16,000,000 Shares ZAYOGROUP HOLDINGS, INC. COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001 PER SHARE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT March [], 2015

EX-1.1 2 d877708dex11.htm EX-1.1 EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

16,000,000 Shares

ZAYO GROUP HOLDINGS, INC.

COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001 PER SHARE

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

March [—], 2015


March [—], 2015

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Barclays Capital Inc.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Zayo Group Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “Underwriters”), and certain shareholders of the Company (the “Selling Shareholders”) named in Schedule I hereto severally propose to sell to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of 16,000,000 shares of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Firm Shares”), of which 4,000,000 shares are to be issued and sold by the Company and 12,000,000 shares are to be sold by the Selling Shareholders, each Selling Shareholder selling the amount set forth opposite such Selling Shareholder’s name in Schedule I hereto.

The Selling Shareholders also propose to sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional 2,400,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share of the Company (the “Additional Shares”) if and to the extent that you, as managers of the offering, shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.” The Company and the Selling Shareholders are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the “Sellers.”

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

 

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For purposes of this underwriting agreement (the “Agreement”), “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, and pricing information set forth in Schedule III hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof.

1.Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.

(b) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, 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 not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iv) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (v) as of its date and the Closing Date, the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

(c) Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule III hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus. No free writing prospectuses or broadly available road shows shall conflict with the information contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus or Prospectus,

 

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and no free writing prospectuses, when taken together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the free writing prospectuses and the Time of Sale Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

(d) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(e) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(f) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, organized or formed, as applicable, is validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership, as applicable in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation, as applicable, has the power and authority (corporate or otherwise) to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock, membership interest or equity interest, as the case may be, of each subsidiary of the Company, have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for those pursuant to the Security Agreement dated July 2, 2012, as supplemented. Listed on Schedule IV hereto is a complete and accurate list of the subsidiaries of the Company as of the date hereof.

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

 

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(h) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(i) The shares of Common Stock (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholders) outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

(j) The Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(k) The statements included, or incorporated by reference, in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders of our Common Stock,” “Executive Compensation,” “Business—Legal Proceedings,” “Business—Regulatory Matters,” and “Risk Factors—Risks Relating To Our Industry—Certain of our services are subject to regulation that could change or otherwise impact us in an adverse manner,” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents and proceedings.

(l) The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares to be sold by the Company and the compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, (i) any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its properties, (ii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company is subject, or (iii) the charter or by-laws of the Company, except in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) above, for such breaches, violations or defaults which would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and no consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration, qualification or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for (i) the registration under the Securities Act of the Shares, (ii) the approval by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) of the underwriting terms and arrangements, (iii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, qualifications or filings as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters and (iv) as shall have been obtained or made prior to each delivery of Shares, except where the failure to obtain any such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications or make such filings would not impair, in any material respect, the ability of the Company to issue and sell the Shares or to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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(m) None of Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws (or other organizational documents) or (ii) in violation of any law, ordinance, governmental rule, regulation or court decree to which it or its property or assets may be subject, except, in the case of clause (ii), for any violation that would not be material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(n) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(o) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Prospectus and proceedings that would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described in all material respects; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described in all material respects or filed as required.

(p) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(q) Grant Thornton LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related schedules and notes thereto) of the Company, portions of which are included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, were at the relevant time independent registered public accountants with respect to the Company, as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

(r) KPMG LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related schedules and notes thereto) of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, were at the relevant time independent registered public accountants with respect to the Company, as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

(s) BDO USA, LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related schedules and notes thereto) of AboveNet, Inc. (“AboveNet”) included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, were at the relevant time independent registered public accountants with respect to AboveNet, as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

 

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(t) The respective historical financial statements of the Company and AboveNet included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus, together with the related notes, present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of each entity (including, in each case, their respective subsidiaries), as of and at the dates indicated and the results of its/their operations and cash flows for the periods specified on the basis stated therein. Such financial statements comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. The historical financial data of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus under the captions “Summary Consolidated Financial Information and Other Data,” “Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Information” and elsewhere in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus fairly present the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus. The statistical and market-related data and forward-looking statements included in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company and its subsidiaries believe to be reliable and accurate in all material respects and represent their good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.

(u) The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess, license or have other rights to use, all material patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as now conducted, and the Company does not have reason to believe that the conduct of it or its subsidiaries’ respective businesses will conflict in any material respect with, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of any claim of conflict with any such rights of other parties.

