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EXHIBIT 1.2
SCHOOL SPECIALTY, INC.
% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
_____________,1999
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Barney Inc.
As representatives (the "Representatives")
of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.,
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
School Specialty Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell
to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") an aggregate
of $.......... principal amount of the % Senior Subordinated Notes due specified
above (the "Securities").
1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1, (File No. 33-.....)
(the "Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Securities has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission"); the Initial Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered
to you, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form;
other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the
offering (a "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), filed pursuant to
Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"),
which
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became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the
Initial Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the
Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or
the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the
Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial
Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act, is
hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of the
Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto but excluding Form
T-1 and including the information contained in the form of final
prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule
430A under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at
the time it was declared effective, each as amended at the time such
part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such
part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became
effective or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively
called the "Registration Statement"; and such form of final prospectus,
in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is
hereinafter called the "Prospectus";
(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each
Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all
material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act"), and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading; and the statements made therein within the coverage of
Rule 175(b) under the Act were made by the Company with a reasonable
basis and in good faith; provided, however, that this representation
and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing
to the Company by the Underwriters through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Sachs & Co.
expressly for use therein;
(c) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus
and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the
requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of
the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto and as of the applicable filing date as to the
Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading;
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and the statements made therein within the coverage of Rule 175(b)
under the Act were made by the Company with a reasonable basis and in
good faith; provided, however, that this representation and warranty
shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company
by the Underwriters through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. expressly for use
therein;
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
included in the Prospectus any material loss or interference with its
business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not
covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or
governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock,
short-term debt or long-term debt (other than changes to short-term and
long-term not in excess of $30 million in the aggregate) of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or
affecting the general affairs, management, financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus;
(e) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable
title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title
to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of
all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the
Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such
property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made
of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real
property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its
subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable
leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and
buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries;
(f) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and
has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of
business and is in good standing under the laws of each other
jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any
business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no
material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so
qualified in any such jurisdiction; and each subsidiary of the Company
has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
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incorporation and each subsidiary organized as a limited liability
company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited
liability company in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction
of organization;
(g) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth
in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the
Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully
paid and non-assessable; and all of the issued shares of capital stock
of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized
and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for
directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the
Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims
except as may be pledged as security for the $350.0 million credit
facility (the "Credit Facility") described in the Prospectus;
(h) The Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued
and delivered pursuant to this Agreement, will have been duly executed,
authenticated, issued and delivered and will constitute valid and
legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits
provided by the Indenture to be dated as of ................, 1999 (the
"Indenture") between the Company and ............, as Trustee (the
"Trustee"), under which they are to be issued, which will be
substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement; the Indenture has been duly authorized and duly qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act and, when executed and delivered by the
Company and the Trustee, will constitute a valid and legally binding
instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to
enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws
of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and
to general equity principles; and the Securities and the Indenture will
conform to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus;
(i) The Company has reviewed its operations and that of its
subsidiaries to evaluate the extent to which the business or operations
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries will be affected by the Year
2000 Problem. As a result of such review, the Company has no reason to
believe, and does not believe, that the Year 2000 Problem will have a
material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, the current
or future consolidated financial position, business prospects,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries or result in any material loss or interference with the
Company's business or operations. The "Year 2000 Problem" as used
herein means any significant risk that computer hardware or software
used in the receipt, transmission, processing, manipulation, storage,
retrieval, retransmission or other utilization of data or in the
operation of mechanical or electrical systems of any kind will not, in
the case of dates or time periods occurring after December 31, 1999,
function at least as effectively as in the case of dates or time
periods occurring prior to January 1, 2000;
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(j) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by
the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture
and this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and
therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or
violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default
under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, sale/leaseback
agreement, loan agreement or other similar financing agreement or
instrument or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except where such
conflict, breach, violation or default would not, individually or in
the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the current
consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole (a
"Material Adverse Effect"), nor will such action result in any
violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or
By-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation
of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over
the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties; and
no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body
is required for the issue and sale of the Securities or the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or the Indenture, except the registration under the Act of
the Securities, such as have been obtained under the Trust Indenture
Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or
qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky
laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities
by the Underwriters;
(k) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or other
organization document or in default in the performance or observance of
any material obligation, covenant or condition contained in any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of
its properties may be bound except where such violation or default
would not have a Material Adverse Effect;
(l) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption "Description of Notes", insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the caption
"Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of
the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and
fair;
(m) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no
legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined
adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually
or in the aggregate
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have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of the Company's
knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(n) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Securities, will not be an "investment
company", as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act");
(o) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, Ernst &
Young, LLP, BDO ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Melvoin and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, who
have certified certain financial statements of The Re-Print Corporation
and American Academic Suppliers Holding Corporation are each
independent public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at
a purchase price of ....% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued
interest, if any, from . . . . . . . . . . . . . , 1999 to the Time of Delivery
hereunder, the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of
such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
3. Upon the authorization by the Representatives of the release of the
Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale
upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. (a) The Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder
will be represented by one or more definitive global Securities in book-entry
form which will be deposited by or on behalf of the Company with The Depository
Trust Company ("DTC") or its designated custodian. The Company will deliver the
Securities to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., for the account of each Underwriter, against
payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by
wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the
Company to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Sachs & Co. at least forty-eight hours in advance, by
causing DTC to credit the Securities to the account of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. at
DTC. The Company will cause the certificates representing the Securities to be
made available to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Sachs & Co. for checking at least twenty-four hours
prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) at the office of DTC or its
designated custodian (the "Designated Office"). The time and date of such
delivery and payment shall be 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on
....................., 1999 or such other time and date as ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date are herein called
the "Time of Delivery".
