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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
JUNE 16, 1999 (Date of earliest event reported) Commission file number:
001-13171
EVERGREEN RESOURCES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
COLORADO 84-0834147
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization) Identification No.)
1401 17TH STREET, SUITE 1200
DENVER, COLORADO 80202
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip code)
(303) 298-8100
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
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ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
(c) Exhibits
The following exhibits are filed herewith:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit No. Description of Exhibit
----------- ----------------------
<S> <C>
1 Underwriting Agreement dated June 16, 1999
among Evergreen Resources, Inc. and the
several underwriters named therein acting
through their representatives, Prudential
Securities Incorporated, A.G. Edwards &
Sons, Inc., Howard Weil, Labouisse Friedrichs
Incorporated and Hanifen, Imhoff Inc., relating
to the sale of 2,750,000 shares of common stock
5 Opinion of Berenbaum, Weinshienk & Eason,
P.C.
23 Consent of Berenbaum, Weinshienk & Eason,
P.C. (included in Exhibit 5)
</TABLE>
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Evergreen Resources, Inc.
By: /s/ Kevin R. Collins
------------------------------------------
Kevin R. Collins
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Date: June 17, 1999
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Evergreen Resources, Inc.
2,750,000 Shares(1)
Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
June 16, 1999
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
A.G. EDWARDS & SONS, INC.
HOWARD, WEIL, LABOUISSE, FRIEDRICHS INCORPORATED
HANIFEN, IMHOFF INC.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o Prudential Securities Incorporated
One New York Plaza
New York, New York 10292
Dear Sirs:
Evergreen Resources, Inc., a Colorado corporation (the "Company"), hereby
confirms its agreement with the several underwriters named in Schedule 1 hereto
(the "Underwriters"), for whom you have been duly authorized to act as
representatives (in such capacities, the "Representatives"), as set forth below.
1. SECURITIES. Subject to the terms and conditions herein contained, the
Company proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate of
2,500,000 shares (the "Firm Securities") of the Company's Common Stock, without
par value ("Common Stock"). The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the
several Underwriters not more than 412,500 additional shares of Common Stock if
requested by the Representatives as provided in Section 3 of this Agreement.
Any and all shares of Common Stock to be purchased by the Underwriters pursuant
to such option are referred to herein as the "Option Securities", and the Firm
Securities and any Option Securities are collectively referred to herein as the
"Securities".
2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company represents
and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the several Underwriters that:
(a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"). A registration statement
on such form (File No. 333-78203) with respect to the Securities, including
a prospectus, have been filed by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Act. Such registration
statement has been declared effective by the Commission. As provided in
Section 5(a), a prospectus supplement reflecting the terms of the
Securities, the terms of the offering thereof and the other matters set
forth therein has been prepared and will be filed pursuant to Rule 424
under the Act. Such prospectus supplement, in the form first filed after
the date hereof pursuant to Rule 424, is herein referred to as the
"Prospectus
- -------------------
(1) Plus an option to purchase from the Company up to 412,500 additional shares
to cover over-allotments.
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Supplement." Such registration statement, as amended at the date
hereof, including the exhibits thereto and the documents incorporated by
reference therein, is herein called the "Registration Statement," and
the basic prospectus included therein relating to all offerings of
securities under the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the
Prospectus Supplement, is herein called the "Prospectus," except that,
if such basic Prospectus is amended or supplemented on or prior to the
date on which the Prospectus Supplement is first filed pursuant to Rule
424, the term "Prospectus" shall refer to the basic Prospectus as so
amended or supplemented and as supplemented by the Prospectus
Supplement, in either case including the documents filed by the Company
with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), that are incorporated by reference
therein. The term "Preliminary Prospectus" refers to each basic
prospectus or prospectus supplement which is subject to completion. On
the original effective date of the Registration Statement, on the
effective date of the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, if
any, and on the date of the filing by the Company of any annual report
on Form 10-K after the original filing of the Registration Statement,
the Registration Statement complied in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder (the "Regulations"), and did 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. On the date hereof and at the Firm Closing Date or Option
Closing Date (as defined below), (A) the Registration Statement and any
amendments and supplements thereto comply and will comply in all
material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Regulations,
(B) neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment or supplement
thereto includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact
or omits or will omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and
(C) neither any Preliminary Prospectus nor the Prospectus nor any
amendment or supplement thereto includes or will include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omits 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; provided,
however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to
statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any
Underwriter, directly or through you, expressly for use in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus. The Commission has not issued
any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus.
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the
time they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects
with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder, and when read together with the other
information in the Prospectus, do not and will not, on the date hereof and
at the Closing Date, include 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.
(c) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized
and are validly existing as corporations in good standing under the laws of
their respective jurisdictions of incorporation and are duly qualified to
transact business as foreign corporations and are in good standing under
the laws of all other jurisdictions where the
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ownership or leasing of their respective properties or the conduct of
their respective businesses requires such qualification, except where
the failure to be so qualified does not amount to any material adverse
change, or any development involving a prospective material change, in
the condition (financial or otherwise), management, business, prospects,
net worth, or results of operations of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect").
(d) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have full power
(corporate and other) to own or lease their respective properties and
conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus; and the Company has full power
(corporate and other) to enter into this Agreement and to carry out all the
terms and provisions hereof to be carried out by it.
(e) The issued shares of capital stock of each of the Company's
subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid
and nonassessable and, except for directors' qualifying shares and as
otherwise set forth in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, are owned beneficially
by the Company free and clear of any security interests, liens,
encumbrances, equities or claims.
(f) The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not
in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. All of the issued
shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and
validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. The Firm Securities
and the Option Securities have been duly authorized and at the Firm Closing
Date or the related Option Closing Date (as the case may be), after payment
therefor in accordance herewith, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable. No holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company are entitled as such to any preemptive or other rights to subscribe
for any of the Securities, and no holder of securities of the Company has
any right which has not been fully exercised or waived to require the
Company to register the offer or sale of any securities owned by such
holder under the Act in the public offering contemplated by this Agreement.
