U.S. HOME SYSTEMS, INC.
Exhibit 1.1
U.S. HOME SYSTEMS, INC.
[ ] Shares of Common Stock,
$0.001 par value per share
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
BB&T CAPITAL MARKETS, A Division of Scott & Stringfellow, Inc., and
SOUTHWEST SECURITIES, Member of SWS Group
c/o BB&T Capital Markets, a Division of Scott & Stringfellow, Inc.
900 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Attention: [ ]
[ ], 2003
Ladies and Gentlemen:
U.S. Home Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of [ ] shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), of the Company and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to [ ] additional shares of Common Stock, and the stockholders of the Company named in Schedule II hereto (the “Selling Stockholders”) propose, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to sell to the Underwriters an aggregate of [ ] shares of Common Stock and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to [ ] additional shares of Common Stock. The aggregate of [ ] shares of Common Stock to be sold by the Company and the Selling Stockholders are herein called the “Firm Shares,” and the aggregate of [ ] shares of Common Stock to be sold by the Company and the Selling Stockholders are 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.”
1. Representations and Warranties
(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”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and as a part thereof a preliminary prospectus, in respect of the Shares has been filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); and such registration statement, as amended, has 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 Act,
which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission other than in accordance with Section 5(a) of this Agreement; 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 has been initiated or 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,” and such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”;
(ii) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the 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 information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through BB&T Capital Markets, a Division of Scott & Stringfellow, Inc. (“BBTCM”), expressly for use therein or by a Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the preparation of the answers therein to Item 7 of Form S-1;
(iii) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, including with respect to documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, 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 information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through BBTCM, expressly for use therein or by a Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the preparation of the answers therein to Item 7 of Form S-1;
-2-
(iv) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 405 of the Act), a complete and correct list of which is attached as Schedule III (the “Subsidiaries”), has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus 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, except as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the outstanding capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any change, or any development that is reasonably likely, currently or prospectively, to have a material adverse change in or effect on the general affairs, business, prospects, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”), except as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;
(v) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(vi) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or such 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 the Subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company or such Subsidiaries;
(vii) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have been duly incorporated and are validly existing as corporations in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of incorporation, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own or lease their respective properties and conduct their respective businesses as described in the Prospectus, and each has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification , except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(viii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” and otherwise; all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and conform to the description of the capital stock of the Company contained in the Prospectus; there are no preemptive or other
-3-
similar rights to subscribe for or to purchase any securities of the Company; except as described in the Prospectus, there are no warrants or options or similar rights to purchase any securities of the Company and neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any securities of the Company with respect to such filing, offering or sale;
(ix) All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable; and all outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries are owned directly by the Company free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities or claims;
(x) The Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the description of the Shares contained in the Prospectus;
(xi) The issue and sale of the Shares by the Company and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the other transactions herein contemplated will not (i) conflict with or result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or (ii) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is subject, (iii) violate any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or tribunal or federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory agency or body or self-regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of its or their properties (each, a “Governmental Agency”); and no concession, permit, license, consent, exemption, franchise, authorization, order, registration, qualification or other approval (each, an “Authorization”) of or with any Governmental Agency is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the Act, listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”), approval of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”) and such consents, approvals, authorizations, 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;
(xii) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of its organizational documents or in default in the performance or observance of any material 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;
-4-
(xiii) The statements set forth in the Prospectus (i) under the caption “Description of Our Capital Stock,” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the securities described therein, and (ii) under the captions “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” 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 and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make such summary or description not misleading;
(xiv) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, would be reasonably likely, currently or prospectively, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any Governmental Agency or by others;
(xv) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, will not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);
(xvi) The Company has not taken and, during the period of the distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters (within the meaning of the Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”) will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise, in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares;
(xvii) Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries, and Goodman & Company, LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of USA Deck, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(xviii) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries including financial statements of USA Deck, Inc., together with related notes, as set forth in the Registration Statement present fairly the consolidated financial position and the results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries at the indicated dates and for the indicated periods; such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied throughout the periods presented except as noted in the notes thereon, and all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for such periods have been made; and the selected financial information included in the Prospectus presents fairly the information shown therein and has been compiled on a basis consistent
