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MBP Draft
06/12/98
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED
(a Florida corporation)
2,468,428 Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated
Furman Selz LLC
as Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10281-1209
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The persons listed in Schedule B hereto (the "Selling Shareholders"),
each a shareholder of Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated (the "Company") confirm
their respective agreements with Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") 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, Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, and Furman
Selz LLC are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the
"Representatives"), with respect to the sale by 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 the grant by certain 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 370,264 additional shares of
Common Stock to cover over-allotments, if any. The aforesaid 2,468,428 shares of
Common Stock (the "Initial Securities") to be purchased by the Underwriters and
all or any part of the
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370,264 shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b)
hereof (the "Option Securities") are hereinafter called, collectively, the
"Securities".
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 has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-49421) covering the
registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), including the related preliminary 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, schedules thereto, if any, and the
documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
under the 1933 Act, 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,
including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of
Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, in the forms first furnished to the Underwriters
for use in connection with the offering of the Securities is called the
"Prospectus." If Rule 434 is relied on, the term "Prospectus" shall refer to the
preliminary prospectus dated June 1, 1998 with the applicable Term Sheet, and
all references in this Agreement to the date of such Prospectus shall mean the
date of the applicable 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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All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules
and other information which is "contained," "included" or "stated" in the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other
references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such
financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of
any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") which is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
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 and as of the
Closing Time referred to in Section 2(b) 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. The Company
meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. Each of
the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
has become effective under the 1933 Act and, to the Company's
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, 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, and 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, and
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, in 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. Neither the Prospectus nor
any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or
any such amendment or supplement were 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. The representations and
warranties in
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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 a
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.
(ii) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with
the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with
the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder (the "1934 Act Regulations"), and, when read
together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective, at the time the Prospectus was
issued and at the Closing Time, (and if any Option Securities are
purchased at Date of Delivery) 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.
(iii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who reported on
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.
(iv) Financial Statements. The financial statements included
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the
related schedules and notes, present fairly the respective financial
position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and each of
its respective consolidated subsidiaries and so forth; in each case at
the dates indicated therein and the respective statement of operations,
stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries and each of its respective consolidated subsidiaries and
so forth, in each case for the periods specified therein; 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, if any,
included in the Registration Statement present fairly in accordance
with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. 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
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the audited financial statements included in the Registration
Statement. The pro forma financial information and the related notes
included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present
fairly 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.
(v) 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 any class of its capital
stock.
(vi) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation and its status is
active 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 or with active status in each other 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.
(vii) 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 or with active status 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 or with active status 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
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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 the subsidiaries
listed on Schedule D hereto 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.
(viii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding
capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus 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 Shareholders, 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 Shareholders, was issued in violation of
the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the
Company.
(ix) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(x) Authorization and Description of Securities. The
Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling
Shareholders have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the
Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when delivered by the
Selling Shareholders pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the
consideration set forth herein and therein, will be validly issued and
fully paid and non-assessable; the Common Stock conforms in all
material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the
Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects 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 other than ownership or transfer taxes; and the issuance
of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar
rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(xi) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its articles of
incorporation 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
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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 sale of Securities) 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
articles of incorporation 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 (except for
such violations that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect). 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.
(xii) 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.
(xiii) 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 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
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incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiv) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or
documents which are required to be described in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference
therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so
described or filed as required.
(xv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its
subsidiaries own or possess, or have the right to use, 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.
(xvi) 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 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 or the rules or by-laws of the
NASD.
(xvii) 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; 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
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Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries
have good and marketable 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) singly
or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect; and all of the leases and subleases 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.
(xix) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon
sale of the Securities as herein contemplated 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").
(xx) Compliance with Cuba Act. The Company has complied with,
and is and will be in compliance with, the provisions of that certain
Florida act relating to disclosure of doing business with Cuba,
codified as Section 517.075 of the Florida statutes, and the rules and
regulations thereunder (collectively, the "Cuba Act") or is exempt
therefrom.
