SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.

EX-4.2 3 dex42.htm PURCHASE AGREEMENT Purchase Agreement

Exhibit 4.2

$350,000,000

7 ¾% Senior Notes due 2013

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

May 14, 2003

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

As representative of the several

Initial Purchasers listed in Schedule I hereto

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

270 Park Avenue

4th floor

New York, New York 10017

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Smithfield Foods, Inc., a Virginia corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell $350,000,0000 aggregate principal amount of its 7 ¾% Senior Notes due 2013 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of May 21, 2003 (the “Indenture”) between the Company and SunTrust Bank, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the Initial Purchasers listed in Schedule I hereto (the “Initial Purchasers”) concerning the purchase of the Securities from the Company by the Initial Purchasers.

The Securities will be offered and sold to the Initial Purchasers without being registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in reliance upon an exemption therefrom. The Company has prepared a preliminary offering memorandum dated May 12, 2003 (including the documents incorporated by reference therein, the “Preliminary Offering Memorandum”) and will prepare an offering memorandum dated the date hereof (including the documents incorporated by reference therein, the “Offering Memorandum”) setting forth information concerning the Company and the Securities. Copies of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum have been, and copies of the Offering Memorandum will be, delivered by the Company to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. Any references herein to the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum shall be deemed to include all amendments and supplements thereto, unless otherwise noted. The Company hereby confirms that it has authorized the use of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum in connection with the offering and resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers in accordance with Section 2.

Holders of the Securities (including each Initial Purchaser and its direct and indirect transferees) will be entitled to the benefits of a Registration Rights Agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex A (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company will agree to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement under the Securities Act (the “Exchange Offer Registration Statement”) registering an issue of senior notes of the Company (the “Exchange Securities”) and, under certain circumstances, a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (the “Shelf Registration Statement”).

Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Offering Memorandum.

1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company . The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Initial Purchasers on and as of the date hereof and the Closing Date (as defined in Section 3) as set forth below in this Section 1. Any reference to persons acting on behalf of the Company, or on behalf of any of the Company’s affiliates, does not include the Initial Purchasers, with respect to whom the Company makes no representation.

(a) Each of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum, as of their respective dates, did not, and on the Closing Date the Offering Memorandum will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty as to information contained in or omitted from the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Offering Memorandum in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to any Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers specifically for use therein, (the “Initial Purchasers’ Information”), as specified in Section 16 hereof.

(b) Each of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum, as of its respective date, contains all of the information that, if requested by a prospective purchaser of the Securities, would be required to be provided to such prospective purchaser pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.

(c) Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Initial Purchasers contained in Section 2 and their compliance with the agreements set forth therein, it is not necessary, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers and the offer, resale and delivery of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum, to register the Securities under the Securities Act or to qualify the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”).

(d) The documents incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum (the “Incorporated Documents”), when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all

material respects to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The representation and warranty set forth in this paragraph (d) is given on the basis that any statement contained in an Incorporated Document shall be deemed not to be contained in the Offering Memorandum if the statement has been modified or superseded by any statement in a subsequently filed Incorporated Document or in the Offering Memorandum.

(e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Offering Memorandum, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction; and each of its subsidiaries listed on Schedule II hereto (the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly formed and is validly existing as a legal entity in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation and has been duly qualified as a foreign legal entity for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction, except to the extent the failure to so qualify as a foreign legal entity could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the Subsidiaries.

(f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Offering Memorandum under the heading “Capitalization,” and all the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and other than as set forth or contemplated in the Offering Memorandum are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

(g) The Company has full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Securities and the

Exchange Securities (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all corporate, limited liability company or limited partnership action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby have been duly and validly taken.

(h) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and considerations of public policy as they relate to the enforcement of the indemnification provisions hereof.

(i) The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and considerations of public policy as they relate to the enforcement of the indemnification provisions hereof.

(j) The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). On the Closing Date, the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission applicable to an indenture which is qualified thereunder.

(k) The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture (assuming the Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Trustee and due authentication of the Securities by the Trustee) and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, as issuer, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company, as issuer, in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

(l) The Exchange Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and

the Registration Rights Agreement (assuming the Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Trustee and due authentication of the Exchange Securities by the Trustee), will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, as issuer, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company, as issuer, in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

(m) Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Offering Memorandum.

