Exhibit 1.2
BLACKROCK, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
* * Shares of Class A Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
INTERNATIONAL PURCHASE AGREEMENT
* * , 1999
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ INTERNATIONAL
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SACHS INTERNATIONAL
▇▇▇▇▇▇ BROTHERS INTERNATIONAL (EUROPE)
PRUDENTIAL-BACHE SECURITIES (U.K.) INC. and
SALOMON BROTHERS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
as Lead Managers of the several International Managers
c/o Merrill ▇▇▇▇▇ International
Ropemaker Place
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
BlackRock, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), confirms its
agreement with ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ International ("▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇") and each of the
other International Managers named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the
"International Managers", which term shall also include any underwriter
substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ International, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers International (Europe),
Prudential-Bache Securities (U.K.) Inc. and Salomon Brothers International
Limited are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the "Lead Managers"),
with respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the purchase by the
International Managers, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective
numbers of shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the
Company (the "Class A Common Stock") set forth in said Schedule A, and with
respect to the grant by the Company to the International Managers, acting
severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to
purchase all or any part of * * additional shares of Class A Common Stock to
cover over-allotments, if any. The aforesaid * * shares of Class A Common Stock
(the "Initial International Securities") to be purchased by the International
Managers and all or any part of the * * shares of Class A Common Stock subject
to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the "International Option
Securities") are hereinafter called, collectively, the "International
Securities". The Class A Common Stock and the Class B Common Stock, par value
$.01 per share, of the Company (the "Class B Common Stock") are hereinafter
referred to as the "Common Stock".
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It is understood that the Company is concurrently entering into an
agreement dated the date hereof (the "U.S. Purchase Agreement") providing for
the offering by the Company of an aggregate of * * shares of Class A Common
Stock (the "Initial U.S. Securities") through arrangements with certain
underwriters in the United States and Canada (the "U.S. Underwriters") for which
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Sachs & Co., ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Brothers Inc., Prudential Securities Incorporated and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Barney Inc.
are acting as representatives (the "U.S. Representatives") and the grant by the
Company to the U.S. Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of an option
to purchase all or any part of the U.S. Underwriters' pro rata portion of up to
* * additional shares of Class A Common Stock solely to cover overallotments, if
any (the "U.S. Option Securities" and, together with the International Option
Securities, the "Option Securities"). The Initial U.S. Securities and the U.S.
Option Securities are hereinafter called the "U.S. Securities". It is understood
that the Company is not obligated to sell and the International Managers are not
obligated to purchase, any Initial International Securities unless all of the
Initial U.S. Securities are contemporaneously purchased by the U.S.
Underwriters.
The International Managers and the U.S. Underwriters are hereinafter
collectively called the "Underwriters", the Initial International Securities and
the Initial U.S. Securities are hereinafter collectively called the "Initial
Securities", and the International Securities, and the U.S. Securities are
hereinafter collectively called the "Securities".
The Underwriters will concurrently enter into an Intersyndicate Agreement
of even date herewith (the "Intersyndicate Agreement") providing for the
coordination of certain transactions among the Underwriters.
The Company understands that the International Managers propose to make a
public offering of the International Securities as soon as the Lead Managers
deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Company and the International Managers agree that up to * * shares of
the Initial International Securities to be purchased by the International
Managers and that up to * * shares of the Initial U.S. Securities to be
purchased by the U.S. Underwriters (collectively, the "Reserved Securities")
shall be reserved for sale by the Underwriters to certain eligible employees and
persons having business relationships with the Company, as part of the
distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters, subject to the terms of this
Agreement, the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and all other applicable laws, rules and
regulations. To the extent that such Reserved Securities are not orally
confirmed for purchase by such eligible employees and persons having business
relationships with the Company by the end of the first business day after the
date of this Agreement, such Reserved Securities may be offered to the public as
part of the public offering contemplated hereby.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-78367) covering the
registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), including the
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related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses. Promptly after execution and
delivery of this Agreement, the Company will either (i) prepare and file a
prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A ("Rule 430A") of the
rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the "1933 Act
Regulations") and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule 424(b)") of the 1933 Act
Regulations or (ii) if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 434 ("Rule
434") of the 1933 Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a "Term
Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b). Two forms
of prospectus are to be used in connection with the offering and sale of the
Securities: one relating to the International Securities (the "Form of
International Prospectus") and one relating to the U.S. Securities (the "Form of
U.S. Prospectus"). The Form of International Prospectus is identical to the Form
of U.S. Prospectus, except for the front cover and back cover pages and the
information under the caption "Underwriting" and the inclusion in the Form of
International Prospectus of a section under the caption "Certain United States
Tax Considerations for Non-United States Holders." The information included in
any such prospectus or in any such Term Sheet, as the case may be, that was
omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but
that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became
effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred to as "Rule
430A Information" or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is referred to as
"Rule 434 Information." Each Form of International Prospectus and Form of U.S.
Prospectus used before such registration statement became effective, and any
prospectus that omitted, as applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the Rule
434 Information, that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the
execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a "preliminary
prospectus." Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto and
schedules thereto at the time it became effective and including the Rule 430A
Information and the Rule 434 Information, as applicable, is herein called the
"Registration Statement." Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule
462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein referred to as the "Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement," and after such filing the term "Registration Statement"
shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final Form of
International Prospectus and the final Form of U.S. Prospectus in the forms
first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of
the Securities are herein called the "International Prospectus" and the "U.S.
Prospectus," respectively, and collectively, the "Prospectuses." If Rule 434 is
relied on, the terms "International Prospectus" and "U.S. Prospectus" shall
refer to the preliminary International Prospectus dated * * , 1999 and
preliminary U.S. Prospectus dated * * , 1999, respectively, each together with
the applicable Term Sheet and all references in this Agreement to the date of
such Prospectuses shall mean the date of the applicable Term Sheet. For purposes
of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, the International Prospectus, the U.S. Prospectus or any Term Sheet
or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to
include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data
Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("▇▇▇▇▇").
