Underwriting Agreement, dated November 13, 2023, by and among Viper Energy, Inc., Warwick Royalty and Mineral Master Fund LP and Barclays Capital Inc
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EX-10.1 2 viperex101-11x17x23.htm EX-10.1 Document
Exhibit 10.1
VIPER ENERGY, INC.
9,018,760 Shares of Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
November 13, 2023
Barclays Capital Inc.
745 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
745 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
Ladies and Gentlemen:
A certain stockholder of Viper Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), named in Schedule II attached hereto (the “Selling Stockholder”), proposes to sell 9,018,760 shares (the “Stock”) of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.000001 per share (the “Common Stock”), to the underwriter named in Schedule I (the “Underwriter”) attached to this agreement (this “Agreement”).
Subject to the sale of the Stock by the Selling Stockholder to the Underwriter in compliance with the terms of this Agreement, the Underwriter agrees to sell to the Company in accordance with Section 4 hereof, and the Company hereby agrees to purchase in accordance with Section 4 hereof from the Underwriter on the Delivery Date (as defined below) (the “Stock Repurchase”), an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of the Stock (the “Repurchase Stock”) at a purchase price per share equal to the Purchase Price (as defined below).
Reference is made herein to the Company’s acquisition of certain assets (the “GRP Assets”) pursuant to that certain Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated September 4, 2023, by and among Royalty Asset Holdings, LP, Royalty Asset Holdings II, LP, Saxum Asset Holdings, LP (collectively, the “Sellers,” and affiliates of Warwick Capital Partners and GRP Energy Capital), the Company and Viper Energy Partners LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“OpCo”). Any reference to the Company herein shall be deemed to also, where applicable, refer to Viper Energy Partners LP, the Company’s predecessor, for all periods prior to November 13, 2023.
1. Representations and Warranties.
(i) Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-275471), including a related prospectus or prospectuses, relating to the Stock has (i) been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) thereunder; (ii) been filed with the Commission under the Securities Act; and (iii) become effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto have been delivered by the Company to you as the Underwriter. As used in this Agreement:
(i) “Applicable Time” means 6:25 p.m. (New York City time) on November 13, 2023;
(ii) “Effective Date” means the date and time as of which such registration statement, or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, if any, was declared effective by the Commission;
(iii) “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means each “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act);
(iv) “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus (including any preliminary prospectus supplement) relating to the Stock included in such registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;
(v) “Pricing Disclosure Package” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with the information included in Schedule III hereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Company on or before the Applicable Time, other than a road show that is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus but is not required to be filed under Rule 433 under the Securities Act;
(vi) “Prospectus” means the final prospectus (including any prospectus supplement) relating to the Stock, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;
(vii) “Registration Statement” means such registration statement, as amended as of the Effective Date, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, all exhibits to such registration statement and including the information deemed by virtue of Rule 430B under the Securities Act to be part of such registration statement as of the Effective Date;
(viii) “Selling Stockholder Information” means the information furnished by the Selling Stockholder for use in connection with the offering in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, which consists solely of (i) the name, address and number of shares of Common Stock owned by the Selling Stockholder, before and after the offering, and (ii) the other information with respect to the Selling Stockholder that appears in the table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption “Selling Stockholder,” in each case, in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
(ix) “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act; and
(x) “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
Any reference to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Form S-3 under the Securities Act, which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Securities Act prior to or on the date hereof. Any reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the Exchange Act after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and before the date of such amendment or supplement and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to include any document filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the Effective Date and before the date of such amendment that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. Any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include any abbreviated registration statement to register additional Common Stock under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”). The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceeding or examination for such purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission. The Commission has not notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto.
(b) [Intentionally omitted.]
(c) The Company was not at the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement and at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Stock, is not on the date hereof and will not be on the Delivery Date (as defined below), an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act).
(d) The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on the Effective Date and on the Delivery Date, and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The most recent Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and on the Delivery Date to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus conformed, and any further documents so incorporated will conform, when filed with the Commission, in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(e) The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(f).
(f) The Prospectus will not, as of its date or as of the Delivery Date, 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 that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(f).
(g) The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(h) The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(f).
(i) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule IV hereto, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule IV hereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(f).
(j) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder on the date of first use, and the Company has complied with all prospectus delivery and any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Securities Act and rules and regulations thereunder. The Company has not made any offer relating to the Stock that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Underwriter. The Company has retained in accordance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Company has taken all actions necessary so that any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in connection with the offering of Stock will not be required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(k) Each of the statements made by the Company in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package and to be made in the Prospectus (and any supplements thereto) within the coverage of Rule 175(b) under the Securities Act was made or will be made with a reasonable basis and in good faith.
(l) The Company and each of its subsidiaries has been duly organized, is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation or limited liability company, as applicable, under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization with power and authority to own and/or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package; and each of the Company and its subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing in such other jurisdictions would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, (i) result in a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”), or (ii)
materially impair the ability of any of the Company and its subsidiaries to consummate the offering of the Stock or any other transactions provided for in this Agreement.
(m) [Intentionally omitted.]