(g) The capital stock of the Company conforms to the description
thereof contained in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.
(h) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is
not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, there are not
outstanding (A) securities or obligations of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock of the
Company or any such subsidiary, (B) warrants, rights or options to
subscribe for or purchase from the Company or any such subsidiary any such
capital stock or any such convertible or exchangeable securities or
obligations, or (C) obligations of the Company or any such subsidiary to
issue any shares of capital stock, any such convertible or exchangeable
securities or obligations, or any such warrants, rights or options.
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(i) The consolidated financial statements and schedules of the
Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus, fairly present the financial position
of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and the results of
operations and changes in financial condition as of the dates and periods
therein specified. Such financial statements and schedules have been
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise
noted therein). The selected financial data set forth under the caption
"Selected Consolidated Financial Data" in the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus)
fairly present, on the basis stated in the Prospectus (or such Preliminary
Prospectus), the information included therein.
(j) BDO Seidman, LLP, who have certified certain financial statements
of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report
with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules
included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus),
are independent public accountants as required by the Act, the Exchange Act
and the related published rules and regulations thereunder.
(k) The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been duly
authorized by the Company and this Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by the Company, and is the valid and binding agreement of the
Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting
creditors' rights generally or by general equitable principles and except
as rights to indemnify and contribution may be limited under applicable
law.
(l) No legal or governmental proceedings are pending to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which the property of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus),
and no such proceedings have, to the knowledge of the Company, been
threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or with respect
to any of their respective properties; and no contract or other document is
required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
(or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus) that is not described as required.
(m) The issuance, offering and sale of the Securities to the
Underwriters by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the compliance by
the Company with the other provisions of this Agreement and the
consummation of the other transactions herein contemplated do not (i)
require the consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification
of or with any governmental authority, except such as have been obtained,
such as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws and, if the
registration statement filed with respect to the Securities (as amended) is
not effective under the Act as of the time of execution hereof, such as may
be required (and shall be obtained as provided in this Agreement) under the
Act, or (ii) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the
terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
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mortgage, deed of trust, lease 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 or any of their respective properties are bound,
or the charter documents or by-laws of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, or any statute or any judgment, decree, order, rule or
regulation of any court or other governmental authority or any arbitrator
applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which breach,
violation or default would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus
is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or
interference with their respective businesses or properties from fire,
flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by
insurance, or from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental
proceeding and there has not been any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the
condition (financial or otherwise), management, business prospects, net
worth, or results of operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
except in each case as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus or,
if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus.
(o) The Company has not, directly or indirectly, (i) taken any action
designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of
the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale
of the Securities or (ii) since the filing of the Registration Statement
(A) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid anyone any compensation for
soliciting purchases of, the Securities or (B) paid or agreed to pay to any
person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other
securities of the Company.
(p) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later of (i)
the Firm Closing Date and the Option Closing Date and (ii) the completion
of the distribution of the Securities, will not distribute any offering
material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other
than the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or
other materials, if any permitted by the Act.
(q) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus),
(i) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material
liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any
material transaction not in the ordinary course of business; (ii) the
Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor
declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind
on its capital stock; and (iii) there has not been any material change in
the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries, except in each case as described in or
contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence,
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
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(r) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable
title in fee simple to all items of real property and marketable title to
all personal property owned by each of them, in each case free and clear of
any security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other
defects, except such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of
such property and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made
of such property by the Company or such subsidiary, and any real property
and buildings held under lease by the Company or any such subsidiary are
held under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions
as are not material and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to
be made of such property and buildings by the Company or such subsidiary,
in each case except as described in the Registration Statement or as
described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is
not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(s) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries exists or, to the Company's knowledge, is threatened or
imminent that could result in a Material Adverse Effect, except as
described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is
not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(t) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire
on reasonable terms, all material patents, patent applications, trademarks,
service marks, trade names, licenses, copyrights and proprietary or other
confidential information currently employed by them in connection with
their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any such
subsidiary has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with
asserted rights of third party with respect to any of the foregoing which,
singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision,
ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect, except as
described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is
not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(u) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers
of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in
such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they
are engaged; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused
any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor
any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to
renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or
to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to
continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse
Effect, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if
the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus).
(v) No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or
indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other
distribution on such subsidiary's capital stock, from repaying to the
Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from
transferring any of such subsidiary's property or assets to the Company or
any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated
by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus).
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(w) The Company and its subsidiaries possess all certificates,
authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or
foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective
businesses, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received
any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any
such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the
aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding,
would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as described in or
contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence,
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(x) The Company will conduct its operations in a manner that will not
subject it to registration as an investment company under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, and this transaction will not cause the
Company to become an investment company subject to registration under such
Act.
(y) The Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax
returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof
(except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a
Material Adverse Effect) and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it
and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent
that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such
assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith
or as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus
is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
(z) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation
of any federal or state law or regulation relating to occupational safety
and health or to the storage, handling or transportation of hazardous or
toxic materials and the Company and its subsidiaries have received all
permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable
federal and state occupational safety and health and environmental laws and
regulations to conduct their respective businesses, and the Company and
each such subsidiary is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any
such permit, license or approval, except any such violation of law or
regulation, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other
approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such
permits, licenses or approvals which would not, singly or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect, except as described in or contemplated by
the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus).
(aa) Each certificate signed by any officer of the Company and
delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters pursuant
to this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by
the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
(bb) Except for the shares of capital stock of each of the
subsidiaries owned by the Company and such subsidiaries, neither the
Company nor any such subsidiary owns any shares of stock or any other
equity securities of any corporation or has any equity interest in any
firm, partnership, association or other entity, except as described in or
contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence,
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).