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to each International Manager as of the date hereof, as
of the Closing Time referred to
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in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery (if any) referred to in
Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each International Manager, as follows:
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements. Each of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has
become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that
purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of
the Commission for additional information has been complied with.
At the respective times the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became
effective and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are
purchased, at the Date of Delivery), the Registration Statement, the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto
complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of
the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and did not and will not contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, and the Prospectuses, any preliminary prospectuses and any
supplement thereto or prospectus wrapper prepared in connection therewith,
at their respective times of issuance and at the Closing Time, complied and
will comply in all material respects with any applicable laws or
regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectuses and such
preliminary prospectuses, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are
distributed in connection with the offer and sale of Reserved Securities.
Neither of the Prospectuses nor any amendments or supplements thereto
(including any prospectus wrapper), at the time the Prospectuses or any
amendments or supplements thereto were issued and at the Closing Time (and,
if any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), included
or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. If Rule 434 is used, the Company will comply with the
requirements of Rule 434 and the Prospectuses shall not be "materially
different", as such term is used in Rule 434, from the prospectuses
included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective. The
representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to
statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or the
International Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Company in writing by any International
Manager through the Lead Managers expressly for use in the Registration
Statement or the International Prospectus.
Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectuses filed as part of the
Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment
thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act, complied when so
filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each
preliminary prospectus and the Prospectuses delivered to the Underwriters
for use in connection with this offering was identical to the
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electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission
pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(ii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the
financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration
Statement are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act
and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(iii) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectuses, together with the related
schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial
position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates
indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders' equity and cash
flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods
specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") applied on a consistent
basis throughout the periods involved except as disclosed therein. The
supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly
in all material respects in accordance with GAAP the information required
to be stated therein in all material respects. The selected financial data
and the summary financial information included in the Prospectuses present
fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been
compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial
statements included in the Registration Statement.
(iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectuses, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business (a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B) there have
been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which
are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as
one enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any
kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital
stock.
(v) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized
and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease
and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectuses and to enter into and perform its obligations under this
Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in
which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or
leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to
so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
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(vi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company
listed on Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement (each a "Subsidiary"
and, collectively, the "Subsidiaries") has been duly organized and is
validly existing as a corporation or partnership, as the case may be, in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or
organization, as the case may be, has requisite corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
business as described in the Prospectuses and is duly qualified as a
foreign corporation or partnership, as the case may be, to transact
business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify
or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect;
except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the
issued and outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly
authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is
owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of
any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary
was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights arising by
operation of law, or under the charter, by-laws or other organizational
documents of the Company or any Subsidiary or under any agreement to which
the Company or any Subsidiary is a party. The only subsidiaries of the
Company are (a) the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration
Statement and (b) certain other subsidiaries which, considered in the
aggregate as a single Subsidiary, do not constitute a "significant
subsidiary" as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
(vii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital
stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectuses in the column
entitled "Actual" under the caption "Capitalization" (except for subsequent
issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations,
agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Prospectuses or
pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to
in the Prospectuses). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of
the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid
and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights
arising by operation of law, or under the organizational documents or
by-laws of the Company or any Subsidiary or under any agreement to which
the Company or any Subsidiary is a party.
(viii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement and the U.S.
Purchase Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company.
(ix) Authorization and Description of Securities. The Securities to be
purchased by the International Managers and the U.S. Underwriters from the
Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the
International Managers pursuant to this Agreement and the U.S. Underwriters
pursuant to the U.S. Purchase Agreement, respectively, and, when issued and
delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement and the U.S. Purchase
Agreement, respectively, against payment of the consideration set
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forth herein and the U.S. Purchase Agreement, respectively, will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the Common Stock conforms to all
statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectuses and such
description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining
the same; no holder of the Securities will be subject to personal liability
by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance of the Securities is not
subject to the preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of
law, under the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company,
under any agreement to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a
party, or otherwise.
(x) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter, by-laws or other
organizational documents or in default in the performance or observance of
any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any bond,
deed, note or any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or
credit agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them
may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or
any subsidiary is subject (collectively, "Agreements and Instruments")
except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and
the U.S. Purchase Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated in this Agreement, the U.S. Purchase Agreement and in the
Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities
and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in
the Prospectuses under the caption "Use of Proceeds") and compliance by the
Company with its obligations under this Agreement and the U.S. Purchase
Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on
the part of the Company and do not and will not, whether with or without
the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or
constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below)
under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary
pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts,
breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not
result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any
violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any
subsidiary or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment,
order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or
court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any
subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations. As used
herein, a "Repayment Event" means any event or condition which gives the
holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any
person acting on such holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase,
redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the
Company or any subsidiary.
(xi) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute or problem exists with
the employees of the Company or any subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the
Company, is imminent, which may reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
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(xii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding,
inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental
agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of
the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which might reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably
be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets
thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this
Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement or the performance by the Company
of its obligations hereunder or thereunder; the aggregate of all pending
legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any subsidiary of
the Company is a party or of which any of their respective properties or
assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration
Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the
business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(xiii) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which
are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectuses or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so
described and filed as required.
(xiv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its
subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate
patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how
(including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable
proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures),
trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property
(collectively, "Intellectual Property") necessary to carry on the business
now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or
conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual
Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any
Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or
conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or
invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(xv) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or
authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency
is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of
the Securities under this Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the
U.S. Purchase Agreement, except (i) such as have been already obtained or
as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations and
foreign or state securities or blue sky laws and filing to list the
Securities on the New York Stock Exchange or registering of the Securities
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"),
which in each case, will be effective on or prior to the Closing Date and
(ii)
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such as have been obtained under the laws and regulations of jurisdictions
outside the United States in which the Reserved Securities are offered.
