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EXHIBIT 1.1
Let's Talk Cellular & Wireless, Inc.
(a Florida corporation)
3,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated: [ ], 1997
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PURCHASE AGREEMENT......................................................................... 1
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties........................................... 3
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company............................ 3
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements........................... 3
(ii) Independent Accountants............................................ 4
(iii) Financial Statements.............................................. 4
(iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business............................. 4
(v) Good Standing of the Company........................................ 4
(vi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries...................................... 5
(vii) Capitalization.................................................... 5
(viii) Authorization of Agreement....................................... 5
(ix) Authorization and Description of Securities........................ 5
(x) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts................................... 6
(xi) Absence of Labor Dispute........................................... 6
(xii) Absence of Proceedings............................................ 6
(xiii) Accuracy of Exhibits............................................. 7
(xiv) Possession of Intellectual Property............................... 7
(xv) Absence of Further Requirements.................................... 7
(xvi) Possession of Licenses and Permits................................ 7
(xvii) Title to Property................................................ 8
(xviii) Investment Company Act.......................................... 8
(xix) Environmental Laws................................................ 8
(xx) Registration Rights................................................ 8
(b) Representations and Warranties by HIG.................................... 9
(i) Accurate Disclosure................................................. 9
(ii) Authorization of Agreements........................................ 9
(iii) Good and Marketable Title......................................... 9
(iv) Due Execution of Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement.......................................................... 10
(v) Absence of Manipulation............................................. 10
(vi) Absence of Further Requirements.................................... 10
(vii) Restriction on Sale of Securities................................. 10
(viii) Certificates Suitable for Transfer............................... 10
(ix) No Association with NASD........................................... 11
(c) Representations and Warranties by NCC and Sorensen....................... 11
(i) Accurate Disclosure................................................. 11
(ii) Authorization of Agreements........................................ 11
(iii) Good and Marketable Title......................................... 11
(iv) Due Execution of Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement.......................................................... 12
(v) Absence of Manipulation............................................. 12
(vi) Absence of Further Requirements.................................... 12
(vii) Restriction on Sale of Securities................................. 12
(viii) Certificates Suitable for Transfer............................... 13
(ix) No Association with NASD........................................... 13
(d) Officer's Certificates................................................... 13
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing............................... 13
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(a) Initial Securities....................................................... 13
(b) Option Securities........................................................ 14
(c) Payment.................................................................. 14
(d) Denominations; Registration.............................................. 15
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company................................................. 15
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission
Requests................................................................. 15
(b) Filing of Amendments..................................................... 15
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements...................................... 16
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses................................................. 16
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws................................ 16
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications.................................................. 16
(g) Rule 158................................................................. 17
(h) Use of Proceeds.......................................................... 17
(i) Listing.................................................................. 17
(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities........................................ 17
(k) Reporting Requirements................................................... 18
(l) Compliance with NASD Rules............................................... 18
(m) Compliance with Rule 463................................................. 18
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses...................................................... 18
(a) Expenses................................................................. 18
(b) Expenses of the Selling Shareholders..................................... 19
(c) Termination of Agreement................................................. 19
(d) Allocation of Expenses................................................... 19
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations.................................. 19
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement.................................. 19
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company........................................... 20
(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders.......................... 20
(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters...................................... 20
(e) Officers' Certificate.................................................... 20
(f) Certificate of Selling Shareholders...................................... 21
(g) Accountant's Comfort Letter.............................................. 21
(h) Bring-down Comfort Letter................................................ 21
(i) Approval of Listing...................................................... 21
(j) No Objection............................................................. 21
(k) Lock-up Agreements....................................................... 21
(l) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities.............................. 21
(i) Officers' Certificate........................................... 22
(ii) Certificate of Selling Shareholder(s)........................... 22
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Company.................................. 22
(iv) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders................. 22
(v) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters............................. 22
(vi) Bring-down Comfort Letter....................................... 22
(m) Additional Documents..................................................... 22
(n) Termination of Agreement................................................. 23
SECTION 6. Indemnification.......................................................... 23
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters.......................................... 23
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(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling
Shareholders............................................................. 24
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification.................................... 24
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse....................... 25
(e) Limitation on Indemnification by Selling Shareholders. ................. 25
(f) Indemnification for Reserved Securities.................................. 25
(g) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification......................... 25
SECTION 7. Contribution............................................................. 25
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive
Delivery................................................................. 27
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement................................................. 27
(a) Termination; General..................................................... 27
(b) Liabilities.............................................................. 27
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters............................... 27
SECTION 11. Default by one or more of the Selling Shareholders or the
Company.................................................................. 28
SECTION 12. Notices.................................................................. 29
SECTION 13. Parties.................................................................. 29
SECTION 14. Waiver of Immunities..................................................... 29
SECTION 15. Consent to Jurisdiction; Appointment of Agent for Service of
Process.................................................................. 29
SECTION 16. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME................................................... 31
SECTION 17. Effect of Headings....................................................... 31
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Let's Talk Cellular & Wireless, Inc.
(a Florida corporation)
3,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
[ ], 1997
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
SALOMON BROTHERS INC
as Representatives of the several Underwriters
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10281-1209
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Let's Talk Cellular & Wireless, Inc., a Florida corporation (together
with its subsidiaries, the "Company"), and HIG Investment Group, L.P. ("HIG"),
NationsCredit Commercial Corporation ("NCC") and Allan Sorensen ("Sorensen" and,
collectively with HIG and NCC, the "Selling Shareholders"), confirm their
respective agreements with Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch"), Salomon Brothers Inc ("Salomon Brothers")
and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the
"Underwriters", which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as
hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch and Salomon
Brothers are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the
"Representatives"), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the Selling
Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, and the purchase by the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of
shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company ("Common
Stock") set forth in Schedules A and B hereto and (ii) the grant by the Selling
Shareholders to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the
option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 450,000
additional shares of Common Stock to cover over-allotments, if any. The
aforesaid 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock (the "Initial Securities") to be
purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 450,000 shares of
Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the "Option
Securities") are hereinafter called, collectively, the "Securities".
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The Company and the Selling Shareholders understand that the
Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the
Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and
delivered.
The Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters agree that
up to ___________ shares of the Securities to be purchased by the Underwrites
(the "Reserved Securities") shall be reserved for sale by the Underwriters to
certain eligible employees and persons having business relationships with the
Company, as part of the distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters,
subject to the terms of this Agreement, the applicable rules, regulations and
interpretations of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and all
other applicable laws, rules and regulations. To the extent that such Reserved
Securities are not orally confirmed for purchase by such eligible employees and
persons having business relationships with the Company by the end of the first
business day after the date of this Agreement, such Reserved Securities may be
offered to the public as part of the public offering contemplated hereby.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-34595) covering the
registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses.
Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will either
(i) prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A
("Rule 430A") of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act
(the "1933 Act Regulations") and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule 424(b)") of
the 1933 Act Regulations or (ii) if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule
434 ("Rule 434") of the 1933 Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a
"Term Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b). The
information included in such prospectus or in such Term Sheet, as the case may
be, that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became
effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the
time it became effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred
to as "Rule 430A Information" or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is
referred to as "Rule 434 Information." Each prospectus used before such
registration statement became effective, and any prospectus that omitted, as
applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434 Information, that was used
after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, is herein called a "preliminary prospectus." Such registration
statement, including the exhibits thereto and schedules thereto at the time it
became effective and including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434
Information, as applicable, is herein called the "Registration Statement." Any
registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations
is herein referred to as the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement," and after
such filing the term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement. The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the
Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities is herein
called the "Prospectus." If Rule 434 is relied on, the term "Prospectus" shall
refer to the preliminary prospectus dated _____, 1997 together with the Term
Sheet and all references in this Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall
mean the date of the Term Sheet. For purposes of this Agreement, all references
to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any
Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be
deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic
Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").
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SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the
Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery
(if any) referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter,
as follows:
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements. Each of
the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to
the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and
any request on the part of the Commission for additional information
has been complied with.
At the respective times the Registration Statement, any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto
became effective and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities
are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), the Registration Statement,
the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments and
supplements thereto complied and will comply in all material respects
with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and
did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. Neither the
Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto (including any
prospectus wrapper), at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment
or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option
Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), included or will
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit
to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. If Rule 434 is used, the Company will comply with the
requirements of Rule 434 and the Prospectus shall not be "materially
different," as such term is used in Rule 434, from the prospectus
included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective.
