<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 1.1
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APPLIED EPI, INC.
(a Minnesota corporation)
Common Shares
----------------
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated: , 2000
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PURCHASE AGREEMENT................................................................................................1
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties................................................................3
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company...................................................3
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements..............................................3
(ii) Independent Accountants................................................................4
(iii) Financial Statements...................................................................4
(iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business.................................................4
(v) Good Standing of the Company...........................................................4
(vi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries..........................................................4
(vii) Capitalization.........................................................................5
(viii) Authorization of Agreement.............................................................5
(ix) Authorization and Description of Securities............................................5
(x) Absence of Rights to Acquire Common Shares.............................................5
(xi) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts......................................................5
(xii) Absence of Labor Dispute...............................................................6
(xiii) Absence of Proceedings.................................................................6
(xiv) Accuracy of Exhibits...................................................................6
(xv) Possession of Intellectual Property....................................................7
(xvi) Absence of Further Requirements........................................................7
(xvii) Possession of Licenses and Permits.....................................................7
(xviii) Title to Property......................................................................7
(xix) Compliance with Cuba Act...............................................................8
(xx) Investment Company Act.................................................................8
(xxi) Environmental Laws.....................................................................8
(xxii) Registration Rights....................................................................8
(b) Officer's Certificates..........................................................................9
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing....................................................9
(a) Initial Securities..............................................................................9
(b) Option Securities...............................................................................9
(c) Payment.........................................................................................9
(d) Denominations; Registration....................................................................10
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company.....................................................................10
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests...............................10
(b) Filing of Amendments.........................................................................10
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements..........................................................11
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses.....................................................................11
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws....................................................11
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications......................................................................12
(g) Rule 158.....................................................................................12
(h) Use of Proceeds..............................................................................12
(i) Listing......................................................................................12
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(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities............................................................12
(k) Reporting Requirements.......................................................................13
(l) Compliance with NASD Rules...................................................................13
(m) Compliance with Rule 463.....................................................................13
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses..........................................................................13
(a) (a) Expenses................................................................................13
(b) Termination of Agreement.......................................................................14
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations......................................................14
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement......................................................14
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company...............................................................14
(c) Opinion of Intellectual Property Counsel for Company.........................................14
(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters..........................................................14
(e) Officers' Certificate........................................................................15
(f) Accountant's Comfort Letter..................................................................15
(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter....................................................................15
(h) Approval of Listing..........................................................................15
(i) No Objection.................................................................................15
(j) Lock-up Agreements...........................................................................15
(k) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities..................................................16
(i) Officers' Certificate.................................................................16
(ii) Opinion of Counsel for Company........................................................16
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters...................................................16
(iv) Bring-down Comfort Letter.............................................................16
(l) Additional Documents.........................................................................16
(m) Termination of Agreement.....................................................................16
SECTION 6. Indemnification..............................................................................17
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters................................................................17
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers.............................................18
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification..........................................................18
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse.............................................19
(e) Indemnification for Reserved Securities........................................................19
SECTION 7. Contribution.................................................................................19
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery...............................20
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.....................................................................20
(a) Termination; General...........................................................................20
(b) Liabilities....................................................................................21
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters...................................................21
SECTION 11. Notices......................................................................................22
SECTION 12. Parties......................................................................................22
SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME.......................................................................22
SECTION 14. Effect of Headings...........................................................................22
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SCHEDULES
Schedule A - List of Underwriters.................................................................Sch A-1
Schedule B - Pricing Information..................................................................Sch B-1
[Schedule C - List of Persons Subject to Lock-up.................................................Sch C-1]
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A - Form of Opinion of Company's Counsel....................................................A-1
Exhibit B - Form of Lock-up Letter...................................................................B-1
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Draft of Latham & Watkins 9/20/00
APPLIED EPI, INC.
(a Minnesota corporation)
Common Shares
---------------
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
, 2000
--------------
DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
SECURITIES CORPORATION
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
Wit SoundView Corporation
as Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation
277 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10172
and
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York 10281-1209
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Applied Epi, Inc., a Minnesota corporation (the "Company"), confirms
its agreement with Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation ("DLJ")
and Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
("Merrill Lynch") and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto
(collectively, the "Underwriters," which term shall also include any underwriter
substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom DLJ, Merrill
Lynch and Wit SoundView Corporation are acting as representatives (in such
capacity, the "Representatives"), with respect to the issue and sale by the
Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly,
of the respective numbers of common shares, par value $.01 per share, of the
Company ("Common Shares") set forth in said Schedule A, and with respect to the
grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of
the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of
additional Common Shares to cover over-allotments, if any.