(xvi) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its
subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other
authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued by the
appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies
necessary to conduct the business now operated by them; the Company and its
subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such
Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not,
singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the
Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when
the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such
Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not have a
Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the
revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly
or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or
finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvii) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good
and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its
subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each
case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests,
claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are
described in the Prospectuses or (b) do not, singly or in the aggregate,
materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the
use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of
its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the
business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise,
and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties
described in the Prospectuses, are in full force and effect, and neither
the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any
sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company
or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or
affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to
the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such
lease or sublease.
(xviii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectuses
will not be, an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an
"investment company" as such terms are defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
(xix) Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration
rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant
to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under
the 1933 Act except as disclosed in the Prospectus.
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(xx) Investment Advisors Act. Each of BlackRock Advisors, Inc.
("BlackRock Advisors"), BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation
("BlackRock Institutional"), BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
("BlackRock Financial"), BlackRock (Japan), Inc. ("BlackRock Japan") and
BlackRock International Ltd. ("BlackRock International", together with
BlackRock Advisors, BlackRock Institutional, BlackRock Financial and
BlackRock Japan, the "Investment Adviser Subsidiaries") is duly registered
as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Advisers Act") and none of the Investment Adviser
Subsidiaries is prohibited by any provision of the Advisers Act or the 1940
Act, or the respective rules and regulations thereunder, from acting as an
investment adviser. The Investment Adviser Subsidiaries are the only direct
or indirect subsidiaries of the Company required to be registered as
investment advisers under the Advisers Act. Each of the Investment Adviser
Subsidiaries is duly registered, licensed or qualified as an investment
adviser in each jurisdiction where the conduct of its business requires
such registration and is in compliance with all federal, state and foreign
laws requiring any such registration, licensing or qualification or is
subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to
be so registered, licensed or qualified in any such jurisdiction or to be
in such compliance. None of the Company or its other direct or indirect
subsidiaries is required to be registered, licensed or qualified as an
investment adviser under the laws requiring any such registration,
licensing or qualification in any jurisdiction in which it or its
subsidiaries conduct business or is not subject to material liability or
disability by reason of the failure to be so registered, licensed or
qualified.
(xxi) Broker-Dealer Registration. Provident Advisers, Inc. ("Provident
Advisers") is duly registered, licensed or qualified as a broker-dealer
under the Exchange Act, and under the securities laws of each jurisdiction
where the conduct of its business requires such registration and is in
compliance with all federal, state and foreign laws requiring such
registration, licensing or qualification or is subject to no material
liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so registered,
licensed or qualified in any such jurisdiction or to be in such compliance.
Provident Advisers is a member in good standing of NASD. None of the
Company's other direct or indirect subsidiaries is required to be
registered, licensed or qualified as a broker-dealer under the laws
requiring any such registration, licensing or qualification in any
jurisdiction in which it conducts business or is subject to any material
liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so registered,
licensed or qualified.
(xxii) Transfer Agent. None of the Company or its direct or indirect
subsidiaries is required to be registered, licensed or qualified as a
transfer agent under the federal or state laws requiring any such
registration, licensing or qualification in any state in which it conducts
business or is subject to any material liability or disability by reason of
the failure to be so registered, licensed or qualified.
(xxiii) Compliance with Law. Each of the Investment Adviser
Subsidiaries and Provident Advisers is and has been in compliance with, and
each such entity has received no notice of any violation of, (A) all laws,
regulations, ordinances and
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rules (including those of any non-governmental self-regulatory agencies)
applicable to it or its operations relating to investment advisory or
broker-dealer activities, as the case may be, and (B) all other laws,
regulations, ordinances and rules applicable to it and its operations,
except, in either case, where any failure to comply with any such law,
regulation, ordinance or rule would not have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiv) Funds. Each entity for which the Investment Adviser
Subsidiaries acts as investment adviser and, to the best knowledge of the
Investment Adviser Subsidiaries, each entity for which the Investment
Adviser Subsidiaries acts as subadviser and, in each case, which is
required to be registered with the Commission as an investment company
under the 1940 Act (a "Fund") is, and upon consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein will be, duly registered with the Commission as an
investment company under the 1940 Act and to the best knowledge of the
Company, each Fund has been operated in compliance in all material respects
with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and to the best
knowledge of the Company, there are no facts with respect to any such Fund
that are likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the best knowledge of
the Company, each Fund's registration statement complies in all material
respects with the provisions of the Securities Act, the 1940 Act and the
rules and regulations thereunder and does not contain any untrue statement
of material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(xxv) Advisory and Other Agreements. Each agreement between the
Company, any Investment Adviser Subsidiary, or any other subsidiary of the
Company on the one hand and any Fund or private client on the other is a
legal and valid obligation of the parties thereto, and none of the Company,
any Investment Adviser Subsidiary or any other subsidiary of the Company is
in breach or violation of or in default under any such agreement which
would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxvi) Assignment. The offering contemplated by this Agreement and the
U.S. Purchase Agreement will not constitute an "assignment" as defined in
the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act of any of the investment advisory
contracts to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party.
(xxvii) Year 2000. The Company does not anticipate incurring
significant operating expenses or costs to ensure that all Company software
that contains or calls on a calendar function that is indexed to a computer
processing unit clock, provides specific dates or calculates spans of
dates, is able to record, store, process and provide true and accurate
dates and calculations for dates and spans of dates including and following
January 1, 2000, except as disclosed in the Prospectus.
(b) Officer's Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the U.S. Representatives, the
Lead Managers, the U.S. Underwriters, the International Managers, or to counsel
thereof shall be deemed a representation
12
and warranty by the Company to each U.S. Representative, Lead Manager, U.S.