The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply
to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or
Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through Merrill
Lynch expressly for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus.
Each preliminary prospectus and the prospectus filed as part
of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any
amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act,
complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act
Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus
delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering
was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed
with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted
by Regulation S-T.
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(ii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who
certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in
the Registration Statement are independent public accountants as
required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(iii) Financial Statements. The financial statements of the
Company and the combined financial statements of Telephone Warehouse
Inc. ("TWI"), National Cellular Inc. ("NCI") Telephone Warehouse-San
Antonio, Inc. ("TWSA") and Telephone Warehouse-KC Inc. ("TWKC and,
together with TWI, NCI and TWSA being herein collectively referred to
as "Telephone Warehouse"), included in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present
fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company
and its consolidated subsidiaries and Telephone Warehouse and its
consolidated subsidiaries, respectively, at the dates indicated and the
statement of operations, shareholders' equity and cash flows of the
Company and Telephone Warehouse and its or their consolidated
subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have
been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout the
periods involved. The supporting schedules included in the Registration
Statement present fairly in all material respects the information
required to be stated therein and have been prepared in accordance with
GAAP. The selected financial data and the summary financial information
included in the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein
and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited
financial statements included in the Registration Statement. The pro
forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly in all
material respects the information shown therein, have been prepared in
accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines with respect to
pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the
bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation
thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate
to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to
therein.
(iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A)
there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial
or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business
prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business
(a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B) there have been no transactions
entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than
those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with
respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any
kind declared, paid or made by the Company on its capital stock.
(v) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been
duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the State of Florida and has corporate power
and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct
its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and
perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly
qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good
standing in each other jurisdiction in which
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such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or
leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(vi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each "significant
subsidiary" of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of
Regulation S-X) (each a "Subsidiary" and, collectively, the
"Subsidiaries") has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and
operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus and 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 where the
failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the
Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock
of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is
fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or
through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in
violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of
such Subsidiary. The only subsidiaries of the Company are (a) the
subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement and (b)
certain other subsidiaries which, considered in the aggregate as a
single Subsidiary, do not constitute a "significant subsidiary" as
defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
(vii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and
outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the
Prospectus in the column entitled "Actual" under the caption
"Capitalization" (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to
this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee
benefit plans referred to in the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise
of convertible securities or options referred to in the Prospectus).
The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock, including the
Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling
Shareholder(s), have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of
capital stock, including the Securities to be purchased by the
Underwriters from the Selling Shareholder(s), was issued in violation
of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the
Company.
(viii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(ix) Authorization and Description of Securities. The
Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have
been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant
to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company
pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set
forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable;
the Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained
in the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth
in the instruments defining the same; no holder of the Securities will
be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder; and
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the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or
other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(x) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or
by-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note,
lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound,
or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any
subsidiary is subject (collectively, "Agreements and Instruments")
except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the
Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the
Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities
as described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds") and
compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not,
whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or
both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment
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 subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments
(except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or
encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor
will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary or any applicable
law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any
government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign,
having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their
assets, properties or operations. As used herein, a "Repayment Event"
means any event or condition which gives 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 subsidiary.
(xi) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the
employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge
of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any
existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its
or any subsidiary's principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or
contractors, which, in either case, may reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or
governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the
Company or any subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the
Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which
might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or
which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect
the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the
Company of
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its obligations hereunder; the aggregate of all pending legal or
governmental proceedings to which the Company or any subsidiary is a
party or of which any of their respective property or assets is the
subject which are not described in the Registration Statement,
including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could
not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiii) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or
documents which are required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto which
have not been so described and filed as required.
(xiv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and
its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms,
adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights,
know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or
unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or
procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other
intellectual property (collectively, "Intellectual Property") necessary
to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise
aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others
with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or
circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or
inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the
subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity
or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(xv) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or
authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or
agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of
its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or
sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been
already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933
Act Regulations or state securities laws.
(xvi) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and
its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents
and other authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued
by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies
or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them,
except where the failure to possess such Governmental Licenses, singly
or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect; the
Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and
conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure
so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full
force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental
Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full
force and effect would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of
proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such
Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject
of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
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(xvii) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries
have good and valid title to all real property owned by the Company and
its subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them,
in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security
interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such
as (a) are described in the Prospectus or (b) do not, singly or in the
aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by
the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and
subleases that are, individually or in the aggregate, material to the
business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one
enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
holds properties described in the Prospectus, are in full force and
effect, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of
any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse
to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases
or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of
the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the
leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.
(xviii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon
the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the
Prospectus will not be, an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company" as such terms are defined in
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
(xix) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the
Registration Statement and except as would not, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state,
local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code,
policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative
interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order,
consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of
human health, 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 the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants,
contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum
or petroleum products (collectively, "Hazardous Materials") or to the
manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage,
disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively,
"Environmental Laws"), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all
permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable
Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements,
(C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or
judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens,
notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings
relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its
subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that might
reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or
remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or
governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of
its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental
Laws.
(xx) Registration Rights. There are no persons with
registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities
registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or
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otherwise registered by the Company under the 1933 Act that have not
been duly and validly waived.
(b) Representations and Warranties by HIG. HIG represents and warrants
to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Time, and, if HIG
is selling Option Securities on a Date of Delivery, as of each such Date of
Delivery, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Accurate Disclosure. To the best knowledge of HIG,
the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section
1(a) hereof are true and correct; HIG has reviewed and is familiar with
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and neither the
Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto includes any
untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and HIG is
not prompted to sell the Securities to be sold by HIG hereunder by any
information concerning the Company or any subsidiary of the Company
which is not set forth in the Prospectus.
(ii) Authorization of Agreements. HIG has the full right,
power and authority to enter into this Agreement and a Power of
Attorney and Custody Agreement (the "Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement") and to sell, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold
by HIG hereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement and the sale and delivery of
the Securities to be sold by HIG and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated herein and compliance by HIG with its
obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by HIG and do not and
will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of
time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default
under, or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge
or encumbrance upon the Securities to be sold by HIG or any property or
assets of HIG pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which HIG is a party or by which HIG may be
bound, or to which any of the property or assets of HIG is subject, nor
will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
charter or by-laws or partnership agreement or other organizational
instrument of HIG, if applicable, or any applicable treaty, law,
statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any
government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign,
having jurisdiction over HIG or any of its properties.
(iii) Good and Marketable Title. Except as set forth in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, HIG has and will at the
Closing Time and, if any Option Securities being sold by HIG are
purchased, on each Date of Delivery have good and marketable title to
the Securities to be sold by HIG hereunder, free and clear of any
security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, claim, equity or
encumbrance of any kind, other than pursuant to this Agreement; and
upon delivery of such Securities and payment of the purchase price
therefor as herein contemplated, assuming each such Underwriter has no
notice of any adverse claim, each of the Underwriters will receive good
and marketable title to the Securities purchased by it from HIG, free
and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, charge,
claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind.
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(iv) Due Execution of Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement. HIG has duly executed and delivered, in the form heretofore
furnished to the Representatives, the Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement with _______ and ________, or any of them, as
attorney(s)-in-fact (the "Attorney(s)-in-Fact") and _________, as
custodian (the "Custodian"); the Custodian is authorized to deliver the
Securities to be sold by HIG hereunder and to accept payment therefor;
and each Attorney-in-Fact is authorized to execute and deliver this
Agreement and the certificate referred to in Section 5(f) or that may
be required pursuant to Sections 5(l) and 5(m) on behalf of HIG, to
sell, assign and transfer to the Underwriters the Securities to be sold
by HIG hereunder, to determine the purchase price to be paid by the
Underwriters to HIG, as provided in Section 2(a) hereof, to authorize
the delivery of the Securities to be sold by HIG hereunder, to accept
payment therefor, and otherwise to act on behalf of HIG in connection
with this Agreement.
(v) Absence of Manipulation. HIG has not taken, and will
not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or
which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or
result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of
the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(vi) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or
consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or
decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or
foreign, is necessary or required for the performance by HIG of its
obligations hereunder or in the Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement, or in connection with the sale and delivery of the
Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, except such as may have previously been
made or obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933
Act Regulations or state securities laws.
(vii) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of
180 days from the date of the Prospectus, HIG will not, without the
prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (A) offer, pledge, sell,
contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any
option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to
purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly,
any share of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration
statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or
(B) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that
transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic
consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or
transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by
delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or
otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the Securities to
be sold hereunder.
