WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION $200,000,000 Floating Rate Notes due 2009 $300,000,000 6.125% Senior Notes due 2011 $250,000,000 6.500% Senior Notes due 2016 Underwriting Agreement June 14, 2006

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Underwriting Agreements
EX-1.1 2 dex11.htm UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT Underwriting Agreement

Exhibit 1.1

EXECUTION COPY

WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

$200,000,000 Floating Rate Notes due 2009

$300,000,000 6.125% Senior Notes due 2011

$250,000,000 6.500% Senior Notes due 2016

Underwriting Agreement

June 14, 2006

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

390 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

270 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10017

As Representatives of the

  several Underwriters listed

  in Schedule 1 hereto

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Whirlpool Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $200,000,000 principal amount of its Floating Rate Notes due 2009 (the “2009 Notes”), $300,000,000 principal amount of its 6.125% Senior Notes due 2011 (the “2011 Notes”) and $250,000,000 principal amount of its 6.500% Senior Notes due 2016 (the “2016 Notes”, and together with the 2009 Notes and the 2011 Notes, the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of March 20, 2000 (the “Indenture”) between the Company and Citibank, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”).

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:

1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-131627), including a prospectus, relating to the Securities. The term registration


statement means the registration statement amended at the time it becomes effective for purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act as such section applies to the Company and the Underwriters for the Securities pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the Securities Act (the “Effective Time”), including (i) all documents then filed as a part thereof or incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein and (ii) any information contained or incorporated by reference in a prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, to the extent such information is deemed, pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(1) under the Securities Act, to be part of the Registration Statement at the Effective Time, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before it becomes effective, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

At 4:15 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on June 14, 2006 (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the information referred to in the next succeeding sentence, the “Time of Sale Information”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated June 14, 2006, and each “free writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex B hereto.

2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters. (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.600% of the principal amount of the 2009 Notes, 99.155% of the principal amount of the 2011 Notes and 98.945% of the principal amount of the 2016 Notes, in each case plus accrued interest, if any, from June 19, 2006 to the Closing Date (as

 

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defined below). The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.

(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

(c) Payment for and delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017 at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on June 19, 2006, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”.

(d) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company. The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

(e) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

(a) At the time (i) of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act

 

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(whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus) and (iii) the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption in Rule 163, the Company was a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer.

(b) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Securities Act, the Company was not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405).

(c) Time of Sale Information. The Time of Sale Information, together with the electronic road show on June 14, 2006, to the extent that such electronic road show is considered a “written communication” under Rule 405 of the Securities Act (the “Electronic Road Show”) at the Time of Sale did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to (A) any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Time of Sale Information or (B) to that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”). No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

(d) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. The Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not made, and, unless it has obtained or will obtain the prior written consent of the Representatives, will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 (an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the free writing prospectuses included on Annex B hereto. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”. The Company agrees that it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and has been filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby).

(e) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act

 

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that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.

(f) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain any 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.

(g) Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods

 

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specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby; and the pro forma financial information and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable and are set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(h) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor any of Maytag Corporation (“Maytag”), Whirlpool Europe B.V. (“Whirlpool Europe”) or Multibras S.A. Electrodomesticos (collectively with Maytag and Whirlpool Europe, the “Significant Subsidiaries”) has sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, and (ii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company and any of its subsidiaries, considered as a whole, or any material adverse change, or any development involving an impending material adverse change, in the general affairs, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus. Maytag, Whirlpool Europe and Multibras S.A. Electrodomesticos are the only significant subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act) of the Company.

(i) Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its Significant Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties and where the failure to so qualify would have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(j) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under

 

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the heading “Capitalization” and all the issued shares of capital stock of the Company and each of its Significant Subsidiaries have been duly and validly authorized and issued, and are fully paid and non-assessable; and all of the shares of capital stock of its Significant Subsidiaries owned directly or indirectly by the Company are owned free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims (other than with respect to the right of the Company to transfer shares of capital stock of Whirlpool Europe in certain circumstances).

(k) The Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and upon effectiveness of the Registration Statement was or will have been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and general equity principles relating to enforceability (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”).

(l) The Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

(m) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(n) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(o) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries is in violation of its by-laws or certificate of incorporation or in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound.

