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Exhibit 1.1
The Kroger Co.
Debt Securities
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Underwriting Agreement
To the Representatives of the _______________
several Underwriters named in the
respective Pricing Agreements
hereinafter described.
Dear Sirs:
From time to time The Kroger Co., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to enter into one or more Pricing Agreements (each a "Pricing
Agreement") in the form of Annex I hereto, with such additions and deletions as
the parties thereto may determine, and, subject to the terms and conditions
stated herein and therein, to issue and sell to the firms named in Schedule I to
the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms constituting the "Underwriters"
with respect to such Pricing Agreement and the securities specified therein)
certain of its debt securities (the "Securities") specified in Schedule II to
such Pricing Agreement (with respect to such Pricing Agreement, the "Designated
Securities").
The terms and rights of any particular issuance of Designated Securities
shall be as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto and in or
pursuant to the indenture (the "Indenture") identified in such Pricing
Agreement.
1. Particular sales of Designated Securities may be made from time to time
to the Underwriters of such Securities, for whom the firms designated as
representatives of the Underwriters of such Securities in the Pricing Agreement
relating thereto will act as representatives (the "Representatives"). The term
"Representatives" also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of
the Underwriters and to Underwriters who act without any firm being designated
as their representative. This Underwriting Agreement shall not be construed as
an obligation of the Company to sell any of the Securities or as an obligation
of any of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities. The obligation of the
Company to issue and sell any of the Securities and the obligation of any of the
Underwriters to purchase any of the Securities shall be evidenced by the Pricing
Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities specified therein. Each
Pricing Agreement shall specify the aggregate principal amount of such
Designated Securities, the initial public offering price of such Designated
Securities, the purchase price to the Underwriters of such Designated
Securities, the names of the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the
names of the Representatives of such Underwriters and the principal amount of
such Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter and shall set
forth the date, time and manner of delivery to such Designated Securities and
payment therefor. The Pricing Agreement shall also specify (to the extent not
set forth in the Indenture and the registration statement and prospectus with
respect thereto) the terms of such Designated Securities. A Pricing Agreement
shall be in the form of an executed writing (which may be in counterparts),
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and may be evidenced by an exchange of telegraphic communications or any other
rapid transmission device designed to produce a written record of communications
transmitted. The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement and each
Pricing Agreement shall be several and not joint.
2. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement in respect of the Securities has been
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); such
registration statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in
the form heretofore delivered or to be delivered to the Representatives
and, excluding exhibits to such registration statement, but including all
documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained therein,
to the Representatives for each of the other Underwriters, have been
declared effective by the Commission in such form; no other document with
respect to such registration statement or document incorporated by
reference therein has heretofore been filed or transmitted for filing with
the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such
registration statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose
has been initiated or threatened by the Commission (any preliminary
prospectus included in such registration statement or filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), being
hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of such
registration statement, including all exhibits thereto and the documents
incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the registration
statement at the time such part of the registration statement became
effective but excluding Form T-1, each as amended at the time such part of
the registration statement became effective, being hereinafter called the
"Registration Statement"; the prospectus relating to the Securities, in
the form in which it has most recently been filed, or transmitted for
filing, with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement,
being hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any reference herein to any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and
include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the
applicable form under the Act, as of the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any
amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date
of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and
incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as
the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the Registration
Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the
Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after
the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement; and any reference to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the applicable
Designated Securities in the form in which it is filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule
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424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof, including any
documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such
filing);
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when
they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may
be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or
the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, and none of such documents 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; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement
thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to
the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder 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; provided, however, that this representation and warranty
shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and
in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an
Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly
for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such
Securities;
(c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any
further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of
the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust
Indenture Act") and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable
filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto,
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; provided, however, that this representation and
warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Company by an Underwriter of Designated Securities through the
Representatives expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented relating to such Securities;
(d) The Company and its subsidiaries have not sustained since the
date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated
by reference in the Prospectus any material loss or interference with
their businesses, taken as a whole, from fire, explosion, flood or other
calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute
or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set
forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates
as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, there has not been any material change in the capital stock or
long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis
or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective
material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management,
financial position,
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stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus;
(e) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title
in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all
personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or
such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by
the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held
under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under
valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not
material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of
such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries;
(f) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Ohio, with
power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly
qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is
in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it
owns or leases properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such
qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by
reason of the failure to be qualified in any such jurisdiction; and each
subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its
jurisdiction of incorporation;
(g) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each
subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and
issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors'
qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free
and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;
(h) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when Designated
Securities are issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement and the
Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities against