(viii) Certificates Suitable for Transfer. Certificates for
all of the Securities to be sold by HIG pursuant to this Agreement, in
suitable form for transfer by delivery or accompanied by duly executed
instruments of transfer or assignment in blank with signatures
guaranteed, have been placed in custody with the Custodian with
irrevocable conditional instructions to deliver such Securities to the
Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.
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(ix) No Association with NASD. Neither HIG nor any of
HIG's affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common
control with, or has any other association with (within the meaning of
Article I, Section 1(m) of the By-laws of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc.), any member firm of the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(c) Representations and Warranties by NCC and Sorensen. Each
of NCC and Sorensen severally and not jointly represents and warrants to each
Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Time, and, if NCC or
Sorensen is selling Option Securities on a Date of Delivery, as of each such
Date of Delivery, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Accurate Disclosure. Such Selling Shareholder has
reviewed and is familiar with the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus and neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements
thereto includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to
state a material fact with respect to such Selling Shareholder, any
Securities being sold by it hereunder or any information provided by
such Selling Shareholder necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading; and such Selling Shareholder is not prompted to sell
the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder by any
information concerning the Company or any subsidiary of the Company
which is not set forth in the Prospectus.
(ii) Authorization of Agreements. Such Selling Shareholder
has the full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement
and the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement and to sell, transfer
and deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder
hereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Power
of Attorney and Custody Agreement and the sale and delivery of the
Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder and the consummation
of the transactions contemplated herein and compliance by such Selling
Shareholder with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by
such Selling Shareholder and do not and will not, whether with or
without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with
or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation
or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the
Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or any property or
assets of such Selling Shareholder pursuant to any contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease
or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Shareholder is a
party or by which such Selling Shareholder may be bound, or to which
any of the property or assets of is subject, nor will such action
result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or
partnership agreement or other organizational instrument of such
Selling Shareholder, if applicable, or any applicable treaty, law,
statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any
government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign,
having jurisdiction over such Selling Shareholder or any of its
properties.
(iii) Good and Marketable Title. Except as set forth in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, such Selling Shareholder has
and will at the Closing Time and, if any Option Securities are
purchased, on each Date of Delivery have good and marketable title
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to the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder,
free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien,
charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind, other than pursuant
to this Agreement; and upon delivery of such Securities and payment of
the purchase price therefor as herein contemplated, assuming each such
Underwriter has no notice of any adverse claim, each of the
Underwriters will receive good and marketable title to the Securities
purchased by it from such Selling Shareholder, free and clear of any
security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, claim, equity or
encumbrance of any kind.
(iv) Due Execution of Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement. Each of NCC and Sorensen has duly executed and delivered, in
the form heretofore furnished to the Representatives, the Power of
Attorney and Custody Agreement with _______ and ________, or any of
them, as attorney(s)-in-fact (the "NCC Attorney(s)-in-Fact") and
_________, as custodian (the "NCC Custodian") and with ______________
and ______________, or any of them, as attorney(s)-in-fact (the
"Sorensen Attorney(s)-in-Fact") and _____________, as custodian (the
"Sorensen Custodian") respectively; each of the NCC Custodian and the
Sorensen Custodian is authorized to deliver the Securities to be sold
by the applicable Selling Shareholder hereunder and to accept payment
therefor; and each Attorney-in-Fact is authorized to execute and
deliver this Agreement and the certificate referred to in Section 5(f)
or that may be required pursuant to Sections 5(l) and 5(m) on behalf of
such Selling Shareholder, to sell, assign and transfer to the
Underwriters the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder
hereunder, to determine the purchase price to be paid by the
Underwriters to such Selling Shareholder, as provided in Section 2(a)
hereof, to authorize the delivery of the Securities to be sold by such
Selling Shareholder hereunder, to accept payment therefor, and
otherwise to act on behalf of such Selling Shareholder in connection
with this Agreement.
(v) Absence of Manipulation. Such Selling Shareholder has
not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which
is designed to or which has constituted or which might reasonably be
expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale
of the Securities.
(vi) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or
consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or
decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or
foreign, is necessary or required for the performance by such Selling
Shareholder of its obligations hereunder or in the Power of Attorney
and Custody Agreement applicable to such Selling Shareholder, or in
connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities hereunder or
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
except (i) such as may have previously been made or obtained or as may
be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state
securities laws and (ii) such as have been obtained under the laws and
regulations of jurisdictions in which the Reserved Securities are
offered.
(vii) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of
180 days from the date of the Prospectus, such Selling Shareholder will
not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (i) offer,
pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to
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purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option,
right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of,
directly or indirectly, any share of Common Stock or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or
file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any
of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or
any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or
indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock,
whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii)
above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other
securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not
apply to the Securities to be sold hereunder.
(viii) Certificates Suitable for Transfer. Certificates for
all of the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder pursuant
to this Agreement, in suitable form for transfer by delivery or
accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in
blank with signatures guaranteed, have been placed in custody with the
Custodian with irrevocable conditional instructions to deliver such
Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.
(ix) No Association with NASD. Except as has been
separately disclosed in writing by NCC to the Representatives, neither
NCC nor Sorensen nor any of Selling Shareholder's affiliates directly,
or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is
controlled by, or is under common control with, or has any other
association with (within the meaning of Article I, Section 1(m) of the
By-laws of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.), any
member firm of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(d) Officer's Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to
counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any
certificate signed by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholders as such and
delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company and each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly,
agree to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company and
each Selling Shareholder, at the price per share set forth in Schedule C, that
proportion of the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite
the name of the Company or such Selling Shareholder, as the case may be, which
the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of
such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such
Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of
Section 10 hereof, bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in
each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives in
their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of
fractional securities.
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(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations
and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein
set forth, the Selling Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, hereby
grant an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up
to an additional 450,000 shares of Common Stock, as set forth in Schedule B, at
the price per share set forth in Schedule C, less an amount per share equal to
any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the
Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby
granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole
or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering over-allotments
which may be made in connection with the offering and distribution of the
Initial Securities upon notice by the Representatives to the Selling
Shareholders setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the
several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of
payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of
delivery (a "Date of Delivery") shall be determined by the Representatives, but
shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said
option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined. If
the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each
of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that
proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which
the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of
such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in
each case to such adjustments as the Representatives in their discretion shall
make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares. Each Selling
Shareholder shall sell Option Securities in the proportion that the number of
shares of Common Stock held by such Selling Shareholder which are subject to the
option bears to the total number of shares subject to options granted by the
Selling Shareholders.
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Brown &
Wood LLP, One World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048, or at such other
place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company and the
Selling Shareholders, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the
pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day
after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of
Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date
as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company and the Selling
Shareholders (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called
"Closing Time").
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are
purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery
of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned
offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives
and the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on each Date of Delivery as
specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company and Selling
Shareholders.
Payment shall be made to the Company and the Selling Shareholders by
wire transfer of immediately available funds to bank account(s) designated by
the Company and the Custodian pursuant to each Selling Shareholder's Power of
Attorney and Custody Agreement, as the case may be, against delivery to the
Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates
for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each
Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept
delivery of, receipt for, and make
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payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually
and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated
to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option
Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been
received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may
be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations
hereunder.
(d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial
Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and
registered in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least
one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery,
as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the
Representatives in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time)
on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery,
as the case may be.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each
Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission
Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the
requirements of Rule 430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify
the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i)
when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall
become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended
Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments
from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any
amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement
to the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing
or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the
suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale
in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any
proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect
the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps
as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of
prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for
filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will
promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable
effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order
is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible
moment.
(b) Filing of Amendments. The Company will give the
Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any
amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under
Rule 462(b)), any Term Sheet or any amendment, supplement or revision
to either the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the
time it became effective or to the Prospectus, will furnish the
Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount
of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and
will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or
counsel for the Underwriters shall object.
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(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has
furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the
Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration
Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including
exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein) and
signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will
also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy
of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of
the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the
Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies
thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the
extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to
each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary
prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company
hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the
1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge,
during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under
the 1933 Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"),
such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as
such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be
identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with
the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company
will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to
permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as
contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time
when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in
connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or
condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the
opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend
the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in
order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading in light of the
circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or
if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such
time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or
the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file
with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment or
supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or
to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such
requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such
number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters
may reasonably request.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best
efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the
Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws
of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the
Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in
effect for a period of not less than one year from the later of the
effective date of the Registration
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Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general
consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or
as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so
qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business
in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each
jurisdiction in which the Securities have been so qualified, the
Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the
laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for
a period of not less than one year from the effective date of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.