(n) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of its obligations under each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the issue and sale of the Securities and the Exchange Securities by the Company and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, except for any such conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults that would not have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below), nor will such action result in any violations of the provisions of the charter or by-laws (or other comparable organizational documents) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties, except any such violation that would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of its obligations under each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the issue, sale, authentication and delivery of the Securities, the issue, authentication and delivery of the Exchange Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications (i) which shall have been obtained or made prior to the Closing Date and as may be required to be obtained or made under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, as provided in the Registration Rights Agreement or (ii) the failure of which to be obtained or made would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(o) Ernst & Young LLP (“Ernst & Young”) is and Arthur Andersen LLP was, when serving as the Company’s independent auditor, independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) within the meaning of Rule 101 of the Code of Professional Conduct of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”) and its interpretations and rulings thereunder.

The historical financial statements (including the related notes) contained in, and incorporated by reference into, the Offering Memorandum comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the related published rules and regulations; such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods covered thereby and fairly present the financial position of the entities purported to be covered thereby at the respective dates indicated and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the respective periods indicated; and the financial information contained in the Offering Memorandum under the headings “Summary—Summary consolidated condensed financial information,” “Capitalization,” “Selected historical consolidated financial data” and “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations,” and the financial information contained in the Company’s Proxy Statement for Annual Meeting of Shareholders dated July 31, 2002, incorporated by reference in the Offering Memorandum, under the heading “Executive Compensation” are derived from the accounting records of the Company and its Subsidiaries and fairly present the information purported to be shown thereby. The other historical financial and statistical information and data included in, and incorporated by reference into, the Offering Memorandum are, in all material respects, fairly presented.

(p) Other than as set forth or contemplated in the Offering Memorandum, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, individually or in the aggregate would have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”); and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others.

(q) No injunction, restraining order or order of any nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction has been issued with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which would prevent or suspend the issuance or sale of the Securities or the use of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Offering Memorandum in any jurisdiction; no action, suit or proceeding is pending against or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries before any court or arbitrator or any governmental agency, body or official, domestic or foreign, which could reasonably be expected to interfere with or adversely affect the issuance of the Securities or in any manner draw into question the validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or any action taken or to be taken pursuant thereto; and the Company has complied with any and all known requests, or any and all requests that should have been reasonably known, by any securities authority in any jurisdiction for additional information to be included in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum.

(r) Except with respect to the matters referred to in Section 5(q), neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws (or other comparable organizational documents), (ii) in default, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject or (iii) in violation in any respect of any law, ordinance, governmental rule, regulation or court decree to which it or its property or assets may be subject, which default under clause (ii) or violation under clause (iii) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(s) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries possess all material licenses, certificates, authorizations and permits issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies which are necessary or desirable for the ownership of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Offering Memorandum, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notification of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, authorization or permit or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, authorization or permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course.

(t) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Offering Memorandum or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its Subsidiaries.

(u) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses; and the conduct of their respective businesses will not conflict in any material respect with any such rights of others, and the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement of or conflict with any such rights of others, which notice could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(v) No material labor disturbance by or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the best knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened.

(w) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof (except for such taxes that are not yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings, and against which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles); and except as otherwise disclosed in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum, there is no material tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets.

(x) Other than as set forth in the Offering Memorandum, there has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, presence, disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to or caused by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their predecessors (or, to the best knowledge of the Company, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or could reasonably be expected to be liable) at any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or at any other property (i) in violation of any statute or any ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or (ii) which would, under any statute or any ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except in the case of both clauses (i) and (ii), for any violation or liability which could not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such violations and liabilities, a Material Adverse Effect; and there has been no presence, disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind at any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has any knowledge, except for any such presence, disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind which could not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such discharges and other releases, a Material Adverse Effect.

(y) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any member of their respective “controlled groups” (defined as entities which are treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended) for employees or former employees of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any member of their respective controlled groups have been maintained in all material respects in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); no prohibited transaction, within the

meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; and for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and, except as otherwise disclosed in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum, the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions.

(z) The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

(aa) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the best knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

(bb) Other than as set forth in the Offering Memorandum, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument evidencing indebtedness to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company or any other Subsidiary, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company or any Subsidiary any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or such Subsidiary or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary.