payment of the consideration specified in the Pricing Agreement, such
Designated Securities will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued
and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of
the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject, as to
enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to
general equity principles and will be entitled to the benefits provided by
the Indenture under which they are to be issued which will be
substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement; the Indenture has been duly authorized and duly qualified under
the Trust Indenture Act and, at the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities (as defined in Section 4 hereof), the Indenture will constitute
a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or
affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles; and the
Indenture conforms, and the Designated Securities will conform, in all
material
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respects, to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented with respect to such Designated Securities;
(i) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the
Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture, this
Agreement and any Pricing Agreement, and the consummation of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or
result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or
other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is subject, nor will such action result in any
violation of the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, as amended,
or the Regulations of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or
regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties;
and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is
required for the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by
the Company of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
any Pricing Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been, or will
have been prior to the Time of Delivery, obtained under the Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities
or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the
Securities by the Underwriters;
(j) Other than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, there
are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is the subject with respect to which there is a
reasonable likelihood of a determination which would individually or in
the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries; and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no such
proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
threatened by others;
(k) None of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any
Pricing Agreement or the Indenture (including, without limitation, the use
of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities) will violate or result in
a violation of Section 7 of the Exchange Act, or any regulation
promulgated thereunder, including, without limitation, Regulations G, T, U
and X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;
(l) The Company is not subject to regulation under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(m) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of
Securities for the purpose set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Use of Proceeds"; and
(n) PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P. and Deloitte & Touche LLP,
respectively, who have audited certain financial statements of the Company
and its subsidiaries
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and Fred Meyer, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Companies"),
respectively, are independent public accountants as required by the Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
3. Upon the execution of the Pricing Agreement applicable to any
Designated Securities and authorization by the Representatives of the release of
such Designated Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer such
Designated Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented.
4. Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to
the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in definitive form to the extent
practicable, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names
as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice
to the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the
Representatives for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by such
Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor by certified or
official bank check or checks, payable to the order of the Company in the funds
specified in such Pricing Agreement, all at the place and time and date
specified in such Pricing Agreement or at such other place and time and date as
the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time and
date being herein called the "Time of Delivery" for such Securities.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated
Securities:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus as amended and supplemented in relation
to the applicable Designated Securities in a form approved by the
Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
the Act not later than the Commission's close of business on the second
business day following the execution and delivery of the Pricing Agreement
relating to the applicable Designated Securities or, if applicable, such
earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b); to make no further
amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus as
amended or supplemented after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating
to such Securities and prior to the Time of Delivery for such Securities
which shall be disapproved by the Representatives for such Securities
promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Representatives
promptly of any such amendment or supplement after such Time of Delivery
and furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly all
reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be
filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c),
14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as the delivery of a
prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of such
Securities, and during such same period to advise the Representatives,
promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment
to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any
supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed with
the Commission, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of
any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to
the Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of such Securities
for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation of or
threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by
the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the
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event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order
preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the
Securities or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best
efforts to obtain its withdrawal;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the
Representatives may reasonably request to qualify such Securities for
offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions in the
United States as the Representatives may request and to comply with such
laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such
jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution
of such Securities, provided that in connection therewith the Company
shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a
general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) To furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented in such quantities as the Representatives may from
time to time reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is
required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time
of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of any
Designated Securities and if at such time any event shall have occurred as
a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus
is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be
necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or
to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or the
Trust Indenture Act, to notify the Representatives and upon their request
to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each
Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the
Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended
Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any
Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales
of any Designated Securities at any time nine months or more after the
time of issue of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented with respect to
such Designated Securities, upon the request of the Representatives but at
the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such
Underwriter as many copies as it may request of a further amended or
supplemented Prospectus for such Designated Securities complying with
Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;
(d) To make generally available to its security holders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) ),
an earning statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not
be audited) complying with Section 11 (a) of the Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder (including at the option of the
Company Rule 158); and
(e) During the period beginning from the date of the Pricing
Agreement for such Designated Securities and continuing to and including
the earlier of (i) the termination of trading restrictions for such
Designated Securities, as notified to the Company by the Representatives,
and (ii) the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, not to
offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt
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securities of the Company which mature more than one year after such Time
