Form of Underwriting Agreement

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Underwriting Agreements
EX-1.1 2 d212165dex11.htm EX-1.1 EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

Steinway Musical Instruments Holdings, Inc.

Class A Common Stock

(par value $0.0001 per share)

 

 

Underwriting Agreement

            , 2022

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

BofA Securities, Inc.

Barclays Capital Inc.

As representatives (the “Representatives” or “you”) of the several Underwriters

    named in Schedule I hereto,

c/o Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

200 West Street

New York, New York 10282

c/o BofA Securities, Inc.

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

c/o Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The stockholders named in Schedule II hereto (the “Selling Stockholders”) of Steinway Musical Instruments Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), propose, subject to the terms and conditions stated in this agreement (this “Agreement”), to sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of                  shares of Class A Common Stock (the “Stock”), of the Company and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to                  additional shares of Stock. The aggregate                  shares of Stock to be sold by the Selling Stockholders is herein called the “Firm Shares” and the aggregate of                  additional shares of Stock to be sold by the Selling Stockholders is herein called the “Optional Shares.” The Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof are herein collectively called the “Shares.”

The Company and the Underwriters agree that up to 5% shares of the Firm Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters (the “Reserved Shares” and the sale of the Reserved Shares, the “Reserved Share Program”) shall be reserved for sale by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (an affiliate of BofA Securities, Inc., hereinafter referred to as “Merrill Lynch”) to certain persons designated by the Company (the “Invitees”), as part of the distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters, subject to the terms of this Agreement, the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations. The Company has solely determined, without any direct or indirect participation by the underwriters or Merrill Lynch, the Invitees who will purchase Reserved Securities

 

1


(including the amount to be purchased by such persons) sold by Merrill Lynch. To the extent that such Reserved Shares are not orally confirmed for purchase by Invitees by 11:59 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of this Agreement, such Reserved Shares may be offered to the public as part of the public offering contemplated hereby.

1.    (a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:

(i)    A registration statement on Form S–1 (File No. 333-            ) (the “Initial Registration Statement”) in respect of the Shares has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to you, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and including the information contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration Statement”; the Preliminary Prospectus relating to the Shares that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(a)(iii) hereof) is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus”; such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act or Rule 163B under the Act is hereinafter called a “Testing-the-Waters Communication”; and any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act is hereinafter called a “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication”; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Shares is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”);

(ii)(A)    No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information (as defined in Section 9(c) of this Agreement);

 

2


(iii)    For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” is                  [a.m./p.m.] (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement; the Pricing Prospectus, as supplemented by the information listed on Schedule III(c) hereto, taken together (collectively, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”), as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of each Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4(a) of this Agreement) will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each Written Testing-the-Waters Communication does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of each Time of Delivery, will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information;

(iv)    The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement, as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, and as of each Time of Delivery, 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 (in the case of the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information;

(v)    Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, (i) sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree or (ii) entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, there has not been (x) any change in the capital stock (other than as a result of (i) the exercise, if any, of stock options or the award, if any, of stock options or restricted stock in the ordinary course of business pursuant to the Company’s equity plans that are described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, (ii) the issuance, if any, of stock upon conversion of Company securities as described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or (iii) the Class B Reclassification, Stock Split and Distribution, each as defined and described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus) or long-term debt of the Company or

 

3


any of its subsidiaries or (y) any Material Adverse Effect (as defined below); as used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any material adverse change or effect, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change or effect, in or affecting (i) the business, properties, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, or (ii) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(vi)    The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, 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;

(vii)    Each of the Company and each of its subsidiaries has been (i) duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing and in good standing (to the extent the concept of good standing or a similar concept exists in the relevant jurisdiction) under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) duly qualified as a foreign corporation, limited liability company or partnership for the transaction of business and is in good standing (where such concept exists) under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except, in the case of this clause (ii), where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing (or foreign equivalent) would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and each significant subsidiary of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) has been listed in the Registration Statement;

(viii)    The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders, have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform in all material respects to the description of the Stock contained in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of, or other equity interest in, each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(ix)    The sale of the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders and the compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement and the Pricing Prospectus will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, (A) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or

 

4


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, in the case of this clause (A) for such defaults, conflicts, breaches, or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (B) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other applicable organizational document) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (C) any statute or any judgment, 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 in the case of this clause (C) for such breaches, violations or defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to 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 sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the offering of the Reserved Shares in any jurisdiction where the Reserved Shares are being offered, except such as have been obtained under the Act, the approval by FINRA of the underwriting terms and arrangements and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;

(x)    Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other applicable organizational document), (ii) in violation of any statute or any judgment, 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, or (iii) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except, in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) and (iii), for such violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(xi)    The statements set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock and under the captions “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders” and “Underwriting,” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects;

(xii)    Other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (“Actions”) pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any officer or director of the Company is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any officer or director of the Company is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or such officer or director), would individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or others;

(xiii)    The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholders, will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);

 

5


(xiv)    At the time of filing the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Shares, and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act;

(xv)     Crowe LLP, which has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

(xvi)    The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) that (i) complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to the Company, (ii) has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and (iii) is sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting (it being understood that this subsection shall not require the Company to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) as of an earlier date than it would otherwise be required to so comply under applicable law);

(xvii)    Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;

(xviii)    The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to the Company; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, such disclosure controls and procedures are effective;

(xix)    This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

 

6


(xx)    Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer or employee nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any agent or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has, directly or indirectly, (i) made, offered, promised or authorized any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment, bribe, kickback, rebate, payoff, influence payment or other unlawful benefit, expense or anything of value to any government official or any political party or official thereof or any candidate for political office (or taken any act in furtherance thereof); (ii) received, made, offered, promised or authorized any direct or indirect unlawful payment of any money or other property; or (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or the rules and regulations thereunder, the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-corruption, anti-bribery or related law, statute or regulation (collectively, “Anti-Corruption Laws”); the Company and its subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with the Anti-Corruption Laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein;

(xxi)    The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with the requirements of applicable anti-money laundering laws, including, but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended by the USA PATRIOT ACT of 2001, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the applicable anti-money laundering laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulation or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened;