(p) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents will not materially conflict with or result in a material breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any material indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is bound or to which

 

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any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation, as amended, or the by-laws of the Company or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated hereby.

(q) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject other than litigation or other proceedings which, in the opinion of the Company, will not in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of the knowledge of the Company’s officers, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(r) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

(s) Properties. The principal manufacturing and service facilities referred to in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and Maytag’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 under the caption “Properties” are either owned or leased by the Company or one of its subsidiaries and, if owned, are held under good title, subject to no defects or encumbrances which would materially interfere with the conduct of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole and, if leased, are held under valid and enforceable leases with no exceptions which would materially interfere with such conduct.

 

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(t) Disclosure Controls. 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.

(u) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including, but not limited to internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls.

(v) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(w) Compliance With Environmental Laws. (i) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and the Time of Sale Information, the Company and its subsidiaries (x) are in material compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, requirements, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (y) have received and are in compliance with all material permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (z) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes,

 

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pollutants or contaminants, and (ii) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and the Time of Sale Information, there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (w)(i) and (w)(ii) above, for any such failure to comply, or failure to receive required permits, licenses or approvals, or cost or liability, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(x) Compliance With ERISA. Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and its affiliates has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption.

4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus (the “Final Prospectus”) with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the registration fees for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(i) under the Securities Act prior to the Closing Date.

(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities and if at such time

 

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any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify the Representatives and upon their request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.

(c) Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, whether before or after the time that the Registration Statement becomes effective the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.

(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; or (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act, and if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then

 

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amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the statements in the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.

(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(g) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

(h) Clear Market. During the period from the date hereof through and including the business day following the Closing Date, the Company will not offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the Company which mature more than one year after such Closing Date and which are substantially similar to such Securities, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.

 

12


(i) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that

(a) Other than one or more free writing prospectuses containing the proposed or final terms of the Securities (substantially in the form of Annexes C-1, C-2 and C-3), it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

(b) It has not and will not distribute any Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus referred to in clause (a) in a manner reasonably designed to lead to its broad unrestricted dissemination.

(c) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Securities unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annexes C-1, C-2 and C-3 hereto without the consent of the Company; provided further that at least one Representative using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.

(d) It will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each free writing prospectus used or referred to by it, in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

(e) Such Underwriter will not enter into a contract of sale with any prospective purchaser of the Securities until the Time of Sale Information has been conveyed to the prospective purchaser.

(f) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with

 

13


the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of a Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.

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

(d) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(i) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Time of Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representatives at the Closing Date for the Securities a certificate or certificates of officers of the Company reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives dated as of the Closing Date as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Closing Date, as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed, at or prior to such Closing Date and as to the matters set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.

(f) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, Ernst & Young shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration

 

14


Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

(g) Opinion of Counsel of the Company. Daniel F. Hopp, Esq., Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, his written opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A hereto.

(h) Opinion of Outside Counsel for the Company. Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, LLP, outside counsel to the Company, or such other counsel to the Company reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion, dated the Closing Date with respect to the Securities in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, and any further amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company prior to the Closing Date (other than the financial statements, related schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1, and other than documents incorporated therein by reference and the Electronic Road Show, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; and such counsel shall further state that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that has caused such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (as of the time the Registration Statement or such amendment last became effective immediately preceding the signing of this Agreement) (other than the financial statements and related schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1, and other than documents incorporated by reference therein and the Electronic Road Show) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Time of Sale Information, or the Prospectus or any supplement thereto (as of the date of the Time of Sale Information, the Prospectus or supplement thereto, respectively) or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented (as of the Closing Date) (other than the financial statements and related schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, and other than documents incorporated by reference therein and the Electronic Road Show), contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely to the extent it deems appropriate upon certificates of officers of the Company, of officers of any subsidiary of the Company and of public officials as to factual matters. Such counsel may limit its opinion to matters relating to United States federal laws, the laws of the States of Illinois and New York and the corporate law of the State of Delaware;

 

15


(i) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(j) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.

(k) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(l) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence 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 Underwriters.

7. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) or any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue

 

16


statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the following: (i) the information in the third paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus concerning stabilization and other transactions and (ii) the information in the third, seventh and eighth paragraphs of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Final Prospectus concerning, respectively, stabilization and other transactions, and certain relationships of certain of the Underwriters.

(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section 7 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 7. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary, or (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than

 

17


one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person 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 the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of

 

18


the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, 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 such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such 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. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated

 

19


by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; or (v) the representation in Section 3(d) is incorrect in any respect.

10. Defaulting Underwriter. (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

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

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

 

20


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

11. Payment of Expenses. (a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; and (x) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Securities on the Exchange.

(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 (other than pursuant to clause (v) of Section 9 if the Company and the Underwriters subsequently enter into another agreement for the Underwriters to underwrite the same or substantially similar securities of the Company), (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

 

21


13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.

14. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

15. Miscellaneous. (a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by each of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 390 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013 (fax: 212 ###-###-####); Attention: Syndicate Desk and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017 (fax: 212 ###-###-####); Attention: High Grade Syndicate Desk. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Whirlpool Corporation, 2000 M-63, Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022-2692 (fax: 616 ###-###-####); Attention: General Counsel.

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

(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

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

 

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

Very truly yours,

WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

By

    
 

Name:

 

Title:

Accepted: June 14, 2006

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto,

 

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.

By

    
 

Name:

 

Authorized Signatory

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

By

    
 

Name:

 

Authorized Signatory

 

23


Schedule 1

 

Underwriter

   Principal
Amount of
2009 Notes
   Principal
Amount of
2011 Notes
   Principal
Amount of
2016 Notes

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

   $ 50,000,000    $ 75,000,000    $ 62,500,000

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

     50,000,000      75,000,000      62,500,000

Banc of America Securities LLC

     0      114,000,000      0

Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.

     100,000,000      0      0

LaSalle Financial Services, Inc.

     0      0      95,000,000

Barclays Capital Inc.

     0      6,000,000      5,000,000

Daiwa Securities America Inc.

     0      6,000,000      5,000,000

Fortis Securities LLC

     0      6,000,000      5,000,000

Harris Nesbitt Corp.

     0      6,000,000      5,000,000

ING Financial Markets LLC

     0      6,000,000      5,000,000

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

     0      6,000,000      5,000,000
                    

Total

   $ 200,000,000    $ 300,000,000    $ 250,000,000

 

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Annex A

Form of Opinion of Counsel

(1) The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture was qualified under the Trust Indenture Act as of the date and time specified in such opinion; each of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to the subparagraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act specified in such opinion on the date specified therein; and no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or in connection with the offering is pending or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, threatened by the Commission.

(2) The Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus included in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act; and the Indenture complies as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

(3) The Company and each of its Significant Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties and where the failure to so qualify would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(4) The documents incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Closing Date (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to believe that any of such documents, when such documents became effective or were so filed, as the case may be contained, in the case of a registration statement which became effective under the Securities Act, any untrue statement of material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or, in the case of

 

25


other documents which were filed under the Exchange Act with the Commission, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statement therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such documents were so filed, not misleading.

(5) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization” and all the issued shares of capital stock of the Company and each of its Significant Subsidiaries have been duly and validly authorized and issued, and are fully paid and non-assessable; and all of the shares of capital stock of its Significant Subsidiaries owned directly or indirectly by the Company are owned free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims (other than with respect to the right of the Company to transfer shares of capital stock of Whirlpool Europe in certain circumstances).

(6) The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver each of the Transaction Documents and to perform its obligations thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.

(7) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions.

(8) The Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, when duly authenticated as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided in this Agreement, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

(9) The Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(10) Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(11) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents will not materially conflict with or result in a material breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any material indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or by

 

26


which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation, as amended, or the by-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation that is known to such counsel of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated hereby.

(12) To the best knowledge of such counsel, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject other than litigation or other proceedings which, will not in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others.

(13) The descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus of statutes, legal, governmental and regulatory proceedings and contracts and other documents are accurate in all material respects; the statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus under the heading “Certain Federal Income Tax Considerations”, and incorporated by reference in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus from Item 3 of Part I of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and Maytag’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, to the extent that they constitute summaries of matters of law or regulation or legal conclusions, fairly summarize the matters described therein in all material respects; and, to the best knowledge of such counsel, (A) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and (B) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts and other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and that have not been so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

Such counsel shall also state that they have participated in conferences with representatives of the Company and with representatives of its independent accountants and counsel at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto and

 

27


related matters were discussed and, although such counsel assume no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto (except as expressly provided above), nothing has come to the attention of such counsel to cause such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time of its effective date (including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C to be part of the Registration Statement at the time of each applicable effective date), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, that the Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale (which such counsel may assume to be the date of the Underwriting Agreement) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto as of its date and the Closing Date contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (other than the financial statements and other financial information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no belief).