of Delivery and which are substantially similar to such Designated
Securities, without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the
Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements
and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the
registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in
connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and
supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the
Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement
among Underwriters, this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, any Indenture, any
Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda and any other documents in connection
with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all
expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and
sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including
the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and legal
investment surveys; (iv) any fees charged by securities rating services for
rating the Securities; (v) any filing fees incident to securing any required
review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of
the sale of the Securities; (vi) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vii) the
fees and expenses of any Trustee and any agent of any Trustee and the fees and
disbursements of counsel for any Trustee in connection with any Indenture and
the Securities; (viii) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters to the extent they exceed such amount as may be specified in the
Pricing Agreements; and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as
provided in this Section, Section 8 and Section 11 hereof, the Underwriters will
pay all of their own costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, the fees
and disbursements of their counsel up to such amount as may be specified in the
Pricing Agreements, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them,
and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities under
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall be subject,
in the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Company in or
incorporated by reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated
Securities are, at and as of the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have
performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the
following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the
applicable Designated Securities shall have been filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for
such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance
with Section 5 (a) hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and
no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by
the Commission; and all requests for additional
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information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to
the Representatives' reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Counsel for the Underwriters shall have furnished to the
Representatives such opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery for
such Designated Securities, with respect to the incorporation of the
Company, the validity of the Indenture, the Designated Securities, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and
other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and
such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may
reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) Paul Heldman, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General
Counsel of the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives his
written opinion, dated the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to
the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of Ohio,
with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct
its business as described in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set
forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, and all of the
issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and
validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(iii) The Company has been duly qualified as a foreign
corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing
under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases
properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such
qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability
by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction
(such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in
this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters
of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company, provided that
such counsel shall state that he believes that both the Underwriters
and he are justified in relying upon such opinions and certificates);
(iv) Each subsidiary of the Company, with respect to which
the Company owns, directly or indirectly, an equity interest of more
than 50% (each a "subsidiary"), has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
its jurisdiction of incorporation; and all of the issued shares of
capital stock of each such subsidiary have been duly and validly
authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except
for directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by
the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or
claims, other than as described in the Prospectus (such counsel being
entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon
opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact upon
certificates of officers of the Company, provided
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that such counsel shall state that he believes that both the
Underwriters and he are justified in relying upon such opinions and
certificates);
(v) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and
marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them, in
each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects
except such as are described in the Prospectus or such as do not
materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the
Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings
held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them
under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions
as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and
proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and
its subsidiaries (in giving the opinion in this clause, such counsel
may state that no examination of record titles for the purpose of
such opinion has been made, and that he is relying upon a general
review of the titles of the Company and its subsidiaries, upon
opinions of local counsel and abstracts, reports and policies of
title companies rendered or issued at or subsequent to the time of
acquisition of such property by the Company or its subsidiaries, upon
opinions of counsel to the lessors of such property and, in respect
of matters of fact, upon certificates of officers of the Company or
its subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that he
believes that both the Underwriters and he are justified in relying
upon such opinions, abstracts, reports, policies and certificates);
(vi) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other
than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is the subject with respect to which there is
a reasonable likelihood of determinations which would individually or
in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the consolidated
financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of
the Company and its subsidiaries; and, to the best of such counsel's
knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(vii) This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with
respect to the Designated Securities have been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company;
(viii) The Designated Securities have been duly
authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered, and the
Designated Securities (assuming that (i) the Trustee has all
requisite power and authority to perform its obligations under the
Indenture and has made all necessary filings and received all
necessary consents, (ii) the Indenture has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Trustee and (iii) the Trustee's
certificates of authentication have been manually executed by an
authorized officer of the Trustee) constitute valid and binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms and are entitled to the benefits of the
Indenture, except that (a) such enforcement may be subject to
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or other laws now
or hereafter in effect affecting creditors' rights generally, and (b)
the enforceability
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thereof is subject to the general principles of equity (whether such
enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law);
provided, however, that such counsel need express no opinion as to
the application or effect of any applicable fraudulent conveyance,
fraudulent transfer, fraudulent obligation or preferential transfer
laws or any laws governing the distribution of assets of the Company
to its stockholders; and the terms of the Designated Securities and
the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions
thereof in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(ix) The Indenture (i) has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company and (ii) (assuming that (a) the Trustee
has all requisite power and authority to perform its obligations
under the Indenture and has made all necessary filings and received
all necessary consents, and (b) the Indenture has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee) constitutes a
valid and binding instrument of the Company, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, except (a) that such enforcement may be
subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or
other laws now or hereafter in effect affecting creditors' rights
generally, and (b) that the enforceability thereof is subject to
general principles of equity (whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); provided, however,