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(cc) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of
internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance
that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general
or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii)
access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general
or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets
is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and
appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(dd) No default exists, and no event has occurred which, with notice
or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default in the due performance
and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, lease 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 or any of their respective properties is bound
or may be affected, except such default or event as would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
3. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE SECURITIES.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties, agreements and
covenants herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company agrees to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at
a purchase price of $20.79 per share, the number of Firm Securities set forth
opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto. One or more
certificates in definitive form for the Firm Securities that the several
Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, and in such denomination or
denominations and registered in such name or names as the Representatives
request upon notice to the Company at least 48 hours prior to the Firm Closing
Date, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives
for the respective accounts of the Underwriters, against payment by or on behalf
of the Underwriters of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer in same-day
funds (the "Wired Funds") to the account of the Company. Such delivery of and
payment for the Firm Securities shall be made at the offices of Messrs. Vinson &
Elkins L.L.P., 1001 Fannin, Houston, Texas 77002, at 9:30 a.m., New York time,
on June 22, 1999, or at such other place, time or date as the Representatives
and the Company may agree upon or as the Representatives may determine pursuant
to Section 9 hereof, such time and date of delivery against payment being herein
referred to as the "Firm Closing Date". The Company will make such certificate
or certificates for the Firm Securities available for checking and packaging by
the Representatives at the offices in New York, New York of the Company's
transfer agent or registrar or of Prudential Securities Incorporated at least 24
hours prior to the Firm Closing Date.
(b) For the purpose of covering any over-allotments in connection with the
distribution and sale of the Firm Securities as contemplated by the Prospectus,
the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters an option to purchase,
severally and not jointly, the Option Securities. The purchase price to be paid
for any Option Securities shall be the same price per share as the price per
share for the Firm Securities set forth above in paragraph (a) of this Section
3. The option granted hereby may be exercised as to all or any part of the
Option Securities from time to time
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within thirty days after the date of the Prospectus (or, if such 30th day
shall be a Saturday or Sunday or a holiday, on the next business day
thereafter when the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading). The
Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any of the Option
Securities prior to the exercise of such option. The Representatives may
from time to time exercise the option granted hereby by giving notice in
writing or by telephone (confirmed in writing) to the Company setting forth
the aggregate number of Option Securities as to which the several
Underwriters are then exercising the option and the date and time for
delivery of and payment for such Option Securities. Any such date of
delivery shall be determined by the Representatives but shall not be earlier
than two business days or later than five business days after such exercise
of the option and, in any event, shall not be earlier than the Firm Closing
Date. The time and date set forth in such notice, or such other time on such
other date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon or as the
Representatives may determine pursuant to Section 9 hereof, is herein called
the "Option Closing Date" with respect to such Option Securities. Upon
exercise of the option as provided herein, the Company shall become obligated
to sell to each of the several Underwriters, and, subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, each of the Underwriters (severally and not
jointly) shall become obligated to purchase from the Company, the same
percentage of the total number of the Option Securities as to which the
several Underwriters are then exercising the option as such Underwriter is
obligated to purchase of the aggregate number of Firm Securities, as adjusted
by the Representatives in such manner as they deem advisable to avoid
fractional Shares. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of
the Option Securities, one or more certificates in definitive form for such
Option Securities, and payment therefor, shall be delivered on the related
Option Closing Date in the manner, and upon the terms and conditions, set
forth in paragraph (a) of this Section 3, except that reference therein to
the Firm Securities and the Firm Closing Date shall be deemed, for purposes
of this paragraph (b), to refer to such Option Securities and Option Closing
Date, respectively.
(c) The Company hereby acknowledges that the wire transfer by or on behalf
of the Underwriters of the purchase price for any Shares does not constitute
closing of a purchase and sale of the Shares. Only execution and delivery of a
receipt for Shares by the Underwriters indicates completion of the closing of a
purchase of the Shares from the Company. Furthermore, in the event that the
Underwriters wire funds to the Company prior to the completion of the closing of
a purchase of Shares, the Company hereby acknowledges that until the
Underwriters execute and deliver a receipt for the Shares, by facsimile or
otherwise, the Company will not be entitled to the wired funds and shall return
the wired funds to the Underwriters as soon as practicable (by wire transfer of
same-day funds) upon demand. In the event that the closing of a purchase of
Shares is not completed and the wire funds are not returned by the Company to
the Underwriters on the same day the wired funds were received by the Company,
the Company agrees to pay to the Underwriters in respect of each day the wire
funds are not returned by it, in same-day funds, interest on the amount of such
wire funds in an amount representing the Underwriters' cost of financing as
reasonably determined by Prudential Securities Incorporated.
(d) It is understood that any of you, individually and not as one of the
Representatives, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment on behalf of
any Underwriter or Underwriters for any of the Securities to be purchased by
such Underwriter or Underwriters. No such payment shall relieve such
Underwriter or Underwriters from any of its or their obligations hereunder.
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4. OFFERING BY THE UNDERWRITERS. Upon your authorization of the release
of the Firm Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm
Securities for sale to the public upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.
5. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company covenants and agrees with each
of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement, if not effective at the time of execution of this Agreement, and any
amendments thereto to become effective as promptly as possible. If required,
the Company will file the Prospectus or any Term Sheet that constitutes a part
thereof and any amendment or supplement thereto with the Commission in the
manner and within the time period required by Rule 434 and 424(b) under the Act.
During any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be
delivered under the Act and the Company (i) will comply with all requirements
imposed upon it by the Act, the Exchange Act and the respective rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder to the extent necessary to permit the
continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities in accordance with the
provisions hereof and the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, and (ii)
will not file with the Commission the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
to such prospectus or any amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement of which the Representatives shall not previously
have been advised and furnished with a copy for a reasonable period of time
prior to the proposed filing and as to which filing the Representatives shall
not have given their consent. The Company will prepare and file with the
Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission,
promptly upon request by the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters,
any amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the
Prospectus that may be necessary or advisable in connection with the
distribution of the Securities by the several Underwriters, and will use its
best efforts to cause any such amendment to the Registration Statement to be
declared effective by the Commission as promptly as possible. The Company will
advise the Representatives, promptly after receiving notice thereof, of the time
when the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed or
declared effective or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has
been filed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of each
such filing or effectiveness.
