Exhibit 1.1
The Kroger Co.
Debt Securities
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UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
To the Representatives of the March 26, 2002
several Underwriters named in the
respective Pricing Agreements
hereinafter described.
Dear Sirs:
From time to time The Kroger Co., an Ohio corporation (the
"Company"), and the Guarantors on Schedule I and the signature pages hereto
propose 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
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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), 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 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);
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(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, 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
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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 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
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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., who has audited certain
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, 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.
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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 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
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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 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
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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 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;
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(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 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
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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 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
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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
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
-11-
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 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
-12-
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 Company and its subsidiaries 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 Company and its subsidiaries, 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 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 debt securities of the Company and its subsidiaries
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 debt securities of the Company
and its subsidiaries;
(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
-13-
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; and
(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.
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 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;
-14-
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.
(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
-15-
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 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
-16-
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 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.
-17-
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. 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,
Attest: THE KROGER CO.
Each of the Guarantors Listed on
Schedule I hereto, as Guarantor
of the Designated Securities
/s/ Bruce M. Gack By: /s/ Paul Heldman
- ----------------------------- -----------------------------
Bruce M. Gack Name: Paul W. Heldman
Assistant Secretary/Secretary Title: Senior Vice President/
President
-18-
Attest: QUEEN CITY ASSURANCE, INC.
as Guarantor of the Designated Securities
RJD ASSURANCE, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Designated Securities
VINE COURT ASSURANCE INCORPORATED,
as Guarantor of the Designated Securities
/s/ Scott M. Henderson By: /s/ Bruce M. Gack
- ----------------------------- ------------------------------------
Scott M. Henderson Name: Bruce M. Gack
Treasurer Title: Senior Vice President/
Vice President
RICHIE'S INC., as Guarantor of the
Designated Securities
By: /s/ Thomas P. O'Brien, Jr.
------------------------------------
Name: Thomas P. O'Brien, Jr.
Title: Vice President, Secretary
and Treasurer
ROCKET NEWCO, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Designated Securities
HENPIL, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Designated Securities
By: /s/ Thomas P. O'Brien, Jr.
------------------------------------
Name: Thomas P. O'Brien, Jr.
Title: President/Vice President
-19-
SCHEDULE I
Guarantors
NAME OF GUARANTOR STATE OF ORGANIZATION
- ----------------- ---------------------
Alpha Beta Company California
Bay Area Warehouse Stores, Inc. California
Bell Markets, Inc. California
Cala Co. Delaware
Cala Foods, Inc. California
CB&S Advertising Agency, Inc. Oregon
Crawford Stores, Inc. California
Dillon Companies, Inc. Kansas
Dillon Real Estate Co., Inc. Kansas
Distribution Trucking Company Oregon
Drugs Distributors, Inc. Indiana
F4L L.P. Ohio
FM, Inc. Utah
Food 4 Less GM, Inc. California
Food 4 Less Holdings, Inc. Delaware
Food 4 Less Merchandising, Inc. California
Food 4 Less of California, Inc. California
Food 4 Less of Southern California, Inc. Delaware
Fred Meyer, Inc. Delaware
Fred Meyer Jewelers, Inc. California
Fred Meyer of Alaska, Inc. Alaska
Fred Meyer of California, Inc. California
Fred Meyer Stores, Inc. Delaware
Hughes Markets, Inc. California
Hughes Realty, Inc. California
Inter-American Foods, Inc. Ohio
Junior Food Stores of West Florida, Inc. Florida
J.V. Distributing, Inc. Michigan
KRGP Inc. Ohio
KRLP Inc. Ohio
The Kroger Co. of Michigan Michigan
Kroger Dedicated Logistics Co. Ohio
Kroger Group Cooperative, Inc. Ohio
Kroger Limited Partnership I Ohio
Kroger Limited Partnership II Ohio
Kroger Texas L.P. Ohio
KU Acquisition Corporation Washington
Kwik Shop, Inc. Kansas
Mini Mart, Inc. Wyoming
Peyton's-Southeastern, Inc. Tennessee
QFC Sub, Inc. Washington
Quality Food Centers, Inc. Washington
-1-
NAME OF GUARANTOR STATE OF ORGANIZATION
- ----------------- ---------------------
Quality Food Holdings, Inc. Delaware
Quality Food, Inc. Delaware
Quik Stop Markets, Inc. California
Ralphs Grocery Company Delaware
Roundup Co. Washington
Second Story, Inc. Washington
Smith's Beverage of Wyoming, Inc. Wyoming
Smith's Food & Drug Centers, Inc. Delaware
THGP Co., Inc. Pennsylvania
THLP Co., Inc. Pennsylvania
Topvalco, Inc. Ohio
Turkey Hill, L.P. Pennsylvania
Wells Aircraft, Inc. Kansas
-2-
ANNEX I
PRICING AGREEMENT
[NAMES OF CO-REPRESENTATIVE(S),]
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto,
____________________, 20____
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
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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 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,
Attest: THE KROGER CO.
By:
- ----------------------------- -----------------------------
Assistant Secretary/Secretary Name:
Title:
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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:
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[No sinking fund provisions]
[The Designated Securities are entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund
to retire [$] principal amount of Designated Securities on
in each of
the years through at 100% of their principal amount plus
accrued interest] [,together with [cumulative] [noncumulative]
redemptions at the option of the Company to retire an additional [$]
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
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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
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
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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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