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(b) The documents to be delivered at the Time of Delivery by or on
behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 7 hereof, including the
cross-receipt for the Securities and any additional documents requested by the
Underwriters pursuant to Section 7(i) hereof, will be delivered at the offices
of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ (the
"Closing Location"), and the Securities will be delivered at the Designated
Office, all at the Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing
Location at 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next
preceding the Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the
documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available
for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, "New York
Business Day" shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to
file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later
than the Commission's close of business on the second business day
following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if
applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3)
under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus which shall be disapproved by the
Representatives promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the
Representatives promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time
when the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, has been
filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any
amended Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives
with copies thereof; to advise the Representatives promptly after it
receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus, of the suspension of the
qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for
any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending
or supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop
order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus or suspending any such
qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the
withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the
Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Securities for
offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as
the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to
permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such
jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the
distribution of the Securities, provided that in
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connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process
in any jurisdiction;
(c) Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the New York
Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time
to time, to furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in
New York City in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably
request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time
in connection with offering or sale of the Securities and if at such
time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus
as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or,
if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement
the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act or the Trust Indenture
Act, to notify the Representatives and upon the request of the
Representatives to prepare and furnish without charge to each
Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the
Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended
Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any
Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with
sales of any of the Securities at any time nine months or more after
the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon request of the
Representatives but at the expense of such Underwriter to prepare and
deliver to such Underwriter as many copies as the Representatives may
request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section
10(a)(3) of the Act;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon
as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after
the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule
158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its
subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a)
of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
(including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) During the period beginning from the date hereof and
continuing to and including the earlier of the Time of Delivery and
such earlier time as you may notify the Company, not to offer, sell,
contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided hereunder
any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the
Securities;
(f) To furnish to the holders of the Securities as soon as
practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report
(including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders'
equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries
certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as
practicable after
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the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year
(beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of
the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders
consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its
subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail; and to furnish to
the holders of the Securities all other documents specified in
Section[s] ...... [and ..... ] of the Indenture, all in the manner so
specified;
(g) During a period of five years from the effective date of
the Registration Statement, to furnish to the Representatives copies of
all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to
stockholders, and to deliver to the Representatives (i) as soon as they
are available, (A) copies of any reports and financial statements
furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities
exchange on which the Securities or any class of securities of the
Company is listed and (B) the documents specified in Section[s] ...
[and ......] of the Indenture, as in effect at the Time of Delivery;
and (ii) such additional information concerning the business and
financial condition of the Company as the Representatives may from time
to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a
consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its
subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders
generally or to the Commission);
(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of
the Securities pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in
the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds";
(i) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the
Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the
Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington,
D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the
time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the
payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act.