(v) The Company and its subsidiaries possess such valid and current licenses, certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, except as would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation, modification or non-renewal of, or non-compliance with, any such license, certificate, authorization or permit which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(w) The business of the Company and its subsidiaries as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus is being conducted in compliance with applicable requirements under the Federal Communications Act of 1934, as amended, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the regulations issued thereunder, all relevant rules, regulations and published policies of the Federal Communications Commission (the “FCC”) and any applicable state telecommunications laws and regulations of a state public service commission or similar state governmental authority (“Local Authorities”) (such laws

 

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and regulations, collectively, the “Telecommunications Laws”), except as would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all permits, licenses, rights of way, approvals, consents and other authorizations issued by the appropriate federal, state or local regulatory agencies or bodies (including the FCC or Local Authorities) required for the conduct of the business now operated by the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Governmental Licenses”), except where the failure to possess any such Governmental Licenses would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; the Company and its subsidiaries are legally qualified to hold and are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; there is no outstanding adverse judgment, decree or order that has been issued by the FCC or any of the Local Authorities against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which, singly or in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of or is aware of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses or, except as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus, that would otherwise affect the operations of the Company or its subsidiaries and which, singly or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. No event has occurred with respect to the Governmental Licenses which, with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would reasonably be expected to constitute grounds for revocation of any Governmental License, other than the expiration of such Governmental License in accordance with its terms.

(x) The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(y) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

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(z) Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

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

(bb) The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns in a timely manner and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them, except for any taxes, assessments, fines or penalties as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, those tax returns for which extensions have been properly filed, and those for which there would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. The Company has made appropriate provisions in the financial statements included in the Registration Statement as of its effective date in respect of all material federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise taxes for all current or prior periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries has not been finally determined.

(cc) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries have insurance coverage in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks that are adequate to protect the Company and its subsidiaries, and customary for the conduct of their respective businesses, including, but not limited to, policies covering business interruptions and real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes. All policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no material claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

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(dd) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

(ee) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements and the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“XBRL”) included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

(ff) Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no significant changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(gg) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurances that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the Company by others within the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and such disclosure controls and procedures are reasonably effective to perform the functions for which they were established subject to the limitations of any such control system; the Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal controls; and since the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and procedures, there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

(hh) The Company and its subsidiaries and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (as amended, “ERISA,” which term, as used herein, includes the regulations and published interpretations thereunder) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their ERISA Affiliates (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or a subsidiary, any member of any group of organizations described in

 

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Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (as amended, the “Code,” which term, as used herein, includes the regulations and published interpretations thereunder) of which the Company or such subsidiary, respectively, is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401 of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(ii) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened or imminent, which would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(jj) No material relationship exists between or among the Company or any subsidiary, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company and its subsidiaries, on the other hand, that is not so described in the Prospectus.

(kk) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(ll) The interactive data in XBRL included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(mm) None of the Company, its subsidiaries, its controlled affiliates or any director or officer, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any non-controlled affiliate, employee, agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or affiliates has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintain and enforce and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein. For purposes of this subsection, “controlled affiliate” shall mean an affiliate over which the Company possesses the power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies thereof.

 

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(nn) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(oo) (i) The Company represents that none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Entity”) or any director, officer, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:

(A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

(ii) The Entity represents and covenants that it will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, initial purchaser, advisor, investor or otherwise).

(iii) The Entity represents and covenants that it has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(pp) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or

 

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contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each case as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, respectively.

(qq) Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants and shares issued in connection with the Company’s restructuring immediately prior to its initial public offering.

(rr) As of the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, if any, none of (A) the Time of Sale Prospectus, and (B) any free writing prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will 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.

2. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

(a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder.

(b) The execution and delivery by such Selling Shareholder of, and the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Custody Agreement signed by such Selling Shareholder and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as Custodian, relating to the deposit of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder (the “Custody Agreement”) and the Power of Attorney appointing certain individuals as such Selling Shareholder’s attorneys-in-fact to the extent set forth therein, relating to the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement (the “Power of Attorney”) will not contravene any provision of applicable law, or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of such Selling Shareholder (if such Selling Shareholder is a corporation), or any agreement or other instrument binding upon such Selling Shareholder or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over such Selling Shareholder, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations under this Agreement or the Custody Agreement or Power of Attorney of such Selling Shareholder, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(c) Such Selling Shareholder has, and on the Closing Date will have, valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York

 

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Uniform Commercial Code in respect of, the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or a security entitlement in respect of such Shares.