Underwriter and International Manager as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to International Managers; Closing.
(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties
herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Company agrees to sell to each International Manager, severally and not jointly,
and each International Manager, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase
from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, the number of
Initial International Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of
such International Manager, plus any additional number of Initial International
Securities which such International Manager may become obligated to purchase
pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the International Managers,
severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional * * shares of Class A
Common Stock at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, less an amount per
share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and
payable on the Initial International Securities but not payable on the
International Option Securities. The option hereby granted will expire 30 days
after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time
only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection
with the offering and distribution of the Initial International Securities upon
notice by the Global Coordinator to the Company setting forth the number of
International Option Securities as to which the several International Managers
are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for
such International Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery for the
International Option Securities (a "Date of Delivery") shall be determined by
the Lead Managers, but shall not be later than seven full business days after
the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time, as
hereinafter defined. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the
International Option Securities, each of the International Managers, acting
severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of
International Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial
International Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such
International Manager bears to the total number of Initial International
Securities, subject in each case to such adjustments as the Lead Managers in
their discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional
shares.
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Underwriters, at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Lead
Managers and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if
the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day
after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of
Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date
as shall be agreed upon by the Lead
13
Managers and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being
herein called "Closing Time").
In addition, in the event that any or all of the International Option
Securities are purchased by the International Managers, payment of the purchase
price for, and delivery of certificates for, such International Option
Securities shall be made at ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the
Underwriters, at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, or at such
other place as shall be agreed upon by the Lead Managers and the Company, on
each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Lead Managers to the
Company.
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to
the Lead Managers for the respective accounts of the International Managers of
certificates for the International Securities to be purchased by them. It is
understood that each International Manager has authorized the Lead Managers, for
its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the
purchase price for, the Initial International Securities and the International
Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
individually and not as representative of the International Managers, may (but
shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial
International Securities or the International Option Securities, if any, to be
purchased by any International Manager whose funds have not been received by the
Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such
payment shall not relieve such International Manager from its obligations
hereunder.
(d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial International
Securities and the International Option Securities, if any, shall be in such
denominations and registered in such names as the Lead Managers may request in
writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant
Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial
International Securities and the International Option Securities, if any, will
be made available for examination and packaging by the Lead Managers in The City
of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior
to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.
(e) Appointment of Qualified Independent Underwriter. The Company hereby
confirms its engagement of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
as, and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated hereby confirms its
agreement with the Company to render services as, a "qualified independent
underwriter" within the meaning of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. with respect to the offering
and sale of the International Securities. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇
Incorporated, solely in its capacity as qualified independent underwriter and
not otherwise, is referred to herein as the "Independent Underwriter".
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each
International Manager as follows:
14
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests.
The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of
Rule 430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify the Lead Managers
immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective, or any
supplement to the Prospectuses or any amended Prospectus shall have been
filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of
any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration
Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectuses or for
additional information, and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of
any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus,
or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or
sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any
proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect the
filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps as it
deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus
transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the
Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such
prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the
issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the
lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(b) Filing of Amendments. The Company will give the Lead Managers
notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the
Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)), any Term
Sheet or any amendment, supplement or revision to either the prospectus
included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective or
to the Prospectuses, will furnish the Lead Managers with copies of any such
documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use,
as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the
Lead Managers or counsel for the International Managers shall reasonably
object.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or
will deliver to the Lead Managers and counsel for the International
Managers, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as
originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed
therewith or incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all
consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Lead
Managers, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as
originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each
of the International Managers. The copies of the Registration Statement and
each amendment thereto furnished to the International Managers will be
identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation
S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each
International Manager, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary
prospectus as such International Manager reasonably requested, and the
Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by
the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish
15
to each International Manager, without charge, during the period when the
International Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"), such number of copies
of the International Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such
International Manager may reasonably request. The International Prospectus
and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the International
Managers will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof
filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted
by Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply
with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this
Agreement, the U.S. Purchase Agreement and in the Prospectuses. If at any
time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in
connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition
shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel
for the International Managers or for the Company, to amend the
Registration Statement or amend or supplement any Prospectus in order that
the Prospectuses will not include any untrue statements of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the
time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the
opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration
Statement or amend or supplement any Prospectus in order to comply with the
requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will
promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b),
such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement
or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectuses
comply with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the
International Managers such number of copies of such amendment or
supplement as the International Managers may reasonably request.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in
cooperation with the International Managers, to qualify the Securities for
offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and
other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Lead Managers may
designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not
less than one year from the later of the effective date of the Registration
Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement; provided, however,
that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to
service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in
securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to
subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction
in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the
Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such statements
and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue
such qualification in effect for a period of not less than one year from
the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement.
16
(g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to
the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its
securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the
purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last
paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by
it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the
Prospectuses under "Use of Proceeds".
(i) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect the
listing of the Class A Common Stock (including the Securities) on the New
York Stock Exchange.
(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 180 days
from the date of the Prospectuses, the Company will not, without the prior
written consent of the Lead Managers, (i) directly or indirectly, offer,
pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase,
purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant
to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any share of Class B Common
Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Class B Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act
with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any
other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part,
directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Class
B Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause
(i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Class B Common Stock or
such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall
not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder or under the U.S.
Purchase Agreement, (B) any shares of Class B Common Stock issued by the
Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a
security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the
Prospectuses, (C) any shares of Class B Common Stock issued or options to
purchase Class B Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit
plans of the Company referred to in the Prospectuses, (D) any shares of
Class B Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock
plan or dividend reinvestment plan, (E) any shares of Class A Common Stock
or (F) Securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for shares of
Class B Common Stock issued, offered or sold in transactions not involving
a public offering in consideration for (1) the acquisition of stock or
assets of other companies or (2) the services of newly hired employees of
the Company; provided, however, that each recipient of the securities
agrees in writing to be bound by the restrictions set forth in this
paragraph.
