its own expense to the Initial Purchasers, amendments or supplements to the Final Offering Memorandum so that the statements in the Final Offering Memorandum as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances at the Closing Date and at the time of sale of Securities, be misleading or so that the Final Offering Memorandum, as amended or supplemented, will comply with all applicable law.
Following the consummation of the Exchange Offer or the effectiveness of an applicable shelf registration statement and for so long as the Securities are outstanding, if, in the judgment of the Representatives, the Initial Purchasers or any of their respective affiliates (as such term is defined in the Securities Act) are required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of, or market-making activities with respect to, the Securities, the Company agrees to periodically amend the applicable registration statement so that the information contained therein complies with the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act, to amend the applicable registration statement or supplement the related prospectus or the documents incorporated therein when necessary to reflect any material changes in the information provided therein so that the registration statement and the prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing as of the date the prospectus is so delivered, not misleading and to provide the Initial Purchasers with copies of each amendment or supplement filed and such other documents as the Initial Purchasers may reasonably request.
The Company hereby expressly acknowledges that the indemnification and contribution provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereof are specifically applicable and relate to each offering memorandum, registration statement, prospectus, amendment or supplement referred to in this Section 3.
(c) Copies of the Offering Memorandum. The Company agrees to furnish the Initial Purchasers, without charge, as many copies of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum and any amendments and supplements thereto as they shall reasonably request.
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(d) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Representatives and counsel for the Initial Purchasers to qualify or register (or to obtain exemptions from qualifying or registering) all or any part of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities laws of the several states of the United States, the provinces of Canada or any other jurisdictions designated by the Representatives, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Securities for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof as soon as reasonably practicable.
(e) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities sold by it in the manner described under the caption Use of Proceeds in the Pricing Disclosure Package.
(f) The Depositary. The Company will cooperate with the Initial Purchasers and use its best efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of the Depositary.
(g) Additional Issuer Information. Prior to the completion of the placement of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers with the Subsequent Purchasers, the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under Section 13 or 15 of the Exchange Act. Additionally, while any Securities remain restricted securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, at any time when the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15 of the Exchange Act, for the benefit of holders and beneficial owners from time to time of the Securities, the Company shall furnish, at its expense, upon request, to holders and beneficial owners of Securities and prospective purchasers of Securities information (Additional Issuer Information) satisfying the requirements of Rule 144A(d).
(h) Agreement Not To Offer or Sell Additional Securities. During the period of 30 days following the date hereof, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of Merrill Lynch), directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or establish an open put equivalent position within the meaning of Rule 16a-1 under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any debt securities of the Company or securities exchangeable for or convertible into debt securities of the Company (other than as contemplated by this Agreement and to register the Exchange Securities).
(i) No Integration. The Company agrees that it will not and will cause its Affiliates not to make any offer or sale of securities of the Company of any class if, as a result of the doctrine of integration referred to in Rule 502 under the Securities Act, such offer or sale would render invalid (for the purpose of (i) the sale of the Securities by the Company to the Initial Purchasers, (ii) the resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers to Subsequent Purchasers or (iii) the resale of the Securities by such Subsequent Purchasers to others) the exemption from the
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registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Section 4(2) thereof or by Rule 144A or by Regulation S thereunder or otherwise.
(j) No General Solicitation or Directed Selling Efforts. The Company agrees that it will not and will not permit any of its Affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers, as to which no covenant is given) to (i) solicit offers for, or offer or sell, the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or (ii) engage in any directed selling efforts with respect to the Securities within the meaning of Regulation S, and the Company will and will cause all such persons to comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S with respect to the Securities.
(k) No Restricted Resales. During the period of one year after the Closing Date, the Company will not, and will not permit any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) to resell any of the Securities, which constitute restricted securities under Rule 144 that have been reacquired by any of them.
(l) Legended Securities. Each certificate for a Security will bear the legend contained in Notice to Investors in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum for the time period and upon the other terms stated in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum.