(d) The Custody Agreement and the Power of Attorney have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Selling Shareholder and are valid and binding agreements of such Selling Shareholder.

(e) Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Shares, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Shares on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”)) to such Shares), (A) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (B) no action based on any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Shares may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, such Selling Shareholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.

(f) (i) Neither the Registration Statement nor the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits 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; and (ii) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the representations and warranties set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) of this subsection (f) apply only to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Selling Shareholder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, each broadly available road show, or any other issuer free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (the “Selling Shareholder Information”)

(g) Such Selling Shareholder is not prompted by any information concerning the Company or its subsidiaries which is not set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus to sell its Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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3. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from such Seller at $[—] a share (the “Purchase Price”) the number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the number of Firm Shares to be sold by such Seller as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Selling Shareholders, severally and not jointly, agree to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [—] Additional Shares at the Purchase Price. You may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Goldman, Sachs & Co., Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending 90 after the date of the Prospectus (the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder; (b) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion or vesting of a security outstanding on the date hereof of which the Underwriters have been advised; (c) grants of securities in accordance with the terms of an equity compensation plan in effect on the Closing Date and described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the

 

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exercise or vesting thereof; (d) the filing by the Company of a registration statement with the Commission on Form S-8 relating to the offering of securities in accordance with the terms of a plan in effect on the date hereof and described in the Time of Sale Prospectus; (e) the sale or issuance of or entry into an agreement by the Company to sell or issue shares of Common Stock (or options, warrants or convertible securities relating to shares of Common Stock), representing up to five percent of the total number of shares of issued and outstanding Common Stock immediately following the sale of Shares hereunder, in connection with bona fide mergers or acquisitions, joint ventures, commercial relationships or other strategic transactions (whether by means of merger, stock purchase, asset purchase or otherwise); provided that the recipients of such Common Stock or other securities under this clause (e) sign a lock-up letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto; or (f) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the Restricted Period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Restricted Period, the restrictions imposed by this agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event. The Company shall provide Goldman, Sachs & Co., Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and each individual subject to the Restricted Period pursuant to the lock-up letters described in Section 6(m) with prior notice of any such announcement that gives rise to an extension of the initial Restricted Period.

4. Terms of Public Offering. The Sellers are advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Sellers are further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $[—] a share (the “Public Offering Price”).

5. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by each Seller shall be made to such Seller in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on March [—], 2015, or at such other time on the same or such other date as shall be designated in writing by you and the Company. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Selling Shareholders in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 3 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than April [—], 2015, as shall be designated in writing by you.

 

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The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters. The Purchase Price payable by the Underwriters shall be reduced by (i) any transfer taxes paid by, or on behalf of, the Underwriters in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid and (ii) any withholding required by law.

6. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Sellers to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than [5:30 p.m.] (New York City time) on the date hereof.

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date and the following further conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act; and

(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 6(a)(i) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, in their role as outside counsel for the Company, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date.

 

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(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP, outside counsel for certain Selling Shareholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date.

(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, with respect to certain matters relating to certain of the Selling Shareholders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date.

(f) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Scott Beer, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date.

(g) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, regulatory counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date.

The opinions of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, Scott Beer and Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP described in Sections 6(c), 6(d), 6(e) 6(f) and 6(g) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company or one or more of the Selling Shareholders, as the case may be, and shall so state therein.

(h) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date.

(i) The Underwriters shall have received on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date a letter, dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, from KPMG LLP, independent public accountants of the Company, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

(j) The Underwriters shall have received on or prior to the date hereof a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from KPMG LLP, independent public accountants of Latisys Holdings, LLC (“Latisys”), concerning the procedures to be performed by KPMG LLP with respect to certain financial information of Latisys included in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that Goldman, Sachs & Co., Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, on behalf of the Underwriters will have delivered an executed acknowledgement letter in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to them with respect to such letter to KPMG LLP.

(k) The Underwriters shall have received on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date a letter, dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and

 

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substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Grant Thornton LLP, independent public accountants of the Company, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to certain financial information contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

(l) The Underwriters shall have received on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date a letter, dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, from BDO USA, LLP, independent public accountants of AboveNet, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

(m) The sale of the Shares shall not be enjoined (temporarily or permanently) on the Closing Date.