(n) OpCo is the Company’s only “significant” subsidiary, as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X. Diamondback Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Sponsor”), owns directly and indirectly 90,709,946 units representing limited liability company interests in OpCo (the “OpCo Units”), and the Company owns 87,095,324 OpCo Units. All of the limited liability company interests in OpCo have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of OpCo (as it may be amended from time to time, the “OpCo LLC Agreement”), and the Sponsor and the Company have no obligation to make further payments for the purchase of such membership interest; and the Sponsor and the Company own such membership interest in OpCo free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or claims (“Liens”); except for (i) those arising under the Company’s Amended and Restated Senior Secured Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2023, as may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, (ii) restrictions on transferability contained in the OpCo LLC Agreement or (iii) as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, if any.
(o) The Sponsor owns directly and indirectly (i) 7,946,507 shares of Common Stock (the “Sponsor Common Stock”) and (ii) 90,709,946 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock (together with the Sponsor Common Stock, the “Sponsor Stock”), par value $0.000001 per share (the “Class B Stock”); the Sponsor Stock has been duly authorized and is validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and the Sponsor owns all of the Sponsor Stock free and clear of all Liens, except or as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(p) The Stock to be sold by the Selling Stockholder will have been duly authorized and will be validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable.
(q) The Stock, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement against payment therefor as provided therein and herein will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package and to be contained in the Prospectus.
(r) Except as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, there are no profits interests, options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any equity securities of any of the Company pursuant to any agreement or other instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound. Except for such rights that have been waived or as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Stock as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any Common Stock or other securities of the Company.
(s) The Company has all requisite power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement (including the Stock Repurchase). At the Delivery Date, all corporate action required to be taken by the Company or any of its shareholders for the consummation of any transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been validly taken.
(t) This Agreement (including the Stock Repurchase) has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(u) The statements in the Registration Statement and Pricing Disclosure Package under the captions “Description of Capital Stock,” “Dividend Policy,” “The Partnership Agreement,” “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences for Non-U.S. Holders” insofar as they purport to summarize the provisions of the legal matters and documents referred to therein, are accurate summaries in all material respects. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that are not described and filed as required. The statements made in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the contracts and other documents described and filed, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such contracts and documents in all material respects.
(v) The Common Stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market.
(w) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of the Delivery Date and completion of the distribution of the Stock, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Stock other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Underwriter has consented in accordance with Section 5(a)(vi) and any press release or other announcement permitted by Rule 134 or Rule 135 under the Securities Act.
(x) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over any of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the Stock Repurchase), except such as (i) have been obtained or made, (ii) may be required under state securities laws, the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, by the Nasdaq Global Select Market or by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and (iii) the absence or omission of which would not reasonably be expected to materially impair the ability of any of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(y) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, each of the Company and its subsidiaries has (i) good and defensible title to all of the interests in oil and gas properties underlying its estimates of its net proved reserves contained or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and (ii) good and marketable title to all other real and personal property reflected in the Pricing Disclosure Package as assets owned by it, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, except such as (x) are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (y) do not materially affect the value of the properties of the Company or its subsidiaries and do not interfere in any material respect with the use made or proposed to be made of such properties by the Company or its subsidiaries.
(z) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has such consents, easements, rights-of-way or licenses from any person (collectively, “rights-of-way”) as are necessary to enable it to conduct its business in the manner described in the Pricing Disclosure Package, subject to qualifications as may be set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package, except where failure to have such rights-of-way would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(aa) (i) Ryder Scott Company, L.P. (“Ryder Scott”), a reserve engineer that prepared reserve reports on estimated net proved oil and natural gas reserves with respect to the mineral interests held by OpCo, as of December 31, 2022, December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 was, as of the date of preparation of such reserve reports, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company; (ii) DeGolyer & MacNaughton (“D&M”), a reserve engineer that prepared reserve reports on estimated net proved oil and natural gas reserves of the GRP Assets as of April 1, 2023 was, as of the date of preparation of such reserve reports, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to GRP Energy Capital.
(bb) The information contained or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package regarding estimated proved reserves is based upon the reserve reports prepared by Ryder Scott and D&M. The information provided to Ryder Scott by the Company and its subsidiaries, and, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, the information provided to D&M by the Sellers, including, without limitation, information as to production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates that such reports were made. Such information was provided to Ryder Scott, and, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, such information was provided to D&M, in accordance with all customary industry practices.
(cc) The reserve reports prepared by Ryder Scott contained or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package (the “RS Reserve Reports”) setting forth the estimated proved reserves with respect to the mineral interests held by OpCo accurately reflect in all material respects the ownership interests of OpCo in the properties therein. To the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, the reserve reports prepared by D&M contained or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package (the “D&M Reserve Reports” and, together with the RS Reserve Reports, the “Reserve Reports”) setting forth the estimated net proved oil and gas reserves of the GRP Assets accurately reflect in all material respects the ownership interests of the Sellers in the properties therein. Other than normal production of reserves, intervening market commodity price fluctuations, fluctuations in demand for such products, adverse weather conditions, unavailability or increased costs of rigs, equipment, supplies or personnel, the timing of third party operations and other facts, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, none of the Company or its subsidiaries is aware of any facts or circumstances that would result in a material adverse change in the aggregate net reserves, or the present value of future net cash flows therefrom, as described or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Reserve Reports; and estimates of such reserves and present values as described or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and reflected in the Reserve Reports comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of Regulation S-X and Subpart 1200 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.