(xxii)      Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer or employee nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any agent or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is (i) currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person,” the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, the United Nations Security Council or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), (ii) located, organized, or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of country-wide or territory-wide Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, Crimea, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and so-called Luhansk People’s Republic or any other Covered Region of Ukraine as may be identified by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, pursuant to Executive Order 14065, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria) (each, a “Sanctioned Jurisdiction”) or (iii) is owned or controlled by any person described in (i) or (ii), and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (x) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Jurisdiction or (y)

 

7


in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is engaged in, will engage in, or has, at any time in the past five years, engaged in, any dealings or transactions with or involving any individual or entity that was or is, as applicable, at the time of such dealing or transaction, the subject or target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Jurisdiction, in violation of Sanctions; the Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, and maintain, policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve continued compliance with Sanctions;

(xxiii)     The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly, in all material respects and in accordance with GAAP, the information required to be stated therein. The summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information shown therein and, other than the non-GAAP measures, have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus under the Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Act, to the extent applicable;

(xxiv)     Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) own or otherwise possess adequate rights to use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names, copyrights and registrations, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights, including in know-how, software, systems and technology (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted, (ii) do not, through the conduct of their respective businesses, infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate or conflict with any such right of others and (iii) have not received any written notice of any claim of infringement, violation or conflict with, any such rights of others. To the Company’s knowledge, no third party is materially infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating any Intellectual Property owned by the Company or one of its subsidiaries, in a manner that is reasonably likely to materially damage or disrupt the business of the Company. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to, nor has the Company or any of its subsidiaries received written notice of, any material pending, or threatened in writing, action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property, owned or purported to be owned by the Company or one of its subsidiaries. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable steps to protect and maintain their material Intellectual Property, and safeguard their material trade secrets and other know-how;

 

8


(xxv)    Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, databases and, to the Company’s knowledge, all other information technology equipment, systems and infrastructure used in connection with the operation of the businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, “IT Systems”) (i) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, (ii) have not malfunctioned or failed in the past three (3) years and (iii) to the Company’s knowledge are free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants, including software or hardware components that are designed to interrupt use of, permit unauthorized access to or disable, damage or erase the IT Systems and data. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures reasonably necessary and implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards designed to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and information defined under the applicable laws, rules, regulations and statutes and judgments, orders, rulings and other directives of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority related to the processing and security of identifiable information about individuals (“Data Privacy Laws”) as “personal data,” “personal information,” or an equivalent term (“Personal Data”) used, gathered or accessed in connection with their businesses, and to the Company’s knowledge there have been no breaches, violations, or unauthorized uses of or accesses to Personal Data, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any person, nor any material incidents under investigations by a governmental authority relating to the same. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Company and its subsidiaries, the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all (i) contractual obligations of the Company and its subsidiaries concerning data protection, privacy and security with respect to Personal Data, and (ii) any applicable Data Privacy Laws;

(xxvi)     No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included in any of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith;

(xxvii)    Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects, and the Company has obtained the written consent for the use of such data from such sources to the extent applicable and required;

(xxviii)     To the extent that the Sarbanes Oxley Act has been applicable to the Company, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications;

 

9


(xxix)     Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in connection with the offering of the Shares;

(xxx)     The Company and each of its subsidiaries have such permits, licenses, approvals, consents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“Permits”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their respective properties and conduct their respective businesses in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any proceedings related to the revocation or modification of any such Permits that, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(xxxi)     The Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are insured against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, prudent and customary in the business in which they are engaged;

(xxxii)     From the time of the initial confidential submission of a registration statement relating to the Shares with the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”);

(xxxiii)    Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus and would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any applicable federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, rule of common law or order of or with any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, management, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic chemicals, substances or wastes (including, without limitation, petroleum or petroleum products, or asbestos-containing materials or toxic mold) (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or relating to pollution or the protection of the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), wildlife or human health (solely to the extent related to exposure to Hazardous Materials) or relating to exposure to or the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written claim, written request for information or written notice of liability or investigation arising under, relating to or based upon Environmental Laws, (C) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is aware of any pending or threatened notice, claim, proceeding or investigation relating to Environmental Laws, (D) the Company does not anticipate incurring material capital expenditures relating to compliance with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, investigation or closure of contaminated properties in accordance with Environmental Laws, any related constraints on operating activities arising out of any such clean-up, investigation or closure, and any potential liabilities to third parties related to such contaminated properties) and (E) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” at any site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended;

 

10


(xxxiv)    Except as would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (A) each Plan (as defined below) has been sponsored, maintained and contributed to in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); (B) no non-exempt prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan; (C) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 302 of ERISA, no failure to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur (excluding those for which the provision for 30-day notice to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto (the “PBGC”) has been waived by regulation); (D) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than those events as to which notice is waived) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (E) neither the Company nor any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code) has incurred, nor is reasonably expected to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to any Plan or any Multiemployer Plan (as defined below) or premiums to the PBGC, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan or a Multiemployer Plan; (F) there is no pending audit or investigation by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the PBGC or any other governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to any Plan; and (G) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received, or has time remaining to receive, a favorable determination or opinion letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or may rely upon a favorable opinion letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification. Except as would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, none of the following events has occurred: (x) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company or its subsidiaries in the current fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year; or (y) a material increase in the Company and its subsidiaries’ “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year. For purposes of this paragraph, (x) the term “Plan” means an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, subject to Title IV of ERISA, but excluding any Multiemployer Plan, for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code) has any liability and (y) the term “Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA;

(xxxv)    Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no labor strike, lockout or similar labor dispute with current or former employees or officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the

 

11


Company’s knowledge, is threatened. To the Company’s knowledge, there is no existing or threatened labor dispute by the employees of any of the Company’s principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no dispute between the Company or its subsidiaries and any of their material suppliers or vendors that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries are in material compliance with all applicable laws and regulations respecting labor and employment matters, including, without limitation, fair employment practices, harassment, discrimination, pay equity, the classification of independent contractors and employees, workplace safety and health, work authorization and immigration, unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation, affirmative action, terms and conditions of employment, employee leave and wages and hours, including payment of minimum wages and overtime;

(xxxvi)    There are no debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act;