that such counsel need express no opinion as to the application or
effect of any applicable fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer,
fraudulent obligation or preferential transfer laws or any laws
governing the distribution of assets of the Company to its
stockholders; and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the
Trust Indenture Act;
(x) The issuance and sale of the Designated Securities and
the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the
Designated Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and the Pricing
Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities and the
consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated, to
the best of such counsel's knowledge, will not conflict with or
result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or
assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, nor will
such actions result in any violation of the provisions of the
Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or the Regulations of the
Company or any statute of the United States of America or of Ohio or
any other statute known to such counsel or any order, rule or
regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of
their properties; provided, however, that such counsel need express
no opinion as to the application or effect of any applicable
fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, fraudulent obligation or
preferential transfer laws or any laws governing the distribution of
assets of the Company to its stockholders;
(xi) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, no consent,
approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or
with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for
the issuance and sale of the Designated Securities or the
consummation of the other transactions
-11-
12
contemplated by this Agreement or such Pricing Agreement or the
Indenture, except such as have been obtained under the Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
registrations or qualifications as may be required under state
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Designated Securities by the Underwriters and as
may be required due to the Underwriters' or the Trustees' legal or
regulatory status;
(xii) The Company is not subject to regulation under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(xiii) The documents incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (other than (a) the financial
statements, notes and schedules thereto included or incorporated by
reference therein and (b) other financial and statistical information
included or incorporated by reference therein, as to all of which
such counsel need express no opinion), when they became effective or
were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to
form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act or the
Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to believe that
any of such documents, when they became effective or were so filed,
as the case may be, contained, in the case of a registration
statement which became effective under the Act, 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, in the case of other documents which were filed under
the Act or the Exchange Act with the Commission, an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made when such documents were so
filed, not misleading; and
(xiv) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented and any further amendments and supplements
thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery for the
Designated Securities (other than (a) the financial statements, notes
and schedules thereto included or incorporated by reference therein,
(b) other financial and statistical information included or
incorporated by reference therein or (c) the Forms T-1 filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement, as to all of which such
counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act
and the rules and regulations thereunder; such counsel has no reason
to believe that, as of its effective date, the Registration Statement
or any further amendment thereto made by the Company prior to the
Time of Delivery (other than (a) the financial statements, notes and
schedules thereto included or incorporated by reference therein, (b)
other financial and statistical information included or incorporated
by reference therein or (c) the Forms T-1 filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement, as to all of which such counsel need express
no opinion) 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, as
of its date, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any
further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to
the Time of Delivery (other than (a) the financial statements, notes
and
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13
schedules thereto included or incorporated by reference therein, (b)
other financial and statistical information included or incorporated
by reference therein or (c) the Forms T-1 filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement, as to all of which such counsel need express
no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not
misleading or that, as of the Time of Delivery, either the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company
prior to the Time of Delivery (other than (a) the financial
statements, notes and schedules thereto included or incorporated by
reference therein, (b) other financial and statistical information
included or incorporated by reference therein or (c) the Forms T-1
filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, as to all of which
such counsel need express no opinion) contains an untrue statement
of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which
they were made, not misleading; and such counsel does not know of
any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be filed or
any contracts or other documents of a character required to be filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented or required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented which are not
filed or incorporated by reference or described as required;
(d) On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated
Securities and at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, the
independent accountants of the Company who have certified the financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement shall have furnished to the
Representatives letters, dated the respective dates of delivery of such
letters, to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives;
(e) [Intentionally Omitted]
(f) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented any loss or interference with its business from fire,
explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance,
or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or
decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented there
shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of
the Companies or any change, or any development involving a prospective
change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Companies,
otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended
or supplemented, the effect of which, in any such case described in Clause
(i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and
adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
public
-13-
14
offering or the delivery of the Designated Securities on the terms and in
the manner contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(g) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating
accorded the Companies' debt securities by any "nationally recognized
statistical rating organization," as that term is defined by the
Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g) (2) under the Act and (ii) no such
organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance
or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the
Companies' debt securities;
(h) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities there shall not have occurred any of the following:
(i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally
on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a general moratorium on commercial
banking activities in New York declared by either Federal or New York
State authorities; or (iii) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities
involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a
national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified in
this Clause (iii) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner
contemplated by the Prospectus as amended and supplemented;
(i) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the
Representatives at the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities a
certificate or certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the
Representatives as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties
of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the
performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be
performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set
forth in subsections (a) and (f) of this Section and as to such other
matters as the Representatives may reasonably request; and
(j) On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated
Securities and at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, the
independent accountants of Fred Meyer, Inc. who have certified the
financial statements of Fred Meyer, Inc. and its subsidiaries included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall have
furnished to the Representatives letters, dated the respective dates of
delivery of such letters, to the effect set forth in Annex III hereto, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary
prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
-14-
15
misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or
defending any such action or claim; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage
or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to
the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Securities.