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that
the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees,
disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in
connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and
amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies
thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing
any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Indenture, the Blue Sky
and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing documents (including any compilations
thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale
and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection with the
qualification of the Securities for
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offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5 (b)
hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and legal
investment surveys; (iv) any fees charged by securities rating services for
rating the Securities; (v) the filing fees incident to, and fees and the
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required
review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of
the sale of the Securities; (vi) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vii) the
fees and expenses of the Trustee and any agent of the Trustee and the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and
the Securities; and (vii) all other costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as
provided in this Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will
pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel,
transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising
expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder shall be subject, in
the sole discretion of the Representatives to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein are,
at and as of the Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the
Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be
performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed
for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in
accordance with Section 5 (a) hereof; if the Company has elected to
rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall
have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date
of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and
no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened
by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the
part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Representatives;
(b) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Underwriters, shall
have furnished to the Representatives such written opinion or opinions,
dated the Time of Delivery, with respect to the incorporation of the
Company, the Securities, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
and such other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably
request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and
information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon
such matters;
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(c) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Company, shall have
furnished to the Representatives their written opinion, dated the Time
of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives,
to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority
(corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as
set forth in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of
capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly
authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(iii) The Company has been duly qualified as a
foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in
good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in
which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so
as to require such qualification, except where the failure to
be so qualified or in good standing would not have a Material
Adverse Effect (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect
of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel
and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of
officers of the Company, provided that such counsel shall
state that they believe that both the Representatives and they
are justified in relying upon such opinions and certificates);
(iv) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;
and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each such
subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued,
are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except for directors'
qualifying shares are owned directly or indirectly by the
Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities
or claims except as may be pledged as security for the Credit
Facility as described in the Prospectus (such counsel being
entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon
opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact
upon certificates of officers of the Company or its
subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that they
believe that both the Representatives and they are justified
in relying upon such opinions and certificates);
(v) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other
than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if
determined adversely to
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the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or
in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the
best of such counsel's knowledge, no such proceedings are
threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
threatened by others;
(vi) This Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company;
(vii) The Securities have been duly authorized,
executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and constitute
valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled
to the benefits provided by the Indenture; and the Securities
and the Indenture conform to the descriptions thereof in the
Prospectus;
(viii) The Indenture has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the parties thereto and constitutes
a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors'
rights and to general equity principles; and the Indenture has
been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;
(ix) The issue and sale of the Securities and the
compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the
Securities, the Indenture and this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein and therein
contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or
violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute
a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
sale/leaseback agreement, loan agreement or other material
financing agreement or any other material agreement or
instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property
or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
subject, except where such conflict, breach or violation or
default would have a Material Adverse Effect, nor will such
action result in any violation of the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any
statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties;
(x) No consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any such court or
governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale
of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture
except such as have
-12-
13
been obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and
such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or
qualifications as may be required under state securities or
Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution
of the Securities by the Underwriters;
(xi) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
is in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws
or in default in the performance or observance of any material
obligation, covenant or condition contained in any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, material lease or
other material agreement or instrument to which it is a party
or by which it or any of its properties may be bound except
where such conflict, breach, violation or default would not
have a Material Adverse Effect;
(xii) The statements set forth in the Prospectus
under the caption "Description of Notes," insofar as they
purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the
Securities, and under the caption "Underwriting", insofar as
they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and
documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and
fair;
(xiii) The Company is not an "investment company", as
such term is defined in the Investment Company Act; and
(xiv) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus
and any further amendments and supplements thereto made by the
Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the
financial statements, related schedules and financial data
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion)
comply as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the
rules and regulations thereunder; although they do not assume
any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness
of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus, except for those referred to in the opinion in
subsection (xiii) of this Section 7(c), they have no reason to
believe that, as of its effective date, the Registration
Statement or any further amendment thereto made by the Company
prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the financial
statements, related schedules and financial data therein, as
to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained
-13-
14
an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading or that, as of its
date, the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement
thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery
(other than the financial statements, related schedules and
financial data therein, as to which such counsel need express
no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact
or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading or that, as of the Time
of Delivery, either the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made
by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the
financial statements and related schedules and financial data
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion)
contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to
state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; and they do not know of any
amendment to the Registration Statement required to be filed
or of any contracts or other documents of a character required
to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or
required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus which are not filed or described as required;
(d) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the
execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the
effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at
the Time of Delivery, Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP, Ernst & Young LLP,
BDO ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, LLP and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Melvoin and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP shall have
furnished to the Representatives a letter or letters, dated the
respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex I
hereto (the executed copies of the letters delivered prior to the
execution of this Agreement are attached as Annex I(a) hereto and
drafts of the forms of letters to be delivered on the effective date of
any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement and as of
each Time of Delivery are attached as Annex I(b) hereto);
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall
have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial
statements included in the Prospectus any loss or interference with its
business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not
covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or
governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as
of which information is given in the Prospectus there shall not have
been any change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt
(other than changes to short-term and long-term debt not in excess of
$30 million in the aggregate) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or
affecting the general affairs, management, financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in Clause
(i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and
-14-
15
adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
public offering or the delivery of the Securities on the terms and in
the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(f) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have
occurred in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any
"nationally recognized statistical rating organization", as that term
is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the
Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that
it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative
implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities;
(g) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred
any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in
trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or on
NASDAQ; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the
Company's securities on NASDAQ; (iii) a general moratorium on
commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York
State authorities; or (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities
involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of
a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified
in this Clause (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated
in the Prospectus; or (v) the occurrence of any material adverse change
in the existing financial, political or economic conditions in the
United States or elsewhere which, in the judgment of the
Representatives, would materially and adversely affect the financial
markets or the market for the Securities and other debt securities;
(h) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of
Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on
the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement;
and
(i) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished
to the Representatives at the Time of Delivery certificates of officers
of the Company satisfactory to the Representatives as to the accuracy
of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as
of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all
of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time
of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of
this Section and as to such other matters as the Representatives may
reasonably request.