The aforesaid Common Shares (the "Initial Securities") to be
purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the Common
Shares subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the "Option
Securities") are hereinafter called, collectively, the "Securities."
<PAGE> 6
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public
offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem(s) advisable
after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that up to shares of the
Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters (the "Reserved Securities") shall
be reserved for sale by the Underwriters to certain eligible employees and
persons having business relationships with the Company, as part of the
distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters, subject to the terms of this
Agreement, the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and all other applicable laws, rules and
regulations. To the extent that such Reserved Securities are not orally
confirmed for purchase by such eligible employees and persons having business
relationships with the Company by the end of the first business day after the
date of this Agreement, such Reserved Securities may be offered to the public as
part of the public offering contemplated hereby.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333- ) covering
the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "1933 Act"), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses.
Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will either
(i) prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A
("Rule 430A") of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act
(the "1933 Act Regulations") and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule 424(b)") of
the 1933 Act Regulations or (ii) if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule
434 ("Rule 434") of the 1933 Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a
"Term Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b). The
information included in such prospectus or in such Term Sheet, as the case may
be, that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became
effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the
time it became effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred
to as "Rule 430A Information" or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is
referred to as "Rule 434 Information." Each prospectus used before such
registration statement became effective, and any prospectus that omitted, as
applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434 Information, that was used
after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, is herein called a "preliminary prospectus." Such registration
statement, including the exhibits thereto and schedules thereto at the time it
became effective and including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434
Information, as applicable, is herein called the "Registration Statement." Any
registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations
is herein referred to as the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement," and after
such filing the term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement. The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the
Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities is herein
called the "Prospectus." If Rule 434 is relied on, the term "Prospectus" shall
refer to the preliminary prospectus dated , 2000 together with the Term
Sheet and all references in this Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall
mean the date of the Term Sheet. For purposes of this Agreement, all references
to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any
Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be
deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic
Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").
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SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the
Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery
(if any) referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter,
as follows:
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements. Each of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has
become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to
the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and
any request on the part of the Commission for additional information
has been complied with. At the respective times the Registration
Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendments thereto became effective and at the Closing
Time (and, if any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of
Delivery), the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto complied and will
comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act
and the 1933 Act Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, and the Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus and any
supplement thereto or prospectus wrapper prepared in connection
therewith, at their respective times of issuance and at the Closing
Time, complied and will comply in all material respects with any
applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the
Prospectus and such preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented,
if applicable, are distributed in connection with the offer and sale of
Reserved Securities. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or
supplements thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), at the time the
Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at the
Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date
of Delivery), included or will include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If Rule 434
is used, the Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 434 and
the Prospectus shall not be "materially different," as such term is
used in Rule 434, from the prospectus included in the Registration
Statement at the time it became effective. The representations and
warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or
omissions from the Registration Statement or Prospectus made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the
Company in writing by any Underwriter through DLJ or Merrill Lynch
expressly for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus.
Each preliminary prospectus and the prospectus filed as part
of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any
amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act,
complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act
Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus
delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering
was identical to the
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electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission
pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(ii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified
the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the
Registration Statement are independent public accountants as required
by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(iii) Financial Statements. The financial statements included
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the
related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of
the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries at the dates indicated
and the statement of operations, shareholders' equity and cash flows of
the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the periods
specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") applied on a
consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting
schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in
accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The
selected financial data and the summary financial information included
in the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have
been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial
statements included in the Registration Statement.
(iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A)
there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial
or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business
prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business
(a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B) there have been no transactions
entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than
those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with
respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any
kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital
stock.
(v) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly
organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the State of Minnesota and has corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform
its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified
as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing
in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required,
whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the
conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in
good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(vi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each Subsidiary of the
Company (each a "Subsidiary" and, collectively, the "Subsidiaries") has
been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has
corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly
qualified as a
4
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foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in
each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by
reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of
business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good
standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as
otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued
and outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly
authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is
owned by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries, free and clear
of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any
Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights
of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only Subsidiaries of the
Company are the Subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration
Statement.