(g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports
pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally
available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings
statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated
by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds
received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified
in the Prospectus under "Use of Proceeds".
(i) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect
and maintain the quotation of the Securities on the Nasdaq National
Market and will file with the Nasdaq National Market all documents and
notices required by the Nasdaq National Market of companies that have
securities that are traded in the over-the-counter market and
quotations for which are reported by the Nasdaq National Market.
(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 180
days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the
prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (i) directly or indirectly,
offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to
purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option,
right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any
share of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable
or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement
under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter
into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers,
in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence
of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction
described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of
Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The
foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold
hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon
the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security
outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Prospectus, (C)
any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock
granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company
referred to in the Prospectus, (D) any shares of Common Stock issued
pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend
reinvestment plan or (E) shares of Common Stock issued in conjunction
with the acquisition by the Company of another company or any asset
thereof; provided, however, that notwithstanding the preceding clauses
(B), (C) or (D) the Company agrees that it will not issue shares of
Common Stock for 180 days after the date of the Prospectus upon the
exercise of any options to acquire Common Stock if the
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vesting of such options has been accelerated during such period
pursuant to the terms of the employee benefit plans under which such
options were issued; and provided, further, that, with respect to
shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to preceding clause (E), the
recipient of any such shares of Common Stock executes a letter,
substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, restricting the offer,
pledge, sale, contract to sell, sale of any option or contract to
purchase, purchase of any option or contract to sell, grant of any
option, right or warrant to purchase, transfer or disposition, directly
or indirectly, of such shares of Common Stock without the prior written
consent of Merrill Lynch.
(k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period
when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or
the 1934 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the
Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by
the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder.
(l) Compliance with NASD Rules. The Company hereby agrees that
it will ensure that the Reserved Securities will be restricted as
required by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the
"NASD") or the NASD rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or
hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of this
Agreement. The Underwriters will notify the Company as to which persons
will need to be so restricted. At the request of the Underwriters, the
Company will direct the transfer agent to place a stop transfer
restriction upon such securities for such period of time. Should the
Company release, or seek to release, from such restrictions any of the
Reserved Securities the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters
for any reasonable expenses (including, without limitation, legal
expenses) they incur in connection with such release.
(m) Compliance with Rule 463. The Company will file with the
Commission such reports on Form SR as may be required pursuant to Rule
463 of the 1933 Act Regulations.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses. (a) Expenses. The Company will pay or
cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations
under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as
originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing
and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among
Underwriters and such other documents as may be required in connection with the
offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the
preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the
Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other
duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the
Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel,
accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under
securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof,
including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation
of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and
delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Term
Sheets and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vii)
the preparation, printing and delivery to the
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Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii)
the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities,
(ix) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") of the terms of the sale of
the Securities, (x) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
inclusion of the Securities in the Nasdaq National Market, and (xi) all costs
and expenses of the Underwriters, including the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters, in connection with matters related to the Reserved
Securities which are designated by the Company for sale to employees and others
having a business relationship with the Company.
(b) Expenses of the Selling Shareholders. The Selling Shareholders,
severally, will pay all expenses incident to the performance of their respective
obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, including (i) any stamp duties, capital duties and stock transfer
taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters, and
their transfer between the Underwriters pursuant to an agreement between such
Underwriters, and (ii) the fees and disbursements of its counsel and
accountants.
(c) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i)
or Section 11 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of
their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters.
(d) Allocation of Expenses. The provisions of this Section shall not
affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Shareholders may make for
the sharing of such costs and expenses.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of
the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholders
contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company
or any subsidiary of the Company or on behalf of any Selling Shareholder
delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company
and the Selling Shareholders of its and their covenants and other obligations
hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration
Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become
effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued
under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by
the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for
additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable
satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing
the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in
accordance with Rule 424(b) (or a post-effective amendment providing
such information shall have been filed and declared effective in
accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the Company has
elected to rely upon Rule 434, a Term Sheet shall have been filed with
the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b).
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(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
Closing Time, of Greenberg Traurig Hoffman Lipoff Rosen & Quentel,
P.A., counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies
of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set
forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the
Underwriters may reasonably request.
(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders. At
Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable
opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Maples and Calder, Cayman Islands
counsel for HIG; (ii) Greenberg Traurig Hoffman Lipoff Rosen & Quentel,
P.A., United States counsel for HIG; (iii) Greenberg Traurig Hoffman
Lipoff Rosen & Quentel, P.A., counsel for Sorensen, and (iv) Gary J.
Groot, Assistant General Counsel at NCC, counsel for NCC, each in form
and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together
with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the
Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit B-1, B-2, B-3 and B-4,
respectively, hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the
Underwriters may reasonably request.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
Closing Time, of Brown & Wood LLP, counsel for the Underwriters,
together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of
the other Underwriters with respect to the matters set forth in clauses
(i), (ii), (v), (vi) (solely as to preemptive or other similar rights
arising by operation of law or under the charter or by-laws of the
Company), (viii) through (x), inclusive, (xii), (xiv) (solely as to the
information in the Prospectus under "Description of Capital
Stock--Common Stock") and the penultimate paragraph of Exhibit A
hereto. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters
governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State
of New York and the federal law of the United States, upon the opinions
of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also
state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have
relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers
of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public
officials.
(e) Officers' Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not
have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse
change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings,
business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in
the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have
received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the
Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the
Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has
been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and
warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same
force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time,
(iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to
Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement has been issued and no
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proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or are
contemplated by the Commission.
(f) Certificate of Selling Shareholders. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received a certificate of an
Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of the Selling Shareholders, dated as of
Closing Time, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties
of each Selling Shareholder contained in Section 1(b) or 1(c) hereof,
as applicable, are true and correct in all respects with the same force
and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time and (ii)
each Selling Shareholder has complied in all material respects with all
agreements and all conditions on its part to be performed under this
Agreement at or prior to Closing Time.
(g) Accountant's Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution
of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst &
Young LLP and Deloitte & Touche, LLP letters dated such date, in form
and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed
or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters
containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included
in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the
financial statements and certain financial information contained in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(h) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP and Deloitte
& Touche, LLP letters, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that
they reaffirm the statements made in the letters furnished pursuant to
subsection (g) of this Section, except that the specified date referred
to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing
Time.
(i) Approval of Listing. At Closing Time, the Securities shall
have been approved for inclusion in the Nasdaq National Market, subject
only to official notice of issuance.
(j) No Objection. The NASD has confirmed that it has not
raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of
the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(k) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the
Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the
form of Exhibit C hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D
hereto.
(l) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event
that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b)
hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the
representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling
Shareholders contained herein and the statements in any certificates
furnished by the Company, any subsidiary of the Company and the Selling
Shareholders hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of
Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives
shall have received:
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(i) Officers' Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date
of Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the
Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer
of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at
the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true
and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii) Certificate of Selling Shareholder(s). A certificate,
dated such Date of Delivery, of an Attorney-in-Fact on behalf
of each Selling Shareholder confirming that the certificate
delivered at Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(f) remains
true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. The favorable opinion
of Greenberg Traurig Hoffman Lipoff & Quentel, P.A., counsel
for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel
for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to
the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery
and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by
Section 5(b) hereof.
(iv) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders. The
favorable opinion of (A) Maples and Calder, Cayman Islands
counsel for HIG; (B) Greenberg Traurig Hoffman Lipoff &
Quentel, P.A., United States counsel for HIG, (C)
_____________, counsel for Sorensen; and (D) Gary J. Groot,
Assistant General Counsel of NCC, counsel for NCC, each in
form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the
Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and
otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by
Section 5(c) hereof.
(v) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The favorable
opinion of Brown & Wood LLP, counsel for the Underwriters,
dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities
to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the
same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.