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become
subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus
relating to the Securities, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out
of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that
such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission was made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus
supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any such
amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the
Representatives expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection
with investigating or defending any such action or claim.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the
consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and,
after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of
other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation.
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16
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable
to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated Securities
on the other from the offering of the Designated Securities to which such loss,
claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates. If, however,
the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted
by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required
under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated
Securities on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and such Underwriters on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds
from such offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to
the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriters,
in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented to relate to a particular offering of Designated
Securities. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company on the one hand or such Underwriters on the other and
the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity
to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if
the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other
method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be
deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total price at which the applicable Designated 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
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 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The obligations of the Underwriters
of Designated Securities in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in
proportion to their respective underwriting obligations with respect to such
Securities and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in
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addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have
and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and
director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the
Designated Securities which it has agreed to purchase under the Pricing
Agreement relating to such Designated Securities, the Representatives may in
their discretion arrange for themselves or another party or other parties to
purchase such Designated Securities on the terms contained herein. If within
thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do
not arrange for the purchase of such Designated Securities, then the Company
shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to
procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to
purchase such Designated Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the
respective prescribed period, the Representatives notify the Company that they
have so arranged for the purchase of such Designated Securities, or the Company
notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such
Designated Securities, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right
to postpone the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities for a period of
not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be
made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees
to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus which in the opinion of the Representatives may thereby be made
necessary. The term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any
person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had
originally been a party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated
Securities.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities which remains
unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of
the Designated Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each
non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Designated
Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement
relating to such Designated Securities and, in addition, to require each
non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the
principal amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to
purchase under such Pricing Agreement) of the Designated Securities of such
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been
made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability
for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of Designated Securities which remains unpurchased
exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the Designated
Securities, as referred to in subsection (b) above, or if the Company shall not
exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting
Underwriters to purchase Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities
shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any
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non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne
by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the
indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein
shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth
in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to
this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
11. If any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9
hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter
with respect to the Designated Securities covered by such Pricing Agreement
except as provided in Section 6 and Section 8 hereof; but, if for any other
reason Designated Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as
provided herein, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the
Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the
Representatives, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably
incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and
delivery of such Designated Securities, but the Company shall then be under no
further liability to any Underwriter with respect to such Designated Securities
except as provided in Section 6 and Section 8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters of
Designated Securities shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the
parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request,
notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such
Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be
designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the
Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail,
telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the
Registration Statement: Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice
to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by
mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set
forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting such
Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by the
Representatives upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or
agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be binding upon, and
inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent
provided in Section 8 and Section 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the
Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their
respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no
other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this
Agreement or any such Pricing Agreement.
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No purchaser of any of the Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a
successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of each Pricing Agreement. As used
herein, "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH PRICING AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
16. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement may be executed by any one
or more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
Very truly yours,
The Kroger Co.
By:......................
Name:
Title:
-19-
20
ANNEX I
Pricing Agreement
-----------------
[NAMES OF CO-REPRESENTATIVE(S),]
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto,
...................., 19..
Dear Sirs:
The Kroger Co., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"), proposes, subject to
the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Underwriting Agreement, dated
.................... (the "Underwriting Agreement"), to issue and sell to the
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") the Securities
specified in Schedule II hereto (the "Designated Securities"). Each of the
provisions of the Underwriting Agreement is incorporated herein by reference in
its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same
extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein; and each of the
representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been
made at and as of the date of this Pricing Agreement, except that each
representation and warranty which refers to the Prospectus in Section 2 of the
Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation or warranty as of
the date of the Underwriting Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as therein
defined), and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Pricing
Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to
the Designated Securities which are the subject of this Pricing Agreement. Each
reference to the Representatives herein and in the provisions of the
Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference shall be deemed to refer to
you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Underwriting
Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The Representatives designated to
act on behalf of each of the Underwriters of the Designated Securities pursuant
to Section 12 of the Underwriting Agreement and the address of the
Representatives referred to in such Section 12 are set forth at the end of
Schedule II hereto.