(xxxvii)    The Company and each of its subsidiaries have timely filed all U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement, or have requested permitted extensions thereof, and have timely paid all taxes required to be paid by them (except for (i) where the failure to file or pay would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) where any such taxes are currently being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves required by GAAP have been established in the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries that has had, nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;

(xxxviii)    There are no off-balance sheet arrangements (as defined in Regulation S-K Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of the Act) that have or are reasonably likely to have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources;

(xxxix)    The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication comply in all material respects, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply in all material respects, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Reserved Share Program;

(xl)    No authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration or qualification of or with any government, governmental instrumentality or court, other than such as have been obtained, is necessary under the securities laws and regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Reserved Shares are offered outside the United States;

 

12


(xli)    The Company has specifically directed in writing the allocation of Shares to each Invitee in the Reserved Share Program, and neither Merrill Lynch nor any Underwriter has had any involvement or influence, directly or indirectly, in such allocation decision (including the amount to be purchased by such persons); and

(xlii)    The Company has not offered, or caused Merrill Lynch or its affiliates to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Reserved Share Program (i) for any consideration other than the cash payment of the initial public offering price per share set forth in Schedule II hereof or (ii) with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (x) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer or supplier’s terms, level or type of business with the Company or (y) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.

(b)    Each of the Selling Stockholders severally represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters and the Company that:

(i)    All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders necessary for the execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholder of this Agreement, and for the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, have been obtained, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations and orders as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters, the approval of the underwriting terms and arrangements by FINRA or the approval for listing on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) and except where the failure to obtain any such consent, approval, authorization or order would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Selling Stockholder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and such Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder;

(ii)    The sale of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder and the compliance by such Selling Stockholder with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not (A) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any statute, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Stockholder is subject, or (B) result in any violation of (1) the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of such Selling Stockholder if such Selling Stockholder is a corporation (or similar applicable organizational document) or (2) any statute applicable to such Selling Stockholder or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries or any property or assets of such Selling Stockholder, except, in the case of clauses (A) or (B)(2) for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to materially impair the ability of such Selling Stockholder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental body or agency is required for the performance by such Selling Stockholder of its obligations under this Agreement and the consummation by such Selling Stockholder of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the Shares to be sold by such

 

13


Selling Stockholder hereunder, except the registration under the Act of the Shares, the approval by FINRA of the underwriting terms and arrangements, the approval for listing on the Exchange and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters or such that, if not obtained, would not, individually or in the aggregate, affect the validity of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the ability of such Selling Stockholder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(iii)    Such Selling Stockholder has, and immediately prior to each Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) such Selling Stockholder will have, good and valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code in respect of, the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder at such Time of Delivery, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims; and, upon delivery of such Shares and payment therefor pursuant hereto, good and valid title to such Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, will pass to the several Underwriters;

(iv)    On or prior to the date of the Pricing Prospectus, such Selling Stockholder has executed and delivered to the Underwriters an agreement substantially in the form of Annex II hereto.

(v)    Such Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares;

(vi)    To the extent that any statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto are made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Stockholder Information (as defined below), such Registration Statement and Preliminary Prospectus did, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will, when they become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, it being understood and agreed for the purposes of this Agreement, the “Selling Stockholder Information” for such Selling Stockholder consists only of (A) such Selling Stockholder’s legal name, address and the shares of Stock beneficially owned by such Selling Stockholder before and after the offering contemplated hereby and (B) the other information with respect to such Selling Stockholder (excluding percentages) which appear under the caption “Principal and Selling Stockholders” in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto;

(vii)    In order to document the Underwriters’ compliance with the reporting and withholding provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 with respect to the transactions herein contemplated, such Selling Stockholder will deliver to you prior to or at the First Time of Delivery a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 or Form W-8, as applicable (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof);

 

14


(viii)    Such Selling Stockholder will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person or entity, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or the target of comprehensive Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person or entity (including any person or entity participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions, or (ii) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any Money Laundering Laws or any applicable Anti-Corruption Laws; and

(ix)    If a Selling Stockholder is an entity, such Selling Stockholder has been duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization;

(x)    To the extent a Selling Stockholder is organized in a jurisdiction outside of the United States (the “Non-U.S. Selling Stockholder”), (A) such Non-U.S. Selling Stockholder represents that no stamp, documentary, issuance, registration, transfer, withholding, capital gains, income or other taxes or duties are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters, the Company or any of its subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands or to any taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or consummation of this Agreement, (ii) the sale and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters, or (iii) the resale and delivery of the Shares by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein; and (B) such Non-U.S. Selling Stockholder has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 18 has, to the extent permitted by law, legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Courts (as defined in Section 18), and has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to Section 18, has legally, validly and effectively designated, appointed and empowered an agent for service of process in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any of the U.S. Courts.

2.    Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) each of the Selling Stockholders agrees, severally and not jointly, to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from each of the Selling Stockholders, at a purchase price per share of $            , the number of Firm Shares (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be sold by each of the Selling Stockholders as set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II hereto by a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased by all of the Underwriters from all of the Selling Stockholders hereunder and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, each of the Selling Stockholders, as and to the extent indicated in Schedule II hereto agree, severally and not jointly, to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from each of the Selling Stockholders, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2 (provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal

 

15


to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares), that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder.

Each of the Selling Stockholders, as and to the extent indicated in Schedule II hereto, hereby grant, severally and not jointly, to the Underwriters the right to purchase at their election up to                  Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth in the paragraph above, provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares shall be made in proportion to the maximum number of Optional Shares to be sold by all Selling Stockholders as set forth in Schedule II hereto in proportion to the maximum number of Optional Shares to be sold by each Selling Stockholder as set forth in Schedule II hereto. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Company and the Selling Stockholders, given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement and setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) or, unless you and the Company and the Selling Stockholders otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.

3.    Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

4.    (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in definitive or book-entry form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours’ prior notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders to the Representatives, through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Selling Stockholders to the Representatives at least forty-eight hours in advance. The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on                 , 2022 or such other time and date as the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholders may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date specified by the Representatives in each written notice given by the Representatives of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Stockholders may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the “First Time of Delivery,” each such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the “Second Time of Delivery,” and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a “Time of Delivery.”