(k) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the
Prospectuses are required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934
Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission
pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
17
(l) Compliance with NASD Rules. The Company hereby agrees that it will
ensure that the Reserved Securities will be restricted as required by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or the NASD
rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period
of three months following the date of this Agreement. The Underwriters will
notify the Company as to which persons will need to be so restricted. At
the request of the Underwriters, the Company will direct the transfer agent
to place a stop transfer restriction upon such securities for such period
of time. Should the Company release, or seek to release, from such
restrictions any of the Reserved Securities, the Company agrees to
reimburse the Underwriters for any reasonable expenses (including, without
limitation, legal expenses) they incur in connection with such release.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses. (a) Expenses. The Company will pay all
expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement,
including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement
(including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each
amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the
Underwriters of this Agreement, any agreement among Underwriters and such other
documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale,
issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and
delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including
any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the
sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters and the
transfer of the Securities between the U.S. Underwriters and the International
Managers, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel, accountants
and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities
laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing
fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters
in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky
Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the
Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Term Sheets and of
the Prospectuses and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vii) the
preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky
Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and expenses of any transfer
agent or registrar for the Securities, (ix) the filing fees incident to, and the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection
with, the review by NASD of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (x) the
fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Class A Common
Stock (including the Securities) on the New York Stock Exchange, (xi) all costs
and expenses of the Underwriters, including the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters, in connection with matters related to the Reserved
Securities which are designated by the Company for sale to employees and others
having a business relationship with the Company and (xii) the fees and expenses
of the Independent Underwriter.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Lead
Managers in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a)(i)
hereof, the Company shall reimburse the International Managers for all of their
out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel for the International Managers.
18
SECTION 5. Conditions of International Managers' Obligations. The
obligations of the several International Managers hereunder are subject to the
accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any
subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and
to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration
Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become
effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or
proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any
request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have
been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the
International Managers. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information
shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b)
(or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been
filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule
430A) or, if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 434, a Term Sheet
shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b).
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the Lead Managers
shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of
Skadden, Arps, Slate, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Company, in form
and substance satisfactory to counsel for the International Managers,
together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the
other International Managers to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto
and to such further effect as counsel to the International Managers may
reasonably request.
(c) Opinion of Counsel for International Managers. At Closing Time,
the Lead Managers shall have received an opinion, dated as of Closing Time,
of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the International Managers,
together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the
other International Managers in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to the International Managers.
(d) Officers' Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not have been,
since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Prospectuses, any material adverse change in the condition,
financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business
prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Lead
Managers shall have received a certificate of the President or a Vice
President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting
officer of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i)
there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations
and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same
force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii)
the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions
on
19
its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time, and (iv)
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or
are pending or are contemplated by the Commission.
(e) Accountant's Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this
Agreement, the Lead Managers shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a
letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Lead
Managers, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each
of the other International Managers containing statements and information
of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to
underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial
information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectuses.
(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the Lead Managers
shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated as of Closing
Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter
furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the
specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business
days prior to Closing Time.
(g) Approval of Listing. At Closing Time, the Class A Common Stock
(including the Securities) shall have been approved for listing on the New
York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(h) No Objection. The NASD has confirmed that it has not raised any
objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the
underwriting terms and arrangements.
(i) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Lead
Managers shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of
Exhibit B hereto signed by the persons or entities listed on Schedule C
hereto.
(j) Purchase of Initial U.S. Securities. Contemporaneously with the
purchase by the International Managers of the Initial International
Securities under this Agreement, the U.S. Underwriters shall have purchased
the Initial U.S. Securities under the U.S. Purchase Agreement.
(k) Conditions to Purchase of International Option Securities. In the
event that the International Managers exercise their option provided in
Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the International
Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company
contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the
Company or any subsidiary of the Company hereunder shall be true and
correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery,
the Lead Managers shall have received:
20
(i) Officers' Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery,
of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief
financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the
certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof
remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. The favorable opinion of Skadden,
Arps, Slate, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and
substance satisfactory to counsel for the International Managers, dated
such Date of Delivery, relating to the International Option Securities to
be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as
the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for International Managers. The favorable
opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the International
Managers, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the International Option
Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the
same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.
(iv) Bring-down Comfort Letter. A letter from Ernst & Young LLP, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Lead Managers and dated such Date of
Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter
furnished to the Lead Managers pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof, except that
the "specified date" in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph
shall be a date not more than five days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(l) Additional Documents. At Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery
counsel for the International Managers shall have been furnished with such
documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them
to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein
contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the
representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions,
herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection
with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall
be satisfactory in form and substance to the Lead Managers and counsel for
the International Managers.
(m) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this
Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled,
this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of
International Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the
Closing Time, the obligations of the several International Managers to
purchase the relevant Option Securities may be terminated by the Lead
Managers by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time
or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be
without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in
Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any such
termination and remain in full force and effect.
21
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of International Managers. (1) The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each International Manager and each person, if any,
who controls any International Manager within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement
(or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the
Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectuses (or any amendment or supplement
thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of (A) the violation of any applicable
laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Reserved Securities have
been offered and (B) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact included in the supplement or prospectus wrapper material
distributed in foreign jurisdictions in connection with the reservation and
sale of the Reserved Securities to eligible employees and persons having
business relationships with the Company or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, when
considered in conjunction with the Prospectuses or preliminary
prospectuses, not misleading;
(iii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in
settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
alleged untrue statement or omission or in connection with any violation of
the nature referred to in Section 6(a)(1)(ii)(A) hereof; provided that
(subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the
written consent of the Company; and
(iv) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including
the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇), reasonably
incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation,
or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body,
commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue
statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission or
in connection with any violation of the nature referred to in Section
22
6(a)(1)(ii)(A) hereof, to the extent that any such expense is not paid
under (i), (ii) or (iii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
International Manager through the Lead Managers expressly for use in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A
Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary
prospectus or the International Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto).
