4,000,000 Shares B&G Foods, Inc. Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 1.1

 

4,000,000 Shares

 

B&G Foods, Inc.

 

Common Stock

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

March 9, 2016

 

BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.

000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

1.  Introductory.   B&G Foods, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), agrees with Barclays Capital Inc. (the “Underwriter” or “Barclays”) to issue and sell to the Underwriter 4,000,000 shares (the “Firm Securities”) of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Securities”), and also proposes to issue and sell to the Underwriter, at the option of the Underwriter, an aggregate of not more than 600,000 additional shares (“Optional Securities”) of its Securities as set forth below. The Firm Securities and the Optional Securities are herein collectively called the “Offered Securities.”

 

2.  Representations and Warranties of the Company.  The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter that:

 

(a)  Filing and Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Certain Defined Terms.  The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-188695), including a related prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the Offered Securities under the Act, which has become effective.  “Registration Statement” at any particular time means such registration statement in the form then filed with the Commission, including any amendment thereto, any document incorporated by reference therein and all 430B Information and all 430C Information with respect to such registration statement, that in any case has not been superseded or modified.  “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means the Registration Statement as of the Effective Time, including any documents incorporated by reference therein.  For purposes of this definition, 430B Information shall be considered to be included in the Registration Statement as of the time specified in Rule 430B.

 

For purposes of this Agreement:

 

“430B Information” means information included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B(e) or retroactively deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B(f).

 

“430C Information” means information included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430C.

 

“Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

“Closing Date” has the meaning defined in Section 3 hereof.

 

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Effective Time” of the Registration Statement relating to the Offered Securities means the time of the first contract of sale for the Offered Securities.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 


 

“Final Prospectus” means the Statutory Prospectus (including the Incorporated Documents) that discloses the public offering price, other 430B Information and other final terms of the Offered Securities, and otherwise satisfies Section 10(a) of the Act.

 

“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being so specified in Schedule B to this Agreement.

 

“Incorporated Documents” means any documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Offered Securities in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

 

“Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not a General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

“Rules and Regulations” means the rules and regulations of the Commission.

 

“Securities Laws” means, collectively, the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx”), the Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations, the auditing principles, rules, standards and practices applicable to auditors of “issuers” (as defined in Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and, as applicable, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (“Exchange Rules”).

 

“Statutory Prospectus” with reference to any particular time means the prospectus relating to the Offered Securities that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including all 430B Information and all 430C Information with respect to the Registration Statement.  For purposes of the foregoing definition, 430B Information shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus only as of the actual time that form of prospectus (including a prospectus supplement) is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and not retroactively.

 

Unless otherwise specified, a reference to a “rule” is to the indicated rule under the Act.

 

(b)  Compliance with Securities Act Requirements.  (i) (A) At the time the Registration Statement initially became effective, (B) at the time of each amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether by post-effective amendment, incorporated report or form of prospectus), (C) at the Effective Time relating to the Offered Securities and (D) on the Closing Date, the Registration Statement conformed and will conform, as applicable, in all respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not include and will not include, as applicable, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (ii) (A) on its date, (B) at the time of filing the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) and (C) on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.  The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any such document based upon written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

(c)      Shelf Registration Statement.  The date of this Agreement is not more than three years subsequent to the more recent of the initial effective time of the Registration Statement.  If, immediately prior to the third anniversary of the initial effective time of the Registration Statement, any of the Offered Securities remain unsold by the Underwriter, the Company will prior to that third anniversary file, if it has not already done so, a new shelf registration statement relating to the Offered Securities, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter, will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 180 days after that third anniversary, and will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Offered Securities to continue as contemplated in the expired

 


 

registration statement relating to the Offered Securities.  References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new shelf registration statement.

 

(d)     Ineligible Issuer Status.  (i)  At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Offered Securities and (ii) at the date of this Agreement, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, including (x) the Company or any other subsidiary in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 and (y) the Company in the preceding three years not having been the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar proceeding, not having had a registration statement be the subject of a proceeding under Section 8 of the Act and not being the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Securities, all as described in Rule 405.

 

(e)        Shelf Registration Eligibility.  The Company meets (i) the eligibility criteria for use of Form S-3 under the Act and (ii) the eligibility criteria for use of Form S-3 under the Act as such criteria existed prior to October 21, 1992.

 

(f)           General Disclosure Package.  As of the Applicable Time (as defined in Schedule A hereto), neither (i) the General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated March 9, 2016, including the base prospectus, dated May 20, 2013, (which is the most recent Statutory Prospectus distributed to investors generally), and the other information, if any, stated in Schedule B to this Agreement to be included in the General Disclosure Package, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (ii) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Statutory Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

(g)          Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses.  Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies Barclays as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement.  If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement or as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would 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, (i) the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Underwriter and (ii) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.  The first sentence of this clause (g) does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

 

(h)         Good Standing of the Company.  The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its

 


 

ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(i)             Subsidiaries.  Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated or organized and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with corporate or business trust power and authority, as applicable, to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package; and each subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and, except as discussed in the General Disclosure Package under the heading “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation—Liquidity and Capital Resources,” the capital stock of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects.

 

(j)        Offered Securities.  The Offered Securities and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized; the authorized equity capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and, when the Offered Securities have been delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement on the Closing Date, such Offered Securities will have been, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will conform in all material respects to the information in the General Disclosure Package and to the description of such Offered Securities contained in the Final Prospectus; the stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Securities; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder.

 

(k)     No Finder’s Fee.  There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.