(xxi) 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) to the Company's
knowledge, 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) to the Company's knowledge, the Company and its
subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required
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under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with
their requirements, (C) to the Company's knowledge, 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.
(xxii) Registration Rights. Other than as described in the
Prospectus, there are no persons with registration rights or other
similar rights to have any securities (a) registered pursuant to the
Registration Statement, other than the Selling Shareholders with
respect to the shares of Common Stock being sold by them pursuant to
this Agreement or (b) otherwise registered by the Company under the
1933 Act, which rights have not been complied with by the Company or
waived by the holder.
(xxiii) Taxes. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have
filed all necessary federal, state, local and foreign income, payroll,
franchise and other tax returns (after giving effect to extensions) and
have paid all taxes shown as due thereon or with respect to any of its
properties (except where such failure to file or pay would not result
in a Material Adverse Effect and except for any such tax that currently
is being contested in good faith), and there is no tax deficiency that
has been, or to the knowledge of the Company is likely to be, asserted
against the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties
or assets that would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiv) Maintenance of Adequate Insurance. The Company and each
of its subsidiaries is insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as is
reasonably prudent in the business in which it is engaged or proposed
to engage after giving effect to the transactions described in the
Prospectus; and the Company does not have any reason to believe that it
will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when
such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar
insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that
would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxv) Maintenance of Sufficient Internal Controls. The Company
and its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for
assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with existing
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assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any
differences.
(xxvi) Compliance with Laws. To the best of the Company's
knowledge, neither the Company nor any employee or agent of the Company
has made any payment of funds of the Company or received or retained
any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation, including,
without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
(xxvii) Government Regulations. To the Company's knowledge,
the Company and its subsidiaries have complied with all applicable
federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations (collectively,
"Government Regulations") governing the Company's business (including,
without limitation, those applicable to customers of the Company or any
of its subsidiaries with which the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
as the case may be, are obligated to comply), except where the failure
to so comply 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 violations of such Government Regulations
which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable
decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Shareholders. Each
Selling Shareholder severally and not jointly represents and warrants to each
Underwriter as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Time, and, if the
Selling Shareholder 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 Relating to Selling Shareholders. Each
Selling Shareholder has reviewed and is familiar with the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and, insofar as the statements therein
relate to such Selling Shareholder, 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; each 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. Each Selling Shareholder 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 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
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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
such Selling Shareholder is subject, nor will such action result in any
violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws 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) Valid Title. Such Selling Shareholder has and will at
the Closing Time and, if any Option Securities are purchased on the
Date of Delivery have valid title 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 valid 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.
Such Selling Shareholder has duly executed and delivered, in the form
heretofore furnished to the Representatives, the Power of Attorney and
Custody Agreement with Scott J. Bendert as attorney-in-fact (the
"Attorney-in-Fact") and Firstar Trust Company as custodian (the
"Custodian"); the Custodian is authorized to deliver the Securities to
be sold by such 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 Section 5(k) 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
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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, 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) 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.
(viii) No Association with NASD. Except as disclosed in the
NASD Questionnaire to Selling Shareholders previously completed and
returned to the Representatives, neither such Selling Stockholder nor
any of his/her or its 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) 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 a Selling Shareholder 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, each Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly, agrees to sell to
each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and
not jointly, agrees to purchase from each Selling
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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
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.
(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 several of the Selling Shareholders, identified in Schedule B under
the caption "Option Securities" acting severally and not jointly, hereby grant
an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an
additional 370,264 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 to such
adjustments as the Representatives in its discretion shall make to eliminate any
sale or purchases of fractional shares.
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
certificates for, the Securities shall be made at the offices of Foley &
Lardner, 100 North Tampa, Suite 2700, Tampa, Florida 33602-5804, or at such
other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives 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 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
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Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place
as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Selling Shareholders, on
each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representatives to the
Selling Shareholders.