(2) In addition to and without limitation of the Company's obligation to
indemnify ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ as an Underwriter, the Company also agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Independent Underwriter and each person, if any, who
controls the Independent Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, from and against any and all loss,
liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, incurred as a
result of the Independent Underwriter's participation as a "qualified
independent underwriter" within the meaning of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in connection with the
offering of the International Securities.
(3) Insofar as this indemnity agreement may permit indemnification for
liabilities under the 1933 Act of any person who is a partner of an
International Manager or who controls an underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and who, at the date of
this Agreement, is a director or officer of the Company or controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act,
such indemnity agreement is subject to the undertaking of the Company in the
Registration Statement under Item 13 relating to "Disclosure of Commission
Position on Indemnification for Securities Act Liabilities" or to "Undertakings"
thereof.
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each International
Manager severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its
directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection
(a)(1) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements
or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A
Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary
international prospectus or the International Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ expressly for
use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such preliminary
prospectus or the International Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto).
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall
give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of
any action commenced against
23
it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so
notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any
liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result
thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may
have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of
parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a)(1) above, counsel to the
indemnified parties shall be selected by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, and, in the case of
parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified
parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate
at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that
counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the
indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall
the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one
counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for
all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but
similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same
general allegations or circumstances; provided, that, if indemnity is sought
pursuant to Section 6(a)(2), then, in addition to the fees and expenses of such
counsel for the indemnified parties, the indemnifying party shall be liable for
the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one counsel (in addition to
any local counsel) separate from its own counsel and that of the other
indemnified parties for the Independent Underwriter in its capacity as a
"qualified independent underwriter" and all persons, if any, who control the
Independent Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act in connection with any one action or separate but
similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same
general allegations or circumstances if, in the reasonable judgment of the
Independent Underwriter, there may exist a conflict of interest between the
Independent Underwriter and the other indemnified parties. Any such separate
counsel for the Independent Underwriter and such control persons of the
Independent Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Independent
Underwriter. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of
the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any
judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by
any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought
under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties
are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or
consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and
(ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or
a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an
indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by
Section 6(a)(1)(ii) and 6(a)(1)(iii) effected without its written consent if (i)
such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such
indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall
have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to
such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not
have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to
the date of such settlement.
24
(e) Indemnification for Reserved Securities. In connection with the offer
and sale of the Reserved Securities, the Company agrees, promptly upon a request
in writing, to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from and against any
and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by them as a
result of the failure of any eligible employees or persons having business
relationships with the Company to pay for and accept delivery of Reserved
Securities which, by the end of the first business day following the date of
this Agreement, were subject to a properly confirmed agreement to purchase.
SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6
hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or
expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and the International Managers on the other hand from the offering of the
Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by
clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i)
above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the
International Managers on the other hand in connection with the statements or
omissions, or in connection with any violation of the nature referred to in
Section 6(a)(1)(ii)(A) hereof, which resulted in such losses, liabilities,
claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
International Managers on the other hand in connection with the offering of the
International Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the
same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the
International Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses)
received by the Company and the total underwriting discount received by the
International Managers, in each case as set forth on the cover of the
International Prospectus, or, if Rule 434 is used, the corresponding location on
the Term Sheet, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the
International Securities as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the International
Managers on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company or by the International Managers and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission or any violation of the nature referred to in
Section 6(a)(1)(ii)(A) hereof.
The Company and the International Managers agree that ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ will
not receive any additional benefits hereunder for serving as the Independent
Underwriter in connection with the offering and sale of the International
Securities.
The Company and the International Managers agree that it would not be just
and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the International Managers were treated as one entity
for such purpose) or by any other method
25
of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses,
liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and
referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating,
preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no International Manager
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total price at which the International Securities underwritten by it and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages which such International Manager has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an
International Manager within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such
International Manager, and each director of the Company, each officer of the
Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section
20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
The International Managers' respective obligations to contribute pursuant to
this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial International
Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and
not joint.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery.
All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in
certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted
pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless
of any investigation made by or on behalf of any International Manager or
controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive
delivery of the Initial International Securities to the International Managers.
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Lead Managers may terminate this Agreement,
by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there
has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the International Prospectus, any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse
change in the financial markets in the United States or
26
the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation
thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a
prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic
conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the
judgment of the Lead Managers, impracticable to market the Securities or to
enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any
securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the
Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or if trading generally on the
American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National
Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices
for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by
any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the NASD
or any other governmental authority, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been
declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section,
such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party
except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6,
7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the International Managers. If one or
more of the International Managers shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of
Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase
under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"), the Lead Managers shall have
the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of
the non-defaulting International Managers, or any other underwriters, to
purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts
as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Lead
Managers shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period,
then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the
number of International Securities to be purchased on such date, each of
the non-defaulting International Managers shall be obligated, severally and
not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that
their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the
underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting International Managers, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of
International Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or,
with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time,
the obligation of the International Managers to purchase and of the Company
to sell the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of
Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting International Manager.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting
International Manager from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of
this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing
Time, which does not result in a
27
termination of the obligation of the International Managers to purchase and the
Company to sell the relevant International Option Securities, as the case may
be, either the Lead Managers or the Company shall have the right to postpone
Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period
not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the
Registration Statement or Prospectuses or in any other documents or
arrangements. As used herein, the term "International Manager" includes any
person substituted for an International Manager under this Section 10.
SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall
be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or
transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the
International Managers shall be directed to the Lead Managers at ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, attention of * * ; and
notices to the Company shall be directed to it at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, attention of * * .
SECTION 12. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and
be binding upon the International Managers and the Company and their respective
successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or
shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the
International Managers and the Company and their respective successors and the
controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7
and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein
contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended
to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the International Managers and the
Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and
officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the
benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from
any International Manager shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of
such purchase.
SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SPECIFIED TIMES
OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 14. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein and
the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the
construction hereof.
28
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this
instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between
the International Managers and the Company in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
BLACKROCK, INC.
By _______________________________
Title:
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ INTERNATIONAL
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SACHS INTERNATIONAL
▇▇▇▇▇▇ BROTHERS INTERNATIONAL (EUROPE)
PRUDENTIAL-BACHE SECURITIES (U.K.) INC.
SALOMON BROTHERS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
By: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ INTERNATIONAL
By ____________________________
Authorized Signatory
For itself and the other Lead Managers and on behalf of the other
International Managers named in Schedule A hereto.
SCHEDULE A
Number of
Initial
International
Name of International Manager Securities
-----------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ International.........................
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Sachs International.........................
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers International (Europe)..............
Prudential-Bache Securities (U.K.) Inc..............
Salomon Brothers International Limited..............
----------------
Total............................................... * *
================
Sch A-1
SCHEDULE B
BLACKROCK, INC.
* * Shares of Class A Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
1. The initial public offering price per share for the
Securities, determined as provided in said Section 2, shall be $* * .
2. The purchase price per share for the International
Securities to be paid by the several International Managers shall be $*
* , being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set
forth above less $* * per share; provided that the purchase price per
share for any International Option Securities purchased upon the
exercise of the over-allotment option described in Section 2(b) shall
be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or
distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial
International Securities but not payable on the International Option
Securities.
Sch B-1
SCHEDULE C
The following persons shall execute agreements in the form of Exhibit B hereto:
PNC Bank Corp. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
PNC Asset Management, Inc. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
Nigel Q.D. ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
R. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. Huebasch
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
J. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
P. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
Sch C-1
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF
SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLC
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)
(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.
(ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease
and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectuses and to enter into and perform its obligations under the
International Purchase Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement.
(iii) The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or
to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the
Company is as set forth in the Prospectuses in the column entitled "Actual"
under the caption "Capitalization" (except for subsequent issuances, if any,
pursuant to the International Purchase Agreement and the U.S. Purchase
Agreement; the shares of issued and outstanding capital stock have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and none of
the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation
of the preemptive or other similar rights of any shareholder of the Company
arising by operation of law or under the certificate of incorporation or by-laws
of the Company or under any agreement to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party.
(v) The Securities to be purchased by the International Managers
and the U.S. Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for
issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to the International Purchase
Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement, respectively, and, when issued and
delivered by the Company pursuant to the International Purchase Agreement and
the U.S. Purchase Agreement, respectively, against payment of the consideration
set forth in the U.S. Purchase Agreement and the International Purchase
Agreement, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and no
holder of the Securities is or will be subject to personal liability by reason
of being such a holder.
(vi) The issuance of the Securities is not subject to the
preemptive or other similar rights of any shareholder of the Company arising by
operation of law or under the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the
Company or under any agreement to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is a party.
A-1
(vii) Each Subsidiary has been duly organised and is validly
existing as a corporation or partnership, as the case may be, in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organisation, has requisite power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business
as described in the Prospectuses and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation
to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or
to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as
otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and
outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and
validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and, to the best of our
knowledge, is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and
clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was
issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of
such Subsidiary.
(viii) The International Purchase Agreement and the U.S. Purchase
Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(ix) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, has been declared effective under the 1933 Act; any
required filing of the Prospectuses pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the
manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and, to the best of
our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the
1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending
or threatened by the Commission.
(x) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information,
as applicable, the Prospectuses and each amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectuses as of their respective effective or
issue dates (other than the financial statements and supporting schedules
included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we need express no opinion)
complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933
Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(xi) If Rule 434 has been relied upon, the Prospectuses were not
"materially different," as such term is used in Rule 434, from the prospectuses
included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective.
(xii) The form of certificate used to evidence the Class A Common
Stock complies in all material respects with all applicable statutory
requirements, with any applicable requirements of the charter and by-laws of the
Company and the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange.
(xiii) To the best of our knowledge, there is not pending or
threatened any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to which the
Company or any subsidiary is a party, or to which the property of the Company or
any subsidiary is subject, before or brought by any court or governmental agency
or body, domestic or foreign, which might reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated in the
A-2
International Purchase Agreement and U.S. Purchase Agreement or the performance
by the Company of its obligations thereunder.
(xiv) The information in the Prospectuses under "Description of
Capital Stock-- Common Stock", "Business--Regulatory Matters",
"Business--Litigation", and "Certain Federal Income Tax Considerations" and in
the Registration Statement under Item 14, to the extent that it constitutes
matters of law, summaries of legal matters, the Company's charter and bylaws or
legal proceedings, or legal conclusions, has been reviewed by us and is correct
in all material respects and the opinion of such firm set forth under "Certain
Federal Income Tax Considerations" is confirmed.
(xv) To the best of our knowledge, there are no statutes or
regulations that are required to be described in the Prospectuses that are not
described as required.
(xvi) All descriptions in the Prospectuses of contracts and other
documents to which the Company or its subsidiaries are a party are accurate in
all material respects; to the best of our knowledge, there are no franchises,
contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other
instruments required to be described or referred to in the Registration
Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other than those described or
referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto,
and the descriptions thereof or references thereto are correct in all material
respects.
(xvii) To the best of our knowledge, neither the Company nor any
subsidiary is in violation of its charter or by-laws and no default by the
Company or any subsidiary exists in the due performance or observance of any
material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or
instrument that is described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectuses or filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.