(dd) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement (including the Stock Repurchase) by the Company will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries pursuant to (i) its charter and by-laws, (ii) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company and its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which any of the Company or its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company and its subsidiaries are bound or to which any of the properties of the Company and its subsidiaries is subject, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for any breaches, violations, defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances, which, individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ee) None of the Company or its subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its respective charter, limited liability company agreement or similar organizational documents, (ii) is in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject or (iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its property or assets, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such violation or default would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ff) The Company and its subsidiaries possess all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits issued by appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory bodies (collectively, “Licenses”) necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the Pricing Disclosure Package to be conducted by them, except where the failure to have obtained the same would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Licenses, except where the failure to so comply would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that, if determined adversely to the Company and its subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(gg) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, (a)(i) none of the Company or its subsidiaries is in violation of, and none of the Company or its subsidiaries has any liability under, any federal, state, local or non-U.S. statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, other requirement or rule of law (including common law), or decision or order of any domestic or foreign governmental agency, governmental body or court, relating to pollution, to the generation, use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, discharge, disposal or release of Hazardous Substances (as defined below), to the protection or restoration of the environment or natural resources, to health and safety including as such relates to exposure to Hazardous Substances, and to natural resource damages (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, none of the Company and its subsidiaries owns, occupies, operates or uses any real property contaminated with Hazardous Substances, (iii) none of the Company or its subsidiaries is conducting or funding any investigation, remediation, remedial action or monitoring of actual or suspected Hazardous Substances in the environment, (iv) to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, none of the Company and its subsidiaries is liable or allegedly liable for any release or threatened release of Hazardous Substances, including at any off-site treatment, storage or disposal site, (v) none of the Company or its subsidiaries is subject to any pending, or to the Company and its subsidiaries’ knowledge threatened, claim by any governmental agency or governmental body or person arising under Environmental Laws or relating to Hazardous Substances, and (vi) the Company and its subsidiaries have received and are in compliance with all, and have no liability under any, permits, licenses, authorizations, identification numbers or other approvals required under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their business, except in each case covered by clauses (i) – (vi) such as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (b) to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in a violation of, liability under, or claim pursuant to any Environmental Law that would result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) in the ordinary course of its business, the Company and its subsidiaries periodically evaluate the effect, including associated costs and liabilities, of Environmental Laws on the business, properties, results of operations and financial condition of the Company, and, on the basis of such evaluation, the Company and its subsidiaries have reasonably concluded that such Environmental Laws will not,
individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this subsection, “Hazardous Substances” means (A) petroleum and petroleum products, by-products or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and mold, and (B) any other chemical, material or substance defined or regulated as toxic or hazardous or as a pollutant, contaminant or waste under Environmental Laws.
(hh) None of the Company or its subsidiaries has taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Stock.
(ii) The Company has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the offering of the Stock contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.
(jj) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Stock or the Stock Repurchase.
(kk) Any third-party statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or Pricing Disclosure Package are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(ll) The Company and its subsidiaries and the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) are in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Exchange Act and the rules of the Nasdaq Global Select Market (the “Nasdaq Rules”). The Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting (collectively, “Internal Controls”) that comply with the applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the Nasdaq Rules and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances 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 U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accounting for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Internal Controls are overseen by the Audit Committee of the Board (the “Audit Committee”) in accordance with Exchange Rules. The Company has not publicly disclosed or reported to the Audit Committee or the Board, and within the next 135 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board, a significant deficiency, material weakness or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in Internal Controls, any violation of, or failure to comply with, the applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the Nasdaq Rules, or any matter which, if determined adversely, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(mm) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company and its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company and its subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement (including the Stock Repurchase), or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Stock; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, threatened or contemplated.
(nn) The historical financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company at the dates and for the periods indicated, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP, applied on a consistent basis. Grant Thornton LLP has certified the audited financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company as required by the Securities Act and the applicable rules and guidance from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). The other financial and statistical data of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information shown therein and such data has been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the Company and its subsidiaries. The Company and its subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities” within the meaning of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46), not disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Grant Thornton LLP has audited the historical financial statements of the GRP Assets included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, such financial statements and the related notes thereto present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the GRP Assets for the periods shown. The unaudited pro forma financial information and the related notes thereto included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidance with respect to pro forma financial information, and the assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable and are set forth in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. There are no financial statements that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(oo) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package, (i) there has been no change, nor any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that is
material and adverse, (ii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any Common Stock, (iii) there has been no material adverse change in the Common Stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, (iv) there has been no material transaction entered into and there is no material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Company or its subsidiaries other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and (v) there has been no obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, incurred by the Company and its subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business.
(pp) None of the Company or its subsidiaries is, and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Stock, the Stock Repurchase and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package, will be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”).
(qq) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company reasonably believes are adequate for the conduct of their business. All such policies of insurance insuring the Company and its subsidiaries are in full force and effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no material claims by the Company and its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause. None of the Company or its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that any of them will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package.