(n) The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and the certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company listed on Schedule V relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(o) On or before the Closing Date, the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents, letters and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.

(p) The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of the following:

(i) a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, confirming that the certificate delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof remains true and correct as of such Option Closing Date;

(ii) an opinion and negative assurance letter, each dated the Option Closing Date, of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, in their role as outside counsel for the Company, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(c) hereof;

(iii) an opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP, outside counsel for certain Selling Shareholders, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(d) hereof;

 

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(iv) an opinion of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, with respect to certain matters relating to certain of the Selling Shareholders, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(e) hereof.

(v) an opinion of Scott Beer, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(f) hereof;

(vi) an opinion of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, regulatory counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(g) hereof;

(vii) an opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(h) hereof;

(viii) a letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, from KPMG LLP, independent public accountants of the Company, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6(i) hereof; provided that the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than three business days prior to such Option Closing Date;

(ix) a letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Grant Thornton LLP, independent public accountants of the Company, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6(k) hereof; provided that the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than three business days prior to such Option Closing Date;

(x) a letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, from BDO USA, LLP, independent public accountants of AboveNet, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6(l) hereof; provided that the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than three business days prior to such Option Closing Date;

(xi) such other documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

The opinions described in Sections 6(o)ii, 6(o)iii, 6(o)iv, 6(o)v, and 6(o)vi above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

 

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7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) To furnish to you, without charge, as many signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) as the Underwriters may reasonably request and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to [10:00 a.m.] New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 7(e) or 7(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

(c) To furnish to you a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which you reasonably object.

(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a

 

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result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

(g) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request; provided, that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction in which it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Shares, or taxation in any jurisdiction in which it is now so subject.

(h) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its and the Selling Shareholders’ obligations under this Agreement (which shall not include, for the avoidance of doubt, any underwriting discounts and commissions with respect to Shares offered by the Selling Shareholders), including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, the Company’s accountants and designated counsel for the Selling Shareholders (which shall, for the avoidance of doubt, mean only those counsels to or with respect to the Selling Stockholders referenced in Sections 6(d) and 6(e) of this Agreement), in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, payable by the Company, with respect to the shares so transferred and delivered, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or legal investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or legal investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by FINRA in an amount not to exceed $40,000, (v) the cost of printing

 

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certificates representing the Shares, (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, the reasonable, documented and out-of-pocket expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants and one-half of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section 7. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section 7, Section 10 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution” and the last paragraph of Section 12 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make. The provisions of this Section shall not supersede or otherwise affect any agreement that the Sellers may otherwise have for the allocation of such expenses among themselves. For the avoidance of doubt, each Selling Shareholder, severally but not jointly, agrees to pay or cause to be paid, in addition to any other obligations hereunder or pursuant to any other agreement among the Sellers, all fees, disbursements and expenses of his, her or its respective counsel, unless otherwise provided for above or in any agreements between such Selling Shareholder and the Company, and all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares sold by such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon.

(i) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(j) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(k) If any Seller is not a U.S. person for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Company will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), on or before the Closing Date, (i) a certificate with respect to the Company’s status as a “United States real property holding corporation,” dated not more than thirty (30) days prior to the Closing Date, as described in Treasury Regulations Sections 1.897-2(h) and 1.1445-2(c)(3), and (ii) proof of delivery to the IRS of the required notice, as described in Treasury Regulations 1.897-2(h)(2).

 

22


8. Covenants of the Sellers. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Each Seller will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8, as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such form.

9. Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter severally covenants with the Company that without the prior written consent of the Company, it has not taken and will not take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

10. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any “road show” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”), or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Shareholders, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either 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, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not

 

23


misleading, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, road show, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

(c) Each Selling Shareholder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Shareholder Information. The aggregate liability of each Selling Shareholder under the indemnification provisions contained in this paragraph and the contribution provisions contained in Section 10(e) shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate Public Offering Price (less underwriting discounts and commissions) of the Shares sold by such Selling Shareholder under this Agreement (with respect to each Selling Shareholder, the “Selling Shareholder Proceeds”).