The Representatives may, in their sole discretion, waive in writing the performance by the Company of any one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.
4. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Securities (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers, (iii) all fees and expenses of the Companys counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors of the Company, (iv) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum (including financial statements and exhibits), and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities, (v) all filing fees, attorneys fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Initial Purchasers in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities laws of the several states of the United States, the provinces of Canada or other jurisdictions designated by the Initial Purchasers (including, without limitation, the cost of preparing, printing and mailing preliminary and final blue sky or legal investment memoranda and any related supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Final Offering Memorandum, (vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture, the Securities and the Exchange Securities, (vii) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities or the Exchange Securities with the ratings agencies, (viii) any filing fees incident to, and any reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Initial Purchasers in connection with the review by FINRA, if any, of the terms of the sale of the Securities or the Exchange Securities, (ix) all fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of Company counsel) of the Company in connection with approval of the Securities by the Depositary for book-entry transfer, and the performance by the Company of its other obligations under this Agreement and (x) all expenses incident to the road show for the offering of the Securities. Except as provided in this Section 4
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and Sections 6, 8 and 9 hereof, the Initial Purchasers shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.
5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Initial Purchasers. The obligations of the several Initial Purchasers to purchase and pay for the Securities as provided herein on the Closing Date shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though then made and to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:
(a) Accountants Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Initial Purchasers shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Company, a comfort letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Initial Purchasers, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, covering the financial information in the Pricing Disclosure Package and other customary matters. In addition, on the Closing Date, the Initial Purchasers shall have received from such accountants a bring-down comfort letter dated the Closing Date addressed to the Initial Purchasers, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form of the comfort letter delivered on the date hereof, except that (i) it shall cover the financial information in the Final Offering Memorandum and any amendment or supplement thereto and (ii) procedures shall be brought down to a date no more than 3 days prior to the Closing Date.
(b) No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:
(i) | in the judgment of the Representatives there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package provided to prospective purchasers of the Securities that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package; and |
(ii) 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 the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their securities or indebtedness by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436 under the Securities Act.
(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date the Initial Purchasers shall have received the opinion of Winston & Strawn LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Initial Purchasers. On the Closing Date the Initial Purchasers shall have received the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, dated as of such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as may be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers.
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(e) Officers Certificate. On the Closing Date the Initial Purchasers shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect set forth in Section 5(b)(ii) hereof, and further to the effect that:
(i) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof were true and correct as of the date hereof and are true and correct as of the Closing Date with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of the Closing Date; and
(ii) the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date.
The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
(f) Indenture; Registration Rights Agreement. The Company shall have executed and delivered the Indenture, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, and the Initial Purchasers shall have received executed copies thereof. The Company shall have executed and delivered the Registration Rights Agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, and the Initial Purchasers shall have received such executed counterparts.
(g) Additional Documents. On or before the Closing Date, the Initial Purchasers and counsel for the Initial Purchasers shall have received such information and documents as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
If any condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Sections 4, 6, 8 and 9 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
6. Reimbursement of Initial Purchasers Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 5 or 10 hereof, including if the sale to the Initial Purchasers of the Securities on the Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Initial Purchasers, severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Initial Purchasers in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Securities, including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.
7. Offer, Sale and Resale Procedures. Each of the Initial Purchasers and the Company, hereby agree to observe the following procedures in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities:
(a) Offers and sales of the Securities will be made only by the Initial Purchasers or Affiliates thereof qualified to do so in the jurisdictions in which such offers or sales are made. Each such offer or sale shall only be made to persons whom the offeror or seller reasonably
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believes to be Qualified Institutional Buyers or non-U.S. persons outside the United States to whom the offeror or seller reasonably believes offers and sales of the Securities may be made in reliance upon Regulation S upon the terms and conditions set forth in Annex I hereto, which Annex I is hereby expressly made a part hereof.
(b) The Securities will be offered by approaching prospective Subsequent Purchasers on an individual basis. No general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Rule 502 under the Securities Act) will be used in the United States in connection with the offering of the Securities.