Payment shall be made to the Selling Shareholders by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Custodian
pursuant to each Selling Shareholder's Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement
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 payment of the purchase
price for, the Securities 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 Securities, 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 Securities 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
Securities 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
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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 they became effective or to the Prospectus, whether pursuant to
the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, 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 not have given its consent, which
shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statement. 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
documents incorporated or deemed to be 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 1934 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus
(as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably
request. The Prospectus is 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 and the 1934
Act and the 1934 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
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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 the light of the
circumstances existing at the time they are 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 as the Representatives may
designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so as to permit
the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated by
this Agreement; 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 so as to permit
the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated by
this Agreement.
(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) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to 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.
(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90
days from the date hereof, the Company will not, without the prior
written consent of Merrill
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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 or (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.
(j) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period
when the Prospectus are 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 1934 Act Regulations.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses. (a) Expenses. The Company and the
Selling Shareholders will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the
performance of their 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
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 and (x) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
inclusion of the Securities in the Nasdaq National Market. Except as
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expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Underwriters shall pay their own
costs and expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this
Agreement.
(b) Expenses of the Selling Shareholder(s). The Selling Shareholders,
jointly and 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
their respective 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 and the Selling Shareholders shall reimburse
the Underwriters for all of their reasonable 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 (and to the extent that Option
Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters include any Sykes Option
Securities, (as defined in Schedule B hereto) to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties contained in the agreement referred to in (k)
below or in certificates of or on behalf of Sykes (as defined in Schedule B
hereto)), to the performance by the Company of its 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 Foley & Lardner, 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 substantially the
effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to
the Underwriters may reasonably request.
In giving such opinion such counsel may rely upon, as to all matters
governed by jurisdictions other than Florida law and the federal law of the
United States, upon the opinions of other counsel satisfactory to the U.S.
Representatives. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion
involves factual matters, they have relied upon, to the extent they deem proper,
certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of
public officials.
(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders. At Closing Time,
the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
Closing Time, of Battle & Fowler LLP, Kirkland & Ellis and the general counsel
of Adobe Systems, Inc., constituting counsel for all the Selling Shareholders,
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 B 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 Mayer, Brown & Platt, 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) (insofar as it relates to
the existence and good standing of the Company), (ii), (v) (solely as to
preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of law or under the
charter or by-laws of the Company), (vii) through (ix), inclusive, (xiii)
(solely as to the information in the Prospectus under "Description of Capital
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, the federal law of
the United States and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, 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
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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)
to such officer's knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no 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 each Selling Shareholder, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that
(i) the representations and warranties of each Selling Shareholder contained in
Section 1(b) hereof 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 Coopers & Lybrand,
L.L.P. and Grant Thornton a letter 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 Coopers & Lybrand, L.L.P. and Grant Thornton a letter,
dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made
in the letter 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) 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 E. [Some Selling
Shareholders are selling all their shares? Lockup needed?]
(k) Other Agreement. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives
shall have received an agreement reasonably satisfactory to them and
substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto signed by John H. Sykes, Chairman
of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
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(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:
(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 Shareholders. A certificate, dated
such Date of Delivery, of each Selling Shareholder selling Option
Securities confirming that the certificate delivered at Closing Time
pursuant to Section 5(f) remains true and correct as of such Date of
Delivery, and, if any Option Securities to be purchased by the
Underwriters include any Sykes Option Securities (as defined in
Schedule B hereto), the certificate of Sykes (as defined in Schedule B
hereto) required under the agreement referred to in (k) below.
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. The favorable opinion of
Foley & Lardner, 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 Battle & Fowler LLP, counsel for the Selling
Shareholders selling Option Securities, 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, and if any Option Securities to be
purchased by the Underwriters include any Sykes Option Securities (as
defined in Schedule B hereto) the opinion of counsel for Sykes (as
defined in Schedule B hereto) required by the agreement referred to in
(k) below.
(v) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. The favorable
opinion of Mayer, Brown & Platt, 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.