(b)    The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Shares and any additional

 

16


documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(l) hereof will be delivered at the offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 601 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022 (the “Closing Location”), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at                  p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, “New York Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

5.    The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:

(a)    To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to file promptly all material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Shares, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;

(b)    Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may reasonably request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation (where not otherwise required) or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction (where not otherwise required) or subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction in which it was not otherwise subject to taxation;

(c)    Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement (or such other time as may be agreed by the Company and the Representatives) and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with

 

17


the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, to notify you and upon your request to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as you may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as you may reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;

(d)    To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act) (which may be satisfied by filing with the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (“EDGAR”) system), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);

(e)    (i) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date that is one hundred and eighty (180) days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), not to (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, hedge, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any options or warrants to purchase shares of Stock or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such substantially similar securities, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing (provided that the Company shall notify the Representatives at least three business days prior to confidentially submitting to the Commission any registration statement under the Act during the Lock-Up Period) or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise (other than the Shares to be sold hereunder or pursuant to employee stock option plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement), without the prior written consent of the Representatives; provided, however, that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (A) the Stock to be sold hereunder (including the Reserved Shares), (B) the issuance by the Company of shares of Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant, in connection with the vesting and/or settlement of restricted stock, or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof as described in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus, (C) the grant of compensatory equity-based awards, and/or the issuance of shares of Stock with respect thereto, made pursuant to compensatory equity-based plans disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus, or Prospectus, (D) any shares of Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director compensation plan or program disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus, or Prospectus, (E) the purchase of shares of Stock

 

18


pursuant to employee stock purchase plans described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus, or Prospectus, (F) the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 to register Stock issuable pursuant to any employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans, described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus, or Prospectus, (G) Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock, or the entrance into an agreement to issue Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock, in connection with any merger, joint venture, strategic alliances, commercial or other collaborative transaction or the acquisition or license of the business, property, technology or other assets of another individual or entity or the assumption of an employee benefit plan in connection with a merger or acquisition; provided that the aggregate number of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock that the Company may issue or agree to issue pursuant to this clause (G) shall not exceed 5% of the total outstanding share capital of the Company immediately following the completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and provided further, that the recipients of any such shares of Common Stock and securities issued pursuant to this clause (G) during the Lock-Up Period shall enter into an agreement substantially in the form attached hereto on or prior to such issuance, or (H) facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a stockholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period and (ii) no public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act shall be voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan during the Lock-Up Period and to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Lock-Up Period; provided that each recipient of any Stock pledged, issued or sold pursuant to clauses (B), (C) and (D) above executes and delivers to the Representatives prior to such pledge, issuance or sale, as the case may be, an agreement having substantially the same terms as the lock-up letters described in Section 8(j) hereof;

(ii)    If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions in lock-up letters pursuant to Section 1(b)(iv) or Section 8(j) hereof, in each case for an officer or director of the Company, and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Annex I hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver;

(f)    During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail; provided that no report or other information need to be furnished pursuant to this Section 5(f) to the extent that it is available on EDGAR;

 

19


(g)    During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as you may from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to the Commission), provided that such information be deemed furnished if filed with EDGAR;

(h)    To use its best efforts to list for trading, subject to official notice of issuance, the Shares on the Exchange;

(i)    To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Act;

(j)    If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 3a(c) of the Commission’s Informal and Other Procedures (16 CFR 202.3a);

(k)    Upon reasonable request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Shares (the “License”); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred;

(l)    To promptly notify you if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Act and (ii) the last Time of Delivery;

(m)    To comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Reserved Shares are offered in connection with the Reserved Share Program; the Company hereby agrees that it will ensure that the Reserved Shares will be restricted as required by FINRA or the FINRA rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of this Agreement. Merrill Lynch will notify the Company as to which persons will need to be so restricted. At the request of the Underwriters or Merrill Lynch, the Company will direct the transfer agent to place a stop transfer restriction upon such Shares for such period of time. Should the Company release, or seek to release, from such restrictions any of the Reserved Shares, the Company agrees to reimburse Merrill Lynch for any reasonable expenses (including, without limitation, legal expenses) they incur in connection with such release.

6.    (a) The Company represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; each Selling Stockholder represents

 

20


and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus; and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus required to be filed with the Commission; any such free writing prospectus the use of which has been consented to by the Company and the Representatives is listed on Schedule III(a) hereto;

(b)    The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending; and the Company represents that it has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions under Rule 433 under the Act to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show;

(c)    The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Representatives, except in the case of any such untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and conformity with the Underwriter Information, and, if requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission;

(d)    The Company represents and agrees that (i) it has not engaged in, or authorized any other person to engage in, any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the prior consent of the Representatives with entities that the Company reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Act; and (ii) it has not distributed, or authorized any other person to distribute, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, other than those distributed with the prior consent of the Representatives that are listed on Schedule III(d) hereto; and the Company reconfirms that the Underwriters have been authorized to act on its behalf in engaging in Testing-the-Waters Communications; and

(e)    Each Underwriter represents and agrees that any Testing-the-Waters Communications undertaken by it were with entities that such Underwriter reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Act.

7.    The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing

 

21


any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the Exchange; and (v) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates, if applicable (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section, provided, however, that the amount payable by the Company for the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters described in subsections (iii) and (v) of this Section 7 shall not exceed $35,000 in the aggregate; and (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations or any roadshow undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Shares, including without limitation, fifty percent (50%) of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the roadshow (the remaining fifty percent (50%) of the cost of such aircraft to be paid by the Underwriters), as well as expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged by the Company in connection with the investor presentations or roadshow presentations. Each Selling Stockholder covenants and agrees with the Company and the several Underwriters that such Selling Stockholder will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of such Selling Stockholder’s obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section, including (i) any fees and expenses of counsel for such Selling Stockholder and (ii) all expenses and taxes incident to the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters hereunder. In addition, the Company shall pay or cause to be paid all fees and disbursements of counsel for Merrill Lynch in connection with the Reserved Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by Merrill Lynch in connection with the Reserved Share Program. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 9 and 12 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make and all travel and lodging expenses of the Underwriters and their representatives and counsel.