An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Securities, in the
form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the
Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place
and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto,
the principal amount of Designated Securities set forth opposite the name of
such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us __ counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on
behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof,
including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by
reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters
and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf
of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the authority set forth in
a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall
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be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty
on the part of the Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
The Kroger Co.
By:..........................
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof:
[NAME(S) OF CO-REPRESENTATIVE(S)]
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
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SCHEDULE I
PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT OF
DESIGNATED
SECURITIES
TO BE
UNDERWRITER PURCHASED
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
[Name(s) of Co-Representative(s) . . . . . . . . . $
[Names of other Underwriters] . . . . . . . . . .
-------
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$
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SCHEDULE II
TITLE OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:
[ %] [Floating Rate] [Zero Coupon] [Notes]
[Debentures] due
AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT:
[$]
PRICE TO PUBLIC:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued
interest from to
[and accrued amortization, if any, from to ]
PURCHASE PRICE BY UNDERWRITERS:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued
interest from to
[and accrued amortization, if any, from to ]
SPECIFIED FUNDS FOR PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE:
[New York] Clearing House funds
INDENTURE:
Indenture dated , 19 , between the Company and , as Trustee
MATURITY:
INTEREST RATE:
[ %] [Zero Coupon] [See Floating Rate Provisions]
INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:
[months and dates]
REDEMPTION PROVISIONS:
[No provisions for redemption]
[The Designated Securities may be redeemed, otherwise than through the
sinking fund, in whole or in part at the option of the Company, in the
amount of [$] or an integral multiple thereof, [on or after ,
at the following redemption prices (expressed in percentages of principal
amount). If [redeemed on or before , %, and if] redeemed during the
12-month period beginning ,
REDEMPTION
YEAR PRICE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
and thereafter at 100% of their principal amount, together in each case
with accrued interest to the redemption date.] [on any interest payment
date falling in or after , at the election of the Company, at a redemption
price equal to the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest to the
date of redemption.]
[Other possible redemption provisions, such as mandatory redemption upon
occurrence of certain events or redemption for changes in tax law]
[Restriction on refunding]
SINKING FUND PROVISIONS:
[No sinking fund provisions]
[The Designated Securities are entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund
to retire [$] principal amount of Designated Securities on in each of
the years through at 100% of their principal amount plus accrued
interest][,together with [cumulative] [noncumulative]
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redemptions at the option of the Company to retire an additional [$]
principal amount of Designated Securities in the years through at
100% of their principal amount plus accrued interest].
[If Securities are extendable debt Securities, insert --
EXTENDABLE PROVISIONS:
Securities are repayable on , [insert date and years], at the
option of the holder, at their principal amount with accrued interest.
Initial annual interest rate will be %, and thereafter annual interest
rate will be adjusted on , and to a rate not less than % of the
effective annual interest rate on U.S. Treasury obligations with -year
maturities as of the [insert date 15 days prior to maturity date] prior to
such [insert maturity date].]
[If Securities are Floating Rate debt Securities, insert --
FLOATING RATE PROVISIONS:
Initial annual interest rate will be % through [and thereafter
will be adjusted [monthly] [on each , , and ] [to an annual rate of
% above the average rate for -year [month] [securities] [certificates
of deposit] issued by and [insert names of banks].] [and the annual
interest rate [thereafter] [from through ] will be the interest yield
equivalent of the weekly average per annum market discount rate for -month
Treasury bills plus % of Interest Differential (the excess, if any, of
(i) then current weekly average per annum secondary market yield for
-month certificates of deposit over (ii) then current interest yield
equivalent of the weekly average per annum market discount rate for
-month Treasury bills); [from and thereafter the rate will be the then
current interest yield equivalent plus % of Interest Differential].]