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(vi) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from Coopers &
Lybrand, L.L.P. and Grant Thornton 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 letters 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 reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass
upon the 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 sale of the
Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and
substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
(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 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, 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 the Selling
Shareholders agree 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; provided, however, that the
indemnification hereunder by each Selling Shareholder shall relate only
to the
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information relating to such Selling Shareholder provided in writing by
such Selling Shareholder for inclusion in the Registration Statement,
preliminary prospectus or Prospectus as the case may be;
(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
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred
(including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill
Lynch), reasonably incurred 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 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, (a) 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) that
the Company will not be liable to an Underwriter with respect to any preliminary
prospectus to the extent that the Company shall sustain the burden of proving
that any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense resulted from the fact
that such Underwriter, in contravention of a requirement of this Agreement or
applicable law, sold Securities to a person to whom such Underwriter failed to
send or give, at or prior to the Closing Time, a copy of the Prospectus, as then
amended or supplemented if: (i) the Company has previously furnished copies
thereof (sufficiently in advance of the Closing Time to allow for distribution
by the Closing Time) to the Underwriters and the loss, liability, claim, damage
or expense of such Underwriter resulted from an untrue statement or omission of
a material fact contained in or omitted from the preliminary prospectus which
was corrected in the Prospectus as, if applicable, amended or supplemented prior
to the Closing Time and such Prospectus was required by law to be delivered at
or prior to the written confirmation of sale to such person and (ii) such
failure to give or send such Prospectus by the Closing Time to the party or
parties asserting such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense would have
constituted the sole defense to the claim asserted by such person; and (c) the
liability of any Selling Shareholder pursuant to this indemnity agreement shall
not exceed the aggregate proceeds received from the sale of Securities by such
Selling Shareholder hereunder.
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(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each
Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its
directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, 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 the Selling Shareholders 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 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
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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) 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.
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
-26-
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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 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. The Underwriters'
respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in
proportion to the number of Securities set forth opposite their respective names
in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
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.
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(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, 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 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:
(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
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to purchase and the Selling Shareholders 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 Selling Shareholders to sell the relevant
Option Securities as the case may be, either (i) the 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. (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 is
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 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 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 Statements or Prospectuses or in any other documents or
arrangements.
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, c/o Merrill Lynch, 5500
Sears Tower, Chicago, Illinois 60606 attention of Deborah Quazzo; notices to the
Company shall be directed to it at 450 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 1200, Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida 33301, attention of Scott Bendert; and notices
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30
to the Selling Shareholders shall be directed to Scott Bendert, c/o Sykes
Enterprises, Incorporated, 450 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 1200, Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida 33301.
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. 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 15. 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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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,
SYKES ENTERPRISES,
INCORPORATED
By
---------------------------------
Title:
------------------------------------
By
----------------------------------
As Attorney-in-Fact acting on
behalf of the Selling Shareholders
named in Schedule B hereto
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
ROBERT W. BAIRD & CO. INCORPORATED
FURMAN SELZ LLC
By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
By
------------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
For itself and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A
hereto.
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SCHEDULE A
Number of
Name of Underwriter Securities
- ------------------- ----------
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated
Furman Selz LLC
----------
Total........................................................... 2,468,428
==========
33
SCHEDULE B
Number of
Securities
Names of Selling Shareholders to be Sold
----------------------------- ----------
INITIAL SECURITIES
Adobe Incentive Partners, L.P........................................................ 486,676
Gray, David R........................................................................ 3,988
Gray, Mark J......................................................................... 3,988
Gray, Michael Maxwell................................................................ 424,590
The Michael Maxwell Gray Family Trust................................................ 250,470
The M.M. Gray 1997 Liferent Trust.................................................... 645,814
Gray, Patricia Ann................................................................... 80,355
Hart, Thomas J....................................................................... 30,157
T.J. Hart Children Trust............................................................. 32,290
T.J. Hart 1997 Liferent Trust........................................................ 57,934
IBJ Schroder Bank and Trust Company, Trustee......................................... 349,213
Tripp, Alan Charles MacDonald........................................................ 26,000
The Tripp Family Trust............................................................... 16,145
The A.C.M. Tripp 1997 Liferent Trust................................................. 60,808
University of Tampa..................................................................
--
Total................................................................................