8.    The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders herein are, at and as of the Applicable Time and such Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have performed all of its and their obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

(a)    The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; all material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 433; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that

 

22


purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Pricing Prospectus, Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;

(b)    Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to you such written opinion or opinions and negative assurance letter, dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

(c)    Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion and negative assurance letter, dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to you;

(d)    Maples and Calder (Cayman) LLP, counsel for each of the Selling Stockholders, shall have furnished to you their written opinion with respect to each of the Selling Stockholders for whom they are acting as counsel, dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you;

(e)    On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this Agreement, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, Crowe LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you;

(f)     (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than as a result of (A) the exercise, if any, of stock options, the settlement, if any, of restricted stock units, or the award, if any, of stock options, restricted stock units or restricted stock or other awards pursuant to the Company’s equity plans that are described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, (B) the issuance, if any, of Stock upon exercise or conversion of Company securities as described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or (C) the Class B Reclassification, Stock Split and Distribution, as defined and described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus), or any increase in long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change or effect, or any development involving a prospective change or effect, in or affecting (x) the business, properties, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, or (y) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in your judgment so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

 

23


(g)    On or after the Applicable Time (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities;

(h)    On or after the Applicable Time there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the Nasdaq or the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York or State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in your judgment makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in this Agreement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(i)    The Shares to be sold at such Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed, subject to official notice of issuance, on the Exchange;

(j)    The Company shall have obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed copies of an agreement from each officer, director, and stockholder of the Company, substantially to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto in form and substance satisfactory to you;

(k)    The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement;

(l)    The Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company and of the Selling Stockholders, respectively, satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders, respectively, herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of all of their respective obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to such other matters as you may reasonably request, and the Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished certificates as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (f) of this Section 8;

(m)    The Chief Financial Officer of the Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at such Time of Delivery a certificate in form and substance satisfactory to you; and

(n)    The Company and the Selling Stockholders will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), on or before the date of execution of this Agreement, a properly completed and executed Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers, together with copies of identifying documentation, and the Company and Selling Stockholders undertake to provide such additional supporting documentation as each Underwriter may reasonably request in connection with the verification of the foregoing certification.

 

24


9.    (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “roadshow” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Act (a “roadshow”), any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (other than the Registration Statement, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any out-of-pocket legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim 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 or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(b)    Each of the Selling Stockholders will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any roadshow or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (other than the Registration Statement, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Stockholder Information; and will reimburse each Underwriter for any out-of-pocket legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that such Selling Stockholder shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Testing-the-Waters Communication in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information; provided, further, that the liability of such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this subsection (b) shall not exceed the product of the number of Shares sold by such Selling Stockholder including any Optional Shares and the price per Share referenced in Section 2 hereof (each such amount, the “Selling Stockholder Proceeds”).

 

25


(c)    Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each Selling Stockholder against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or such Selling Stockholder may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information; and will reimburse the Company and each Selling Stockholder for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or such Selling Stockholder in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred. As used in this Agreement with respect to an Underwriter and an applicable document, “Underwriter Information” shall mean the written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the 5th paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”, the information relating to price stabilization and short positions appearing in the 13th paragraph under the caption “Underwriting,” and the information relating to penalty bids contained in the 14th paragraph under the caption “Underwriting.”

(d)    Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of 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 that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an

 

26


unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(e)    If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholders on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, each of the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (e) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (e). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (e), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission and no Selling Stockholder shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the Selling Stockholder Proceeds received by such Selling Stockholder from the sale of the Shares under this Agreement exceeds any damages which such Selling Stockholder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (e) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

(f)    The obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholders under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company and the Selling Stockholders may otherwise have and

 

27


shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each employee, officer and director of each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act and each broker-dealer or other affiliate of any Underwriter; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of the Act.

(g)    

(i)    In connection with the offer and sale of the Reserved Shares, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Merrill Lynch, its affiliates and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls Merrill Lynch within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending, investigating or settling any such action or claim), as incurred, (i) arising out of the violation of any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Reserved Shares have been offered, (ii) arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Invitees in connection with the offering of the Reserved Shares or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) caused by the failure of any Invitee to pay for and accept delivery of Reserved Shares which have been orally confirmed for purchase by any Invitee by 11:59 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of the Agreement or (iv) related to, or arising out of or in connection with, the offering of the Reserved Shares.

(ii)    Promptly after receipt by Merrill Lynch of notice of the commencement of any action, Merrill Lynch shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company, notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure to notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraph of this Section 9(g) 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 Company shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to Merrill Lynch otherwise than under the preceding paragraph of this Section 9(g). In case any such action shall be brought against Merrill Lynch and it shall notify the Company of the commencement thereof, the Company shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to Merrill Lynch (who shall not, except with the consent of Merrill Lynch, be counsel to the Company), and, after notice from the Company to Merrill Lynch of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the Company shall not be liable to Merrill Lynch under this subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by Merrill Lynch, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Company shall not, without the written consent of Merrill Lynch, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect

 

28


to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not Merrill Lynch is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (x) includes an unconditional release of Merrill Lynch from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (y) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of Merrill Lynch.

(iii)    If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9(g) is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless Merrill Lynch under Section 9(g)(i) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by Merrill Lynch as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Merrill Lynch on the other from the offering of the Reserved Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then the Company shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by Merrill Lynch in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and Merrill Lynch on the other in connection with any statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Merrill Lynch on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Reserved Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by Merrill Lynch for the Reserved Shares. If the loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, the relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or Merrill Lynch on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and Merrill Lynch agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9(g)(iii) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 9(g)(iii). The amount paid or payable by Merrill Lynch as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section 9(g)(iii) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by Merrill Lynch in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9(g)(iii), Merrill Lynch shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Reserved Shares sold by it and distributed to the Invitees exceeds the amount of any damages which Merrill Lynch has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

29


(iv)    The obligations of the Company under this Section 9(g) shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each employee, officer and director of Merrill Lynch and each person, if any, who controls Merrill Lynch within the meaning of the Act and each broker-dealer or other affiliate of Merrill Lynch.

10.    (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, you may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Selling Stockholders shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Selling Stockholders that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or a Selling Stockholder notifies you that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, you or the Company or the Selling Stockholders shall have the right to postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.