DEFEASANCE PROVISIONS:
TIME OF DELIVERY:
CLOSING LOCATION:
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF REPRESENTATIVES:
Designated Representatives:
Address for Notices, etc.:
[OTHER TERMS]:
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ANNEX II
Pursuant to Section 7 (d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with
respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act
and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any
supplementary financial information and schedules audited (and, if
applicable, prospective financial statements and/or pro forma financial
information examined) by them and included or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related published rules and
regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in
accordance with standards established by the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants of the consolidated interim financial
statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial information,
prospective financial statements and/or condensed financial statements
derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods
specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of
which have been furnished to the representatives of the Underwriters (the
"Representatives");
(iii) The unaudited selected financial information with respect
to the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the
Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus
and included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year agrees with the
corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in the audited
consolidated financial statements for five such fiscal years which were
included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Reports on
Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
(iv) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, consisting
of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other information
referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of the minute
books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of the latest
audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its subsidiaries
responsible for financial and accounting matters and such other inquiries
and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing came to their
attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do
not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Exchange Act as it applies to Form
10-Q and the related published rules and regulations thereunder or
are not in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
applied on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the
audited consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance
sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included or
incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the most recent fiscal year;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding
items in the unaudited consolidated financial
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26
statements from which such data and items were derived, and any such
unaudited data and items were not determined on a basis
substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding
amounts in the audited consolidated financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included
in the Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited
condensed financial statements referred to in clause (A) and any
unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items included in
the Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B) were not determined on
a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the audited
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal
year;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published
rules and regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have
not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the
compilation of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to
the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital stock
upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights, upon
earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of convertible
securities, in each case which were outstanding on the date of the
latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus, and sales of capital stock to employee benefit plans of
the Company) or any increase in the consolidated long-term debt of
the Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated
net current assets or net assets or other items specified by the
Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by the
Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts shown in the
latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus, except in each case for changes, increases or decreases
which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which
are described in such letter; and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
to the specified date referred to in Clause (E) there were any
decreases in consolidated net revenues or operating profit or the
total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or other items
specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items
specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with the
comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period of
corresponding length specified by the Representatives, except in
each case for increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses
have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;
and
(v) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s)
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the
limited procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other
procedures referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (iv) above, they have
carried out certain specified procedures, not constituting an audit
in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, with
respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial information
specified by the Representatives, which are derived from the general
accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear
in the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by reference),
or in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration
Statement specified by the Representatives or in documents
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by the
Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts,
percentages and financial information with the accounting records of
the Company and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in
agreement.
All references in this Annex II to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as
defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered on
the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by
reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated Securities for
purposes of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities.
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27
ANNEX III
Pursuant to Section 7 (k) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with
respect to Fred Meyer, Inc. and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the
Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any
supplementary financial information and schedules audited (and, if
applicable, prospective financial statements and/or pro forma financial
information examined) by them and included or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related published rules and
regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in
accordance with standards established by the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants of the consolidated interim financial
statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial information,
prospective financial statements and/or condensed financial statements
derived from audited financial statements of Fred Meyer, Inc. for the
periods specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon,
copies of which have been furnished to the representatives of the
Underwriters (the "Representatives");
(iii) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, consisting
of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other information
referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim financial
statements of Fred Meyer, Inc. and its subsidiaries, inspection of the
minute books of Fred Meyer, Inc. and its subsidiaries since the date of
the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of Fred Meyer, Inc.
and its subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and
such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter,
nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included or incorporated by reference in Fred Meyer, Inc. 's
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act as it applies
to Form 10-Q and the related published rules and regulations
thereunder or are not in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent
with the basis for the audited consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included or incorporated by reference in Fred Meyer, Inc. 's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding
items in the unaudited consolidated financial statements from which
such data and items were derived, and any such unaudited data and
items were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with
the basis for the corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in Fred
Meyer, Inc. 's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal
year;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included
in the Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited condensed
financial statements referred to in clause (A) and any unaudited
income statement data and balance sheet items included in the
Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B) were not determined on a
basis substantially consistent
-27-
28
with the basis for the audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in Fred Meyer, Inc. 's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the most recent fiscal year; and
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do
not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the published rules and
regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not been
properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those
statements.
(iv) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s) included
or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited procedures,
inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in
paragraph (iii) above, they have carried out certain specified procedures,
not constituting an audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial
information specified by the Representatives, which are derived from the
general accounting records of Fred Meyer, Inc. and its subsidiaries, which
appear in the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by reference),
or in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration
Statement specified by the Representatives or in documents incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus specified by the Representatives, and have
compared certain of such amounts, percentages and financial information
with the accounting records of Fred Meyer, Inc. and its subsidiaries and
have found them to be in agreement.
All references in this Annex III to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as
defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered on
the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by
reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated Securities for
purposes of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities.