Central Garden & Pet 8K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement | CENT 8 Mar 06

Exhibit 1.1

Central Garden & Pet Company

Common Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

dated March 3, 2006

Banc of America Securities LLC

Underwriting Agreement

March 3, 2006

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

9 West 57^th Street

New York, New York 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Introductory. Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to Banc of America Securities LLC (the “Underwriter”) an aggregate of 1,975,000 shares (the “Shares”) of its Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”).

The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriter as follows:

Section 1.Representations and Warranties of the Company.

The Company hereby represents and warrants to, and covenants with, the Underwriter as follows:

(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-122031), which contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”) to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, at each time of effectiveness under the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), including any required information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), is called the “Registration Statement.” Any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus that describes the Shares and the offering thereof and is used prior to filing of the Final Prospectus is called, together with the Base Prospectus, a “preliminary prospectus.” The term “Prospectus” shall mean the final prospectus relating to the Shares that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto (the “Execution Time”). Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act; any reference to any amendment or supplement to any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include any documents filed after the date of such preliminary prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Exchange Act, and incorporated by reference in such preliminary

prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to include any annual report of the Company on Form 10-K filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

(b)Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at each time of effectiveness and at the date hereof, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, the Commission has not issued any order or notice preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules thereunder. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date, at the date hereof, at the time of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date (as defined herein), did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof. There is no contract or other document required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that has not been described or filed as required.

The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable. Any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(c)Disclosure Package. The term “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Base Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus supplement, (ii) the issuer free writing prospectuses as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (each, an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), if any, identified in Schedule A hereto, (iii) any other free writing prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package and (iv) a schedule attached hereto as Schedule B reflecting certain terms of the offering of the Shares. As of 7:00

am (Eastern time) on March 3, 2006 (the “Applicable Time”), the Disclosure Package did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

(d)Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement relating to the Shares that the Company or another offering participant made abona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act) and (ii) as of the date of the execution and delivery of this Agreement (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 of the Securities Act that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

(e)Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the offering of Shares under this Agreement or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Underwriter as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Underwriter and has promptly amended or supplemented or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict. The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

(f)Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Date and the completion of the Underwriter’s distribution of the Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Underwriter or included in Schedule A hereto or the Registration Statement.

(g)The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company.

(h)Authorization of the Shares. The Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and,

when issued and delivered by the Company to the Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement on the Closing Date, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

(i)No Transfer Taxes. There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Company or sale by the Company of the Shares.

(j)No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.

(k)No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, properties, or operations, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity (any such change is called a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction or agreement; and (iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, any of its subsidiaries on any class of capital stock or repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.

(l)Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have expressed their opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) and supporting schedules filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder.

(m)Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. No other financial statements (including pro forma financial statements) or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. The financial data set forth in the preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus fairly present the information set forth

therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement.

(n)Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, in the case of the Company, to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. Each of the Company and each subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, or on the earnings, business, properties or operations, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity (a “Material Adverse Effect”). All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear, except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim.

(o)Material Subsidiaries.Other than Farnam Companies, Inc., there are no subsidiaries of the Company which would be considered a “significant subsidiary” pursuant to Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act that are not listed on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 24, 2005.

(p)Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or upon exercise of outstanding options described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as the case may be). The Common Stock (including the Shares) conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those accurately described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The description of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.

(q)Stock Exchange Listing. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is listed on the Nasdaq National Market, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Stock from the Nasdaq National Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”) is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.

(r)Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws, (ii) in default under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, contract, franchise, lease or other contract or instrument to which the Company or such subsidiary is a party or by which it may be bound (including, without limitation, the Company’s 9 1/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 or the related indenture and the Credit Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2006, by and among the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association as Administrative Agent, Bank of America, N.A. as Syndication Agent, and CIBC World Markets Corp., SunTrust Bank and Union Bank of California, N.A. as Co-Documentation Agents), or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”) or (iii) in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except with respect to clause (ii) only, except for such defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Disclosure Package and by the Prospectus (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violations of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation, or administrative or court decree. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Disclosure Package and by the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act, applicable state securities or blue sky laws and from the NASD. As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(s)No Material Actions or Proceedings. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental actions, suits or

proceedings pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened (i) against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) which has as the subject thereof any property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries, where in any such case (A) there is a reasonable possibility that such action, suit or proceeding might be determined adversely to the Company or such subsidiary and (B) any such action, suit or proceeding, if so determined adversely, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, with the employees of any principal supplier of the Company exists, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(t)Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, licenses, approvals, trade secrets and other similar rights (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) reasonably necessary to conduct their business as now conducted; and the expected expiration of any of such Intellectual Property Rights would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of infringement or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others, which infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(u)All Necessary Permits, etc. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each subsidiary 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, except for where the failure to possess such certificates, authorizations or permits would not have, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could have a Material Adverse Effect.