(b)    If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Selling Stockholders as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Selling Stockholders shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

(c)    If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Selling Stockholders as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all of the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Selling Stockholders shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to a Second Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Selling Stockholders to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Stockholders, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 9 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

 

30


11.    The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any director, officer, employee, affiliate or controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any of the Selling Stockholders, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, or any controlling person of any Selling Stockholder, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

12.    If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 10 hereof, neither the Company nor the Selling Stockholders shall then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof; but, if for any other reason any Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders as provided herein, or the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by you, including documented out-of-pocket fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof.

13.    In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by you jointly or by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters; and in all dealings with any Selling Stockholder hereunder, you and the Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of such Selling Stockholder made or given by any or all of the Selling Stockholders.

In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company and the Selling Stockholders, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and (A) if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the Representatives in care of (i) Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282-2198, Attention: Registration Department; (ii) BofA Securities, Inc., One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Syndicate Department (email: ***@***), with a copy to ECM Legal (email: ***@***); and (iii) Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (fax: (646) 834-8133); (B) if to any Selling Stockholder shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to c/o Paulson & Co. Inc., 1133 Avenue of the Americas, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10036, Attention: Michael Waldorf; (C) if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth on the cover of the Registration Statement, Attention: Chief Legal Officer; and (D) if to any stockholder that has delivered a lock-up letter described in Section 8(j) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail to his or her address as provided in writing to the Company; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(d) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters’ Questionnaire or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company

 

31


or the Selling Stockholders by you on request; provided further that notices under subsection 5(e) shall be in writing, and if to the Representatives shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the Representatives at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, Attention: Control Room; BofA Securities, Inc., One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Syndicate Department (email: ***@***), with a copy to ECM Legal (email: ***@***); and Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (fax: (646) 834-8133). Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

14.    This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and, to the extent provided in Sections 9 and 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company, any Selling Stockholder or any Underwriter, or any director, officer, employee, or affiliate of any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

15.    Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

16.    (a) The Company and the Selling Stockholders acknowledge and agree that (i) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or any Selling stockholder, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or any Selling Stockholder with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any Selling Stockholder on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company or any Selling Stockholder except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Company and each Selling Stockholder has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate, and (v) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice, or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person. The Company and each Selling Stockholder agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company or any Selling Stockholder, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

(b)     The Company and each Selling Stockholder waive to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares; and

(c)    Each Selling Stockholder further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide certain Selling Stockholders with certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation in connection with the offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to any Selling Stockholder to participate in the offering or sell any Shares at the purchase price set forth in Section 2 herein, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.

 

32


17.    This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

18.    This Agreement and any transaction contemplated by this Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related thereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflict of laws that would result in the application of any other law than the laws of the State of New York. The Company and each Selling Stockholder agree that any suit or proceeding arising in respect of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement will be tried exclusively in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York or, if that court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, in any state court located in The City and County of New York and the Company and each Selling Stockholder agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of, and to venue in, such courts (each, a “U.S. Court” and collectively, the “U.S. Courts”). Each Non-U.S. Selling Stockholder has appointed Corporation Service Company, located at 19 West 44th Street, Suite 200, New York, NY 10036, as its authorized agent (the “Authorized Agent”) upon whom process may be served in any such action arising out of or based on this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby which may be instituted in any U.S. Court by any Underwriter or by any person who controls any Underwriter. The Authorized Agent expressly consents to the jurisdiction of any such court in respect of any such action, and waive any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. Such appointment shall be irrevocable. Each Non-U.S. Selling Stockholder represents and warrants that the Authorized Agent has agreed to act as such agent for service of process and agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents and instruments, that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect as aforesaid. Service of process upon the Authorized Agent and written notice of such service to the applicable Non-U.S. Selling Stockholder shall be deemed, in every respect, effective service of process upon such Non-U.S. Selling Stockholder.

19.    The Company, each Selling Stockholder and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

20.    This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. Electronic signatures complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law will be deemed original signatures for purposes of this Agreement. Transmission by telecopy, electronic mail or other transmission method of an executed counterpart of this Agreement will constitute due and sufficient delivery of such counterpart. Executed counterparts of this Agreement may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

21.    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company and the Selling Stockholders are authorized to disclose to any persons the U.S. federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Company and the Selling Stockholders relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind. However, any information

 

33


relating to the tax treatment and tax structure shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply) to the extent necessary to enable any person to comply with securities laws. For this purpose, “tax structure” is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.

22.    Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

(a)    In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(b)    In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(c)    As used in this section:

“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

“Covered Entity” means any of the following:

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

34


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us one for the Company and each of the Representatives counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters, the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company and the Selling Stockholders for examination, upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.

 

Very truly yours,
Steinway Musical Instruments Holdings, Inc.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
John Paulson
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
Paulson Advantage Master Ltd.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
Paulson Advantage Plus Master Ltd.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

35


Accepted as of the date hereof
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
BofA Securities, Inc.
Barclays Capital Inc.
GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
BOFA SECURITIES, INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
On behalf of each of the Underwriters

 

36


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriter

   Total Number of
Firm Shares
to be Purchased
     Number of
Optional
Shares to
be
Purchased
if
Maximum
Option
Exercised
 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

     

BofA Securities, Inc.

     

Barclays Capital Inc.

                                                                                                                                         

Evercore Group L.L.C.

                                                                                                                                         

Cowen and Company, LLC

                                                                                                                                         

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

                                                                                                                                         

Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC

                                                                                                                                         

Telsey Advisory Group LLC

                                                                                                                                         

Total

                                                                                                                                         

 

Sch I-1


SCHEDULE II

 

     Total Number of
Firm Shares
to be Sold
     Number of
Optional
Shares to
be
Sold if
Maximum
Option

Exercised
 

The Selling Stockholders:

     

John Paulson

     

Paulson Advantage Master Ltd.

     

Paulson Advantage Plus Master Ltd.

     

Total

     

 

Sch II-1


SCHEDULE III

 

(a)

Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses not included in the Pricing Disclosure Package

Electronic Roadshow dated                 , 2022

 

(b)

Additional documents incorporated by reference

[None]

 

(c)

Information other than the Pricing Prospectus that comprise the Pricing Disclosure Package

The initial public offering price per share for the Shares is $                

The number of Shares purchased by the Underwriters is                 .    