(b) The Company will advise the Representatives, promptly after receiving
notice or obtaining knowledge thereof, of (i) the issuance by the Commission of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or
any order directed at any document incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any order
preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus
or any amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the suspension of the qualification
of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, (iii) the
institution, threatening or contemplation of any proceeding for any such purpose
or (iv) any request made by the Commission for amending the Registration
Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, for amending or
supplementing any Preliminary Prospectus, and any Prospectus or for additional
information. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any such stop order and, if any such stop order is issued, to obtain the
withdrawal thereof as promptly as possible.
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(c) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities for
offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as
the Representatives may designate and will continue such qualifications in
effect for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the
Securities, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in connection therewith the Company shall
not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.
(d) If, at any time prior to the later of (i) the final date when a
prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act
or (ii) the Option Closing Date, any event occurs as a result of which the
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would include any untrue statement
of a material fact or 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, or if for any other reason it is necessary at any time to
amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or
the respective rules or regulations of the Commission thereunder, the Company
will promptly notify the Representatives thereof and, subject to Section 5(a)
hereof, will prepare and file with the Commission, at the Company's expense, an
amendment to the Registration Statement, an amendment or supplement to the
Prospectus or any Prospectus that corrects such statement or omission or effects
such compliance.
(e) The Company will, without charge, provide (i) to the Representatives
and to counsel for the Underwriters a conformed copy of the registration
statement originally filed with respect to the Securities and each amendment
thereto (in each case including exhibits thereto), (ii) to each other
Underwriter, a conformed copy of such registration statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement and each amendment thereto (in each case without exhibits
thereto) and (iii) so long as a prospectus relating to the Securities is
required to be delivered under the Act, as many copies of each Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto as the
Representatives may reasonably request; without limiting the application of
clause (iii) of this sentence, the Company, not later than (A) 6:00 p.m., New
York City time, on the date of determination of the public offering price, if
such determination occurred at or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time on
such date of (B) 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the business day following
the date of determination of the public offering price, if such determination
occurred after 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date, will deliver to the
Underwriters, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus and any amendment
or supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request for purposes
of confirming orders that are expected to settle on the Firm Closing Date.
(f) The Company, as soon as practicable, will make generally available to
its securityholders and to the Representatives a consolidated earnings statement
of the Company and its subsidiaries that satisfies the provisions of Section
11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 thereunder.
(g) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
Securities as set forth under "Use of Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(h) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, without the prior
written consent of Prudential Securities Incorporated, on behalf of the
Underwriters, offer, sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any
option to purchase or otherwise sell or dispose (or announce any offer, sale,
offer of sale, contract of sale, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or
other sale or
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<PAGE>
disposition) of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible
into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, shares of Common Stock for a period
of 120 days after the date hereof, except pursuant to this Agreement and
except for issuances pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options
outstanding on the date hereof.
(i) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action
designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities or (ii) (A) sell, bid for, purchase, or pay anyone any compensation
for soliciting purchases of, the Securities or (B) pay or agree to pay to any
person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities
of the Company.
(j) The Company will obtain the agreements described in Section 7(f)
hereof prior to the Firm Closing Date.
(k) If at any time during the 25-day period after the Registration
Statement becomes effective or the period prior to the Option Closing Date, any
rumor, publication or event relating to or affecting the Company shall occur as
a result of which in your opinion the market price of the Common Stock has been
or is likely to be materially affected (regardless of whether such rumor,
publication or event necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the
Prospectus), the Company will, after notice from you advising the Company to the
effect set forth above, consult with you concerning the substance of a press
release or other public statement, reasonably satisfactory to you, responding to
or commenting on such rumor, publication or event.
(l) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b), the Company shall, as
promptly as practicable, both file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the
Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable fees in
accordance with Rule 111 promulgated under the Act.
(m) The Company will use its best efforts to ensure that the Securities
remain included for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market following the Firm
Closing Date.
6. EXPENSES. The Company will pay all costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the
transactions contemplated herein are consummated or this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section 11 hereof, including all costs and expenses incident to (i)
the printing or other production of documents with respect to the transactions,
including any costs of printing the registration statement originally filed with
respect to the Securities and any amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any
amendment or supplement thereto, this Agreement and any blue sky memoranda, (ii)
all arrangements relating to the delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the
foregoing documents, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the counsel,
accountants and any other experts or advisors retained by the Company, (iv)
preparation, issuance and delivery to the Underwriters of any certificates
evidencing the Securities, including transfer agent's and registrar's fees, (v)
the qualification of the Securities under state securities and blue sky laws,
including filing fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters
relating thereto, (vi) the filing fees of the Commission (and the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.) relating to the Securities, (vii) the
listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq National Market and (viii) meetings
with prospective investors in the Securities (other than shall have been
specifically
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approved by the Representatives to be paid for by the Underwriters). If the
sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any
condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 7
hereof is not satisfied, because this Agreement is terminated pursuant to
Section 11 hereof or because of any failure, refusal or inability on the part
of the Company to perform all obligations and satisfy all conditions on its
part to be performed or satisfied hereunder other than by reason of a default
by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters
severally upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and
disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection
with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities. The Company shall not
in any event be liable to any of the Underwriters for the loss of anticipated
profits from the transactions covered by this Agreement.
7. CONDITIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS. The obligations of the
several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities shall be
subject, in the Representatives' sole discretion, to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained herein as of the date
hereof and as of the Firm Closing Date, as if made on and as of the Firm Closing
Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company's officers made pursuant
to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and
agreements hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) If the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto filed prior
to the Firm Closing Date has not been declared effective as of the time of
execution hereof, the Registration Statement or such amendment and, if the
Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement shall have been declared effective not later than the earlier of
(i) 11:00 a.m., New York time, on the date on which the amendment to the
registration statement originally filed with respect to the Securities or to
the Registration Statement, as the case may be, containing information
regarding the initial public offering price of the Securities has been filed
with the Commission and (ii) the time confirmations are sent or given as
specified by Rule 462(b)(2), or with respect to the Registration Statement,
at such later time and date as shall have been consented to by the
Representatives; if required, the Prospectus that constitutes a part thereof
and any amendment or supplement thereto shall have been filed with the
Commission in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 434 and
424(b) under the Act; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto and no order
directed at any document incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall have
been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
threatened or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Representatives, shall
be contemplated by the Commission; and the Company shall have complied with
any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or otherwise).
(b) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC, counsel for the Company,
to the effect that:
(i) the Company and each of its subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2
hereto (the "Subsidiaries") have been duly incorporated and are validly
existing as corporations in good standing under the laws of their
respective jurisdictions of incorporation and are duly qualified to
transact business as foreign corporations and are in good standing under
the
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<PAGE>
laws of all other jurisdictions where the ownership or leasing of their
respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified
does not amount to a material liability or disability to the Company and
the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(ii) the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have corporate power
to own or lease their respective properties and conduct their respective
businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
and the Company has corporate power to enter into this Agreement and to
carry out all the terms and provisions hereof to be carried out by it;
(iii) the issued shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries
have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
nonassessable and, except for directors' qualifying shares and as otherwise
set forth in the Prospectus, are owned beneficially by the Company free and
clear of any perfected security interests or, to the knowledge of such
counsel, any other security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities or
claims;
(iv) the Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus; all of the issued shares of
capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued
and are fully paid and nonassessable, during the past three (3) years have
been issued in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities
laws and were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive
rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities; the Firm
Securities have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of
the Company and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the
Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable; upon issuance the Securities will have been duly
included for trading on the Nasdaq National Market; no holders of
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are entitled as such to
any preemptive or other rights to subscribe for any of the Securities; and
no holders of securities of the Company are entitled to have such
securities registered under the Registration Statement, except as set forth
in the Prospectus;
(v) the Common Stock conforms to the description thereof set forth
under the heading "Description of Common Stock", and insofar as such
description constitutes a summary of the legal matters, documents or
proceedings referred to therein, it provides a fair summary of such legal
matters, documents and proceedings,
(vi) the execution and delivery of this Agreement have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and this
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company;
(vii) to such counsel's knowledge after due inquiry, no legal or
governmental proceedings are pending to which the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries is a party or to which the property of the Company or any of
the Subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not described therein,
and, to the knowledge of such counsel, no such proceedings have been
threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or with respect
to any of their respective
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<PAGE>
properties; and to such counsel's knowledge after due inquiry, no
contract or other document is required to be filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement that is not filed as required;
(viii) the issuance, offering and sale of the Securities to the
Underwriters by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, the compliance by
the Company with the other provisions of this Agreement and the
consummation of the other transactions provided for herein do not (A)
require the consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification
of or with any governmental authority, except such as have been obtained
and such as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws, or (B)
violate any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under,
any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or other written agreement or
instrument, known to such counsel, to which the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries is a party, except for such violations and defaults that would
not have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, or violate the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company
or any of the Subsidiaries, or to such counsel's knowledge after due
inquiry, any applicable law or any order of any court or other governmental
authority or any arbitrator known to such counsel and applicable to the
Company or any of the Subsidiaries;
(ix) the Registration Statement is effective under the Act; any
required filing of the Prospectus, pursuant to Rules 434 and 424(b) has
been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rules 434
and 424(b); and to such counsel's knowledge, after due inquiry, no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto and no order directed at any document
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued, and no to such
counsel's knowledge, after due inquiry, proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted, or threatened or are contemplated by the Commission; and
(x) the Registration Statement originally filed with respect to
the Securities and each amendment thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, the Prospectus (in each case, including the documents
incorporated by reference therein but not including the financial
statements and other financial or statistical information contained or
incorporated by reference therein and any information furnished by the
Underwriters, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as
to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the
Act, the Exchange Act and the respective rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder.
(xi) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 434, the Prospectus is
not "materially different", as such term is used in Rule 434, from the
prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its
effectiveness or any effective post-effective amendment thereto (including
such information that is permitted to be omitted pursuant to Rule 430A).
Such counsel shall also state that they have no reason to believe that the
Registration Statement, as of its effective date, contained any untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state any
15
<PAGE>
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus, as of its date or
the date of such opinion, included or includes any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading.
In rendering any such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of
fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company and public officials. In rendering the opinions set
forth in paragraphs (i) - (iii), the first three clauses of paragraph (iv) and
the fifth clause of paragraph (iv), and paragraph (vi), such counsel may rely
solely on the opinion of Berenbaum, Weinshienk & Eason, P.C., or such other
counsel acceptable to the Representatives, and otherwise may rely on the opinion
of such counsel as to all matters involving the application of the laws of
Colorado. The foregoing opinion shall also state that the Underwriters are
justified in relying upon such other opinion of counsel acceptable to the
Representatives, and copies of such opinion shall be delivered to the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (b) shall include any amendment or supplement thereto at the date of
such opinion.
(c) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, with
respect to the issuance and sale of the Firm Securities, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, and such other related matters as the Representatives
may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel
such documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them
to pass upon such matters.