(v)Title to Properties. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 1(m) above (or elsewhere in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other defects, except such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or such subsidiary. The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable leases, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the Company or such subsidiary.

(w)Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns 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, other than those filings being contested in good faith

and for which appropriate reserves have been established. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(m) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries has not been finally determined.

(x)Company Not an “Investment Company”. The Company has been advised of the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). The Company is not, and after receipt of payment for the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as contemplated under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act and will conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act.

(y)Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as the Company believes are adequate for its businesses. 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 from similar institutions 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. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, the Company has not been denied any insurance coverage that it has sought for which it has applied.

(z)No Restrictions on Dividends. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(aa)No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might 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 Common Stock. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriter may engage in passive market making transactions in the Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(bb)Internal Controls and Procedures. The Company maintains (i) effective internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 15d-15 of the Exchange Act, and (ii) 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 in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles 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.

(cc)No Material Weakness in Internal Controls. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or in any document incorporated by reference therein, 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 change 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.

(dd)Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law or regulation relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including without limitation, laws and regulations relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum and petroleum products (collectively, “Materials of Environmental Concern”), or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Materials of Environmental Concern (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), which violation includes, but is not limited to, noncompliance with any permits or other governmental authorizations required for the operation of the business of the Company or its subsidiaries under applicable Environmental Laws, or noncompliance with the terms and conditions thereof, nor has the Company or any of its subsidiaries received any written communication, whether from a governmental authority, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that alleges that the Company or any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any Environmental Law; (ii) there is no claim, action or cause of action filed with a court or governmental authority, no investigation with respect to which the Company has received written notice, and no written notice by any person or entity alleging potential liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental responses costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, attorneys’ fees or penalties arising out of, based on or resulting from the presence, or release into the environment, of any Material of Environmental Concern at any location owned, leased or operated by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, now or in the past (collectively, “Environmental Claims”), pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law; and (iii) to the best of the Company’s knowledge, there are no past, present or anticipated future actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including, without limitation, the release, emission, discharge, presence or disposal of any Material of Environmental Concern, that reasonably could result in a violation of any Environmental Law, require expenditures to be incurred pursuant to Environmental Law, or form the basis of a potential Environmental Claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or against any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law.

(ee)ERISA Compliance. None of the following events has occurred or exists: (i) a failure to fulfill the obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of the United States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to a Plan, determined

without regard to any waiver of such obligations or extension of any amortization period; (ii) an audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other federal or state governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by any member of the Company that could have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) any breach of any contractual obligation, or any violation of law or applicable qualification standards, with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by any member of the Company that could have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (i) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans in the current fiscal year of the Company compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year; (ii) a material increase in the Company’s “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 106) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year; (iii) any event or condition giving rise to a liability under Title IV of ERISA that could have a Material Adverse Effect; or (iv) the filing of a claim by one or more employees or former employees of the Company related to their employment that could have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “Plan” means a plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA with respect to which any member of the Company may have any liability.

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

(gg)Statistical and Market Related Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriter shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters set forth therein.

Section 2.Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Shares.

(a)Agreement to Sell the Shares. The Company agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriter the Shares upon the terms herein set forth. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriter agrees to purchase the Shares from the Company. The purchase price per Share to be paid by the Underwriter to the Company shall be $53.01 per share.

(b)The Closing Date. Delivery of certificates for the Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Sidley AustinLLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019 (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Underwriter) at 9:00 a.m. New York time, on March 8, 2006, or such other time and

date not later than 1:30 p.m. New York time, on March 22, 2006, as the Underwriter shall designate by notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the “Closing Date”).

(c)Public Offering of the Shares. The Underwriter hereby advises the Company that it intends to offer for sale to the public, as described in the Prospectus, the Shares as soon after this Agreement has been executed, as it, in its sole judgment, has determined is advisable and practicable.

(d)Payment for the Shares. Payment for the Shares shall be made at the Closing Date by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company.

(e)Delivery of the Shares. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Underwriter shall otherwise instruct. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriter.

(f)Delivery of Prospectus to the Underwriter. Not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second business day following the date the Shares are first released by the Underwriter for sale to the public, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered, copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at such places as the Underwriter shall request.

Section 3.Covenants.