(vii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding
capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus in the
column entitled "Actual" under the caption "Capitalization" (except for
subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to
reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the
Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or
options referred to in the Prospectus). The shares of issued and
outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and
validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in
violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any
securityholder of the Company.
(viii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(ix) Authorization and Description of Securities. The
Securities have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the
Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered
by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the
consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid
and non-assessable; the Common Shares conform to all statements
relating thereto contained in the Prospectus and such description
conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same;
no holder of the Securities will be subject to personal liability by
reason of being such a holder; and the issuance of the Securities is
not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any
securityholder of the Company.
(x) Absence of Rights to Acquire Common Shares. There are no
outstanding subscriptions, rights, warrants, options, calls,
convertible securities, commitments of sale or liens granted or issued
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to or entitling any
person to purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of the capital stock
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except as otherwise
disclosed in the Registration Statement.
(xi) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws
or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
is a party or by
5
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which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property
or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (collectively,
"Agreements and Instruments") except for such defaults that would not
result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement (including the
issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from
the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the
caption "Use of Proceeds") and compliance by the Company with its
obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the
giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or
constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined
below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any
Subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such
conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that
would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action
result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of
the Company or any Subsidiary or any applicable law, statute, rule,
regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government,
government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their assets,
properties or operations. As used herein, a "Repayment Event" means any
event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or
other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's
behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of
all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any Subsidiary.
(xii) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the
employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge
of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any
existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its
or any Subsidiary's principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or
contractors, which, in either case, may reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or
governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the
Company or any Subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the
Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which
might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or
which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect
the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the
Company of its obligations hereunder; the aggregate of all pending
legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any
Subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective property or
assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration
Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the
business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(xiv) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or
documents which are required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto which
have not been so described and filed as required.
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(xv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its
Subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable
terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions,
copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other
unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service
marks, trade names or other intellectual property
(collectively, "Intellectual Property") necessary to carry on
the business now operated by them or as the business is
intended to be operated as described in the Prospectus, and
neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received
any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or
conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any
Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which
would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate
to protect the interest of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if
the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or
invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvi) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or
authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or
agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of
its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or
sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except (i) such as have
been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the
1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws and (ii) such as have
been obtained under the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside
the United States in which the Reserved Securities are offered.
(xvii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its
Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and
other authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued by
the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or
bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them; the
Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and
conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure
so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full
force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental
Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full
force and effect would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of
proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such
Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject
of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Title to Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries
have good and marketable title to all real property owned by the
Company and its Subsidiaries and good title to all other properties
owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges,
liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any
kind except such as (a) are described in the Prospectus or (b) do not,
singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such
property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made
of such property by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and all of
the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and
its Subsidiaries,
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<PAGE> 12
considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Prospectus, are in full
force and effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any
notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by
anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any
of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning
the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued
possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or
sublease.
(xix) Compliance with Cuba Act. The Company has complied with,
and is and will be in compliance with, the provisions of that certain
Florida act relating to disclosure of doing business with Cuba,
codified as Section 517.075 of the Florida statutes, and the rules and
regulations thereunder (collectively, the "Cuba Act") or is exempt
therefrom.
(xx) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the
Prospectus will not be, an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company" as such terms are defined in
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
(xxi) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the
Registration Statement and except as would not, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state,
local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code,
policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative
interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order,
consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of
human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient
air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or
wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating
to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants,
contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum
or petroleum products (collectively, "Hazardous Materials") or to the
manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage,
disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively,
"Environmental Laws"), (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all
permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable
Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements,
(C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or
judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens,
notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings
relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that might
reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or
remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or
governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental
Laws.
(xxii) Registration Rights. There are no persons with
registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities
registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise
registered by the Company under the 1933 Act.
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(b) Officer's Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to
counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not
jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase
from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, the number of
Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such
Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such
Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of
Section 10 hereof.