(cc) None of the proceeds of the sale of the Securities will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Securities to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

(dd) Other than this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Initial Purchasers for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

(ee) None of the Company, any of its affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf has engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts (as such term is defined in Rule 902(c) of Regulation S under the Securities Act (“Regulation S”)) with respect to the Securities, and all such persons have complied and will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S to the extent applicable.

(ff) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has, directly or through any agent, sold, offered for sale, solicited offers to buy or otherwise negotiated in respect of, any security (as such term is defined in the Securities Act), which is or will be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner that would require registration of the Securities under the Securities Act.

(gg) None of the Company or any of its affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf has engaged, in connection with the offering of the Securities, in any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) under the Securities Act.

(hh) When the Securities are delivered pursuant to this Agreement, none of the Securities will be of the same class (within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“Rule 144A”)) as securities of the Company that are listed on a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act, or quoted in a U.S. automated inter-dealer quotation system.

(ii) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act in connection with the offering of the Securities (other than actions taken by the Initial Purchasers, as to which the Company makes no representation).

(jj) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Offering Memorandum has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

(kk) Since the date as of which information is given in the Offering Memorandum (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto or any document incorporated by reference therein), except as otherwise stated or contemplated therein, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in

or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into any transaction, incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, where such transaction, liability or obligation is material, either individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, where such occurrence or event is material, either individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum.

(ll) No holder of securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries will be entitled to have such securities registered under the registration statements required to be filed by the Company pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, other than as expressly permitted thereby.

(mm) Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the market-related data included in, or incorporated by reference into, the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

(nn) The Company has complied with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, the Company’s directors and officers, in their capacities as such, have complied with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

2. Purchase and Resale of the Securities. (a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Initial Purchasers, and each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of such Initial Purchaser on Schedule I hereto at a purchase price equal to 98.5% of the principal amount thereof. The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all of the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.

(b) Each Initial Purchaser has advised the Company that it proposes to offer the Securities for resale upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the Offering Memorandum. Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Company that (i) it is purchasing the Securities pursuant to a private sale exempt from registration under the Securities Act, (ii) it has not solicited offers for, or offered or sold, and will not solicit offers for, or offer to sell, the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D under the Securities Act (“Regulation D”) or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and (iii) it has solicited and will solicit offers for the Securities only from, and has offered or sold and will offer, sell or deliver

the Securities, at any time prior to the completion of its distribution of the Securities, only (A) within the United States to persons whom it reasonably believes to be qualified institutional buyers (“Qualified Institutional Buyers”) as defined in Rule 144A, or if any such person is buying for one or more institutional accounts for which such person is acting as fiduciary or agent, only when such person has represented to it that each such account is a Qualified Institutional Buyer to whom notice has been given that such sale or delivery is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and in each case, in transactions in accordance with Rule 144A and (B) outside the United States to persons other than U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S.

Terms used in this Section 2(b), and otherwise not defined herein, have the meanings given to them by Regulation S.

(c) In connection with the offer and sale of Securities in reliance on Regulation S, each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents, warrants and agrees that:

(i) such Initial Purchaser is a Qualified Institutional Buyer, with such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as are necessary in order to evaluate the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities;

(ii) the Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an exemption from, or in transactions not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act;

(iii) such Initial Purchaser has offered and sold the Securities, and will offer and sell the Securities, (A) as part of its distribution at any time and (B) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the offering of the Securities and the Closing Date, only in accordance with Regulation S or Rule 144A or any other available exemption from registration under the Securities Act;

(iv) none of such Initial Purchaser or any of its affiliates or any other person acting on its or their behalf has engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts (as such term is defined in Regulation S) with respect to the Securities, and all such persons have complied and will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S;

(v) at or prior to the confirmation of sale of any Securities sold in reliance on Regulation S, it will have sent to each distributor, dealer or other person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration that purchases Securities from it during the restricted period a confirmation or notice to substantially the following effect:

“The Securities covered hereby have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (i) as part of their distribution at any time or (ii) otherwise until 40 days after the later

of the commencement of the offering of the Securities and the date of original issuance of the Securities, except in accordance with Regulation S or Rule 144A or any other available exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Terms used above have the meanings given to them by Regulation S.”; and

(vi) it has not and will not enter into any contractual arrangement with any distributor with respect to the distribution of the Securities, except with its affiliates or with the prior written consent of the Company.

Terms used in this Section 2(c), and otherwise not defined herein, have the meanings given to them by Regulation S.

(d) Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents, warrants and agrees that (i) it has not offered or sold and prior to the date six months after the Closing Date will not offer or sell any Securities to persons in the United Kingdom except to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their businesses or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Public Offers of Securities Regulations 1995 (as amended); (ii) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the United Kingdom Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of any Securities in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company; and (iii) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

(e) Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, agrees that, prior to or simultaneously with the confirmation of sale by such Initial Purchaser to any purchaser of any of the Securities purchased by such Initial Purchaser from the Company pursuant hereto, each Initial Purchaser shall furnish to that purchaser a copy of the Offering Memorandum (and any amendment or supplement thereto that the Company shall have furnished to such Initial Purchaser prior to the date of such confirmation of sale). In addition to the foregoing, each Initial Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that the Company and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to Sections 5(c) and (d), counsel for the Company and for the Initial Purchasers, respectively, may rely upon the accuracy of the representations and warranties of each Initial Purchaser and their compliance with their agreements contained in this Section 2, and each Initial Purchaser hereby consents to such reliance.

(f) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Initial Purchasers may sell Securities to any of its affiliates and that any such affiliate may sell Securities purchased by it to an Initial Purchaser.

3. Delivery of and Payment for the Securities. (a) Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be made at the offices of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, New York, New York,

or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Initial Purchasers and the Company, at 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on May 21, 2003 or at such other time or date, not later than seven full business days thereafter, as shall be agreed upon by the Initial Purchasers and the Company (such date and time of payment and delivery being referred to herein as the “Closing Date”).

(b) On the Closing Date, payment of the purchase price for the Securities shall be made to the Company by wire or book-entry transfer of same-day funds to such account or accounts as the Company shall specify prior to the Closing Date or by such other means as the parties hereto shall agree prior to the Closing Date against delivery to the Initial Purchasers of the certificate(s) evidencing the Securities. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery by the Company at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligations of each Initial Purchaser hereunder. Upon delivery, the Securities shall be in global form, registered in such names and in such denominations as J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (“JPMSI”) on behalf of the Initial Purchasers shall have requested in writing not less than two full business days prior to the Closing Date. The Company agrees to make one or more global certificates evidencing the Securities available for inspection by JPMSI on behalf of the Initial Purchasers in New York City at least 24 hours prior to the Closing Date.

4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers:

(a) at any time prior to the completion of the distribution by the Initial Purchasers of the Securities, to advise the Initial Purchasers promptly and, if requested, confirm such advice in writing, of the happening of any event which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Offering Memorandum untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes (whether through incorporation by reference or otherwise) in the Offering Memorandum (as amended or supplemented from time to time) in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; to advise the Initial Purchasers promptly of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Offering Memorandum, of any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction and of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and to use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Offering Memorandum or suspending any such qualification and, if any such suspension is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible time;

(b) at any time prior to the completion of the distribution by the Initial Purchasers of the Securities, to furnish promptly to each of the Initial Purchasers and counsel for the Initial Purchasers, without charge, as many copies of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum (and any amendments or supplements thereto) as may be reasonably requested;

(c) prior to making any amendment or supplement to the Offering Memorandum, to furnish a copy thereof to each of the Initial Purchasers and counsel for the Initial Purchasers and not to effect any such amendment or supplement to which the Initial

Purchasers shall reasonably object by notice to the Company after a reasonable period to review;

(d) if, at any time prior to completion of the resale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Initial Purchasers or counsel for the Company, to amend or supplement (whether through incorporation by reference or otherwise) the Offering Memorandum in order that the Offering Memorandum will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it is necessary to amend or supplement (whether through incorporation by reference or otherwise) the Offering Memorandum to comply with applicable law, to promptly prepare such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such untrue statement or omission or so that the Offering Memorandum, as so amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law;

(e) for so long as the Securities are outstanding and are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act, to furnish to holders of the Securities and prospective purchasers of the Securities designated by such holders, upon request of such holders or such prospective purchasers, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act, unless the Company is then subject to and in compliance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (the foregoing agreement being for the benefit of the holders from time to time of the Securities and prospective purchasers of the Securities designated by such holders);