(vi) Bring-down Comfort Letter. Letters from Ernst & Young
LLP and Deloitte & Touche, LLP, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of
Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the
letters furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section
5(g) hereof, except that the "specified date" in the letter
furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more
than five days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(m) Additional Documents. At Closing Time and at each Date of
Delivery counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with
such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of
enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as
herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the
representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the
conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company
and the Selling Shareholders in connection with the issuance and sale
of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form
and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
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(n) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in
this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be
fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the
purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the
Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase
the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the
Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to
Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party
except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8
shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company and HIG, jointly and
severally, agree, subject to subsection (e) of this Section 6, to indemnify and
hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act to the extent and in the manner set forth in clauses (i), (ii) and
(iii) below. In addition, subject to subsection (e) of this Section 6, each of
NCC and Sorensen, severally and not jointly (in the proportion that the number
of Securities being sold by each such Selling Shareholder bears to the total
number of Securities) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and
each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section
15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the
Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, 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 arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus or
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate
amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened,
or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or
omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided
that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected
with the written consent of the Company and the Selling Shareholders;
and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred
(including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill
Lynch), in investigating, preparing or defending against any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental
agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based
upon any such
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untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or
omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or
(ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and
the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling
Shareholders. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration
Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and each Selling
Shareholder and each person, if any, who controls any Selling Shareholder within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against
any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the
indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only
with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or
omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto),
including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable,
or 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 such Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use in
the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall
give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of
any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought
hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such
indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not
materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it
from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above,
counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch, and, in
the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the
indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may
participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided,
however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the
consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In
no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more
than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own
counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or
separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of
the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which
indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section
7 hereof (whether or not the
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indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such
settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation,
investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to
or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any
indemnified party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time
an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by
Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the
aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of
the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being
entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such
indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement.
(e) Limitation on Indemnification by Selling Shareholders. No Selling
Shareholder shall be responsible pursuant to this Section 6 for the payment of
an amount which exceeds an amount equal to (i) the purchase price per share for
the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters set forth in Schedule C
hereto multiplied by (ii) the number of Securities sold to the several
Underwriters by such Selling Shareholder hereunder.
(f) Indemnification for Reserved Securities. In connection with the
offer and sale of the Reserved Securities, the Company agrees, promptly upon a
request in writing, to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from and
against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred
by them as a result of the failure of employees of the Company and others having
a business relationship with the Company to pay for and accept delivery of
Reserved Securities which, by the end of the first business day following the
date of this Agreement, were subject to a properly confirmed agreement to
purchase.
(g) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification. The provisions of
this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling
Shareholders with respect to indemnification.
SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section
6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or
expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the
Selling Shareholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from
the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the
allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred
to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the
Selling Shareholders on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand
in connection with the statements or omissions, which resulted in such losses,
liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations.
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The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling
Shareholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in
connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall
be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds
from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Shareholders and the total
underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on
the cover of the Prospectus, or, if Rule 434 is used, the corresponding location
on the Term Sheet bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the
Securities as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholders on the
one hand and the Underwriters 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 relates
to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Shareholders or by the
Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters agree that
it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7
were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as
one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section
7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall
be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public
were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such 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 or any
Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section
20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or
such Selling Shareholder, as the case may be. The Underwriters' respective
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion
to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in
Schedule A hereto and not joint.
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The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the
Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to contribution.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive
Delivery. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this
Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or the Selling Shareholders submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain
operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by
or on behalf of any Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the
Company or the Selling Shareholders, and shall survive delivery of the
Securities to the Underwriters.
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Representatives may terminate this
Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders, at any time at
or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of
this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any
material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the
international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation
thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a
prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic
conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the
judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities or to
enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any
securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the
Commission or the Nasdaq National Market, or if trading generally on the
American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National
Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices
for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by
any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental
authority, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal,
New York or Florida authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this
Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections
1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and
effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more
of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase
the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement
(the "Defaulted Securities"), the Representatives shall have the right, within
24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all,
of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the
terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have
completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
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(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10%
of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the
non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not
jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that
their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the
underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the
number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or,
with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing
Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company
to sell the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of
Delivery, shall terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination
of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the
Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities,
as the case may be, either the (i) Representatives or (ii) the Company and any
Selling Shareholder shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the
relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven
days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term
"Underwriter" includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this
Section 10.
SECTION 11. Default by one or more of the Selling Shareholders or the
Company. (a) If a Selling Shareholder shall fail at Closing Time or at a Date of
Delivery to sell and deliver the number of Securities which such Selling
Shareholder or Selling Shareholders are obligated to sell hereunder, and the
remaining Selling Shareholders do not exercise the right hereby granted to
increase, pro rata or otherwise, the number of Securities to be sold by them
hereunder to the total number to be sold by all Selling Shareholders as set
forth in Schedule B hereto, then the Underwriters may, at option of the
Representatives, by notice from the Representatives to the Company and the
non-defaulting Selling Shareholders, either (a) terminate this Agreement without
any liability on the fault of any non-defaulting party, except that the
provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8 shall remain in full force and effect,
or (b) elect to purchase the Securities which the non-defaulting Selling
Shareholders and the Company have agreed to sell hereunder. No action taken
pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve any Selling Shareholder so defaulting
from liability, if any, in respect of such default.
In the event of a default by any Selling Shareholder as referred to in
this Section 11, each of the Representatives the Company and the non-defaulting
Selling Shareholders shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or Date of
Delivery for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required
change in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements.
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(b) If the Company shall fail at Closing Time or at the Date of
Delivery to sell the number of Securities that it is obligated to sell
hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part
of any nondefaulting party; provided, however, that the provisions of Sections
1, 4, 6, 7 and 8 shall remain in full force and effect. No action taken pursuant
to this Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of
such default.
SECTION 12. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder
shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or
transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the
Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives at North Tower, World
Financial Center, New York, New York 10281-1201, attention of Donato de Donato;
with a copy to Brown & Wood LLP, One World Trade Center, New York, New York
10048, attention of Michael L. Fitzgerald; notices to the Company shall be
directed to it at 800 Brickell Avenue, Suite 400, Miami, Florida 33131,
attention of Nicolas Molina or Brett Beveridge; with a copy to Jorge L.
Freeland, Greenberg Traurig Hoffman Lipoff Rosen & Quentel, P.A., 1221 Brickell
Avenue, 21st Floor, Miami, Florida 33131; and notices to the Selling
Shareholders shall be directed to c/o the Company, 800 Brickell Avenue, Suite
400, Miami, Florida 33131, attention of Nicolas Molina or Brett Beveridge.
SECTION 13. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders
and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this
Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or
corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling
Shareholders and their respective successors and the controlling persons and
officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal
representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in
respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and
all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders
and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and
directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no
other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any
Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 14. Waiver of Immunities. To the extent that HIG or any of its
properties, assets or revenues may have or may hereafter become entitled to, or
have attributed to HIG, any right of immunity, on the grounds of sovereignty or
otherwise, from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from the giving of any
relief in any such legal action, suit or proceeding, from setoff or
counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any court, from service of process, from
attachment upon or prior to judgment, from attachment in aid of execution of
judgment, or from execution of judgment, or other legal process or proceeding
for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of any judgment, in any
jurisdiction in which proceedings may at any time be commenced, with respect to
the obligations and liabilities of HIG or any other matter under or arising out
of or in connection with the Purchase Agreement, HIG hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally waives, and agrees not to plead or claim, any such immunity and
consents to such relief and enforcement.
SECTION 15. Consent to Jurisdiction; Appointment of Agent for Service
of Process.
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34
(a) HIG, by the execution and delivery of this Agreement, agrees that
service of process may be made upon CT Corporation System, 1633 Broadway, New
York, NY, 10019 (or its successors as agent for service of process), in the
County, City and State of New York, United States of America in any suit or
proceeding against the Selling Stockholder instituted by any Underwriter or by
any person controlling any Underwriter based on or arising under this Agreement
in any federal or state court in the State of New York, County of New York, and
hereby irrevocably consents and submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any
such court in personam generally and unconditionally in respect of any such suit
or proceeding.
(b) HIG further, by the execution and delivery of this Agreement, for a
period ending on the sixth anniversary of the Closing Date irrevocably agrees to
designate, appoint and empower CT Corporation System, 1633 Broadway, New York,
NY, 10019, as its designee, appointee and authorized agent to receive for and on
its behalf service of any and all legal process, summons, notices and documents
that may be served in any action, suit or proceeding brought against HIG with
respect to its obligations, liabilities or any other matter arising out of or in
connection with this Agreement and that may be made on such designee, appointee
and authorized agent in accordance with legal procedures prescribed for such
courts, and it being understood that the designation and appointment of CT
Corporation System as such authorized agent shall become effective immediately
without any further action on the part of HIG. HIG represents to each
Underwriter that it has notified CT Corporation System of such designation and
appointment and that CT Corporation System has accepted the same. HIG further
agrees that, to the extent permitted by law, service of process upon CT
Corporation System (or its successors as agent for service of process) and
written notice of said service to HIG pursuant to Section 12, shall be deemed in
every respect effective service of process upon HIG in any such suit or
proceeding. If for any reason such designee, appointee and agent hereunder shall
cease to be available to act as such, HIG agrees to designate a new designee,
appointee and agent in The City and County of New York, New York on the terms
and for the purposes of this Section 15 reasonably satisfactory to the U.S.