(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations
and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein
set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally
and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional Common Shares at
the price per share set forth in Schedule B, less an amount per share equal to
any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the
Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby
granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole
or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering over-allotments
which may be made in connection with the offering and distribution of the
Initial Securities upon notice by the Representatives to the Company setting
forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are
then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for
such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a "Date of
Delivery") shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be later
than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any
event prior to the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined. If the option is
exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of
the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of
Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter
bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in each case to such
adjustments as the Representatives in their discretion shall make to eliminate
any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Latham
& Watkins, 233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 5800, Chicago, Illinois 60606, or at
such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company,
at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after
4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof
(unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such
other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed
upon by the Representatives and the Company (such time and date of payment and
delivery being herein called "Closing Time").
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are
purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery
of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned
offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed
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<PAGE> 14
upon by the Representatives and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as
specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company.
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to
the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of
certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that
each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept
delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the
Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to
purchase. DLJ and Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representatives of the
Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase
price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be
purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing
Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment
shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
(d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial
Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and
registered in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least
one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery,
as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the
Representatives in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time)
on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery,
as the case may be.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter
as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission
Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the
requirements of Rule 430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify
the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i)
when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall
become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended
Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments
from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any
amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement
to the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing
or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the
suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale
in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any
proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect
the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps
as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of
prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for
filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will
promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable
effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order
is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible
moment.
(b) Filing of Amendments. The Company will give the
Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any
amendment to the Registration Statement (including
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<PAGE> 15
any filing under Rule 462(b)), any Term Sheet or any amendment,
supplement or revision to either the prospectus included in the
Registration Statement at the time it became effective or to the
Prospectus will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such
documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or
use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to
which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall object.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has
furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the
Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration
Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including
exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein) and
signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will
also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy
of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of
the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the
Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies
thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the
extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to
each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary
prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company
hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the
1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge,
during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under
the 1933 Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"),
such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as
such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be
identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with
the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company
will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to
permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as
contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time
when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in
connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or
condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the
opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend
the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in
order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or
if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such
time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or
the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file
with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment or
supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or
to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such
requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such
number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters
may reasonably request.
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<PAGE> 16
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best
efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the
Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws
of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the
Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in
effect for a period of not less than one year from the later of the
effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not
be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to
qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any
jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to
taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it
is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the
Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such
statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such
jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for a period of
not less than one year from the effective date of the Registration
Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.
(g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports
pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally
available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings
statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated
by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds
received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified
in the Prospectus under "Use of Proceeds."
(i) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect
and maintain the quotation of the Securities on the Nasdaq National
Market for a period of three years after the date of this Agreement and
will file with the Nasdaq National Market all documents and notices
required by the Nasdaq National Market of companies that have
securities that are traded in the over-the-counter market and
quotations for which are reported by the Nasdaq National Market.
(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 180
days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the
prior written consent of DLJ and Merrill Lynch, (i) directly or
indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or
contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant
any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or
dispose of any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares or file any registration
statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or
(ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that
transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic
consequence of ownership of the Common Shares, whether any such swap or
transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by
delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or
otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities
to be sold hereunder, (B) any Common Shares issued by the Company upon
the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security
outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Prospectus, or
(C) any Common Shares issued or options to purchase Common Shares
granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company
referred to in the Prospectus.
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<PAGE> 17
(k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period
when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or
the 1934 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the
Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by
the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder.
(l) Compliance with NASD Rules. The Company hereby agrees that
it will ensure that the Reserved Securities will be restricted as
required by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the
"NASD") or the NASD rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or
hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of this
Agreement. The Underwriters will notify the Company as to which persons
will need to be so restricted. At the request of the Underwriters, the
Company will direct the transfer agent to place a stop transfer
restriction upon such securities for such period of time. Should the
Company release, or seek to release, from such restrictions any of the
Reserved Securities, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters
for any reasonable expenses (including, without limitation, legal
expenses) they incur in connection with such release.