(f) unless such reports are available through the Commission’s EDGAR system, for so long as the Securities are outstanding, to furnish to the Initial Purchasers copies of any annual reports, quarterly reports and current reports filed by the Company with the Commission on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, or such other similar forms as may be designated by the Commission, and such other documents, reports and information as shall be furnished by the Company to the Trustee or to the holders of the Securities pursuant to the Indenture or the Exchange Act or any rule or regulation of the Commission thereunder;

(g) to promptly take from time to time such actions as the Initial Purchasers may reasonably request to qualify the Securities for offering and sale by the Initial Purchasers under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Initial Purchasers may designate and to continue such qualifications in effect for so long as required for the resale of the Securities; and to arrange for the determination of the eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Initial Purchasers may reasonably request; provided that neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be obligated to qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or subject itself to taxation in excess of a nominal dollar amount in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

(h) to assist the Initial Purchasers in arranging for the Securities to be designated Private Offerings, Resales and Trading through Automated Linkages (“PORTAL”) Market securities in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”) relating to trading in the PORTAL Market and for the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”);

(i) not to, and to cause its affiliates not to, sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as such term is defined in the Securities Act) which could be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner which would require registration of the Securities under the Securities Act;

(j) except following the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be, not to, and to cause its affiliates not to, and not to authorize or knowingly permit any person acting on their behalf to, solicit any offer to buy or offer to sell the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Regulation D or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act; and not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any securities under circumstances where such offer, sale, contract or disposition would cause the exemption afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act to cease to be applicable to the offering and sale of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum;

(k) for a period of 45 days from the date of the Offering Memorandum, not to offer for sale, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file a registration statement for, or announce any offer, sale, contract for sale of or other disposition of any debt securities with a maturity greater than one year issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than the Securities, the Exchange Securities or under the Revolving Credit Facilities (as defined in the Offering Memorandum)) without the prior written consent of JPMSI;

(l) during the period from the Closing Date until two years after the Closing Date, without the prior written consent of the Initial Purchasers, not to, and not permit any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act) to, resell any of the Securities that have been reacquired by them, except for Securities purchased by the Company or any of its affiliates and resold in a transaction registered under the Securities Act;

(m) not to, for so long as the Securities are outstanding, be or become, or be or become owned by, an open-end investment company, unit investment trust or face-amount certificate company that is or is required to be registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act, and not to be or become, or be or become owned by, a closed-end investment company required to be registered, but not registered thereunder;

(n) in connection with the offering of the Securities, until JPMSI on behalf of the Initial Purchasers shall have notified the Company of the completion of the resale of the Securities, not to, and to cause its affiliated purchasers (as defined in Regulation M under the Exchange Act) not to, either alone or with one or more other persons, bid for or purchase, for any account in which it or any of its affiliated purchasers has a beneficial interest, any Securities, or attempt to induce any person to purchase any Securities; and not to, and to cause its affiliated purchasers not to, make bids or purchase for the purpose of creating actual, or apparent active trading in or of raising the price of the Securities;

(o) in connection with the offering of the Securities, to make its officers, employees, independent accountants and legal counsel reasonably available upon request by the Initial Purchasers;

(p) to do and perform all things required to be done and performed by it under this Agreement that are within its control prior to or after the Closing Date, and to use its reasonable best efforts to satisfy all conditions precedent on its part to the delivery of the Securities;

(q) to not take any action prior to the execution and delivery of the Indenture which, if taken after such execution and delivery, would have violated any of the covenants contained in the Indenture;

(r) to not take any action prior to the Closing Date which would in the Company’s reasonable judgment require the Offering Memorandum to be amended or supplemented pursuant to Section 4(d);

(s) prior to the Closing Date, not to issue any press release or other public communication directly or indirectly (including, without limitation, through a communication on the Company’s website) or hold any press conference with respect to the Company, its condition, financial or otherwise, or earnings, business affairs or business prospects (except for routine oral marketing communications in the ordinary course of business and consistent with the past practices of the Company and of which the Initial Purchasers are notified), without the prior written consent of the Initial Purchasers, which consent may not be unreasonably withheld, unless in the judgment of the Company and its counsel, and after notification to the Initial Purchaser, such press release or communication is required by law; and

(t) to apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as set forth in the Offering Memorandum under the heading “Use of proceeds.”