The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriter as follows:

(a)Underwriter’s’ Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements.During the period beginning on the Applicable Time and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by the Underwriter or a dealer, including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (including any amendment or supplement through incorporation by reference of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall furnish to the Underwriter for review a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter reasonably objects.

(b)Securities Act Compliance. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall promptly advise the Underwriter in writing (i) when the Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution Time, shall have become effective, (ii) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (iii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, (iv) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order or notice preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to

remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Shares from any securities exchange upon which it is listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or notice of prevention or suspension of such use. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order or issue any such notice at any time, the Company will use its best efforts to obtain the lifting or reversal of such order or notice at the earliest possible moment, or, subject to Section 3(a), will file an amendment to the Registration Statement or will file a new registration statement and use its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b) and 430B, as applicable, under the Securities Act, including with respect to the timely filing of documents thereunder, and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) were received in a timely manner by the Commission.

(c)Exchange Act Compliance. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act.

(d)Amendments and Supplements to the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event or development shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or then prevailing, as the case may be, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or then prevailing, as the case may be, not misleading, or if it is otherwise necessary or, in the reasonable opinion of the Underwriter, advisable to amend or supplement the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or to file a new registration statement containing the Prospectus, in order to comply with law, including in connection with the delivery of the Prospectus, the Company agrees to (i) notify the Underwriter of any such event or condition and (ii) promptly prepare (subject to Section 3(a) and 3(e) hereof), file with the Commission (and use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement to be declared effective) and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriter and to dealers, amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any new registration statement, necessary in order to make the statements in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or then prevailing, as the case may be, not misleading or so that the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.

(e)Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents that it has not made, and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Underwriter, it will not make, any offer relating to the Shares that constitutes or would constitute an Issuer Free Writing

Prospectus or that otherwise constitutes or would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) or a portion thereof required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act; provided that the prior written consent of the Underwriter hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule A hereto and any electronic road show. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Underwriter is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”. The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 of the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping. The Underwriter agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it will not make any offer relating to the Shares that constitutes or would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) required to be filed with the Commission under Rule 433 of the Securities Act.

(f)Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The Company agrees to furnish the Underwriter, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, as many copies of the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto (including any documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein) and the Disclosure Package as the Underwriter may request.

(g)Copies of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto), if requested, and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplement thereto and the Disclosure Package as the Underwriter may reasonably request.

(h)Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter to qualify or register the Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial Securities laws or other foreign laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Underwriter, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Shares in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject. The Company will advise the Underwriter promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(i)Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(j)Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Stock.

(k)Earnings Statement. The Company agrees with the Underwriter to make generally available to its stockholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 16 months after the date hereof, an earnings statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the date hereof and otherwise satisfying Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.

(l)Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act.

(m)Quotation. The Company will use its best efforts to quote, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.

(n)Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Shares. During the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 60th day following the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of the Underwriter), directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or establish an open “put equivalent position” or liquidate or decrease a “call equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition of), or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any shares of Common Stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of the Common Stock or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Shares); provided, however, that pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus, the Company may issue shares of its Common Stock or options to purchase its Common Stock, or Common Stock upon exercise of options. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (x) during the last 17 days of the 60-day restricted period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs, or (y) prior to the expiration of the 60-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 60-day period, the restrictions imposed in this clause 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 will provide the Underwriter and each individual subject to the restricted period pursuant to the lockup letters described in Section 5(h) with prior notice of any such announcement that gives rise to an extension of the restricted period.

(o)Compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley Act.During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and use its best efforts to cause the Company’s directors and officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with such laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

(p)Future Reports to Stockholders. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail.

(q)Future Reports to the Underwriter. Unless such documents are publicly available on the Commission’s website, during the period of three years hereafter the Company will furnish to the Underwriter at 9 West 57th Street, New York, New York 10022: (i) as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company’s independent public or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the Company with the Commission, the NASD or any securities exchange; and (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report or communication of the Company mailed generally to holders of its capital stock.

(r)Investment Limitation. The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

(s)No Manipulation of Price. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

Section 4.Payment of Expenses.

The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock, (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares to the Underwriter, (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping

and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriter in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Underwriter, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriter of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (vii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriter in connection with, the NASD’s review and approval of the Underwriter’s participation in the offering and distribution of the Shares, (viii) the fees and expenses associated with quotation of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., and (ix) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement. Except as provided in this Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9 hereof, the Underwriter shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.

Section 5.Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriter.

The obligations of the Underwriter to purchase and pay for the Shares as provided herein on the Closing Date shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though then made, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:

(a)Accountants’ Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Underwriter shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants for the Company, a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriter, the form of which is attached asExhibit A.