--------
34
OPTION SECURITIES
Gray, Michael Maxwell................................................................
Hart, Thomas J....................................................................... --1/
Tripp, Alan Charles MacDonald........................................................ --1/
University of Tampa.................................................................. --1/
--2/
Total................................................................................ --
1/If the Underwriters elect to exercise this over-allotment option, Messrs.
Gray, Hart and Tripp will each sell to the Underwriters their pro rata share of
up to the first 246,843 shares of Common Stock of such over-allotment option,
and the University of Tampa will sell to the Underwriters up to 123,421 shares
only to the extent that the Underwriters' exercise such over-allotment option in
excess of 246,843 shares of Common Stock.
2/The University of Tampa will sell to the Underwriters up to 123,421 shares
only to the extent that the Underwriters' exercise such over-allotment option in
excess of 246,843 shares. To the extent that the number of shares that the
University of Tampa is required to sell pursuant to the Underwriters' exercise
of the over-allotment option exceeds the number of shares then owned by the
University of Tampa, John H. Sykes ("Sykes"), the Company's Chairman of the
Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, has pledged to donate to the
University of Tampa such excess shares (such donated excess shares, the "Sykes
Option Securities").
35
SCHEDULE C
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED
___ Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
1. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities,
determined as provided in 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.
36
SCHEDULE D
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED
LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES
Sykes Enterprises Incorporated of Canada Canada
Sykes Enterprises Incorporated Holdings B.V. Netherlands
Sykes Enterprises Incorporated, B.V. Netherlands
Sykes Realty, Inc. Florida
Sykes Enterprises-South Africa, Inc. Florida
DiagSoft, Inc. Florida
Datasvar Support AB Sweden
Info Systems of North Carolina, Inc. North Carolina
Sykes Holdings of Belgium B.V.B.A. Belgium
Translation, Fulfillment & Communication, N.V. ("Traffic") Belgium
Sykes Enterprises GmbH Germany
Telcare Gesellschaft fur Telekommunikations-Mehrwertdieste mbH
("Telcare") Germany
TAS Telemarketing Gesellschaft fur Kommunikations und Dialog mbH
("TAS I") Germany
TAS Hedi Fabinyi GmbH ("TAS II") Germany
McQueen Limited Scotland
McQueen International Limited Scotland
McQueen Integrated Manufacturing Services Ltd. Scotland
McQueen Graphics Ltd. Scotland
McQueen Europe Ltd. Scotland
Link Network Ltd. Scotland
McQueen Benelux BV Netherlands
McQueen France SA France
McQueen Inc. United States
McQueen Skandinavian AB Sweden
37
SCHEDULE E
[List of persons and entities subject to lock-up]
Adobe Incentive Partners, L.P.
Gray, David R.
Gray, Mark J.
Gray, Michael Maxwell
The Michael Maxwell Gray Family Trust
The M.M. Gray 1997 Liferent Trust
Gray, Patricia Ann
Hart, Thomas J.
T.J. Hart Children Trust
T.J. Hart 1997 Liferent Trust
IBJ Schroder Bank and Trust Company, Trustee
Tripp, Alan Charles MacDonald
The Tripp Family Trust
The A.C.M. Tripp 1997 Liferent Trust
University of Tampa
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated
38
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY'S COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and 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 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); 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 similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(v) The sale of the Securities by the Selling Shareholder(s) is not
subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the
Company.
(vi) 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 our knowledge, is owned by the Company,
directly or through subsidiaries,
Sch A - 1
39
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.
(vii) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(viii) The Registration Statements 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 our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of any
of the Registration Statements has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened
by the Commission.
(ix) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, excluding the
documents incorporated by reference therein, and each amendment or supplement to
the Registration Statement and Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated
by reference therein, as of their respective effective or issue dates (other
than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or
omitted therefrom, as to which we need express no opinion) complied as to form
in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations.
(x) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectuses (other
than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or
omitted therefrom, as to which we need express no opinion), when they were filed
with the Commission, complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder.
(xi) 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.
(xii) 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.