(d) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 10(a), 10(b) or 10(c), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party 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 party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of

 

24


Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Selling Shareholders and all persons, if any, who control any Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by Goldman, Sachs & Co., Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC on behalf of the Underwriters. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for the Selling Shareholders and such control persons of any Selling Shareholders, such firm shall be chosen by, and designated in writing by, Selling Shareholders representing a majority of the aggregate number of Shares to be sold by all Selling Shareholders hereunder. The indemnifying party 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 party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party 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 party.

(e) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 10(a), 10(b) or 10(c) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party 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 indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 10(e)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 10(e)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand 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 Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by each Seller and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand 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

 

25


the Sellers or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 10 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.

(f) The Sellers and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 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 Section 10(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 10(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages 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 remedies provided for in this Section 10 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 10 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, any Selling Shareholder or any person controlling any Selling Shareholder, or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

(h) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the provisions contained in this Section 10 shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to indemnification or contribution.

11. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Company and the persons named as attorneys in fact for the Selling Shareholders under the Powers of Attorney, at the addresses provided thereon, 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, or by, as the case may be, either of the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Global Market, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment,

 

26


is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

12. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 12 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you, the Company and the Selling Shareholders for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Shareholders. In any such case either you or the relevant Sellers shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, pursuant to Section 11(ii), or because of any failure or refusal on the part of any Seller to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason any Seller shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Sellers will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

 

27


13. Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

(b) The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm’s-length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

14. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

15. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

16. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

17. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to you in care of Goldman, Sachs & Co., Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, telephone: 866 ###-###-####, facsimile: 212 ###-###-####, to Barclays Capital Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: (646)  ###-###-####)) and to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Zayo Group Holdings, Inc., 1805 29th Street, Suite 2050, Boulder, Colorado 80301, Attention: Chief Financial Officer and if to the Selling Shareholders shall be delivered, mailed or sent to c/o Zayo Group Holdings, Inc., 1805 29th Street, Suite 2050, Boulder, Colorado 80301, Attention: Chief Financial Officer and Latham & Watkins LLP, 330 North Wabash Avenue, Suite 2800, Chicago, Illinois 60611, Attention: Bradley Faris.

 

28


Very truly yours,
ZAYO GROUP HOLDINGS, INC.
By:

 

Name:
Title:
The Selling Shareholders named in Schedule I hereto, acting severally
By:

 

Attorney-in Fact

 

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement


Accepted as of the date hereof
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Barclays Capital Inc.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto
By: Goldman, Sachs & Co.
By:

 

Name:
Title:
By: Barclays Capital Inc.
By:

 

Name:
Title:
By: Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
By:

 

Name:
Title:

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement


SCHEDULE I

 

Selling Shareholders

   Number of Firm
Shares To Be Sold
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Total:

  
  

 

 

I-1


SCHEDULE II

 

Underwriter

   Number of Firm Shares To Be
Purchased

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

   [—]

Barclays Capital Inc.

   [—]

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

   [—]

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

   [—]

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

   [—]

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

   [—]

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

   [—]

Cowen and Company, LLC

   [—]

D. A. Davidson & Co.

   [—]

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

   [—]

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

   [—]

Stephens Inc.

   [—]

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

   [—]

William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

   [—]

Total:

   16,000,000

 

II


SCHEDULE III

Time of Sale Prospectus

 

1. Preliminary Prospectus dated March 9, 2015

 

2. Free Writing Prospectus dated March [—], 2015

 

III


SCHEDULE IV

Subsidiaries of Company

AboveNet Communications, LLC

FiberNet Telecom, Inc.

Latisys SPV, Inc.

Latisys-Ashburn, LLC

Latisys Ashburn Holdings Corp.

Latisys-Chicago, LLC

Latisys-Chicago Holdings Corp.

Latisys Corp.

Latisys-Denver, LLC

Latisys Holdings Corp.

Latisys-Irvine, LLC

Latisys-Irvine Properties, LLC

Neo Telecoms LLC

USCarrier, LLC

Zayo Capital, Inc.

Zayo Colocation, LLC

Zayo Corelink Acquisition Sub, LLC

Zayo Group, LLC

Zayo Professional Services, LLC

Colo Facilities Atlanta, LLC

FiberLink, LLC

IdeaTek Systems, Inc.

Access Communications, Inc.

Local Fiber, LLC

360networks Vancouver Ltd.

AboveNet Canada, Inc.

Intexan SARL

Neo Telecom Group SAS

NeoClyde SAS

Serenisys SARL

Zayo France SAS

Emerald Bridge Fibre Limited

MFN Japan KK

Ego Acquisition Limited

Ego Holdings Limited

Ego Midco Limited

FibreSpeed Limited

Geo Metro Limited

Geo Networks Limited

Zayo Group EU Limited

Zayo Group International Limited

Zayo Group UK Limited

 

IV


SCHEDULE V

Lock-up Signatories

[—]

[—]

[—]

 

Ex. A-1


EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER]

                         , 2015

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Barclays Capital Inc.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

  c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that Goldman, Sachs & Co., Barclays Capital Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (the “Representatives”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Zayo Group Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and certain shareholders of the Company (the “Selling Shareholders”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters, including the Representatives (the “Underwriters”), of shares (the “Shares”) of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”).

To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 90 days after the date of the final prospectus (the “Restricted Period)” relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), by the undersigned or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) the sale of securities pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement; (b) transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, other than a Form 5 filing, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Common Stock or other securities acquired in such open market transactions during the Restricted Period; (c) transfers of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock (i) as a bona fide gift or charitable contribution, (ii) by will or intestacy, (iii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, or (iv) to any immediate family member of or any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned; (d) distributions of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock to limited partners, limited liability company members, stockholders or holders of similar equity interests of the undersigned; (e) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, transfers to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended); (f) transfers in connection with the repurchase of Common Stock by the Company; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (c), (d) or (e), (i) each donee or distributee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form of this letter and (ii) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period; (g) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period; or (h) pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (h), (i) unless inconsistent with or prohibited by such court or regulatory agency order, each transferee shall sign and deliver a lock-up letter substantially in the form of this letter and (ii) any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall state that the associated transfer was made pursuant to a court or regulatory agency order. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the Restricted Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.


In the event that a release is granted to any Major Holder (as defined below) other than the undersigned relating to the lockup restrictions set forth above for shares of the Company’s Common Stock, the same percentage of shares of the Company’s Common Stock held by the undersigned (the “Pro-rata Release”) shall be immediately and fully released on the same terms from any remaining lockup restrictions set forth herein; provided, however, that such Pro-rata Release shall not be applied in the event of (a) releases granted from such lockup restrictions to any individual party by the Representatives in an amount less than or equal to 3% of the Company’s total outstanding stock, or (b) any primary or secondary public offering or sale that is underwritten (“the Underwritten Sale”) of the Company’s Common Stock during the restricted period set forth above, provided, however, that the undersigned is offered the opportunity to participate on a pro rata basis with and otherwise on the same terms as any other equity holders in such Underwritten Sale. In the event that any percentage of such Common Stock released from the lockup restrictions are subject to any restrictions of the type set forth in clause (1) or (2) of the second paragraph of this agreement, the same restrictions shall be applicable to the release of the same percentage of the Company’s Common Stock held by the undersigned. In the event that the undersigned is released from any of its obligations under this agreement or, by virtue of this agreement, becomes entitled to offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (or any securities convertible into Common Stock) prior to the end of the Restricted Period, the Representatives shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to provide notification of such to the undersigned within three business days thereof; provided that the failure to provide such notice shall not give rise to any claim or liability against the Representatives or any Underwriter. For purposes of this lock-up agreement, each of the following persons is a “Major Holder”: each record or beneficial owner, as of the date hereof, of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of securities of the Company (for purposes of determining record or beneficial ownership of a stockholder, all shares of securities held by investment funds affiliated with such stockholder shall be aggregated).

If:

(1) during the last 17 days of the Restricted Period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or

(2) prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Restricted Period;

the restrictions imposed by this agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event. The undersigned hereby acknowledges that the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to provide written notice of any event that would result in an extension of the initial Restricted Period and agrees that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have been given to, and received by, the undersigned.

The undersigned shall not engage in any transaction that may be restricted by this agreement during the 34-day period beginning on the last day of the initial Restricted Period unless the undersigned requests and receives prior written confirmation from the Company or the Representatives that the restrictions imposed by this agreement have expired.

The undersigned understands that the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this agreement if (i) the Company notifies the Underwriters, in writing and prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that it does not intend to proceed with the Public Offering, (ii) the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, (iii) the Registration Statement is withdrawn by the Company prior to the completion of the Public Offering or (iv) the Public Offering is not completed by March 31, 2015.

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.

Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters. This agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

Very truly yours,
 

 

(Name)
 

 

(Address)

 

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