(b)Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection from NASD. For the period from and after effectiveness of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) the Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information required by Rule 430B under the Securities Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;

(ii) all material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings under such Rule 433;

(iii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the Commission; and

(iv) the NASD shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

(c)No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) in the judgment of the Underwriter there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change;

(ii) there shall not have been any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section 5 which is, in the sole judgment of the Underwriter, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and

(iii) 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 securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act.

(d)Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, the form of which is attached as Exhibit B.

(e)Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriter. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion of Sidley AustinLLP, counsel for the Underwriter, dated as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to, and addressed to, the Underwriter, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Shares, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto), the Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Underwriter may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(f)Officers’ Certificate. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and this Agreement, to the effect set forth in subsections (b) and (c)(iii) of this Section 5, and further to the effect that:

(i) for the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change;

(ii) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of the Closing Date; and

(iii) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date.

(g)Bring-down Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 5, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

(h)Lock-Up Agreement from Certain Securityholders of the Company. On or prior to the date hereof, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives an agreement in the form of Exhibit C hereto from each of its executive officers (including William E. Brown) and such agreement shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(i)Listing of Shares. No action shall be necessary for quotation of the Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.

(j)Additional Documents. On or before the Closing Date, the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter shall have received such information, documents 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.

If any condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

Section 6.Reimbursement of Underwriter’s Expenses.

If this Agreement is terminated by the Underwriter pursuant to Section 5, Section 7 or Section 10, or if the sale to the Underwriter of the Shares on the Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriter, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Underwriter in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Shares, including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.

Section 7.Reserved.

Section 8.Indemnification.

(a)Indemnification of the Underwriter. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Underwriter or such controlling person may become subject, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B or Rule 430C under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact, in each case, necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and to reimburse each Underwriter, its officers, directors, employees, agents and each such controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Underwriter) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter, or its officers, directors, employees, agents or such controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto). The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

(b)Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, and only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or

any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriter has furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth in the ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” in the final prospectus supplement concerning stabilization by the Underwriter. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.

(c)Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (other than local counsel), reasonably approved by the indemnifying party (or by the Underwriter in the case of Section 8(b)), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action) or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the

action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.

(d)Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 8 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, which shall not be withheld unreasonably, but if settled with such consent or if there is a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 8(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (x) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (y) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

Section 9.Contribution.

If the indemnification provided for in Section 8 is for any reason unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions or inaccuracies in the representations and warranties herein which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriter, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the final prospectus supplement bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Shares as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact

or any such inaccurate or alleged inaccurate representation or warranty relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriter, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 8(c), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim.

The Company and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriter 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 this Section 9.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by it in connection with the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public. 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. For purposes of this Section 9, each director, officer, employee and agent of the Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

Section 10.Termination of this Agreement.

Prior to the Closing Date this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice given to the Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the NASD; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or New York authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States has occurred; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Underwriter is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to market the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities. Any termination pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to the Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Underwriter pursuant to Sections 4 and 6 hereof or (b) the Underwriter to the Company.

Section 11.No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.

The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) in connection with each transaction contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary of the Company or its affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other party; (iii) the Underwriter has not assumed or will not assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and the Underwriter has no obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement; (iv) the Underwriter and its affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Underwriter has no obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the Underwriter has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriter with respect to the subject matter hereof. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriter with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.

Section 12.Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery.

The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the Underwriter set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement (i) will remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any (A) investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of the Underwriter, the officers or employees of the Underwriter, or any person controlling the Underwriter, the Company, the officers or employees of the Company, or any person controlling the Company, as the case may be or (B) acceptance of the Shares and payment for them hereunder and (ii) will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

Section 13.Notices.

All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:

If to the Underwriter:

Banc of America Securities LLC

9 West 57^th Street

New York, New York 10019

Facsimile: (212) 933-2217

Attention: Syndicate Department

with a copy to:

Banc of America Securities LLC

9 West 57th Street

New York, New York 10019

Facsimile: (212)847-6039

Attention: Priya Velamoor

If to the Company:

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 600

Walnut Creek, California 94597

Facsimile: (925) 947-0914

Attention: Glenn W. Novotny

with a copy to:

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

405 Howard Street

San Francisco, California 94105

Facsimile: (415) 773-5759

Attention: John F. Seegal

Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.

Section 14.Successors and Assigns.