8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
-15-
16
statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in
connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such
expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable
in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by any Underwriter through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Sachs & Co. expressly for use
therein.
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the
Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the
Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in
each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
was made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and
in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such
Underwriter through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. expressly for use therein; and
will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any
action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is
to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the
omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from
any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than
under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against
any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with
any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall
not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to
the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party
to such indemnified party of its election so to
-16-
17
assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable
to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses
of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently
incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying
party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party,
effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any
judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in
respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought
hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or
potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement,
compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or
claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of
fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any
indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party
under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to
therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount
paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from
the offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by
the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law
or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under
subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits
but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
(or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company
on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be
in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in
each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the
Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to,
among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material
fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or
the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that
it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this
subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the
Underwriters were treated as one entity
-17-
18
for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this
subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be
deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the
Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were
offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who
was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters'
obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in
proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall
be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have
and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person,
if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and
the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may
otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to
each officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any,
who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase
the Securities which it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the Representatives
may in their discretion arrange for the Representatives or another party or
other parties to purchase such Securities on the terms contained herein. If
within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter the
Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the
Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which
to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to
purchase such Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the respective
prescribed periods, the Representatives notify the Company that they have so
arranged for the purchase of such Securities, or the Company notifies the
Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Securities, the
Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Time of
Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever
changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to
file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
which in the opinion of the Representatives may thereby be made necessary. The
term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person
substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally
been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Securities.
-18-
19
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the
purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a)
above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities which remains
unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal
amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to
require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal
amount of Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase
hereunder and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter
to purchase its pro rata share (based on the principal amount of
Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the
Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which
such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve
a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the
purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a)
above, the aggregate principal amount of Securities which remains
unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of
all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right
described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting
Underwriters to purchase Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then this Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without
liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company,
except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters
as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and contribution
agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a
defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth
in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to
this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
11. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof,
the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as
provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason, the
Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein,
the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the Representatives for all
out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the Representatives, including
fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in
making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities, but
the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except
as provided in Sections 6 and ▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇.
-▇▇-
▇▇
▇▇. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives shall act on behalf
of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and
rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any
Underwriter made or given by the Representatives jointly or by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ &
Co. on behalf of the Representatives.
All statements, requests, notices, and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the Representatives in care of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Sachs & Co.,
▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Registration
Department; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the
Registration Statement, Attention: Chief Executive Officer; provided, however,
that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 (c) hereof shall be
delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter
at its address set forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex
constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company
by the Representatives upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or
agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the
benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in
Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each
person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs,
executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall
acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of
any of the Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign
by reason merely of such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the
term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
16. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties
hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an
original, but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and
the same instrument.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by the
Representatives, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such
acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the
Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that the Representatives'
acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to
the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of
which shall be submitted to the Company
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21
for examination, upon request, but without warranty on the part of the
Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
School Specialty, Inc.
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
By:
-------------------------------
(▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Sachs & Co.)
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
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22
SCHEDULE I
Principal
Amount of
Securities
to be
UNDERWRITER Purchased
----------- ---------
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. $
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Barney Inc.
----------
Total
==========
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