(m) Compliance with Rule 463. The Company will file with the
Commission such reports on Form SR as may be required pursuant to Rule
463 of the 1933 Act Regulations.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses(a). (a) Expenses. The Company will pay all
expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement,
including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement
(including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each
amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the
Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters and such other
documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale,
issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and
delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including
any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the
sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees
and disbursements of the Company's counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v)
the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the
provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in
connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement
thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each
preliminary prospectus, any Term Sheets and of the Prospectus and any amendments
or supplements thereto, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the
Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii)
the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities,
(ix) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") of the terms of the sale of
the Securities, (x) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
inclusion of the Securities in the Nasdaq National Market and (xi) all costs and
expenses of the Underwriters, including the fees and disbursements of counsel
for the Underwriters, in connection with matters related to the Reserved
Securities which are designated by the Company for sale to employees and others
having a business relationship with the Company.
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<PAGE> 18
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section
9(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their
out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof or
in certificates of any officer of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company
delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company
of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further
conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration
Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become
effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued
under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by
the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for
additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable
satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing
the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in
accordance with Rule 424(b) (or a post-effective amendment providing
such information shall have been filed and declared effective in
accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the Company has
elected to rely upon Rule 434, a Term Sheet shall have been filed with
the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b).
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
Closing Time, of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P., counsel for
the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter
for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A
hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may
reasonably request.
(c) Opinion of Intellectual Property Counsel for Company. At
Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable
opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Merchant & Gould, Professional
Corporation, counsel for the Company, in form and substance
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or
reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to
the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto and to such further effect as
counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
Closing Time, of Latham & Watkins, counsel for the Underwriters,
together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of
the other Underwriters with respect to the matters set forth in clauses
(i), (ii), (v), (vi) (solely as to preemptive or other similar rights
arising by operation of law or under the charter or by-laws of the
Company), (viii) through (x), inclusive, (xii), (xiv) (solely as to the
information in the Prospectus under "Description of Capital
Stock--Common Stock") and the penultimate paragraph of Exhibit A
hereto. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters
governed by the laws of
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<PAGE> 19
jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the
federal law of the United States upon the opinions of counsel
satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also state that,
insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to
the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the
Company and its Subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(e) Officers' Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not
have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse
change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings,
business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in
the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have
received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the
Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the
Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has
been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and
warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same
force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time,
(iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to
Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that
purpose have been instituted or are pending or are contemplated by the
Commission.
(f) Accountant's Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution
of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from
Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced
copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing
statements and information of the type ordinarily included in
accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the
financial statements and certain financial information contained in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a
letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the
statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of
this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a
date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
(h) Approval of Listing. At Closing Time, the Securities shall
have been approved for inclusion in the Nasdaq National Market, subject
only to official notice of issuance.
(i) No Objection. The NASD has confirmed that it has not
raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of
the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(j) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the
Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the
form of Exhibit C hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule C
hereto.
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<PAGE> 20
(k) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event
that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b)
hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the
representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the
statements in any certificates furnished by the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company hereunder shall be true and correct as of
each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the
Representatives shall have received:
(i) Officers' Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of
Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company
and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the
Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the
Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true and
correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. The favorable opinion of
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P., counsel for the
Company, together with the favorable opinion of Merchant &
Gould, Professional Corporation, special counsel for the
Company, each in form and substance satisfactory to counsel
for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to
the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery
and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by
Section 5(b) and 5(c) hereof.
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The favorable
opinion of Latham & Watkins, counsel for the Underwriters,
dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities
to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the
same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.
(iv) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from Deloitte &
Touche LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially
in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the
Representatives pursuant to Section 5(g) hereof, except that
the "specified date" in the letter furnished pursuant to this
paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior to
such Date of Delivery.