This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and to the benefit of (i) the Company, its directors, any person who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any officer of the Company who signs the Registration Statement, (ii) the Underwriter, the officers, directors, employees and agents of the Underwriter, and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and (iii) the respective successors and assigns of any of the above, all as and to the extent provided in this Agreement, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser of any of the Shares from the Underwriter merely because of such purchase.

Section 15.Partial Unenforceability.

The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

Section 16.Governing Law Provisions.

THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan, or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

Section 17.General Provisions.

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 8 and the contribution provisions of Section 9, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.


Very truly yours,

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY

By:		/s/ Glenn W. Novotny
		Title: President & Chief Executive Officer

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Underwriter as of the date first above written.


BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

By:		/s/ Scott Flaherty
		Managing Director

SCHEDULE A

Schedule of Issuer Free Writing Prospectus included in the Disclosure Package

See Item 1 attached hereto

Item 1

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Dated March 2, 2006

Registration No. 333-122031

On February 28, 2006, Central Garden & Pet Company (the “Company”) completed the acquisition of all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Farnam Companies, Inc., an Arizona corporation (“Farnam”) for approximately $287 million (subject to certain post-closing adjustments) plus $4.1 million for the purchase of related real property from an affiliate of Farnam (the “Acquisition”).

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2005, Farnam reported sales of $165.8 million, income before provision for income taxes of $20.8 million, and net income of $20.7 million.

On February 28, 2006, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, Bank of America, N.A., as Syndication Agent, CIBC World Markets Corp., Suntrust Bank and Union Bank of California, N.A., as Co-Documentation Agents, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Banc of America Securities LLC, as Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Arrangers, and the other parties thereto (the “Credit Agreement”). The credit facilities provided for under the Credit Agreement consist of a $350,000,000 5-year senior secured revolving credit facility and a $300,000,000 7-year senior secured Term Loan B facility (together, the “Facilities”). Interest on the term loan is based on a rate equal to LIBOR + 1.50% or the prime rate plus 0.50%, at the Company’s option. Interest on the revolving credit facility is based on a rate equal to prime plus a margin, which fluctuates from 0.0% to 0.25% or LIBOR plus a margin which fluctuates from 0.75% to 1.375%, determined quarterly based on consolidated total debt to consolidated EBITDA for the most recent trailing 12-month period.

The Facilities are guaranteed by the Company’s material subsidiaries and are secured by a lien on the Company’s assets, excluding real property and including substantially all of the capital stock of the Company’s subsidiaries. The Facilities contain financial and other covenants, including, but not limited to, limitations on liens and indebtedness as well as the maintenance of a minimum interest coverage ratio and a maximum total leverage ratio. Additionally, although the Company has not paid any cash dividends on its common stock in the past and does not anticipate paying any such cash dividends in the foreseeable future, the Facilities restrict its ability to pay such dividends. A violation of these covenants or the occurrence of certain other events could result in a default permitting the termination of the lenders’ commitments under the Credit Agreement and/or the acceleration of any loan amounts then outstanding.

The Company’s total debt on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the Acquisition and the new Credit Agreement and the borrowings thereunder as of February 28, 2006 increased from approximately $323.3 million to $702.8 million. The Company’s interest expense for the twelve months ended December 24, 2005 was $21.1 million. After giving pro forma effect to the borrowings under the new Credit Agreement, assuming the borrowings had been made as of the beginning of the twelve months, interest expense would have been $40.5 million. The Company

Item 1-1

intends to apply the net proceeds from the offering of its common stock to the reduction of borrowings under the new Credit Agreement.

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send to you the prospectus if you request it by calling toll-free 1-800-294-1322 or you may e-mail a request to dg.prospectus_distribution@bofasecurities.com.

Item 1-2

SCHEDULE B

Pricing Script

Central Garden & Pet Company

1,975,000 Shares of Common Stock


Issuer:		Central Garden & Pet Company

Ticker/Exchange:		CENT/NASDAQ

Shares offered:		1,975,000 shares of common stock

Public offering price:		$53.50

Commission payable by investor:		In addition to the underwriting discounts and commissions payable by the issuer, Banc of America Securities LLC will receive a commission equivalent from investors in the amount of $0.05 for each share of common stock sold to those investors in the offering.

Use of proceeds:		To reduce borrowings outstanding under the new credit agreement.

Settlement and delivery date:		March 8, 2006

Lockup for Issuer and executive officers:		60 days

Underwriter:		Banc of America Securities LLC

Relationships:		An affiliate of Banc of America Securities LLC is a lender under the new Credit Agreement and will receive a portion of the net proceeds of the offering.

Central Garden & Pet (CENT) 8-KEntry into a Material Definitive Agreement