(xiii) The information in the Prospectus under "Description of Capital
Stock,"and in the Registration Statement under Item 15, 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.
Sch A - 2
40
(xiv) 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.
(xv) All descriptions in the Registration Statement of contracts and
other documents to which the Company or its subsidiaries are a party are
accurate in all material respects; 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 are correct in all material
respects.
(xvi) 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 or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.
(xvii) 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.
(xviii) 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 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)(xi) 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 us, 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.
Sch A - 3
41
Nothing has come to our attention that has had us to believe that the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (except for financial statements
and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference
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
or incorporated by reference 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.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely upon, as to all matters
governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than Florida law and the federal law
of the United States, upon the opinions of other counsel satisfactory to the
Representatives, and may rely, as to matters of fact (but not as to legal
conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company and public officials. Such opinion shall not state that
it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is otherwise subject to, any
treatise, written policy or other document relating to legal opinions,
including, without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the ABA Section of
Business Law (1991).
Sch A - 4
42
Exhibit B
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
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 [I][we] need express no opinion) is necessary or required to
be obtained by the Selling Shareholders for the performance by each Selling
Shareholder 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.
(ii) Each Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by the respective Selling Shareholder named therein and
constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement of such Selling Shareholder.
(iii) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder(s) represented by such
counsel.
(iv) Each Attorney-in-Fact has been duly authorized by the Selling
Shareholders to deliver the Securities on behalf of the Selling Shareholders 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 and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase
Agreement and in the Registration Statement and compliance by the Selling
Shareholders with their obligations under the Purchase Agreement have been duly
authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Selling Shareholders 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 the Selling Shareholders
pursuant to, any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit
agreement, note, license, lease or other instrument or agreement to which any
Selling Shareholder is a party or by which [he/she or it] may be bound, or to
which any of the property or assets of the Selling Shareholders may be subject
nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or
by-laws of the Selling Shareholders, 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 such Selling Shareholder
or any of its properties.
(vi) To the best of [our][my] knowledge, each Selling Shareholder has
valid title to the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder pursuant to
the Purchase Agreement, free
Sch B - 1
43
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 such Selling Shareholder will
transfer to the Underwriters who have purchased such Securities pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement (without notice of any defect in the title of such Selling
Shareholder and who are otherwise bona fide purchasers for purposes of the
Uniform Commercial Code) valid title to such Securities, free and clear of any
pledge, lien, security interest, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any
kind.
Sch B - 2
44
[Form of lock-up from Selling Shareholders pursuant to Section 5(j)]
Exhibit C
____________, 1998
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated
Furman Selz LLC
as Representative(s) of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Purchase Agreement
c/o Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10281-1209
Re: Proposed Public Offering by Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, a stockholder of Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated, a
Florida corporation (the "Company"), understands that Merrill Lynch & Co.,
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") Robert W.
Baird & Co. Incorporated and Furman Selz LLC propose 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 $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"). In
recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the
undersigned as a stockholder 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 (ii) enter into any swap
or any other agreement or any
Sch B - 1
45
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 is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in
cash or otherwise.
Very truly yours,
Signature:
--------------------------
Print Name:
-------------------------
Sch B - 1
46
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 March 30, 1997 and March 31, 1998,
included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
(collectively, the "Quarterly Financials"), a reading of the latest
available unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the
Company, a reading of the minutes of all meetings of the stockholders
and directors of the Company the periods covered by such Quarterly
Financials and its subsidiaries and the committees of the Board of
Directors of the Company since January 1, 1998, 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 periods
covered by such Quarter Financials 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 May 31, 1998 and at a specified date not more than five
days prior to the date of this Agreement, there was any change
in the 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 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; or
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47
(C) for the period from April 11, 1998 to May 31, 1998 and for
the period from June 1, 1998 to a specified date not more than
five days prior to the date of this Agreement, there was any
decrease in revenues or the total or per share amounts of net
income in each case as compared with the comparable period in
the preceding year, except in each case for any 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
and a reading of the financial statements from which such data were
derived, 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) 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.
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