(c) Upon original issuance by the Company, and until such time as the same is no longer required under the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities (and all securities issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof, other than the Exchange Securities) shall bear the following legend:
THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE SECURITIES ACT), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SECTION 5 OF THE SECURITIES ACT, AND THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION THEREFROM. EACH PURCHASER OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE SELLER MAY BE RELYING ON THE EXEMPTION FROM THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 OF THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144A THEREUNDER. THE HOLDER OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY THAT (A) SUCH SECURITY MAY BE RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED, ONLY (1)(a) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A PERSON WHO THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (b) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A FOREIGN PERSON IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (c) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144 THEREUNDER (IF APPLICABLE) OR (d) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY IF THE COMPANY SO REQUESTS), (2) TO THE COMPANY OR (3) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND, IN EACH CASE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION AND (B) THE HOLDER WILL, AND EACH SUBSEQUENT HOLDER IS REQUIRED TO, NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY OF THE RESALE
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RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN CLAUSE (A) ABOVE. NO REPRESENTATION CAN BE MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF THE EXEMPTION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 FOR RESALE OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY.
Following the sale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers to Subsequent Purchasers pursuant to the terms hereof, the Initial Purchasers shall not be liable or responsible to the Company for any losses, damages or liabilities suffered or incurred by the Company, including any losses, damages or liabilities under the Securities Act, arising from or relating to any resale or transfer of any Security.
8. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of the Initial Purchasers. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Initial Purchaser, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom 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; and to reimburse each Initial Purchaser and each such affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Initial Purchaser or such affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Representatives expressly for use in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto). The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Initial Purchaser agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company or any such director, officer and employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Initial Purchaser), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom 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, in each case to the extent, but
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only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Initial Purchaser through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company and each such director, officer and employee, or controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Company or such director or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Initial Purchasers through the Representatives have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Pricing Supplement, any Company Additional Written Communication or the Final Offering Memorandum (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are (i) the names of the Initial Purchasers on the cover page of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Final Offering Memorandum, and (ii) the statements set forth in the fifth, ninth, eleventh and twelfth paragraphs under the caption Plan of Distribution, as well as the information under the headings Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area and Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom under the caption Plan of Distribution in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Final Offering Memorandum. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Initial Purchaser may otherwise have.
(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party under this Section 8 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced by such failure (through the forfeiture of substantive rights and defenses) and shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that the indemnifying party may have to an indemnified party other than under this Section 8. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying partys election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), which shall be selected by Merrill Lynch (in the case of counsel representing the Initial Purchasers or their related persons), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action) or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of
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commencement of the action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 8 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this Section 8, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include any statements as to or any findings of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
9. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 8 hereof is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions or inaccuracies in the representations and warranties herein which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, 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, and the total discount received by the Initial Purchasers bear to the aggregate initial offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, 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 or any such inaccurate or alleged inaccurate representation or warranty relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission or inaccuracy.
The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 8 hereof, any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 8 hereof with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this
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Section 9; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 8 hereof for purposes of indemnification.
The Company and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Initial Purchasers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 9.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no Initial Purchaser shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities purchased and sold by it hereunder exceeds the amount of any damages which such Initial Purchaser has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue state or omission or alleged omission in connection with the Securities distributed by it. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Initial Purchasers obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective commitments as set forth opposite their names in Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 9, each director, officer and employee of an Initial Purchaser and each person, if any, who controls an Initial Purchaser within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Initial Purchaser, and each director of the Company, and each person, if any, who controls the Company with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
10. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the Closing Date, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the Company if at any time: (i) trading or quotation in any of the Companys securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Nasdaq Stock Market, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal, New York or Delaware authorities; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Representatives is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering sale or delivery of the Securities in the manner and on the terms described in the Pricing Disclosure Package or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities. Any termination pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of (i) the Company to any Initial Purchaser, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Initial Purchasers pursuant to Sections 4 and 6 hereof, (ii) any Initial Purchaser to the Company, or (iii) any party hereto to any other party except that the provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, its officers and the several Initial Purchasers set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Initial Purchaser, the Company or any of their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
12. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered, couriered or facsimiled and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:
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If to the Initial Purchasers:
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
Facsimile:
Attention:
with a copy to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
885 Third Avenue, Suite 1000
New York, NY 10022-4802
Facsimile: (212)  ###-###-####
Attention: Ian D. Schuman, Esq.