(rr) The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect); and, except as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Company and its subsidiaries have paid all taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties) required to be paid by them, except for any such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties currently being contested in good faith or as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ss) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company and its subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, officers, shareholders, customers or suppliers of the Company and its subsidiaries on the other hand, which is required to be described in the Pricing Disclosure Package which is not so described therein. The Prospectus will contain the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package.
(tt) None of the Company or its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment or otherwise unlawfully provided anything of value to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, political party or official thereof, any candidate for political office and/or any other person while knowing that all or a portion of the payment will be offered, given or promised to any of the foregoing persons
from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws or regulations; or (iv) made any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any domestic government official or any foreign official or other foreign government employee. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws or regulations.
(uu) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), the anti-money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving any of the Company and its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, threatened.
(vv) None of the Company and its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries is currently subject to or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government (including, without limitation, sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, persons included on the “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury, the Swiss Secretariat of Economic Affairs, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Monetary Authority of Singapore or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor are the Company and its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, the Crimea, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic or any other covered region of Ukraine identified pursuant to Executive Order 14065 (each a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company and its subsidiaries will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, knowingly contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) for the purpose of financing or facilitating the activities or business of any person that, at the time of such financing or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) 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. The Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in for the past five years, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any individual or entity, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction, is or was the subject or target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.
(ww) OpCo is not prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any distributions to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s equity interests, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.
(xx) The Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with, the operation of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with its business, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to the same, except for those that (i) have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person and (ii) those that will not individually or in the aggregate result in a Material Adverse Effect, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. The Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.
(yy) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Act (collectively, “Registration Rights”), and any person to whom the Company has granted Registration Rights has agreed not to exercise such rights until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period referred to in Section 5(a)(x) hereof.
(zz) The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriter in connection with the offering of the Stock shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to the Underwriter.
(ii) Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder represents, warrants and agrees that:
(a) The Selling Stockholder has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company, public agency, or a limited partnership, as the case may be, in good standing in its jurisdiction of formation.
(b) Neither the Selling Stockholder nor any person acting on behalf of the Selling Stockholder (other than, if applicable, the Company and the Underwriter) has used or referred to any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) relating to the Stock.
(c) The Selling Stockholder has, and immediately prior to the Delivery Date on which the Selling Stockholder is selling shares of Stock, the Selling Stockholder will have, good and marketable title to the shares of Stock to be sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder on the Delivery Date and any “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”) in respect thereof, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities, community property rights, restrictions on transfer or claims.
(d) The Stock to be sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder is subject to the interest of the Underwriter and the obligations of the Selling Stockholder hereunder shall not be terminated by any act of the Selling Stockholder, by operation of law or the occurrence of any other event.
(e) Upon payment for the Stock to be sold by the Selling Stockholder, delivery of such Stock, as directed by the Underwriter, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Stock in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Stock on the books of DTC to securities account of the Underwriter (i) DTC will acquire good and marketable title to the Stock free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities, community property rights, restrictions on transfer or claims, (ii) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Stock within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (iii) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriter will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Stock, and (iv) an action based on an adverse claim to such securities entitlement, whether framed in conversion, replevin, constructive trust, equitable lien or other theory may not be asserted against the Underwriter with respect to such security entitlement. For purposes of this representation, the Selling Stockholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Stock will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, and (z) appropriate entries to the account of the Underwriter on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.
(f) The Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority, corporate or otherwise, to enter into this Agreement.
(g) This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder.
(h) The sale of the Stock by the Selling Stockholder, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Selling Stockholder and the consummation by the Selling Stockholder of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i) 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, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Selling Stockholder is a party or by which the Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Selling Stockholder is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the Selling Stockholder or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any judgment, order, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder or the property or assets of the Selling Stockholder.
(i) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder or the property or assets of the Selling Stockholder is required for the sale of the Stock by the Selling Stockholder, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Selling Stockholder and the consummation by the Selling Stockholder of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for the registration of the Stock under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange Act and applicable state or foreign securities laws in connection with the purchase and sale of the Stock by the Underwriter.
(j) To the knowledge of the Selling Stockholder, the Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(f). The preceding sentence applies only to written information furnished to the Company by the Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Selling Stockholder consists of the Selling Stockholder’s Selling Stockholder Information.
(k) To the knowledge of the Selling Stockholder, the Prospectus will not, as of its date or as of the Delivery Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(f). The preceding sentence applies only to written information furnished to the Company by the Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Selling Stockholder consists of the Selling Stockholder’s Selling Stockholder Information.
(l) To the knowledge of the Selling Stockholder, the Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(f). The preceding sentence applies only to written information furnished to the Company by the Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Selling Stockholder consists of the Selling Stockholder’s Selling Stockholder Information.
(m) To the knowledge of the Selling Stockholder, the Pricing Disclosure Package, when taken together with each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule IV hereto, did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package (or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule IV hereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(f). The preceding sentence applies only to
written information furnished to the Company by the Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Selling Stockholder consists of the Selling Stockholder’s Selling Stockholder Information.
(n) The Selling Stockholder is not prompted to sell shares of Common Stock by any material information concerning the Company that is not set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.
(o) The Selling Stockholder has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the shares of the Stock.