-5-
with the financial statements presented therein; the pro forma consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries, together with related notes, as set forth in the Registration Statement present fairly the pro forma consolidated financial position and the results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries at the indicated dates and for the indicated periods; such pro forma financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly presented on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein;
(xix) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences;
(xx) The Company has complied with Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;
(xxi) Except as set forth in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no agreements, claims, payment, issuances, arrangements or understandings, whether oral or written, for services in the nature of finder’s, consulting or origination fees with respect to the sale of the Shares or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuance with respect to the Company or any of its officers, directors, stockholders, partners, employees, subsidiaries or affiliates that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation as determined by the NASD;
(xxii) The Company and the Subsidiaries hold and are operating in compliance with all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders (“Licenses”) of any Governmental Agency required for the conduct of their respective businesses as presently being conducted, and all Licenses are valid and in full force and effect; the Company and each of the Subsidiaries are in compliance, in all material respects, with all laws, regulations, orders and decrees applicable to them;
(xxiii) The Shares have been approved for listing, subject to notice of issuance, on the Nasdaq National Market;
(xxiv) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has
-6-
occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries would have any liability; the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have not incurred and do not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Section 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“Code”); each “pension plan” for which the Company and each of its Subsidiaries would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification;
(xxv) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that might have a Material Adverse Effect;
(xxvi) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries have the right to use all trademarks, trade names, trade secrets, servicemarks, inventions, patent rights, mask works, copyrights, licenses, software code, audiovisual works, formats, algorithms and underlying data required to operate its business as presently being conducted and proposed to be conducted as described in the Prospectus, and the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have all required Authorizations that are necessary for fulfillment of their respective obligations or the conduct of their respective businesses as now conducted or proposed to be conducted as described in the Prospectus; and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is infringing any trademark, trade name rights, patent rights, mask works, copyrights, licenses, trade secret, servicemarks or other similar rights of others, and there is no claim being made against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries regarding trademark, trade names, patent, mask work, copyright, license, trade secret or other infringement or assertion of intellectual property rights which could have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company has agreements in place with each employee, consultant or other person or party engaged by the Company or Subsidiary sufficient to enable the Company and Subsidiary to fulfill their contractual obligations and to conduct their respective businesses as now conducted or proposed to be conducted as described in the Prospectus and providing for the assignment to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, as the case may be, of all intellectual property and exploitation rights in the work performed and the protection of the trade secrets and confidential information of the Company, each of the Subsidiaries and of third parties which have been developed by such person for or on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries;
(xxvii) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries has filed all federal, state and foreign income, franchise and excise tax returns which have been required to be filed (or have received an extension with respect thereto), and have paid or made adequate reserves for, all taxes indicated by said returns and all assessments received by them to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith; to the best knowledge of the Company there is no tax deficiency that has been or might be asserted against the Company that would have a Material Adverse Effect;
-7-
(xxviii) The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all Authorizations required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such Authorization, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(xxix) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any Authorization, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(xxx) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries on the other hand, that is required by the Act or the Exchange Act, or by the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not so described; and
(xxxi) The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; there are no claims by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries under any such policies or instruments as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause except as previously disclosed in writing to the Underwriters.
(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 the Power of Attorney (the “Power of Attorney”) as hereinafter referred to and the Custody Agreement (the “Custody Agreement”) as hereinafter referred to, and for the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, have been obtained, except the registration under the Act of such shares and such as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters and the clearance of such offering with the NASD; and such Selling Stockholder has full right, power, legal capacity and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Power of Attorney and the Custody Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder;
-8-
(ii) If such Selling Stockholder is a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company or trust, such Selling Stockholder has been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or trust, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, as the case may be, with full power and authority (corporate, partnership, limited liability company or trust, as the case may be, and other) to own its properties, conduct its business and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereunder;
(iii) The sale of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder and the compliance by such Selling Stockholder with all of the provisions of this Agreement, the Power of Attorney and the Custody Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, guarantee 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, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the organizational documents of such Selling Stockholder if such Selling Stockholder is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or trust or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or the property of such Selling Stockholder;
(iv) The information contained in Schedule II with respect to such Selling Stockholder is true and correct, and 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 the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, 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 all such Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, will pass to the several Underwriters;
(v) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), such Selling Stockholder shall not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise sell or dispose of, except as provided hereunder, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any shares of Common Stock or any other capital stock of the Company or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Common Stock or any other capital stock of the Company or any such substantially similar securities (other than pursuant to bona fide gifts, if the recipient of such gifts agrees in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement), without the prior written consent of BBTCM; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the initial Lock-Up
-9-
Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless BBTCM waives, in writing, such extension;
(vi) Such Selling Stockholder has not taken and, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares;
(vii) 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 written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, such Preliminary Prospectus and the Registration Statement 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 will 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;
(viii) In order to document the Underwriters’ compliance with the reporting and withholding provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, as amended, with respect to the transactions herein contemplated, such Selling Stockholder will deliver to you prior to or at the First Time of Delivery (as hereinafter defined) a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof);
(ix) Certificates in negotiable form representing all of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder have been placed in custody under a Custody Agreement, in the form heretofore furnished to you, duly executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder to Murray H. Gross, as custodian (the “Custodian”), and such Selling Stockholder has duly executed and delivered a Power of Attorney, in the form heretofore furnished to you, appointing the persons indicated in Schedule II hereto, and each of them, as such Selling Stockholder’s attorneys-in-fact (the “Attorneys-in-Fact”) with authority to execute and deliver this Agreement on behalf of such Selling Stockholder, to determine the purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters to the Selling Stockholders as provided in Section 2 hereof, to authorize the delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder and otherwise to act on behalf of such Selling Stockholder in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and such Selling Stockholder’s Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney;
(x) The Shares represented by the certificates held in custody for such Selling Stockholder under such Selling Stockholder’s Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney
-10-
are subject to the interests of the Underwriters hereunder; the arrangements made by such Selling Stockholder for such custody, and the appointment by such Selling Stockholder of the Attorneys-in-Fact by such Selling Stockholder’s Power of Attorney, are irrevocable to the extent set forth in such Selling Stockholder’s Power of Attorney; the obligations of such Selling Stockholder hereunder shall not be terminated by operation of law, whether by the death, disability, incompetency or incapacity of any individual Selling Stockholder or, in the case of an estate or trust, by the death, disability, incompetency or incapacity of any executor or trustee or the termination of such estate or trust, or in the case of a partnership or corporation, by the dissolution of such partnership or corporation, or by the occurrence of any other event; if any individual Selling Stockholder or any such executor or trustee should die or become disables, incompetent or incapacitated, or if any such estate or trust should be terminated, or if any such partnership or corporation should be dissolved, or if any other such event should occur, before the delivery of the Shares hereunder, certificates representing the Shares shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and each Selling Stockholder’s respective Custody Agreement and Power of Attorney; and actions taken by the Attorneys-in-Fact pursuant to any Power of Attorney shall be as valid as if such death, disability, incompetency, incapacity, termination, dissolution or other event had not occurred, regardless of whether or not the Custodian, the Attorneys-in-Fact, or any of them, shall have received notice of such death, incapacity, termination, dissolution or other event;
(xi) Except as otherwise disclosed to the Underwriters in writing, such Selling Stockholder is not a member of or directly an affiliate of or associated with any member of the NASD;
(xii) Such Selling Stockholder agrees to deliver to the Company or the Underwriters such documentation as the Company or the Underwriters or any of their respective counsel may reasonably request in order to effectuate any of the provisions of this Agreement; and
(xiii) Each of the Power of Attorney, the Custody Agreement and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of each Selling Stockholder.
2. Purchase and Sale
Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the Company and the Selling Stockholders 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 the Company and the Selling Stockholders, at a purchase price per share of $ , the number of Firm Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company and the Selling Stockholders agree to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company and the Selling Stockholders, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which
-11-
such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional securities) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that 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 the Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder.
The Company hereby grants 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, for the sole purpose of covering sales of Shares in excess of the number of Firm Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Company, 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 BBTCM, otherwise agrees in writing, earlier than two or later than 10 business days after the date of such notice.
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 that number of Optional Shares, as more particularly set forth in Schedule II hereto, at the purchase price per share set forth in the first paragraph of this Section 2, for the sole purpose of covering sales of Shares in excess of Firm Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares shall be made in proportion to the maximum number of Optional Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders as set forth in Schedule II hereto. Any such election to purchase Optional Securities may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Selling Stockholders, given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement and setting forth the aggregate amount 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 BBTCM otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later than 10 business days after the date of such notice.
3. Offering by the Underwriters
Upon the authorization by BBTCM, of the release of the Firm Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Delivery and Payment
(a) Certificates in definitive form for the Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as BBTCM may request upon at least 48 hours’ prior notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company and the Selling Stockholders to BBTCM, through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for the account of each 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 accounts specified by the Company and the Custodian to BBTCM, at least 48 hours in advance. The Company and the Selling Stockholders shall cause
-12-
the certificates representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least 24 hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the “Designated Office”). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., Richmond, Virginia time, on [ ], 2003 or such other time and date as BBTCM and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., Richmond, Virginia time, on the date specified by BBTCM, in the written notice given by BBTCM of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Optional Shares, or at such other time and date as BBTCM and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the “First Time of Delivery,” 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 7 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 7(k) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Hunton & Williams LLP, 951 East Byrd Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219 (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 10:00 a.m., Richmond, Virginia time, on the 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.
5. Agreements of the Company
The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form reasonably 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 amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus prior to any Time of Delivery that 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 supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus, 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 Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus or suspending any such qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;
13
(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 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 or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) Prior to 10:00 a.m., Richmond, Virginia time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus at such locations and in such quantities as you may from time to time reasonably request during such period following the date hereof that a prospectus is required to be delivered in connection with offers or sales of Shares, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required during this period 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 is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such period to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act, to notify you and upon your request to file such document and 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;
(d) To make generally available to its stockholders and to deliver to you as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earnings statement of the Company and the Subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the effective date of the Registration Statement;
(e) During the Lock-Up Period, the Company shall not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise sell or dispose of, except as provided hereunder, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any shares of Common Stock or any other capital stock of the Company or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Common Stock or any other capital stock of the Company or any such substantially similar securities (other than (i) pursuant to the Company’s benefit plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement, or (ii) in connection with the merger with or acquisition of another corporation or entity or the acquisition of the assets or properties of any such corporation or entity and the related entry into a merger or acquisition agreement with respect to such merger or acquisition, so long as the recipients of the Company’s securities agree in writing prior to the consummation of any such transaction, pursuant to an instrument in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to BBTCM, to be bound by the provisions of this Section 5(e) for the remainder of the Lock-Up Period as if such recipients were the Company), without the prior written consent of BBTCM; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless BBTCM waives, in writing, such extension;
-14-
(f) During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, 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;
(g) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares for the purposes set forth in the Prospectus;
(h) To use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market;
(i) 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 111(b) under the Act; and
(j) Upon the 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; provided, however, that the foregoing license shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.
6. Payment of Expenses
The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders covenant and agree with one another and with the several Underwriters that (a) the Company will pay or cause to be paid to the Underwriters an amount equal to $200,000 to cover non-accountable expenses associated with the performance of their duties under this Agreement plus 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 and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary 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 any Agreement Among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky survey and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) the cost of copying or distributing the Blue Sky memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents (such as underwriters’ questionnaires and powers of attorney) in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iv) all expenses in connection with the
-15-
qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (v) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on Nasdaq; (vi) the filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, securing any required review by the NASD of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (vii) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (viii) the costs or expenses of any transfer agent or registrar; (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company and the Selling Stockholders relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and of any of the Selling Stockholders and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section; and [(b) 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, (ii) such Selling Stockholders’ pro rata share of the fees and expenses of the Attorneys-in-Fact and the Custodian, (iii) all expenses and taxes incident to the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters hereunder and (iv) the filing fees payable for registration with the Commission of the offer and sale of the Shares under the Act with respect to the Shares being sold by such Selling Stockholder] It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 8 and Section 11 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.
7. Conditions to Obligations of Underwriters
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 each of the Selling Stockholders herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct, and the condition that the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders shall have performed all of its and their respective 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; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), 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 purpose 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;
-16-
(b) Hunton & Williams LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to you such written opinion or opinions, dated such Time of Delivery, with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of the Shares being issued at such Time of Delivery, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and other related matters as you may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) Jackson Walker L.L.P., counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion, dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to you and in substantially the form of Exhibit A attached hereto;
(d) Jackson Walker L.L.P., counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion with respect to each of the Selling Stockholders, dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to you and in substantially the form of Exhibit B attached hereto;
(e) (i) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this Agreement, (ii) on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also (iii) at each Time of Delivery, Ernst & Young LLP and Goodman & Company, LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective date of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus;
(f) (i) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business taken as a whole 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, except as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the outstanding capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or any change, or any development that is reasonably likely, currently or prospectively, to have a Material Adverse Effect, 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 Prospectus;
(g) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading of any of the securities of the Company on Nasdaq; (ii) any United States federal or state statute, regulation, rule or order of any court, legislative body, agency or other governmental authority shall have been enacted, published, decreed or promulgated or any proceeding or investigation shall have been commenced which, in your judgment, materially and adversely affects the business or operations of the Company; (iii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market; (iv) a general moratorium on commercial banking
-17-
activities declared by either federal or New York or Delaware authorities; (v) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified in this clause (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 the Prospectus; or (vi) such a material adverse change in general economic, political, financial or international conditions affecting financial markets in the United States having a material adverse impact on trading prices of securities in general, as, in your judgment, makes it inadvisable to proceed with the payment for and delivery of the Shares;
(h) The Shares at the Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the Nasdaq National Market;
(i) The Company shall have obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed copies of agreements between the Company and the directors and executive officers of the Company and certain stockholders of the Company specified by you, and the Selling Stockholders substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereof;
(j) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and
(k) The Company and each of 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 each of the Selling Stockholders, respectively, satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders, respectively, herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders of all of their respective obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, and 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), (f) and (g) of this Section and as to such other matters as you may reasonably request.
8. Indemnification and Contribution
(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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, 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, and promptly will reimburse each Underwriter for any 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
-18-
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriters through BBTCM expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below.
(b) Each 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein; and promptly will reimburse each Underwriter for any 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriters through BBTCM expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below; provided, further, that that liability of each Selling Stockholder pursuant to this subsection (b) shall not exceed the amount of net proceeds received by such Selling Stockholder from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
(c) Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through BBTCM expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company and each Selling Stockholder for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
-19-
by the Company or such Selling Stockholder in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred. The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders acknowledge that the only information that the Underwriters have furnished to the Company and the Selling Stockholders expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth (i) on the last paragraph at the bottom of the cover page concerning the terms of the offering by the Underwriters, (ii) in the last [two] paragraphs on the inside front cover page of the Prospectus concerning over-allotments, syndicate short-covering transactions, penalty bids, stabilization and passive market making by the Underwriters, (iii) the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the table under the caption “Underwriting”, and (iv) the [ ] and [ ] paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting”; and the Underwriters confirm that such statements are correct.
(d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above 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; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. 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 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 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 8 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 Company and each of the Selling Stockholders in question 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 or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (d) above, then each indemnifying party shall
-20-
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 in question 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 each of the Selling Stockholders in question 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 of the Shares purchased under this Agreement (after deducting the total underwriting discount, but before deducting expenses) received by the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders in question bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions payable to 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 Stockholder in question 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 contributions 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 an amount that, together with any other payments made pursuant to this Section 8, exceeds the amount of net proceeds received by such Selling Stockholder from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement. 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 respective obligations of the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability that the Company and the Selling Stockholder may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 8 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 and to each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of the Act.
-21-
9. Default of Underwriters
(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 36 hours after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall be entitled to a further period of 36 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 Company and the Selling Stockholders that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company and the Selling Stockholders notify you that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, you or the Company and 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 to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion, exercised in consultation with Hunton & Williams LLP, 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 Company 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 of the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that 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 Company and the Selling Stockholders as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares that 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 Company and 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 the Second Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company and the Selling Stockholders to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company and the Selling Stockholders, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
-22-
10. Representations and Indemnities to Survive
The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, each of 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 termination or cancellation of this Agreement or any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any 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.
11. Termination and Payment of Expenses
If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, neither the Company nor the Selling Stockholders shall then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Section 6 and Section 8 hereof; but if for any other reason any Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company or any of the Selling Stockholders as provided herein, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through BBTCM for all out-of-pocket expenses, including 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 Section 6 and Section 8 hereof.
12. Notices
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 Attorneys-in-Fact for such Selling Stockholder.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by reliable courier, first-class mail, telex or facsimile transmission to each Underwriter at the address set forth on Schedule I; if to any of the Selling Stockholders or the Company shall be delivered or sent by reliable courier, first-class mail, telex, or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: [ ]. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
13. Successors
This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders and, to the extent provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders and each person who controls the Company, any Selling Stockholder, or 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.
-23-
14. Time of the Essence
Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement.
15. Business Day
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. Applicable Law
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
17. Captions
The captions included in this Agreement are included solely for convenience of reference and shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.
18. Counterparts
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 instrument.
19. Pronouns
All pronouns used herein shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine, or neuter gender as the text requires.
-24-
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us four counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you 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 Agreement 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 will be submitted to the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders for examination, upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof. Any person executing and delivering this Agreement as Attorney-in-Fact for a Selling Stockholder represents by so doing that he has been duly appointed as Attorney-in-Fact by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to a validly existing and binding Power of Attorney which authorizes such Attorney-in-Fact to take such action.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| U.S. HOME SYSTEMS, INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| SELLING STOCKHOLDERS | ||
| By: |
| |
| Murray H. Gross | ||
| As Attorney-in-Fact acting on behalf of each of the Selling Stockholders named in Schedule II to this Agreement | ||
Accepted as of the date hereof
at Richmond, Virginia:
BB&T CAPITAL MARKETS, A Division of Scott & Stringfellow, Inc., and
SOUTHWEST SECURITIES, Member of SWS Group
| By: | BB&T CAPITAL MARKETS, | |||
| a Division of Scott & Stringfellow, Inc., | ||||
| on behalf of each of the Underwriters | ||||
| By:
|
| |||
| Name: | ||||
| Title: | ||||
-25-