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials that are furnished to the Underwriters.

The opinion of Daniel F. Hopp, Esq. described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

 

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Annex B

a. Time of Sale Information

1. Term Sheet, containing the terms of the 2009 Notes, substantially in the form of Annex C-1

2. Term Sheet, containing the terms of the 2011 Notes, substantially in the form of Annex C-2

3. Term Sheet, containing the terms of the 2016 Notes, substantially in the form of Annex C-3

b. Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses

1. Term Sheet, containing the terms of the 2009 Notes, substantially in the form of Annex C-1

2. Term Sheet, containing the terms of the 2011 Notes, substantially in the form of Annex C-2

3. Term Sheet, containing the terms of the 2016 Notes, substantially in the form of Annex C-3

4. The Electronic Road Show on June 14, 2006

 

29


Annex C-1

Pricing Term Sheet for Floating Rate Notes due 2009

 

Issuer:    Whirlpool Corporation
Size:    $200,000,000
Maturity:    June 15, 2009
Price:    100% of face amount
Benchmark:    3 Month LIBOR
Spread:    Plus 50 basis points
Interest Payment Dates:    March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15, commencing September 15, 2006
Redemption Provisions:   

First call date:

   June 15, 2007

Redemption price:

   100%
Settlement:    T+3; June 19, 2006
Ratings:   

Moody’s: Baa2

S&P: BBB

Fitch: BBB

Joint Book-Running Managers:   

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.

Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Citigroup Global Markets Inc. toll-free at ###-###-#### or J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (collect) at ###-###-####.

 

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Annex C-2

Whirlpool Corporation

Pricing Term Sheet for 6.125% Senior Notes due 2011

 

Issuer:    Whirlpool Corporation
Size:    $300,000,000
Maturity:    June 15, 2011
Coupon:    6.125%
Price:    99.755% of face amount
Yield to maturity:    6.183%
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:    1.15%
Benchmark Treasury:    4.875% due 05/31/2011
Benchmark Treasury Yield:    5.033%
Interest Payment Dates:    June 15 and December 15, commencing December 15, 2006
Redemption Provisions:   

Make-whole call:

   At any time at a discount rate of Treasury plus 20 basis points
Settlement:    T+3; June 19, 2006
Ratings:   

Moody’s: Baa2

S&P: BBB

Fitch: BBB

Joint Book-Running Managers:   

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

Banc of America Securities LLC

Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Citigroup Global Markets Inc. toll-free at ###-###-#### or J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (collect) at ###-###-####.

 

31


Annex C-3

Whirlpool Corporation

Pricing Term Sheet for 6.500% Senior Notes due 2016

 

Issuer:    Whirlpool Corporation
Size:    $250,000,000
Maturity:    June 15, 2016
Coupon:    6.500%
Price:    99.595% of face amount
Yield to maturity:    6.556%
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:    1.50%
Benchmark Treasury:    5.125% due 05/15/2016
Benchmark Treasury Yield:    5.056%
Interest Payment Dates:    June 15 and December 15, commencing December 15, 2006
Redemption Provisions:   

Make-whole call:

   At any time at a discount rate of Treasury plus 25 basis points
Settlement:    T+3; June 19, 2006
Ratings:   

Moody’s: Baa2

S&P: BBB

Fitch: BBB

Joint Book-Running Managers:   

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

LaSalle Financial Services, Inc.

Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Citigroup Global Markets Inc. toll-free at ###-###-#### or J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (collect) at ###-###-####.

 

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

Very truly yours,
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Blair Clark
  Name: Blair Clark
  Title: Vice President and Treasurer

Accepted: June 14, 2006

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto,

 

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
By:   /s/ Brian Bednarski
  Name: Brian Bednarski
  Title: Director

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
By:   /s/ Robert Bottamedi
  Name: Robert Bottamedi
  Title: Vice President