(d) The Representatives shall have received from BDO Seidman, LLP a letter
or letters dated, respectively, the date hereof and the Firm Closing Date, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) they are independent accountants with respect to the Company
and its consolidated subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act, the
Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) in their opinion, the audited consolidated financial
statements and schedules examined by them and included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus comply in form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the
related published rules and regulations thereunder;
(iii) on the basis of a reading of the latest available interim
unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements of the Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries, carrying out certain specified procedures
(which do not constitute an examination made in accordance with generally
accepted auditing standards) that would not necessarily reveal matters of
significance with respect to the comments set forth in this paragraph
(iii), a reading of the minute books of the shareholders, the board of
directors and any committees thereof of the Company and each of its
consolidated subsidiaries, and
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inquiries of certain officials of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries who have responsibility for financial and accounting
matters, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe
that:
(A) the unaudited consolidated condensed financial
statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not comply in form
in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements
of the Act, the Exchange Act 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 that of the audited consolidated financial statements
included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;
(B) at a specific date not more than five business days
prior to the date of such letter, there were any changes in the
capital stock or long-term debt of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries or any decreases in net current assets or stockholders'
equity of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, in each case
compared with amounts shown on the March 31, 1999 unaudited
consolidated balance sheet included in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, or for the period from March 31, 1999 to such
specified date there were any decreases, as compared with the
comparable prior year period, in net revenues, net income before
income taxes or total or per share amounts of net income of the
Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, except in all instances for
changes, decreases or increases set forth in such letter; and
(iv) they have carried out certain specified procedures, not
constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and
financial information that are derived from the general accounting records
of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and are included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus and have compared such amounts,
percentages and financial information with such records of the Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries and with information derived from such
records and have found them to be in agreement, excluding any questions of
legal interpretation; and
(v) on the basis of a reading of the unaudited pro forma
consolidated condensed financial statements included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, carrying out certain specified procedures
that would not necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect to
the comments set forth in this paragraph (v), inquiries of certain
officials of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries who have
responsibility for financial and accounting matters and proving the
arithmetic accuracy of the application of the pro forma adjustments to the
historical amounts in the unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed
financial statements, nothing came to their attention that caused them to
believe that the unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements do not comply in form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of Rule 11-02 of Regulation S-X or that
the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical
amounts in the compilation of such statements.
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In the event that the letters referred to above set forth any such changes,
decreases or increases, it shall be a further condition to the obligations of
the Underwriters that (i) such letters shall be accompanied by a written
explanation of the Company as to the significance thereof, unless the
Representatives deem such explanation unnecessary, and (ii) such changes,
decreases or increases do not, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, make
it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the purchase and delivery of the
Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement, as amended as of the
date hereof.
References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (d) with respect to either letter referred to above shall include any
amendment or supplement thereto at the date of such letter.
(e) The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated the Firm
Closing Date, of the principal executive officer and the principal financial or
accounting officer of the Company to the effect that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this
Agreement are true and correct as if made on and as of the Firm Closing
Date; the Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented as of the Firm
Closing Date, does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of the Firm
Closing Date, does not include any 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, not
misleading; and the Company has performed all covenants and agreements and
satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or
prior to the Firm Closing Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto and no order directed at
any document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued, and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened or, to the
best of the Company's knowledge, are contemplated by the Commission; and
(iii) subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference
with their respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane,
accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from
any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, and there has
not been any material adverse change, or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or
otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth or results of
operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except in each case
as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.
(f) The Representatives shall have received from each person who is a
director or officer of the Company and from certain shareholders listed on
Schedule 3 an agreement to the effect that such person will not, directly or
indirectly, without the prior written consent of Prudential
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<PAGE>
Securities Incorporated, on behalf of the Underwriters, offer, sell, offer to
sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise
sell or dispose (or announce any offer, sale, offer of sale, contract of
sale, pledge, grant of an option to purchase or other sale or disposition) of
any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or
exchangeable or exercisable for, shares of Common Stock for a period of 120
days after the date of this Agreement, except pursuant to this Agreement and
except for issuances pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options
outstanding on the date hereof.
(g) On or before the Firm Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel
for the Underwriters shall have received such further certificates, documents or
other information as they may have reasonably requested from the Company.
(h) Prior to the commencement of the offering of the Securities, the
Securities shall have been included for trading on the Nasdaq National Market.
All opinions, certificates, letters and documents delivered pursuant to
this Agreement will comply with the provisions hereof only if they are
reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters. The Company shall furnish to the Representatives
such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents in
such quantities as the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall
reasonably request.
The respective obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay
for any Option Securities shall be subject, in their discretion, to each of the
foregoing conditions to purchase the Firm Securities, except that all references
to the Firm Securities and the Firm Closing Date shall be deemed to refer to
such Option Securities and the related Option Closing Date, respectively.
8. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
(a) 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 Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter or such
controlling person may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon:
(i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement made by the
Company in Section 2 of this Agreement,
(ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in (A) the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto or (B) any application or other document, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, executed by the Company or based upon
written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any
jurisdiction in order to qualify the Securities under the securities or
blue sky laws thereof or filed with the Commission or any securities
association or securities exchange (each an "Application")
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<PAGE>
(iii) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or
(iv) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in any audio or visual materials provided by the
Company or based upon written information furnished by or on behalf of the
Company including, without limitation, slides, videos, films, tape
recordings, used in connection with the marketing of the Securities,
including without limitation, statements (contained in audio or visual
materials provided by the Company or based upon written information
furnished by or on behalf of the Company) communicated to securities
analysts employed by the Underwriters; and will reimburse, as incurred,
each Underwriter and each such controlling person for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person
in connection with investigating, defending against or appearing as a
third-party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company will 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 any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration
statement or any amendment thereto any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for
use therein; and, PROVIDED, FURTHER, that the Company will not be liable to
any Underwriter or any person controlling such Underwriter with respect to
any such untrue statement or omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus
that is corrected in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) if the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability
purchased Securities from such Underwriter but was not sent or given a copy
of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented), other than the documents
incorporated by reference therein, at or prior to the written confirmation
of the sale of such Securities to such person in any case where such
delivery of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) is required by the
Act, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus (as amended or
supplemented) was a result of noncompliance by the Company with Section
5(d) and (a) of the Agreement. This indemnity agreement will be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have. The
Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter or
Underwriters purchasing, in the aggregate, more than fifty percent (50%) of
the Securities, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any
judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in
respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not
any such Underwriter or any person who controls any such Underwriter within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act is a
party to such claim, action, suit or proceeding), unless such settlement,
compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of all of the
Underwriters and such controlling persons from all liability arising out of
such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
(b) Each Underwriter will, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of 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 Act or
20
<PAGE>
Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company, any such director or officer of the
Company, or any such controlling person of the Company may become subject
under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are
based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or any Application or (ii) the omission or the alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus
or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application
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 reliance upon
and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein; and,
subject to the limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, will
reimburse, as incurred, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
the Company, any such director, officer or controlling person in connection
with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
any action in respect thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition
to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a
claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this
Section 8, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the
omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 8. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and
it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may
wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume
the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the defendants in any such action include both the
indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall
have reasonably concluded that there may be one or more legal defenses available
to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to
those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have
the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified
party or parties and such indemnified party or parties shall have the right to
select separate counsel to defend such action on behalf of such indemnified
party or parties. After notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified
party of its election so to assume the defense thereof and approval by such
indemnified party of counsel appointed to defend such action, the indemnifying
party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any
legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation,
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof, unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel
in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being
understood, however, that in connection with such action the indemnifying party
shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in
addition to local counsel) in any one action or separate but substantially
similar actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general
allegations or circumstances, designated by the Representatives in the case of
paragraph (a) of this Section 8, representing the indemnified parties under such
paragraph (a) who are parties to such action or actions) or (ii) the
indemnifying party does not promptly retain counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party or (iii) the indemnifying
21
<PAGE>
party has authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at
the expense of the indemnifying party. After such notice from the
indemnifying party to such indemnified party, the indemnifying party will not
be liable for the costs and expenses of any settlement of such action
effected by such indemnified party without the consent of the indemnifying
party.
(d) In circumstances in which the indemnity agreement provided for in the
preceding paragraphs of this Section 8 is unavailable or insufficient, for any
reason, to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), each indemnifying party,
in order to provide for just and equitable contribution, 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 (i) the relative benefits received by
the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on
the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided
by the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, not only such
relative benefits but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or
parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions or alleged statements or omissions that
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 the Underwriters on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from
the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the
total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The
relative fault of the parties 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 or the Underwriters, the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission, and any other equitable considerations appropriate in the
circumstances. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be
equitable if the amount of such contribution were determined by pro rata or per
capita allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to above in this paragraph (d).
Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph (d), no Underwriter shall
be obligated to make contributions hereunder that in the aggregate exceed the
total public offering price of the Securities purchased by such Underwriter
under this Agreement, less the aggregate amount of any damages that such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay in respect of the same or any
substantially similar claim, and 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 Underwriters' obligations to contribute hereunder are
several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not
joint, and contributions among Underwriters shall be governed by the provisions
of the Prudential Securities Incorporated Master Agreement Among Underwriters.
For purposes of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange 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 Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, shall
have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
22
<PAGE>
9. DEFAULT OF UNDERWRITERS. If one or more Underwriters default in their
obligations to purchase Firm Securities or Option Securities hereunder and the
aggregate number of such Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase is ten percent or less of the
aggregate number of Firm Securities or Option Securities to be purchased by all
of the Underwriters at such time hereunder, the other Underwriters may make
arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives for the purchase of such
Securities by other persons (who may include one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, including the Representatives), but if no such arrangements are
made by the Firm Closing Date or the related Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in proportion to
their respective commitments hereunder to purchase the Firm Securities or Option
Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to
purchase. If one or more Underwriters so default with respect to an aggregate
number of Securities that is more than ten percent of the aggregate number of
Firm Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, to be purchased by all
of the Underwriters at such time hereunder, and if arrangements satisfactory to
the Representatives are not made within 36 hours after such default for the
purchase by other persons (who may include one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, including the Representatives) of the Securities with respect to
which such default occurs, this Agreement will terminate without liability on
the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company other than as provided
in Section 10 hereof. In the event of any default by one or more Underwriters
as described in this Section 9, the Representatives shall have the right to
postpone the Firm Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
established as provided in Section 3 hereof for not more than seven business
days in order that any necessary changes may be made in the arrangements or
documents for the purchase and delivery of the Firm Securities or Option
Securities, as the case may be. As used in this Agreement, the term
"Underwriter" includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this
Section 9. Nothing herein shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability for its default.
10. SURVIVAL. The respective representations, warranties, agreements,
covenants, indemnities and other statements of the Company, its officers and the
several Underwriters 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 (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company,
any of its officers or directors, any Underwriter or any controlling person
referred to in Section 8 hereof and (ii) delivery of and payment for the
Securities. The respective agreements, covenants, indemnities and other
statements set forth in Sections 6 and 8 hereof shall remain in full force and
effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
11. TERMINATION.
(a) This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Firm Securities
or any Option Securities in the sole discretion of the Representatives by notice
to the Company given prior to the Firm Closing Date or the related Option
Closing Date, respectively, in the event that the Company shall have failed,
refused or been unable to perform all obligations and satisfy all conditions on
its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior thereto or, if at or
prior to the Firm Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, respectively,
(i) the Company or any of its subsidiaries shall have, in the sole
judgment of the Representatives, sustained any material loss or
interference with their respective businesses or properties from fire,
flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or
23
<PAGE>
not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or any legal or
governmental proceeding or there shall have been any material adverse
change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse
change (including without limitation a change in management or control
of the Company), in the condition (financial or otherwise), business
prospects, net worth or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, except in each case as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto);
(ii) trading in the Common Stock shall have been suspended by the
Commission or the Nasdaq National Market or trading in securities generally
on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market shall have
been suspended or minimum or maximum prices shall have been established on
either such exchange;
(iii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by New York or
United States authorities; or
(iv) there shall have been (A) an outbreak or escalation of
hostilities between the United States and any foreign power, (B) an
outbreak or escalation of any other insurrection or armed conflict
involving the United States or (C) any other calamity or crisis or material
adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions
having an effect on the U. S. financial markets that, in the sole judgment
of the Representatives, makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with
the public offering or the delivery of the Securities as contemplated by
the Registration Statement, as amended as of the date hereof.