 

(d)

Written Testing-the-Waters Communications

 

Sch III-1


ANNEX I

FORM OF PRESS RELEASE

Steinway Musical Instruments Holdings, Inc.

[Date]

Steinway Musical Instruments Holdings, Inc. (“Company”) announced today that Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, BofA Securities, Inc. and Barclays Capital Inc., the lead book-running managers in the recent public sale of                shares of the Company’s common stock, are [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to    shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company.    The [waiver] [release] will take effect on                , 20    , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Annex I-1


ANNEX II

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

        , 2022

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

BofA Securities, Inc.

Barclays Capital Inc.

c/o Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282-2198

c/o BofA Securities, Inc.

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

c/o Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

 

  Re:

Steinway Musical Instruments Holdings, Inc. - Lock-Up Agreement

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that you, as representatives (the “Representatives”), propose to enter into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) on behalf of the several underwriters named in Schedule I thereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”), with Steinway Musical Instruments Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and the stockholders of the Company named in Schedule II to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Selling Stockholders”), providing for a public offering (the “Public Offering”) of the Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) of the Company (the “Shares”) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (“Registration Statement”) to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Underwriting Agreement.

In consideration of the agreement by the Underwriters to offer and sell the Shares, and of other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees that, during the period beginning from the date of this lock-up agreement (the “Lock-Up Agreement”) and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date set forth on the final prospectus (the “Final Prospectus”) used to sell the Shares (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned shall not, and shall not cause or direct any of its affiliates to, (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, lend or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock of the Company, any shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Company (the “Class B Common Stock”), or any options or warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right

 

Annex II-1


to receive shares of Common Stock or Class B Common Stock of the Company (such options, warrants or other securities, collectively, “Derivative Instruments”), including without limitation any such shares of Common Stock or Class B Common Stock or Derivative Instruments now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned (collectively, the “Securities”), (ii) engage in any hedging or other transaction or arrangement (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) which is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale, loan, pledge or other disposition (whether by the undersigned or someone other than the undersigned), or transfer of any of the economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any shares of Common Stock or Class B Common Stock or Derivative Instruments, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise (any such sale, loan, pledge or other disposition, or transfer of economic consequences, a “Transfer”) or (iii) otherwise publicly announce any intention to engage in or cause any action or activity described in clause (i) above or transaction or arrangement described in clause (ii) above. The undersigned represents and warrants that the undersigned is not, and has not caused or directed any of its affiliates to be or become, currently a party to any agreement or arrangement that provides for, is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in any Transfer during the Lock-Up Period. For the avoidance of doubt, the undersigned agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed or other Shares the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering.

If the undersigned is not a natural person, the undersigned represents and warrants that no single natural person, entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than a natural person, entity or “group” (as described above) that has executed a Lock-Up Agreement in substantially the same form as this Lock-Up Agreement, beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the common equity interests, or 50% or more of the voting power, in the undersigned.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, the Representatives will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company will agree in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Lock-Up Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to compliance with applicable securities laws including without limitation Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the undersigned may sell in the public market beginning at the commencement of the second Trading Day (such date, the “Early Lock-Up Expiration Date”) after the Company publicly announces its earnings (which for this purpose shall include reporting of financial results on a press release or a Form 10-Q but shall not include reporting of “flash” numbers or preliminary or partial earnings) for the first completed quarterly period following the most recent period for which financial statements (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include “flash” numbers) are included in the Final Prospectus, which

 

Annex II-2


earnings release is at least 60 days following the date of the Final Prospectus (the “Earnings Release”), a number of shares of Securities not in excess of 30% of the Securities owned by the undersigned on the date of this agreement, calculated after giving effect to any sales of Common Stock by the undersigned to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement; provided that the last reported closing price of the Common Stock on the exchange on which the Common Stock is listed is at least 33% greater than the initial public offering price per share set forth on the cover page of the Final Prospectus for 10 Trading Days out of any 15-consecutive full Trading Day period beginning on or after the Trading Day of the Earnings Release (where “Trading Day” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market are open for the buying and selling of securities). The Company shall announce by a press release issued through a major news service, or on a Form 8-K, any Early Lock-Up Expiration Date at least two full Trading Days prior to the opening of trading on the Early Lock-Up Expiration Date. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in no event shall the Lock-Up Period end earlier than 60 days after the date of the Final Prospectus.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the undersigned’s Securities:

(i) as a result of the redemption, repurchase or forfeiture by the Company or its affiliates of Securities held by or on behalf of an employee or other service provider of the Company in connection with the death, disability or termination of such employee or service provider, in each case pursuant to an employment agreement, employee benefit plan or other contractual arrangement in existence on the date of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and described in the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus; provided that any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or any other public filing or disclosure of such transfer by or on behalf of the undersigned, shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto the nature and conditions of such transfer;

(ii) acquired by the undersigned (A) in the open market after the completion of the Public Offering or (B) from the Underwriters in the Public Offering;

(iii) by bona fide gift or gifts, will, intestacy or charitable contribution, provided that the donee or donees, beneficiary or beneficiaries, heir or heirs or legal representatives thereof agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein for the balance of the Lock-Up Period, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value;

(iv) to any trust, partnership, limited liability company or other entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of the trust or the partnership or limited liability company or other entity agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein for the balance of the Lock-Up Period, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value;

(v) to any immediate family member or other dependent; provided, that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein for the balance of the Lock-Up Period, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value;

(vi) by operation of law or court order, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree or separation agreement;

(vii) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity, (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity that is an affiliate

 

Annex II-3


(as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) of the undersigned, (B) to the undersigned’s wholly-owned subsidiaries, partners, limited partners, managers, members, equityholders, shareholders, trustors or beneficiaries, or to any investment fund or other entity that controls, is controlled by, manages, is managed by or is under common control with the undersigned (including, for the avoidance of doubt, if the undersigned is a partnership, to its general partner or a successor partnership or fund, or any other funds managed by such partnership and, if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustor or beneficiary of the trust) or (C) as part of a distribution by the undersigned to its stockholders, partners, members or other equityholders or to the estate of any such stockholders, partners, members or other equityholders; provided, that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein for the balance of the Lock-Up Period, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value;