(u) not to take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

5. Conditions of Initial Purchasers’ Obligations. The respective obligations of the several Initial Purchasers hereunder are subject to the accuracy, on and as of the date hereof

and the Closing Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant hereto, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:

(a) The Offering Memorandum (and any amendments or supplements thereto) shall have been printed and copies distributed to the Initial Purchasers as promptly as practicable on or following the date of this Agreement or at such other date and time as to which the Initial Purchasers may agree; and no stop order suspending the sale of the Securities in any jurisdiction shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been commenced or shall be pending or threatened.

(b) All requisite corporate, limited liability company and limited partnership proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of each of the Transaction Documents and the Offering Memorandum, and all other legal matters relating to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby, shall be satisfactory in all material respects to the Initial Purchasers and the Company shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers all documents and information that they or their counsel may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(c) McGuireWoods LLP shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers their written opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, substantially to the effect set forth in Annex B hereto.

(d) The Initial Purchasers shall have received from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Initial Purchasers may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents and information as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(e) The Company shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers a letter (the “Initial Letter”) of Ernst & Young, addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the date hereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to the Initial Purchasers and counsel for the Initial Purchasers.

(f) The Company shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers a letter (the “Bring-Down Letter”) of Ernst & Young, addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the Closing Date (A) confirming that they are independent public accountants with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries within the meaning of Rule 101 of the Code of Professional Conduct of the AICPA and its interpretations and rulings thereunder, (B) stating, as of the date of the Bring-Down Letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Offering Memorandum, as of a date not more than three business days prior to the date of the Bring-Down Letter), that the conclusions and findings of such accountants with respect to the financial information and other matters

covered by the Initial Letter are accurate and (C) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the Initial Letter.

(g) The Company shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of its Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and its Controller stating that (A) such officers have carefully examined the Offering Memorandum, (B) in their opinion, the Offering Memorandum, as of its date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and since the date of the Offering Memorandum, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Offering Memorandum (whether through incorporation by reference or otherwise) so that the Offering Memorandum (as so amended or supplemented) would not include any untrue statement of a material fact and would not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (C) as of the Closing Date, the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects, (D) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or prior to the Closing Date, (E) subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements contained in the Offering Memorandum, (i) there has been no change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into any transaction, incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, where such transaction, liability or obligation is material, either individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, where such occurrence or event is material, either individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum, and (F) subsequent to the execution and delivery of the Purchase Agreement (i) no downgrading has occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any of the Company’s other debt securities or preferred stock by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act and (ii) no such organization has publicly announced or notified the Company that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or any of the Company’s other debt securities or preferred stock (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

(h) The Company shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers a certificate, dated the date hereof, of its Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and its Controller, with respect to financial information relating to fiscal years audited by Arthur Andersen, providing “Management Comfort” with respect to such information to the extent Ernst & Young is unable to provide such comfort, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, to the effect set forth in Annex C hereto.

(i) The Company shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and its Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, to the effect set forth in Annex D hereto.

(j) The Initial Purchasers shall have received a counterpart of the Registration Rights Agreement which shall have been executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Company.

(k) The Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, and the Securities shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee.

(l) The Securities shall have been approved by the NASD for trading in the PORTAL Market and shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.

(m) If any event shall have occurred that requires the Company under Section 4(d) to prepare an amendment or supplement to the Offering Memorandum, such amendment or supplement shall have been prepared, the Initial Purchasers shall have been given a reasonable opportunity to comment thereon, and copies thereof shall have been delivered to the Initial Purchasers reasonably in advance of the Closing Date.

(n) There shall not have occurred any invalidation of Rule 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act by any court or any withdrawal or proposed withdrawal of any rule or regulation under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act by the Commission or any amendment or proposed amendment thereof by the Commission which in the reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers would materially impair the ability of the Initial Purchasers to purchase, hold or effect resales of the Securities contemplated hereby.