(b) Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11 shall be
without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section
10 hereof.
12. INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY UNDERWRITERS. The statements set forth in the
last paragraph on the front cover page and under the heading "Underwriting" in
any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (to the extent such statements
relate to the Underwriters) constitute the only information furnished by any
Underwriter through the Representatives to the Company for the purposes of
Sections 2(b) and 8 hereof. The Underwriters confirm that such statements (to
such extent) are correct.
13. NOTICES. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if
sent to any of the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission and confirmed in writing to Prudential Securities
Incorporated, One New York Plaza, New York, New York 10292, Attention: Equity
Transactions Group; and if sent to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by
mail, telex or facsimile transmission and confirmed in writing to the Company at
Evergreen Resources, Inc., 1401 17th Street, Denver, Colorado, 80202.
14. SUCCESSORS. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be
binding upon the several Underwriters, the Company and their respective
successors and legal representatives, and nothing expressed or mentioned in this
Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal
or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement, or
any provisions herein contained, this Agreement and all conditions and
provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and exclusive
benefit of such persons and for
24
<PAGE>
the benefit of no other person except that (i) the indemnities of the Company
contained in Section 8 of this Agreement shall also be for the benefit of any
person or persons who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section
15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and (ii) the indemnities of
the Underwriters contained in Section 8 of this Agreement shall also be for
the benefit of the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who
have signed the Registration Statement and any person or persons who control
the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be
deemed a successor because of such purchase.
15. APPLICABLE LAW. The validity and interpretation of this Agreement,
and the terms and conditions set forth herein, shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving
effect to any provisions relating to conflicts of laws.
16. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION AND SERVICE OF PROCESS. All judicial
proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement may be brought in any
state or federal court of competent jurisdiction in the State of New York, and
by execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company accepts for itself and
in connection with its properties, generally and unconditionally, the
nonexclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and waives any defense of
forum non conveniens and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered
thereby in connection with this Agreement. A copy of any such process so served
shall be mailed by registered mail to the Company at its address provided in
Section 13 hereof; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, unless otherwise provided by
applicable law, any failure to mail such copy shall not affect the validity of
service of such process.
17. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
25
<PAGE>
If the foregoing correctly sets forth our understanding, please indicate
your acceptance thereof in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon
this letter shall constitute an agreement binding the Company and each of the
several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
EVERGREEN RESOURCES, INC.
By: /s/ Mark S. Sexton
---------------------------
President
The foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
A.G. EDWARDS & SONS, INC.
HOWARD, WEIL, LABOUISSE, FRIEDRICHS INCORPORATED
HANIFEN, IMHOFF INC.
By: PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
By: /s/ Jean-Claude Canfin
--------------------------------------
Jean-Claude Canfin
Managing Director
For itself and on behalf of the Representatives.
26
<PAGE>
SCHEDULE 1
UNDERWRITERS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Number of Firm
Underwriter Securities to be
- ------------- Purchased
----------------
<S> <C>
Prudential Securities Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . 1,265,000
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506,000
Howard, Weil, Labouisse, Friedrichs Incorporated . . . . 506,000
Hanifen, Imhoff Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253,000
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110,000
Brean Murray & Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55,000
Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55,000
----------------
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,750,000
</TABLE>
1
<PAGE>
SCHEDULE 2
SUBSIDIARIES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Name Jurisdiction of Incorporation
---- -----------------------------
<S> <C>
Evergreen Operating Corporation Colorado
Primero Gas Marketing Company Colorado
Evergreen Well Service Company Colorado
Evergreen Resources (UK) Ltd. United Kingdom
Powerbridge, Inc. Texas
Enviroseis, LLC Colorado
</TABLE>
1
<PAGE>
SCHEDULE 3
LIST OF SHAREHOLDERS TO SIGN
A LOCK-UP LETTER
1. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company
2. Energy Investors Fund I, II
1
<PAGE>
[LETTERHEAD OF BERENBAUM, WEINSHIENK & EASON, P.C.]
June 16, 1999
Evergreen Resources, Inc.
1401 17th Street, Suite 1200
Denver, Colorado 80202
Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for Evergreen Resources, Inc., a Colorado
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), of the offer and sale
of securities by the Company from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the
Securities Act, including shares of common stock, no par value, of the Company
with attached share purchase rights ("Common Stock"), pursuant to the Company's
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-78203) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on May 11, 1999 and
declared effective by the Commission on May 24, 1999 (the "Registration
Statement"), and the proposed offer and sale of 2,750,000 shares of Common
Stock, plus up to 412,500 additional shares to cover over-allotments (the
"Shares"), as described in a Prospectus Supplement dated May 28, 1999 filed with
the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2) of the Commission (the "Prospectus
Supplement").
We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to
our satisfaction, of the definitive underwriting agreement with respect to the
sale of the Shares (the "Underwriting Agreement"), the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus Supplement and the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the
Company and such other certificates, instruments and documents as we considered
appropriate for purposes of the opinions hereafter expressed. In addition, we
reviewed such questions of law as we considered appropriate.
Based upon the foregoing examination and review, we are of the opinion that
the Shares have been duly authorized and, when sold in accordance with the
Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Colorado.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the Prospectus Supplement
forming a part of the Registration Statement under the caption "Legal Matters."
In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of
persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act and the
rules and regulations thereunder.
<PAGE>
Very truly yours,
/s/ Berenbaum, Weinshienk & Eason, P.C.