Representatives. HIG further hereby irrevocably consents and agrees to accept
the service of any and all legal process, summons, notices and documents in any
such action, suit or proceeding against HIG if service of a copy thereof is made
upon the relevant agent for service of process referred to in this Section 15
(whether or not the appointment of such agent shall for any reason prove to be
ineffective or such agent shall accept or acknowledge such service) and copies
thereof are mailed by registered or certified air mail, postage prepaid, by the
Underwriters and other persons referred to in Section 13 to HIG at its address
specified in or designated pursuant to this Agreement. So long as proper mail
service is accorded HIG, it agrees that the failure of any such designee,
appointee and agent to give any notice of such service to it shall not impair or
affect in any way the validity of such service or any judgment rendered in any
action or proceeding based thereon. Nothing herein shall in any way be deemed to
limit the ability of the Underwriters and the other persons referred to in
Section 13 to serve any such legal process, summons, notices and documents in
any other manner permitted by applicable law or to obtain jurisdiction over HIG
or bring actions, suits or proceedings against HIG in such other jurisdictions,
and in such manner, as may be permitted by applicable law. HIG hereby
irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any of
the aforesaid actions, suits or proceedings arising out of or in connection with
this Agreement brought in the federal courts located in The City and County of
New York, New York or the courts of the State of New York located in The City
and County of New York, New York and
30
35
hereby further irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or
claim in any such court that any such action, suit or proceeding brought in any
such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
(c) The provisions of this Section 15 shall survive any termination of
this Agreement, in whole or in part.
SECTION 16. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY
AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SPECIFIED
TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 17. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein
and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the
construction hereof.
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36
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Attorney-in-Fact for
the Selling Shareholders a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along
with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters,
the Company and the Selling Shareholders in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
LET'S TALK CELLULAR &
WIRELESS, INC.
By
-----------------------------------
Title:
THE SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
By
-----------------------------------
As Attorney-in-Fact acting on
behalf of each of HIG Investment
Group, L.P., NationsCredit
Commercial Corporation and Allan
Sorensen
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
SALOMON BROTHERS INC
By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
By
------------------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto.
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SCHEDULE A
Number of
Initial
Name of Underwriter Securities
------------------- ----------
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated......................................
Salomon Brothers Inc..............................................
---------
Total.............................................................
Sch A - 1
38
SCHEDULE B
Number of Initial Maximum Number of
Securities Option Securities
to be Sold to Be Sold
----------------- -----------------
Let's Talk Cellular & Wireless, Inc.
HIG Investment Group, L.P.
NationsCredit Commercial Corporation
Allan Sorensen
Total................................
Sch B - 1
39
SCHEDULE C
Let's Talk Cellular & Wireless, Inc.
3,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
1. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities,
determined as provided in said Section 2, shall be $_.
2. The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the
several Underwriters shall be $_, being an amount equal to the initial public
offering price set forth above less $_ per share; provided that the purchase
price per share for any Option Securities purchased upon the exercise of the
over-allotment option described in Section 2(b) shall be reduced by an amount
per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and
payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.
Sch C - 1
40
[SCHEDULE D]
[List of persons and entities
subject to lock-up]
Sch D - 1
41
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY'S COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)
(i) The Company is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the State of Florida.
(ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease
and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Purchase
Agreement.
(iii) The Company 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 where the failure so to qualify or
to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the
Company is as set forth in the Prospectus in the column entitled "Actual" under
the caption "Capitalization" (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant
to the Purchase Agreement or pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee
benefit plans referred to in the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of
convertible securities or options referred to in the Prospectus); after giving
effect to the offerings and the acquisition of Telephone Warehouse, Inc. and
National Cellular, Inc. the authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of
the Company is as set forth in the Prospectuses in the column entitled "Pro
Forma As Adjusted" under the caption "Capitalization"; the shares of issued and
outstanding capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be
purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Shareholders, have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and none of
the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation
of the preemptive or other statutory or contractual similar rights of any
securityholder of the Company.
(v) The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the
Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement against payment of the consideration set
forth in the Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued and fully paid and
non-assessable and no holder of the Securities is or will be subject to personal
liability by reason of being such a holder.
(vi) The issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company and the
sale of the Securities by the Selling Shareholders is not subject to the
preemptive or other similar statutory or contractual rights of any
securityholder of the Company.
A-1
42
(vii) Each Subsidiary has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of
its incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate
its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and 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 where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not
result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the
Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each
Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and
non-assessable and, to the best of my knowledge, is owned by the Company,
directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding
shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the
preemptive or similar statutory or contractual rights of any securityholder of
such Subsidiary.
(viii) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(ix) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, has been declared effective under the 1933 Act; any
required filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the
manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and, to the best of
my knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the
1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending
or threatened by the Commission.
(x) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information,
as applicable, the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, as of their respective effective or issue
dates (other than the financial statements and supporting schedules included
therein or omitted therefrom, as to which no opinion need be expressed) complied
as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and
the 1933 Act Regulations.
(xi) If Rule 434 has been relied upon, the Prospectus was not
"materially different," as such term is used in Rule 434, from the prospectus
included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective.
(xii) The form of certificate used to evidence the Common Stock
complies in all material respects with all applicable statutory requirements,
with any applicable requirements of the charter and by-laws of the Company and
the requirements of the Nasdaq National Market System.
(xiii) To the best of our knowledge, there is not pending or
threatened any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to which the
Company or any subsidiary is a party, or to which the property of the Company or
any subsidiary is subject, before or brought by any court or governmental agency
or body, domestic or foreign, which might reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement or the performance by the
Company of its obligations thereunder.
A-2
43
(xiv) The information in the Prospectus under "Description of
Capital Stock", "Certain Transactions" and "Business--Litigation", and in the
Registration Statement under Item 14, to the extent that it constitutes matters
of law, summaries of legal matters, the Company's charter and bylaws or legal
proceedings, or legal conclusions, has been reviewed by us and is correct in all
material respects.
(xv) To the best of our knowledge, there are no statutes or
regulations that are required to be described in the Prospectus that are not
described as required.
(xvi) To the best of our knowledge, there are no franchises,
contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other
instruments required to be described or referred to in the Registration
Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other than those described or
referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto,
and the descriptions thereof or references thereto in the Registration Statement
are correct in all material respects.
(xvii) To the best of our knowledge, neither the Company nor any
subsidiary is in violation of its charter or by-laws and no default by the
Company or any subsidiary exists in the due performance or observance of any
material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or
instrument that is described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
(xviii) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license,
order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental
authority or agency, domestic or foreign (other than under the 1933 Act and the
1933 Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be required under the
securities or blue sky laws of the various states, as to which we need express
no opinion) is necessary or required in connection with the due authorization,
execution and delivery of the Purchase Agreement or for the offering, issuance,
sale or delivery of the Securities.
(xix) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase
Agreement and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of
the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as
described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds") and compliance
by the Company with its obligations under the Purchase Agreement do not and will
not, whether with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both,
conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as
defined in Section 1(a)(x) of the Purchase Agreement) under or result in the
creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to any contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or any other
agreement or instrument, known to us, to which the Company or any subsidiary is
a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the
property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (except for such
conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not
have a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of
the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary, or
any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree,
known to me, of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their
respective properties, assets or operations.
A-3
44
(xx) To the best of our knowledge, there are no persons with
registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered
pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company
under the 1933 Act that have not been duly waived.
(xxi) The Company is not an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company," as such terms are defined in the 1940
Act.
(xxii) Assuming (i) that each Selling Shareholder has the requisite
power and authority to accept, execute, deliver and perform the Custody
Agreement, (ii) that the Custody Agreement of each Selling Shareholder has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling shareholder, and (ii)
each Custody Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement of the
Custodian thereunder, the Custody Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and
binding agreement of each such Selling Shareholder.