If to the Company:
Silgan Holdings Inc.
4 Landmark Square
Stamford, Connecticut 06910
Facsimile: (203)  ###-###-####
Attention: Frank W. Hogan, III
with a copy to:
Winston & Strawn LLP
200 Park Avenue New
York, NY 10166-4193
Facsimile: (212)  ###-###-####
Attention: Robert J. Rawn
Any party hereto may change the address or facsimile number for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.
13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the indemnified parties referred to in Sections 8 and 9 hereof, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term successors shall not include any Subsequent Purchaser or other purchaser of the Securities as such from any of the Initial Purchasers merely by reason of such purchase.
14. Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Initial Purchasers hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Initial Purchasers, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Initial Purchasers.
15. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
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16. Governing Law Provisions. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN SUCH STATE WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
(a) Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (Related Proceedings) may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City and County of New York (collectively, the Specified Courts), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for suits, actions, or proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any Specified Court in a Related Proceeding (a Related Judgment), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of the Specified Courts in any Related Proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such partys address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any Related Proceeding brought in any Specified Court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any Specified Proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any Specified Court that any Related Proceeding brought in any Specified Court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
17. Default of One or More of the Several Initial Purchasers. If any one or more of the several Initial Purchasers shall fail or refuse to purchase Securities that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on the Closing Date, and the aggregate number of Securities which such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the Securities to be purchased on such date, the other Initial Purchasers shall be obligated, severally, in the proportions that the number of Securities set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of Securities set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Initial Purchasers, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the Initial Purchasers with the consent of the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers, to purchase the Securities which such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but failed or refused to purchase on the Closing Date. If any one or more of the Initial Purchasers shall fail or refuse to purchase Securities and the aggregate number of Securities with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Securities to be purchased on the Closing Date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers and the Company for the purchase of such Securities are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Sections 4, 6, 8 and 9 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case either the Initial Purchasers or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Final Offering Memorandum or any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term Initial Purchaser shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Initial Purchaser under this Section 17. Any action taken under this Section 17 shall not relieve any defaulting Initial Purchaser from liability in respect of any default of such Initial Purchaser under this Agreement.
18. No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arms-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) in connection with each transaction contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Initial Purchaser is
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and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other party; (iii) no Initial Purchaser has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Initial Purchaser has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement; (iv) the several Initial Purchasers and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and the several Initial Purchasers have no obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any fiduciary or advisory relationship; and (v) the Initial Purchasers have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby, and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the several Initial Purchasers, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the several Initial Purchasers with respect to any breach or alleged breach of fiduciary duty.
19. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by telecopier, facsimile or other electronic transmission (i.e., a pdf or tif) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart thereof. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||||
SILGAN HOLDINGS INC. | ||||
By: | /s/ Robert B. Lewis | |||
Name: | Robert B. Lewis | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President and | |||
Chief Financial Officer |
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The foregoing Purchase Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Initial Purchasers as of the date first above written.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED |
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. | ||
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC | ||
Acting on behalf of itself and as the Representatives of the several Initial Purchasers |
By: | Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated |
By: | /s/ Sarang Gadkari | |||
Managing Director |
By: | Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. | |
By: | /s/ Niall Cullinane | |
Name: Niall Cullinane | ||
Title: Managing Director | ||
By: | /s/ Christopher Weil | |
Name: Christopher Weil | ||
Title: Director | ||
By: | Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | |
By: | /s/ Jeff Foley | |
Name: Jeff Foley | ||
Title: Managing Director |
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