(viii) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (iii) through (vii) above; provided, that the transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein for the balance of the Lock-Up Period, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value;

(ix) (A) to the Company for the purposes of exercising (including for the payment of tax withholdings or remittance payments due as a result of such exercise) on a “net exercise” or “cashless” basis options or warrants to purchase the Securities that are due to expire during the Lock-Up Period, or (B) in connection with the vesting or settlement of restricted stock units or restricted stock awards, any transfer to the Company for the payment of tax withholdings or remittance payments due as a result of the vesting or settlement of such restricted stock units or restricted stock awards, in each case pursuant to employee benefit plans disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus; provided that any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or any other public filing or disclosure of such transfer by or on behalf of the undersigned, shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto the nature and conditions of such transfer; and provided further that any shares of Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or other securities received upon the exercise, settlement or vesting of the undersigned’s Securities and options or warrants to purchase Securities shall be subject to this Lock-Up Agreement;

(x) to any third-party pledgee in a bona fide transaction as collateral to secure obligations pursuant to lending or other arrangements, including any bona fide purpose (margin) or bona fide non-purpose loan that is in effect on the date hereof (including any replacement, amendment or modification thereof), between such third parties (or their affiliates or designees) and the undersigned and/or its affiliates or any similar arrangement relating to a financing agreement for the benefit of the undersigned and/or its affiliates, provided, that any such pledgee or other transferee to which the pledged Securities are transferred shall agree to execute and deliver to the Representatives an agreement in the form of this Lock-Up Agreement;

(xi) to the extent the undersigned is named as a Selling Stockholder in the Underwriting Agreement, to the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement in connection with the Public Offering;

(xii) (A) the conversion or reclassification of the outstanding common stock or other classes of capital stock of the Company into shares of Common Stock or Class B Common Stock in connection with the consummation of the Public Offering and (B) the completion of the Distribution, in each case, in accordance with the Company’s certificate of incorporation and as described in the Final Prospectus (collectively, the “IPO Organizational Transactions”); provided that any Securities and any securities

 

Annex II-4


convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Securities received in the IPO Organizational Transactions remain subject to all terms of this agreement; provided further that, to the extent an announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the conversion, reclassification or the Distribution, as applicable, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that such conversion, reclassification or Distribution occurred pursuant to the IPO Organizational Transactions and no transfer of shares of Common Stock or other securities received in connection thereto may be made during the Lock-Up Period; and

(xiii) with the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters.

provided, that in connection with any transfers pursuant to clauses (i), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii) and (ix) above, no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall, during the Lock-Up Period, be required or voluntarily made, and provided further that in connection with any other transfers, to the extent a filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act is required in connection with any such transfers of the Undersigned’s Securities, the undersigned shall disclose therein the reason for such filing.

For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin. The undersigned now has, and, except as contemplated by clause (i) through (xiii) above, for the duration of this Lock-Up Agreement will have, good and marketable title to the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock of the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, and claims whatsoever. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock of the Company except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned shall be permitted to make transfers, sales, tenders or other dispositions of the undersigned’s Securities to a bona fide third party pursuant to a merger, tender offer, share purchase or exchange offer for securities made to all holders of the Company’s capital stock, in each case involving a “change in control” (as defined below) of the Company or other transaction, including, without limitation, a tender offer, merger, share purchase, consolidation or other business combination that, in each case, has been approved by the board of directors (or an authorized committee thereof) of the Company (including, without limitation, entering into any lock-up, voting or similar agreement pursuant to which the undersigned may agree to transfer, sell, tender or otherwise dispose of the undersigned’s Securities in connection with any such transaction, or vote any of the undersigned’s Securities in favor of any such transaction); provided, that all of the undersigned’s Securities subject to this Lock-Up Agreement that are not so transferred, sold, tendered or otherwise disposed of shall remain subject to this Lock-Up Agreement, and provided further that it shall be a condition of such transfer, sale, tender or other disposition that if such tender offer or other transaction is not completed, any of the undersigned’s Securities subject to this Lock-Up Agreement shall remain subject to the restrictions herein. For purposes of this paragraph, “change in control” means the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, share purchase, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, other than the Company become or becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of at least 50% of the total voting power of the capital stock of the Company as the case may be.

The restrictions described in this Lock-Up Agreement shall not apply to the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act; provided, that such plan does not provide

 

Annex II-5


for any transfers during the Lock-Up Period and to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required to be made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of shares of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Lock-Up Period; provided further that no public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act regarding the establishment of such plan shall be voluntarily made during the Lock-Up Period.

The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that none of the Underwriters has made any recommendation or provided any investment or other advice to the undersigned with respect to this Lock-Up Agreement or the subject matter hereof, and the undersigned has consulted its own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory, tax and other advisors with respect to this Lock-Up Agreement and the subject matter hereof to the extent the undersigned has deemed appropriate.

This Lock-Up Agreement and all related restrictions and obligations shall automatically terminate upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (a) the Representatives, on the one hand, or the Company, on the other hand, advising the other in writing that the Representatives have or the Company has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, (b) the termination of the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) before the sale of any Shares to the Underwriters, (c) the Registration Statement with respect to the Public Offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement is withdrawn prior to execution of the Underwriting Agreement, or (d)            , 2022, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by that date; provided, however, that the Company may, by written notice to the Representatives prior to such date, extend such date in clause (d) for a period of up to three additional months. The undersigned understands that the Representatives are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Lock-Up Agreement. The undersigned further understands that this Lock-Up Agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors, and, to the extent expressly provided herein, assigns.

This Lock-Up Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Lock-up Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Electronic signatures complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law will be deemed original signatures for purposes of this Agreement. Transmission by telecopy, electronic mail or other transmission method of an executed counterpart of this Agreement will constitute due and sufficient delivery of such counterpart. This Lock-Up Agreement may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail or other transmission method, and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

 

Very truly yours,

 

Exact Name of Shareholder

 

Authorized Signature

 

Title

 

Annex II-6