(xxiii) By delivery pursuant to the terms of the Custody Agreement of
a certificate or certificates representing the Securities to be sold by the
Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters, such Selling Shareholders will transfer
to the Underwriters who have purchased such Securities (in good faith without
notice of any adverse claim or defect in the title of such Selling Shareholder
and who are otherwise bona fide purchasers for purposes of the Uniform
Commercial Code) pursuant to the Purchase Agreements title to such Securities,
free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, charge, claim, equity or
encumbrance of any kind.
Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, including the Rule 430A
Information and Rule 434 Information (if applicable), (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time such Registration
Statement or any such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus
was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued
or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
A-4
45
Exhibit B-1
FORM OF OPINION OF CAYMAN ISLANDS COUNSEL FOR HIG
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as
an exempted company with limited liability pursuant to the Companies Law (1995
Revision) of the Cayman Islands.
(ii) The Company has full power and authority as a matter of Cayman
Islands law to carry out any object not prohibited by law and is a body
corporate capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full
capacity including the capacity to enter into the Agreements and to perform its
obligations thereunder.
(iii) Save as referred to below and subject to the Agreements and
any original counterparts thereof being stamped with CI$2.00 stamp duty if
executed in or brought within the jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands in original
form, no registration, filing, stamping or other formalities are necessary for
the validity and enforceability of the Agreements in the Cayman Islands or for
their admissibility in evidence in proceedings in the courts of the Cayman
Islands.
(iv) No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, license,
order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental
authority or agency in the Cayman Islands is necessary or required to be
obtained by HIG for the performance by HIG of its obligations under the Purchase
Agreement or in the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement, or in connection
with the offer, sale or delivery of the Securities being sold by HIG to the
Underwriters under the terms of the Purchase Agreement.
(v) The Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by HIG and constitutes the legal, valid and binding
agreement of HIG.
(vi) The Purchase Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by
or on behalf of HIG.
(vii) Each Attorney-in-Fact of HIG has been duly authorized by HIG
to deliver the Securities on behalf of HIG in accordance with the terms of the
Purchase Agreement.
(viii) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase
Agreement and the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement and the sale and
delivery of the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
in the Purchase Agreement and in the Registration Statement and compliance by
HIG with its obligations under the Purchase Agreement have been duly authorized
by all necessary action on the part of HIG and, to the best of our knowledge, do
not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of
time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under or
result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance
upon the Securities or any property or assets of HIG pursuant to, any contract,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license,
lease or other instrument or agreement to which HIG is a party or by which they
may be bound, or to which any of the
B-1-1
46
property or assets of HIG may be subject nor will such action result in any
violation of the provisions of the memorandum or articles of association of HIG,
if applicable, or any law, administrative regulation, judgment or order of any
governmental agency or body or any administrative or court decree having
jurisdiction over HIG or any of its properties.
(ix) To the best of our knowledge, HIG has valid and marketable
title to the Securities to be sold by HIG pursuant to the Purchase Agreement,
free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, charge, claim, equity or
encumbrance of any kind, and has full right, power and authority to sell,
transfer and deliver such Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
(x) HIG and its obligations under the Purchase Agreement are
subject to civil and commercial law and to suit in the Cayman Islands and
neither it nor any of its properties, assets or revenues has any right of
immunity, on any grounds, from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from the
giving of any relief in any such legal action, suit or proceeding, from setoff
or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any court, from service of process,
attachment upon or prior to judgment, or attachment in aid of execution of
judgment, or from execution of a judgment, or other legal process or proceeding
for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of any judgment, in the
Cayman Islands, with respect to its obligations, liabilities or any other matter
under or arising out of or in connection with the Purchase Agreement and to the
extent that HIG or its properties, assets or revenues may have or may hereafter
become entitled to any such right of immunity in Japan in which proceedings may
at any time be commenced, HIG has effectively waived such right and consented to
such relief and enforcement pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement.
(xi) The Purchase Agreement or the Custody Agreement are in proper
form under the laws of Cayman Islands for the enforcement thereof against HIG.
It is not necessary to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or
admissibility in evidence of either the Purchase Agreement or the Custody
Agreement in Cayman Islands.
Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, including the Rule 430A
Information and Rule 434 Information (if applicable), (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time such Registration
Statement or any such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus
was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued
or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
B-1-2
47
Exhibit B-2
FORM OF OPINION OF UNITED STATES COUNSEL TO
HIG TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
(i) Assuming due and valid execution and delivery by HIG, the
Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement constitutes a valid and binding
agreement of HIG.
(ii) HIG is, and immediately prior to Closing will be, the sole
record owner of the Securities to be sold by HIG under the Purchase Agreement.
Upon delivery by HIG of and payment for the Securities as contemplated under the
Purchase Agreement, and registration of the certificates evidencing the
Securities in the name of the Underwriters (or a nominee thereof), the
Underwriters will acquire ownership of the Securities free of any adverse claims
(as defined in Section 8-302 of the Uniform Commercial Code in the State of New
York), assuming that each of the Underwriters is acting in good faith and has no
notice of any adverse claim.
(iii) Assuming due and valid execution of the Purchase Agreement,
HIG, under the laws of the State of New York relating to submission to
jurisdiction and pursuant to Section 15 of this Agreement, has validly,
effectively and irrevocably submitted to the jurisdiction of any federal or
state court in the State of New York, County of New York in respect of this
Agreement; pursuant to Section 15 of this Agreement has validly, effectively and
irrevocably designated, appointed and empowered an agent for service of process
in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any
federal or state court in the State of New York, County of New York; and under
the laws of the State of New York and Section 14 of this Agreement has validly,
effectively and irrevocably waived any right of immunity from any legal action,
suit or proceeding, or otherwise.
(iv) The Selling Stockholder has the power to submit, and pursuant
to Section 15 of this Agreement has legally, validly, effectively and
irrevocably submitted, to the jurisdiction of any federal or state court in the
State of New York, County of New York, and has the power to designate, appoint
and empower and pursuant to this Agreement has legally, validly effectively and
irrevocably designated, appointed and empowered an agent for service of process
in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any
federal or state court in the State of New York, County of New York.
B-2-1
48
Exhibit B-3
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR NATIONSCREDIT COMMERCIAL CORPORATION
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as
a corporation under the laws of Delaware.
(ii) No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, license,
order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental
authority or agency, domestic or foreign, (other than the issuance of the order
of the Commission declaring the Registration Statement effective and such
authorizations, approvals or consents as may be necessary under state securities
laws, as to which we need express no opinion) is necessary or required to be
obtained by NationsCredit Commercial Corporation ("NCC") for the performance by
NCC of its obligations under the Purchase Agreement or in the Power of Attorney
and Custody Agreement executed by it, or in connection with the offer, sale or
delivery of the Securities being sold to the Underwriters by NCC.
(iii) The Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by NCC and constitutes the legal, valid and binding
agreement of NCC.
(iv) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by or on behalf of NCC.
(v) Each Attorney-in-Fact has been duly authorized by NCC to
deliver the Securities on behalf of NCC in accordance with the terms of the
Purchase Agreement.
(vi) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase
Agreement and the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement and the sale and
delivery of the Securities being sold to the Underwriters by NCC and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement and in
the Registration Statement and compliance by NCC with its obligations under the
Purchase Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part
of NCC and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or
passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default
under or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or
encumbrance upon the Securities or any property or assets of NCC pursuant to,
any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement,
note, license, lease or other instrument or agreement known to me to which NCC
is a party or by which it may be bound, or to which any of the property or
assets of NCC may be subject nor will such action result in any violation of the
provisions of the charter or by-laws of NCC, if applicable, or any law,
administrative regulation, judgment or order of any governmental agency or body
or any administrative or court decree having jurisdiction over NCC or any of its
properties.
(vii) To the best of my knowledge, NCC has valid and marketable
title to the Securities to be sold by NCC pursuant to the Purchase Agreement,
free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, charge, claim, equity or
encumbrance of any kind, and has full right, power and authority to sell,
transfer and deliver such Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. By
delivery of a
B-3-1
49
certificate or certificates therefor NCC will transfer to the Underwriters who
have purchased such Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (without
notice of any defect in the title of NCC and who are otherwise bona fide
purchasers for purposes of the Uniform Commercial Code) valid and marketable
title to such Securities, free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest,
charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind.