(o) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Offering Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein), (i) there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither

the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into any transaction, incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, where such transaction, liability or obligation is material, either individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, where such occurrence or event is material, either individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum, the effect of which, in any such case described above, in the judgment of JPMSI makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein).

(p) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body which would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.

(q) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any of the Company’s other debt securities or preferred stock by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced or have notified the Company that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or any of the Company’s other debt securities or preferred stock (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

(r) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities or material disruption of securities clearance or settlement systems shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of JPMSI, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum.

(s) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its significant subsidiaries, as defined pursuant to Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X, in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in the other jurisdictions as JPMSI may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication, from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(t) The Company shall have furnished to the Initial Purchasers a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of its Treasurer, with respect to the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ compliance with any term, covenant or condition restricting the extent to which the Company or its Subsidiaries may enter into loan agreements which prohibit the payment of dividends or the making of loans or transferring of property to the Company or to other Subsidiaries contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument evidencing indebtedness to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of their property or assets is subject, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, to the effect set forth in Annex E hereto.

All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

6. Termination. The obligations of the Initial Purchasers hereunder may be terminated by the Initial Purchasers, in their sole absolute discretion, by notice given to and received by the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Section 5(n), (o), (p), (q) or (r) shall have occurred and be continuing.

7. Defaulting Initial Purchaser. (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Initial Purchaser defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Initial Purchaser, the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Initial Purchaser, either the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full Business Days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Initial Purchasers may be necessary in the Offering Memorandum or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Offering Memorandum that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Initial Purchaser” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule I hereto that, pursuant to this Section 7, purchases Securities that a defaulting Initial Purchaser agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers by the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Initial Purchaser to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Initial Purchaser agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Initial Purchaser’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Initial Purchaser agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers for which such arrangements have not been made.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers by the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers or the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 8 and Section 12 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 9 and Section 10 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Initial Purchaser of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Initial Purchaser for damages caused by its default.

8. Reimbursement of Initial Purchasers’ Expenses. If (a) this Agreement shall have been terminated pursuant to Section 6 or Section 7, (b) the Company shall fail to tender the Securities for delivery to the Initial Purchasers for any reason other than by reason of a default by the Initial Purchasers or (c) the Initial Purchasers shall decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company shall reimburse the Initial Purchasers for such out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) as shall have been reasonably incurred by the Initial Purchasers in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase and resale of the Securities.

9. Indemnification. (a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents, and each person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively referred to for purposes of this Section 9(a) and Section 10 as an Initial Purchaser), from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, without limitation, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of the Securities), to which that Initial Purchaser may become subject, whether commenced or threatened, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Offering Memorandum or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in

any information provided by the Company pursuant to Section 4(e) or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and shall reimburse each Initial Purchaser promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Initial Purchaser in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against or appearing as a third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with any Initial Purchasers’ Information; and provided, further, that with respect to any such untrue statement in or omission from the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 9(a) shall not inure to the benefit of any such Initial Purchaser to the extent that the sale to the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action was an initial resale by such Initial Purchaser and any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action of or with respect to such Initial Purchaser results from the fact that both (A) to the extent required by applicable law a copy of the Offering Memorandum was not sent or given to such person at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person and (B) the untrue statement in or omission from the Preliminary Offering Memorandum was corrected in the Offering Memorandum unless, in either case, such failure to deliver the Offering Memorandum was a result of non-compliance by the Company with Section 4(b).

(b) Each Initial Purchaser shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its affiliates, their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively referred to for purposes of this Section 9(b) and Section 10 as the Company), from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which the Company may become subject, whether commenced or threatened, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum or the Offering Memorandum or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with any Initial Purchasers’ Information, and shall reimburse the Company promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against or appearing as a third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in

respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party pursuant to Section 9(a) or 9(b), notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 9 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and, provided, further, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 9. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 9 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that an indemnified party shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel for the indemnified party will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based upon advice of counsel to the indemnified party) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based upon advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to no more than one local counsel in any jurisdiction) at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. Each indemnified party, as a condition of the indemnity agreements contained in Sections 9(a) and 9(b), shall use all reasonable efforts to cooperate with the indemnifying party in the defense of any such action or claim. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with its written consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceedings.

The obligations of the Company and the Initial Purchasers in this Section 9 and in Section 10 are in addition to any other liability that the Company or the Initial Purchasers, as the case may be, may otherwise have, including in respect of any breaches of representations, warranties and agreements made herein by any such party.

10. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 9 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 9(a) or 9(b), then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, 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 with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by or on behalf of the Company, on the one hand, and the total discounts and commissions received by the Initial Purchasers with respect to the Securities purchased under this Agreement, on the other, bear to the total gross proceeds from the sale of the Securities under this Agreement. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to the Company or information supplied by the Company on the one hand or to any Initial Purchasers’ Information on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omissions. The Company and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 10 were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 10 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 10, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, the Initial Purchasers shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discounts and commissions received by such Initial Purchaser with respect to the Securities purchased by it under this Agreement exceeds the amount of any damages which such Initial Purchaser has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

11. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Initial Purchasers, the Company and their respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except as provided in Sections 9 and 10 with respect to affiliates, officers, directors, employees, representatives, agents and controlling persons of the Company and the Initial Purchasers and in Section 4(e) with respect to holders and prospective purchasers of the Securities. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section 11, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.

12. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers to pay (a) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (b) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and distribution of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Offering Memorandum and any amendments or supplements thereto; (c) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (d) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and delivery of the certificates evidencing the Securities, including stamp duties and transfer taxes, if any, payable upon issuance of the Securities; (e) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (f) the reasonable fees and expenses of qualifying the Securities under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 4(g) and of preparing, printing and distributing Blue Sky Memoranda (including related fees and expenses of counsel for the Initial Purchasers); (g) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (h) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (i) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with the application for the inclusion of the Securities on the PORTAL Market and the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by DTC; and (j) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 12; provided, however, that except as provided in this Section 12 and Section 8, the Initial Purchasers shall pay their own costs and expenses, including the fees, disbursements and expenses of its counsel, its road-show costs and any transfer taxes on the Securities that it may sell.

13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Initial Purchasers contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Initial Purchasers pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of any of them or any of their respective affiliates, officers, directors, employees, representatives, agents or controlling persons.

14. Notices, etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:

(a) if to the Initial Purchasers, shall be delivered or sent by mail or telecopy transmission to J. P. Morgan Securities Inc., 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Mr. Gerry Murray (telecopier no.: (212) 270-0994); or

(b) if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail or telecopy transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Offering Memorandum, Attention: Mr. Daniel G. Stevens, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (telecopier no.: (757) 365-3025), with a copy to Jane Whitt Sellers., Esq., McGuireWoods LLP (telecopier no.: (804) 698-2170);

provided that any notice to an Initial Purchaser pursuant to Section 9(c) shall also be delivered or sent by mail to such Initial Purchaser at its address set forth on the signature page hereof. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or agreement given or made on behalf of the Initial Purchasers by JPMSI.

15. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) the term “business day” means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and commercial banks in New York, New York and Richmond, Virginia are open for trading or business, (b) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and (c) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

16. Initial Purchasers’ Information. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, for all purposes of this Agreement, the Initial Purchasers’ Information consists solely of the following information in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Offering Memorandum: the statements concerning the Initial Purchasers contained in the third and eleventh paragraphs, and the fifth and sixth sentences of the ninth paragraph under the heading “Plan of distribution,” the fifth and sixth sentences of the first paragraph under the heading “Summary—The offering—Transfer restrictions,” the second and third sentences of the second paragraph under the heading “Risk factors—The lack of a public market for the notes and restrictions on resale of the notes may limit the liquidity of the notes,” and, with respect to each Initial Purchaser, such Initial Purchaser’s name at it appears on the cover.

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

18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by telecopier) and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed agreement, counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

19. Amendments. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto (it being understood that the successful delivery of and payment for the Securities shall constitute an effective waiver of any outstanding

pre-closing condition contained in Section 5 hereof, known to the Initial Purchasers on the Closing Date).

20. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument will become a binding agreement between the Company and the several Initial Purchasers in accordance with its terms.

Very truly yours,
SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.

By
		Name:
		Title:

Accepted:

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

RABO SECURITIES USA, INC.

SUNTRUST CAPITAL MARKETS INC.

BMO NESBIT BURNS CORP.

ING FINANCIAL MARKETS LLC

BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP.

By: J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

By
		Authorized Signatory