(xviii) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent,
license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or
governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, (other than under the
1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be
required under the securities or blue sky laws of the various states, as to
which we need express no opinion) is necessary or required in connection with
the due authorization, execution and delivery of the International Purchase
Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement or for the offering, issuance, sale or
delivery of the Securities.
(xix) The execution, delivery and performance of the International
Purchase Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated in the International Purchase Agreement, the U.S.
Purchase Agreement and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and
sale of the Securities, and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the
Securities as described in the Prospectuses under the caption "Use Of Proceeds")
and compliance by the Company with its obligations under the International
Purchase Agreement and the U.S. Purchase Agreement do not and will not, whether
with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, conflict with or
constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined in Section
1(a)(x) of the Purchase Agreements) under or result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the
Company or any Subsidiary
A-3
pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit
agreement, note, lease or any other agreement or instrument, known to us, to
which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which it or any of them may
be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any
subsidiary is subject (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens,
charges or encumbrances that would not have a Material Adverse Effect), nor will
such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws
of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any applicable law, statute, rule,
regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree, known to us, of any government,
government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction
over the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties, assets
or operations.
(xx) To the best of our knowledge, there are no persons with
registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered
pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company
under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
(xxi) The Company is not an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company," as such terms are defined in the 1940
Act.
(xxii) Provident Advisors is duly registered, licensed or qualified
as a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act and in each jurisdiction where the
conduct of its business requires such registration and is in compliance in all
material respects with all laws requiring any such registration, licensing or
qualification in all jurisdictions in which such registration, licensing or
qualification is required. None of the Company or its other direct or indirect
subsidiaries (other than Provident Advisors) is required to be registered,
licensed or qualified as a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act or the laws
requiring any such registration, licensing or qualification in any jurisdiction
in which it conducts business. To the best knowledge of counsel, each of the
Company, and Provident Advisors is in compliance with all laws, regulations,
ordinances and rules (including those of any non-governmental self-regulatory
agencies) applicable to it or its operations relating to broker-dealer
activities except where any failure by the Company or any subsidiary to comply
with any such law, regulation, ordinance or rule would not have, individually,
or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii) Each Investment Adviser Subsidiary is duly registered as an
investment adviser under the Advisers Act. No other subsidiary of the Company is
an "investment adviser" within the meaning of the Advisers Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder. Each of the Investment
Adviser Subsidiaries is duly registered, licensed or qualified as an investment
adviser in each jurisdiction where the conduct of its business requires such
registration and is in compliance in all material respects with all laws
requiring such registration, licensing or qualification in all jurisdictions in
which such registration, licensing or qualification is required. None of the
Company or its direct or indirect subsidiaries other than the Investment Adviser
Subsidiaries is required to be registered, licensed or qualified as an
investment adviser under the laws of any jurisdiction in which it conducts
business. To the best knowledge of counsel, each of the Company and the
Investment Adviser Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations,
ordinances and rules (including those of any non-governmental self-regulatory
agencies) applicable to it or its operations relating to investment advisory
activities except where any failure by the Company or any subsidiary to comply
with any such law, regulation, ordinance or rule would not have, individually,
or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
A-4
(xxiv) The Offering will not constitute an "assignment" as defined
in the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act of any of the investment advisory contracts
to which the Investment Advisor Subsidiaries are parties.
Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe
that the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, including the Rule
430A Information and Rule 434 Information (if applicable), (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time such Registration
Statement or any such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the
Prospectuses or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time the Prospectuses
were issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued
or at the Closing Time, included or includes an 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 such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of
fact (but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on
certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. Such
opinion shall not state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is
otherwise subject to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to
legal opinions, including, without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the
ABA Section of Business Law (1991).
A-5
Exhibit B
* * , 1999
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & CO.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇
& ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers Inc.
Prudential Securities Incorporated
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Barney Inc.
as U.S. Representatives of the
U.S. Underwriters named in the
U.S. Purchase Agreement
▇/▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ International
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Sachs International
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers International (Europe)
Prudential-Bache Securities (U.K.) Inc.
Salomon Brothers International Limited
as Lead Managers of the several International Managers
named in the International Purchase Agreement
c/o Merrill ▇▇▇▇▇ International
Ropemaker Place
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Re: Proposed Initial Public Offering by BlackRock, Inc.
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, a stockholder [and an officer and/or director] of
BlackRock, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), understands that (i)
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated
("▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇"), ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers Inc., Prudential
Securities Incorporated and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc. propose to enter into a
U.S. Purchase Agreement (the "U.S. Purchase Agreement") with the Company and
(ii) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
B-1
International, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Sachs International, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers International
(Europe), Prudential- Bache Securities (U.K.) Inc. and Salomon Brothers
International Limited propose to enter into an International Purchase Agreement
(the "International Purchase Agreement" and, together with the U.S. Purchase
Agreement, the "Purchase Agreements") with the Company providing for the public
offering of shares (the "Securities") of the Company's Class A Common Stock, par
value $.01 per share (the "Class A Common Stock"). The Class A Common Stock and
the Class B Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Class B Common Stock"),
of the Company are hereinafter referred to as the "Common Stock.". In
recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the
undersigned as a stockholder [and an officer and/or director] of the Company,
and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each U.S. Underwriter
and International Manager to be named in the Purchase Agreements that, during a
period of 180 days from the date of the Purchase Agreements, the undersigned
will not, without the prior written consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, directly or
indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or
contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option,
right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares
of the Company's Class B Common Stock or any securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for Class B Common Stock, whether now owned or
hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned
has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file any registration
statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of
the foregoing, except pursuant to any pledge existing on the date hereof. or
(ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that
transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence
of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction is to be
settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.
Very truly yours,
Signature: ______________________________
Print Name: _____________________________