Nothing has come to my attention that would lead me to believe that the
information with respect to NCC or the Securities being sold by NCC to the
several Underwriters pursuant to the Purchase Agreement included in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for financial statements
and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted therefrom, as
to which I need make no statement), at the time such Registration Statement or
any such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the information
with respect to NCC or the Securities being sold by NCC to the several
Underwriters pursuant to the Purchase Agreement included in the Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial statements and
schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to
which we need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus was issued, at the
time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued or at the Closing
Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or
omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
B-3-2
50
Exhibit B-4
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR ALLAN SORENSEN
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
(i) No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, license,
order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental
authority or agency, domestic or foreign, (other than the issuance of the order
of the Commission declaring the Registration Statement effective and such
authorizations, approvals or consents as may be necessary under state securities
laws, as to which we need express no opinion) is necessary or required to be
obtained by Allan Sorensen ("Sorensen") for the performance by Sorensen of its
obligations under the Purchase Agreement or in the Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement executed by it, or in connection with the offer, sale or delivery of
the Securities being sold to the Underwriters by Sorensen.
(ii) The Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by Sorensen and constitutes the legal, valid and binding
agreement of Sorensen.
(iii) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by or on behalf of Sorensen.
(iv) Each Attorney-in-Fact has been duly authorized by Sorensen to
deliver the Securities on behalf of Sorensen in accordance with the terms of the
Purchase Agreement.
(v) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase
Agreement and the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement and the sale and
delivery of the Securities being sold to the Underwriters by Sorensen and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement and in
the Registration Statement and compliance by Sorensen with his obligations under
the Purchase Agreement do not and will not, whether with or without the giving
of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of,
or default under or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien,
charge or encumbrance upon the Securities or any property or assets of Sorensen
pursuant to, any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit
agreement, note, license, lease or other instrument or agreement known to me to
which Sorensen is a party or by which he may be bound, or to which any of the
property or assets of Sorensen may be subject nor will such action result in any
violation of any law, administrative regulation, judgment or order of any
governmental agency or body or any administrative or court decree having
jurisdiction over Sorensen or any of his properties.
(vi) To the best of my knowledge, Sorensen has valid and marketable
title to the Securities to be sold by NCC pursuant to the Purchase Agreement,
free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, charge, claim, equity or
encumbrance of any kind, and has full right, power and authority to sell,
transfer and deliver such Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. By
delivery of a certificate or certificates therefor Sorensen will transfer to the
Underwriters who have purchased such Securities pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement (without notice of any defect in the title of Sorensen and who are
otherwise bona fide purchasers for purposes of the Uniform Commercial Code)
valid
B-4-1
51
and marketable title to such Securities, free and clear of any pledge, lien,
security interest, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind.
Nothing has come to my attention that would lead me to believe that the
information with respect to Sorensen or the Securities being sold by Sorensen to
the several Underwriters pursuant to the Purchase Agreement included in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for financial statements
and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted therefrom, as
to which I need make no statement), at the time such Registration Statement or
any such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus
or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial statements and
schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to
which we need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus was issued, at the
time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued or at the Closing
Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or
omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
B-4-2
52
Exhibit C
[FORM OF LOCK-UP FROM DIRECTORS, OFFICERS OR OTHER STOCKHOLDERS PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(K)]
_, 1997
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated,
SALOMON BROTHERS INC
as Representatives of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Purchase Agreement
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10281-1209
Re: Proposed Public Offering by Let's Talk Cellular & Wireless,
Inc.
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, a stockholder [and an officer and/or director](1) of
Let's Talk Cellular & Wireless, Inc., a Florida corporation (the "Company"),
understands that Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") and proposes to enter into a Purchase Agreement
(the "Purchase Agreement") with the Company and the Selling Shareholders
providing for the public offering of shares (the "Securities") of the Company's
common stock, par value $[ ] per share (the "Common Stock"). In recognition of
the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a
stockholder [and an officer and/or director]2 of the Company, and for other good
and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the
Purchase Agreement that, during a period of 180 days from the date of the
Purchase Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent
of Merrill Lynch, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to
sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract
to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise
dispose of or transfer any shares of the Company's Common Stock or any
securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock,
whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to
which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or
file any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other
agreement or any transaction that transfers, in
- --------------------
(1) Delete or revise bracketed language as appropriate.
C-1
53
whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership
of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by
delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.
Very truly yours,
Signature:
------------------------------
Print Name:
-----------------------------
C-2
54
Annex A
FORM OF ACCOUNTANTS' COMFORT LETTER PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(g)
We are independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the
meaning of the 1933 Act and the applicable published 1933 Act Regulations.
(i) in our opinion, the audited financial statements [and
the related financial statement schedules] included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects
with the applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act and the
published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) on the basis of procedures (but not an examination in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) consisting of a
reading of the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of
the Company for the three month periods ended _________, 19___ and
_________, 19___ , the three and six month periods ended _________,
19___ and _________, 19___ and the three and nine month periods ended
_________, 19___ and _________, 19___, included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (collectively, the "Quarterly Financials")
a reading of the minutes of all meetings of the stockholders and
directors of the Company and its subsidiaries and the ____________ and
____________ Committees of the Company's Board of Directors and any
subsidiary committees since [day after end of last audited period],
inquiries of certain officials of the Company and its subsidiaries
responsible for financial and accounting matters, a review of interim
financial information in accordance with standards established by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 71, Interim Financial Information ("SAS 71"),
with respect to the [description of relevant periods] and such other
inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing
came to our attention that caused us to believe that:
(A) the Quarterly Financials included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not comply as to
form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations or
any material modifications should be made to the unaudited
[consolidated] financial statements included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus for them to be in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;
(B) at _________, 19___ and at a specified date not
more than five days prior to the date of this Agreement, there
was any change in the capital stock of the Company and its
subsidiaries or any decrease in the consolidated net current
assets or shareholders' equity of the Company and its
subsidiaries or any increase in the long-term debt of the
Company and its subsidiaries, in each case as compared with
amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included in the
Registration Statement, except in each case for changes,
decreases or increases that the Registration Statement
discloses have occurred or may occur;
Annex A-1
55
(C) for the period from _________, 19___ to _________, 19___
and for the period from _________, 19___ to a specified date
not more than five days prior to the date of this Agreement,
there was any decrease in net sales, profit from operations or
in the total or per share amounts of income before
extraordinary items or of net income in each case as compared
with the comparable period in the preceding year, except in
each case for any changes, increases or decreases that the
Registration Statement discloses have occurred or may occur;
(iii) based upon the procedures set forth in
clause (ii) above and a reading of the Selected Financial Data
included in the Registration Statement nothing came to our
attention that caused us to believe that the Selected
Financial Data included in the Registration Statement do not
comply as to form in all material respects with the disclosure
requirements of Item 301 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act,
that the amounts included in the Selected Financial Data are
not in agreement with the corresponding amounts in the audited
consolidated financial statements for the respective periods
or that the financial statements not included in the
Registration Statement from which certain of such data were
derived are not in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles;
(iv) we have compared the information in the
Registration Statement under selected captions with the
disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act and
on the basis of limited procedures specified herein. nothing
came to our attention that caused us to believe that this
information does not comply as to form in all material
respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 302, 402
and 503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(v) we are unable to and do not express any
opinion on the Unaudited Pro Forma Financial Data (the "Pro
Forma Data") included in the Registration Statement or on the
pro forma adjustments applied to the historical amounts
included in the Pro Forma Data; however, for purposes of this
letter we have:
(A) read the Pro Forma Data;
(B) performed an audit review in accordance
with SAS 71 of the financial statements to which the
pro forma adjustments were applied;
(C) made inquiries of certain officials of
the Company who have responsibility for financial and
accounting matters about the basis for their
determination of the pro forma adjustments and
whether the Pro Forma Data complies as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of Rule 11-02 of Regulation S-X; and
(D) proved the arithmetic accuracy of the
application of the pro forma adjustments to the
historical amounts in the Pro Forma Data; and
Annex A-2
56
on the basis of such procedures and such other
inquiries and procedures as specified herein, nothing
came to our attention that caused us to believe that
the Pro Forma Data included in the Registration
Statement does not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable requirements of Rule
11-02 of Regulation S-X or that the pro forma
adjustments have not been properly applied to the
historical amounts in the compilation of those
statements; and
(vi) in addition to the procedures
referred to in clause (ii) above, we have performed
other procedures, not constituting an audit, with
respect to certain amounts, percentages, numerical
data and financial information appearing in the
Registration Statement, which are specified herein,
and have compared certain of such items with, and
have found such items to be in agreement with, the
accounting and financial records of the Company.
Annex A-3