(l) Additional Documents. At Closing Time and at each Date of
Delivery, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with
such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of
enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as
herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the
representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the
conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company
in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein
contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
(m) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in
this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be
fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the
purchase of Option Securities, on a Date of Delivery which is after the
Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase
the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the
Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to
Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case
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<PAGE> 21
may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to
any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that
Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in
full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim,
damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434
Information, if applicable, or the omission or alleged
omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact included in any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim,
damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of (A)
the violation of any applicable laws or regulations of foreign
jurisdictions where Reserved Securities have been offered and
(B) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact included in the supplement or prospectus wrapper
material distributed in , and
in connection with the reservation and sale of
the Reserved Securities to eligible employees and
of the Company or the omission or alleged
omission therefrom of a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, when considered in conjunction with the
Prospectus or preliminary prospectus, not misleading;
(iii) against any and all loss, liability, claim,
damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of
the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or
any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever
based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
alleged untrue statement or omission or in connection with any
violation of the nature referred to in Section 6(a)(ii)(A)
hereof; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the
Company; and
(iv) against any and all expense whatsoever, as
incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel
chosen by DLJ and Merrill Lynch), reasonably incurred in
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation,
or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency
or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever
based upon any such untrue statement or
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<PAGE> 22
omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission or
in connection with any violation of the nature referred to in
Section 6(a)(ii)(A) hereof, to the extent that any such
expense is not paid under (i), (ii) or (iii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through DLJ and Merrill Lynch expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and
the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each
Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its
directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a)
of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or
omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and
the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter
through DLJ or Merrill Lynch expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or
any amendment thereto) or such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall
give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of
any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought
hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such
indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not
materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it
from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above,
counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by DLJ and Merrill Lynch,
and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel
to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying
party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action;
provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with
the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party.
In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of
more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own
counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or
separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of
the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which
indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section
7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties
thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an
unconditional release of each indemnified
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<PAGE> 23
party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation,
proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission
of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified
party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time
an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by
Section 6(a)(ii) and (iii) effected without its written consent if (i) such
settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying
party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received
notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement
being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed
such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement.
(e) Indemnification for Reserved Securities. In connection with the
offer and sale of the Reserved Securities, the Company agrees, promptly upon a
request in writing, to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from and
against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred
by them as a result of the failure of [eligible employees and
of the Company] to pay for and accept delivery of Reserved Securities which, by
the end of the first business day following the date of this Agreement, were
subject to a properly confirmed agreement to purchase.
SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof
is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified
party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses
referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the
aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is
not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the
other hand in connection with the statements or omissions, or in connection with
any violation of the nature referred to in Section 6(a)(ii)(A) hereof, which
resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as
any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective
proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company
and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case
as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, or, if Rule 434 is used, the
corresponding location on the Term Sheet, bear to the aggregate initial public
offering price of the Securities as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative
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intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission or any violation of the nature referred to in Section
6(a)(ii)(A) hereof.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate
amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an
indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public
were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and
each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall
have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters'
respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in
proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their
respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All
representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in
certificates of officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries submitted
pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless
of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or controlling
person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive delivery of the
Securities to the Underwriters.
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Representatives may terminate this
Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i)
if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, or (ii) if
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<PAGE> 25
there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the
United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of
hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or
development involving a prospective change in national or international
political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is
such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to
market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or
(iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or
materially limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq National Market, or if
trading generally on the American Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange,
the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the
Chicago Board of Trade or in the Nasdaq National Market has been suspended or
materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or
maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by
such system or by order of the Commission, the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental authority, (iv) if a banking
moratorium has been declared by either Federal Minnesota, or New York
authorities, (v) the taking of any action by any federal, state or local
government or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your
opinion has a material adverse effect on the financial markets in the United
States.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this
Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections
1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and
effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the
Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the
Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the
"Defaulted Securities"), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24
hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all,
of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the
terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have
completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not
exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such
date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be
obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full
amount thereof in the proportions that their respective
underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting
obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10%
of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this
Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which
occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Option
Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery
shall terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
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In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination
of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the
Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities,
as the case may be, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the
right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may
be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required
changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements. As used herein, the term "Underwriter" includes any person
substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by
any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be
directed to the Representatives at 277 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10172,
attention of and North Tower, World Financial Center, New York, New
York 10281-1201, attention of ; and notices to the Company shall be
directed to it at 4900 Constellation Drive, St. Paul, Minnesota 55127, attention
of .
SECTION 12. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors.
Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be
construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters
and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and
officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal
representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in
respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and
all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective
successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their
heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or
corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to
be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SPECIFIED TIMES
OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 14. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein and the
Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction
hereof.
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<PAGE> 27
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement
between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
APPLIED EPI, INC.
By
--------------------------------------
Title:
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
SECURITIES CORPORATION
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
WIT SOUNDVIEW CORPORATION
BY: DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE
SECURITIES CORPORATION
By
--------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
and
BY: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
By
--------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto.
23