(p) The Selling Stockholder has not: (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official, “foreign official” (as defined in the FCPA) or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA, Bribery Act 2010, as amended, or any other applicable anti-bribery statute or regulation; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any domestic government official, foreign official or employee; and the Selling Stockholder has conducted its business in compliance with the FCPA, Bribery Act 2010, and all other applicable anti-bribery statutes and regulations, and has instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(q) The operations of the Selling Stockholder is and has been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of 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 Selling Stockholder or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Selling Stockholder, threatened.
(r) The Selling Stockholder is not (i) currently subject to or the target of any Sanctions; or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country that is the subject of Sanctions; and the Selling Stockholder will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person, or in any country or territory, that currently is the subject or target of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as an underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. The Selling Stockholder has not knowingly engaged in for the past five years, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any individual or entity, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or target of Sanctions.
(s) There are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA “participating in the offering” and the Selling Stockholder, and none of the proceeds received by the Selling Stockholder from the sale of the Stock to be sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder will be paid to a member of FINRA “participating in the offering” or any affiliate of (or person “associated with,” as such terms are used in the rules of FINRA) such member.
Any certificate signed by the Selling Stockholder or officer thereof and delivered to the Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriter in connection with the offering of the Stock shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Selling Stockholder, as to matters covered thereby, to the Underwriter.
2. Purchase of the Stock by the Underwriter. On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions of, this Agreement, the Selling Stockholder agrees to sell 9,018,760 shares of Stock to the Underwriter, as set forth on Schedule II, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase such shares of Stock from the Selling Stockholder.
The purchase price payable by the Underwriter for the Stock is $28.70 per share of Stock (the “Purchase Price”).
Subject to the sale of the Stock by the Selling Stockholder to the Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement, the Underwriter hereby agrees to sell to the Company, and the Company hereby agrees to purchase from the Underwriter the Repurchase Stock at a price per share equal to the Purchase Price.
The Selling Stockholder is not obligated to deliver any of the Stock on the Delivery Date, except upon payment for all such Stock to be purchased on the Delivery Date as provided herein.
3. Offering of Stock by the Underwriter. Upon authorization by the Underwriter of the release of the Stock, the Underwriter proposes to offer the Stock for sale upon the terms and conditions to be set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Delivery of and Payment for the Stock. Delivery of and payment for the Stock shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on November 16, 2023 or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Underwriter and the Selling Stockholder (the “Delivery Date”). Delivery of the Stock shall be made to the Underwriter against payment by the Underwriter of the aggregate purchase price of the Stock being sold by the Selling Stockholder to or upon the order of the Selling Stockholder by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Selling Stockholder. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of the Underwriter hereunder. The Selling Stockholder shall deliver the Stock through the facilities of DTC unless the Underwriter shall otherwise instruct.
In addition, payment of the purchase price for the Repurchase Stock shall be made by the Company to the Underwriter in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City to an account designated by the Underwriter against delivery of such Repurchase Stock for the account of the Company at such place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company, on the Delivery Date.
5. Further Agreements.
(a) Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriter:
(i) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Underwriter and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further
amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the Delivery Date except as provided herein; to advise the Underwriter, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Underwriter with copies thereof; to advise the Underwriter, 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 the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Stock for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding or examination for any such purpose or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing 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 the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly their best efforts to obtain its withdrawal.
(ii) To furnish promptly to the Underwriter and to counsel for the Underwriter a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith.
(iii) To deliver promptly to the Underwriter such number of the following documents as the Underwriter shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits other than this Agreement), (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, (C) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (D) any document incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time after the date hereof in connection with the offering or sale of the Stock or any other securities relating thereto 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 to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act, to notify the Underwriter and, upon request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to the Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Underwriter may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.
(iv) To file promptly with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that may, in the judgment of the Company or the Underwriter, be required by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission.
(v) Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any amendment to any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, to furnish a copy thereof to the Underwriter and
counsel for the Underwriter and obtain the consent of the Underwriter to the filing.
(vi) Not to make any offer relating to the Stock that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Underwriter.
(vii) To comply with all applicable requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act with respect to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. If at any time after the date hereof any event shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary 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 under which they were made, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to notify the Underwriter and, upon request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to the Underwriter as many copies as the Underwriter may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance.
(viii) As soon as practicable after the Effective Date (it being understood that the Company shall have until at least 405 days or, if the fourth quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes the Effective Date is the last fiscal quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, 440 days after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter), to make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to deliver to the Underwriter an earnings statement of the Company (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158).
(ix) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Underwriter may reasonably request to qualify the Stock for offering and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter 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 Stock; provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign entity in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction, or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject.
(x) For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 45th day after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), not to, directly or indirectly, (A) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Common Stock, Class B Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or Class B Stock (other than the Stock or Common Stock issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the date hereof and any exchange or redemption at any time or
from time to time by the Sponsor of any and all Class B Stock and OpCo Units held by the Sponsor for Common Stock), (B) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of such Common Stock or Class B Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock, Class B Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (C) file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Common Stock, Class B Stock or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Stock, Class B Stock or any other securities of the Company (other than any registration statement on Form S-8), or (D) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case without the prior written consent of the Underwriter.
(xi) [Intentionally omitted.]
(xii) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing pay the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.
(xiii) The Company and its affiliates will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that reasonably would be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the Stock.
(xiv) The Company will do and perform all things required or necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by it prior to the Delivery Date, and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the Underwriter’s obligations hereunder to purchase the Stock.
(b) The Underwriter agrees that it shall not include any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) used or referred to by the Underwriter without the prior consent of the Company (any such issuer information with respect to whose use the Company has given its consent, “Permitted Issuer Information”); provided that (i) no such consent shall be required with respect to any such issuer information contained in any document filed by the Company with the Commission prior to the use of such free writing prospectus, and (ii) “issuer information,” as used in this Section 5(b), shall not be deemed to include information prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter on the basis of or derived from issuer information.
(c) Further Agreements of the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder agrees:
(i) During the Lock-Up Period, not to, directly or indirectly, (i) offer for sale, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock (other than the Stock), (ii) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in
whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of such shares of Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (iii) make any demand for or exercise any right or confidentially submit or file or cause to be confidentially submitted or filed a registration statement, including any amendments, with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Stock or any other securities of the Company, or (iv) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case without the prior written consent of the Underwriter.
(ii) Neither the Selling Stockholder nor any person acting on behalf of the Selling Stockholder (other than, if applicable, the Company and the Underwriter) shall use or refer to any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), relating to the Stock.
(iii) The Selling Stockholder will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that reasonably would be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the Stock.
(iv) The Selling Stockholder will do and perform all things required or necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by it prior to the Delivery Date, and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the Underwriter’s obligations hereunder to purchase the Stock.
6. Expenses. The Company agrees, whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the Stock Repurchase) are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay all expenses, costs, fees and taxes incident to and in connection with (a) the sale and delivery of the Stock and any stamp duties or other taxes payable in that connection, and the preparation and printing of certificates for the Stock; (b) the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and any amendment or supplement thereto; (c) the distribution of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and any amendment or supplement thereto, or any document incorporated by reference therein, all as provided in this Agreement; (d) the production and distribution of this Agreement, and any supplementary agreement, and any other related documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Stock; (e) any required review by FINRA of the terms of sale of the Stock (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriter in an amount that is not greater than $20,000); (f) the inclusion of the Stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market; (g) the qualification of the Stock under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 5(a)(ix) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriter); (h) the preparation, printing and distribution of one or more versions of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus for distribution in Canada, including in the form of a Canadian “wrapper” (including related fees and expenses of Canadian counsel to the Underwriter); (i) the investor presentations on any “road show” or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Stock, including, without limitation, expenses associated with any electronic road show, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company; provided, however, that the Underwriter will pay for 50% of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, except for flights
on which there is no representative of the Underwriter; and (j) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholder under this Agreement (including the Stock Repurchase); provided that, except as provided in this Section 6 and in Section 11, the Underwriter shall pay its own costs and expenses, including the costs and expenses of its counsel, any transfer taxes on the Stock which they may sell, the expenses of advertising any offering of the Stock made by the Underwriter and the transportation and other expenses incurred by the Underwriter on its own behalf in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Stock, and the Selling Stockholder shall pay the fees and expenses of its counsel, and any income and/or transfer taxes payable in connection with its sales of Stock to the Underwriter and reimburse the Company for its pro rata share of the fees and expenses paid by the Company in connection with the offering of the Stock. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this Section 6 is intended to amend any provisions, including any provisions relating to expense allocation, set forth in that certain registration rights agreement dated November 1, 2023, by and among the Company, the Selling Stockholder and certain other stockholders identified therein.
7. Conditions of Underwriter’s Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on the Delivery Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Selling Stockholder contained herein, to the performance by the Company and its subsidiaries and the Selling Stockholder of their respective obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 5(a)(i). The Company shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to after the date hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding or examination for such purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with. If the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities 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.
(b) The Underwriter shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Delivery Date that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(c) All proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Stock, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Underwriter, and the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(d) Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP shall have furnished to the Underwriter its written opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriter and dated the Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter.
(e) P. Matt Zmigrosky shall have furnished to the Underwriter his written opinion, as general counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriter and dated the Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter.
(f) Kirkland & Ellis LLP shall have furnished to the Underwriter its written opinion, as counsel to the Selling Stockholder, addressed to the Underwriter and dated the Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter.
(g) The Underwriter shall have received from Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, such opinion or opinions, dated the Delivery Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Stock, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Underwriter may reasonably require, and the Company and its subsidiaries shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(h) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall have received from Grant Thornton LLP letters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, addressed to the Underwriter and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.
(i) With respect to the letters of Grant Thornton LLP referred to in the preceding paragraph and delivered to the Underwriter concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the “initial letters”), the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter letters (the “bring-down letters”) of such accountants, addressed to the Underwriter and dated the Delivery Date (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the bring-down letters (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date of the bring-down letters), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by its initial letters, and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in its initial letters.
(j) The Underwriter shall have received from each of Ryder Scott and D&M a letter, addressed to the Underwriter dated as of the date hereof and the Delivery Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, confirming that, as of the date of its reserve report, it was an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company
and its subsidiaries or GRP Energy Capital, as applicable, and as of the date of such letter, no information had come to its attention that could reasonably have been expected to cause it to withdraw its reserve report.
(k) The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter a certificate, dated the Delivery Date, of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company as to such matters as the Underwriter may reasonably request, including, without limitation, a statement that:
(i) The representations, warranties and agreements of the Company in Section 1(i) are true and correct on and as of the Delivery Date, and the Company has complied with all its agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Delivery Date;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued; and no proceedings or examination for that purpose have been instituted or, to the knowledge of such officers, threatened; and the Commission shall not have notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto; and
(iii) They have examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, in their opinion, (A) (1) the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, (2) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the Delivery Date, and (3) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and did not and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and (B) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred that should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that has not been so set forth.
(l) The Selling Stockholder shall have furnished to the Underwriter on the Delivery Date a certificate, dated the Delivery Date, signed by, or on behalf of, the Selling Stockholder stating that the representations, warranties and agreements of the Selling Stockholder contained herein are true and correct on and as of the Delivery Date and that the Selling Stockholder has complied with all its agreements contained herein and has satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Delivery Date.
(m) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) none of the Company and its subsidiaries shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary 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, or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the equity interest or long-term debt of any of the Company and its subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, partners’ or members’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is,
individually or in the aggregate, in the judgment of the Underwriter, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Stock being delivered on the Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(n) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, to the extent applicable, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined by the Commission 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.
(o) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) (A) trading in securities generally on any securities exchange that has registered with the Commission under Section 6 of the Exchange Act (including the New York Stock Exchange, The Nasdaq Global Select Market, The Nasdaq Global Market or The Nasdaq Capital Market), or (B) trading in any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have been materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such) or any other calamity or crisis either within or outside the United States, as to make it, in the judgment of the Underwriter, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or delivery of the Stock being delivered on the Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(p) [Intentionally omitted.]
(q) The Underwriter shall have received, on the date hereof and on the Delivery Date, a certificate or certificates of an officer or officers of the Company with respect to the pro forma financial and operational information included in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter.
(r) On or prior to the Delivery Date, the Company and its subsidiaries shall have furnished to the Underwriter such further certificates and documents as the Underwriter may reasonably request.
(s) Substantially concurrently with the consummation of the offering of the Stock, the Stock Repurchase shall be consummated.
All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriter.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Stock), to which that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (C) any Permitted Issuer Information used or referred to in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) used or referred to by the Underwriter, (D) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Stock, including any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (“Marketing Materials”), or (E) any Blue Sky application or other document prepared or executed by the Company (or based upon any written information furnished by the Company for use therein) specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or all of the Stock under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being hereinafter called a “Blue Sky Application”) or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Marketing Materials or any Blue Sky Application, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall reimburse the Underwriter and each such affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that none of the Company or its subsidiaries shall be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any such amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Marketing Materials or any Blue Sky Application, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning the Underwriter furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information consists solely of the information specified in Section 8(f). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to the Underwriter or to any affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person of the Underwriter.
(b) The Selling Stockholder shall indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Stock), to which that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any information furnished by the Selling Stockholder in writing to the Company relating to the Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Marketing Materials, any Blue Sky Application or any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (any such “free writing prospectus” that was prepared by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder or used or referred to by the Selling Stockholder in connection with the offering of the Stock in violation of Section 5(c)(ii) being referred to as a “Selling Stockholder Free Writing Prospectus”), (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any information furnished by the Selling Stockholder in writing to the Company relating to the Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Preliminary Prospectus, Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Marketing Materials, any Blue Sky Application or the Selling Stockholder Free Writing Prospectus, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, it being understood and agreed that for purposes of this Agreement, the only such information so furnished by the Selling Stockholder consists of the Selling Stockholder’s Selling Stockholder Information, and shall reimburse the Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees and each such controlling person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees or controlling persons in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred, or (iii) any breach of any representation or warranty of the Selling Stockholder in this Agreement or any certificate or other agreement delivered pursuant hereto or contemplated hereby. The liability of the Selling Stockholder under the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the total gross proceeds from the offering of the shares of the Stock purchased under the Agreement received by the Selling Stockholder, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that the Selling Stockholder may otherwise have to the Underwriter or any affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person of that Underwriter.
(c) The Underwriter shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Stockholder, their directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which the Company, the Selling Stockholder or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials or Blue Sky
Application, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials or Blue Sky Application, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning the Underwriter furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is limited to the information set forth in Section 8(f). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that the Underwriter may otherwise have to the Company, the Selling Stockholder or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person.
(d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights and defenses) by such failure and, provided, further, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that the indemnified party shall have the right to employ counsel to represent jointly the indemnified party and those other indemnified parties and their respective directors, officers, employees and controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under this Section 8 if (i) the indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall have so mutually agreed; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party and its directors, officers, employees and controlling persons shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to them that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified parties or their respective directors, officers, employees or controlling persons, on the one hand, and the indemnifying party, on the other hand, and representation of both sets of parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, and in any such event the fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the indemnifying party. No indemnifying party shall (x) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability
arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and 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, or (y) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 8(a) or (b) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request or disputed in good faith the indemnified party’s entitlement to such reimbursement prior to the date of such settlement.
(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a), 8(b) or 8(c) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, from the offering of the Stock, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Stock purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter with respect to the Stock purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Selling Stockholder or the Underwriter, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(e) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 8(e) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 8(e), 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 Section 8(e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Stock exceeds the amount of any damages that the Underwriter 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 Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(f) The Underwriter confirms and the Company and the Selling Stockholder acknowledge and agree that the information appearing in the second sentence of the tenth paragraph and information relating to stabilization by the Underwriter appearing in the eleventh and twelfth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning the Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter specifically for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials.
9. [Intentionally omitted.]
10. Termination. The Underwriter may terminate its obligations hereunder by notice given to and received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder prior to delivery of and payment for the Stock if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Sections 7(n), 7(o) and 7(p) shall have occurred or if the Underwriter shall decline to purchase the Stock for any reason permitted under this Agreement.
11. Reimbursement of Underwriter’s Expenses. If (a) the Selling Stockholder shall fail to tender the Stock for delivery to the Underwriter for any reason other than by reason of a default by the Underwriter, or (b) the Underwriter shall decline to purchase the Stock for any reason permitted under this Agreement (other than Section 7(p)(i)(A), (p)(ii), (o)(iii) or (p)(iv)), the Company and the Selling Stockholder will reimburse the Underwriter for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter) incurred by the Underwriter in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of the Stock, and upon demand the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall pay the full amount thereof to the Underwriter.
12. Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriter’s research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from the investment banking division and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that the Underwriter’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company and the Selling Stockholder hereby waive and release, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company or the Selling Stockholder may have against the Underwriter with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company or the Selling Stockholder by the Underwriter’s investment banking divisions. The Company and the Selling Stockholder acknowledge that the Underwriter is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
13. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company and the Selling Stockholder acknowledge and agree that in connection with this offering, sale of the Stock or any other services the Underwriter may be deemed to be providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriter: (a) no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Company, the Selling Stockholder and any other person, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, exists; (b) the Underwriter is not acting as advisors, expert or otherwise, to any of the Company or the Selling Stockholder, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the public offering price of the Stock, and such relationship between the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial, based on arms-length negotiations; (c) any duties and obligations that the Underwriter may have to the Company or the Selling Stockholder shall be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (d) the Underwriter and its affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Company or the Selling Stockholder. Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholder hereby waive any claims that any of the Company may have against the Underwriter with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.
14. Notices, etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:
(a) if to the Underwriter, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: (646) 834-8133), with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 10(d), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019;
(b) if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: P. Matt Zmigrosky; and
(c) if to the Selling Stockholder, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the Selling Stockholder at the address set forth on Schedule II hereto.
Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The Company and the Selling Stockholder shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or agreement given or made by the Underwriter.
15. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriter, the Company, the Selling Stockholder and their respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (a) the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Company and the Selling Stockholder contained in this Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors, officers and employees of the Underwriter and each person or persons, if any, who control the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, and (b) the indemnity agreement of the Underwriter contained in Section 8(c) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who have signed the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this
Section 15, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.
16. Survival. The respective indemnities, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and its subsidiaries, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriter contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Stock and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any of them or any person controlling any of them.
17. Definition of the Terms “Business Day,” “Affiliate” and “Subsidiary.” For purposes of this Agreement, (a) “business day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close, and (b) “affiliate” and “subsidiary” have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
18. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflict of laws principles (other than Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law).
19. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company and the Underwriter hereby irrevocably waive, 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. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
21. Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriter is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies its clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of its clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriter to properly identify its clients.
22. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) In the event that the Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from the 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 the Underwriter is a Covered Entity, or a BHC Act Affiliate of the Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against the 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.
For the purposes of this Section 22, a “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.
23. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
[Signature pages follow]
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriter, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.
Very truly yours, | |||||||||||
VIPER ENERGY, INC. | |||||||||||
By: | /s/ Kaes Van’t Hof | ||||||||||
Name: | Kaes Van’t Hof | ||||||||||
Title: | President |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
Warwick Royalty and Mineral Master Fund LP | |||||||||||
By: | Warwick Royalty and Mineral Fund GP Limited | ||||||||||
Its: | General Partner | ||||||||||
By: | /s/ Ralph Woodford | ||||||||||
Name: | Ralph Woodford | ||||||||||
Title: | Director |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
Accepted: | ||||||||
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC. | ||||||||
By: | /s/ Amit Chandra | |||||||
Name: | Amit Chandra | |||||||
Title: | Managing Director |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I
Number of | ||||||||
Underwriter | Shares of Stock | |||||||
Barclays Capital Inc. | 9,018,760 | |||||||
Total | 9,018,760 |
SCHEDULE II
Selling Stockholder
Number of Shares of | ||||||||
Name and Address of the Selling Stockholder | Stock | |||||||
Warwick Royalty and Mineral Master Fund LP | 9,018,760 | |||||||
Address: 86 Duke of York Square, 3rd Floor | ||||||||
London, SW3 4LY |
SCHEDULE III
ORALLY CONVEYED PRICING INFORMATION
1. Public offering price: $28.70 per share of Stock
2. Number of shares repurchased: 1,000,000 shares of Repurchase Stock
3. Number of shares offered: 9,018,760 shares of Stock
SCHEDULE IV
ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES
None.