 

(l)         Registration Rights.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Act (collectively, “registration rights”), and any person to whom the Company has granted registration rights has agreed not to exercise such rights until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period referred to in Section 5 hereof.

 

(m)     Listing.  The Offered Securities have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance.

 

(n)  Absence of Further Requirements.  No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by the Company, except (i) such as have been obtained or made, (ii) such as may be required under state securities laws and (iii) such as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

(o)         Title to Property.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and good and valid title to all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, charges, encumbrances and defects that would, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property

 


 

under valid and enforceable leases with no terms or provisions that would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(p)         Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction.  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) any law, statute or ordinance, or any rule, regulation, injunction or order of any governmental agency, including without limitation, the United States Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except, in the case of clauses (ii) or (iii) only, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, 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 of its subsidiaries.

 

(q)         Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter, by-laws, or any law, statute or ordinance, or any rule, regulation, injunction or order of any governmental agency, including, without limitation, the FDA, or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(r)            Authorization of Agreement.  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(s)           Possession of Licenses and Permits.  The Company and its subsidiaries possess, and are in compliance with the terms of, all certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses, permits and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities, including, without limitation, the FDA (“Licenses”), as are necessary to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the General Disclosure Package to be conducted by them, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(t)            Absence of Labor Dispute.  No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(u)         Possession of Intellectual Property.  The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess, license or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “intellectual property rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 


 

(v)         Environmental Laws.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “environmental laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any environmental laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any environmental laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any environmental laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim.

 

(w)       Accurate Disclosure.  The statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Summary of the Offering and Our Common Stock,” “Description of Capital Stock” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Debt,” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown under applicable Securities Laws.

 

(x)         Absence of Manipulation.  The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.

 

(y)         Statistical and Market-Related Data.  Any third-party statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in a Registration Statement, a Statutory Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

 

(z)          Internal Controls and Compliance with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.  Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, the Company, its subsidiaries and the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) are in compliance with Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx and all applicable Exchange Rules.  The Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures, internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting, an internal audit function and legal and regulatory compliance controls (collectively, “Internal Controls”) that comply with Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx, the Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations and the Exchange Rules and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the General Disclosure Package fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.  The Internal Controls are overseen by the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board in accordance with Exchange Rules.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, since January 2, 2016, the Company has not publicly disclosed or reported to the Audit Committee or the Board, and within the next 90 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board, (A) a significant deficiency, (B) a material weakness, (C) change in Internal Controls that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s Internal Controls, (D) fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in Internal Controls, (E) any violation of, or failure to comply with, the Securities Laws, or (F) any other matter involving Internal Controls, except, in the case of (A) and (F), as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 


 

(aa) Litigation.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or, to the Company’s knowledge, investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Offered Securities; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened or contemplated.

 

(bb)  Financial Statements.  The financial statements included in, or incorporated by reference into, the Registration Statement and the General Disclosure Package present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the General Disclosure Package fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. The assumptions used in preparing the pro forma financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions or events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma columns therein reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the corresponding historical financial statement amounts.

 

(cc)    No Material Adverse Change in Business.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in, or incorporated by reference into, the General Disclosure Package (i) there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) except as disclosed in or contemplated by the General Disclosure Package, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock and (iii) except as disclosed in or contemplated by the General Disclosure Package, there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company and its subsidiaries.

 

(dd) Investment Company Act.  The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

(ee)    Ratings.  No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined by the Commission in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act) (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the Company’s retaining any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of the Company or (ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering any of the actions described in Section 7(c)(ii) hereof.

 

(ff)  Taxes.  The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a Material Adverse Effect); and, except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, the Company and its subsidiaries have paid all taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties) required to be paid by them, except for any such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties currently being contested in good faith or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(gg)  Insurance.  The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary for

 


 

the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the General Disclosure Package.

 

(hh) FCPA.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, has in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries: (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official, “foreign official” as defined in the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”) or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA, U.K. Xxxxxxx Xxx 0000, as amended, or any other applicable anti-bribery statute or regulation; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any domestic government official, foreign official or employee.

 

(ii) Anti-Money Laundering.  The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(jj)  Sanctions.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is (i) currently subject to or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”); or (ii) organized or resident in any country that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person, or in any country or territory, that currently is the subject or target of Sanctions.

 

(jj)  Pro Forma Financials.  The pro forma financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the historical financial statement amounts in the pro forma financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.  The pro forma financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of Regulation S-X under the Act.

 

3.  Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Securities.  On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees, to purchase from the Company, 4,000,000 shares of the Firm Securities. The purchase price payable by the Underwriter for the Offered Securities is set forth in Schedule A hereto.

 

The Company will deliver the Firm Securities to or as instructed by Barclays in a form reasonably acceptable to Barclays against payment of the purchase price by Barclays in Federal (same day) funds by wire

 


 

transfer to an account at a bank designated by the Company and reasonably acceptable to Barclays drawn to the order of the Company at the office of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, New York, New York at 9:00 A.M., New York time, on March 15, 2016 or at such other time not later than seven full business days thereafter as Barclays and the Company determine, such time being herein referred to as the “First Closing Date.”  For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act, Closing Date (if later than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the settlement date for payment of funds and delivery of securities for all the Firm Securities sold pursuant to the offering. The Firm Securities to be so delivered or evidence of their issuance will be made available for checking at the above office of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP at least 24 hours prior to the First Closing Date.

 

In addition, upon written notice from the Underwriter given to the Company from time to time not more than 30 days subsequent to the date of the Final Prospectus, the Underwriter may purchase all or less than all of the Optional Securities at the purchase price per Security to be paid for the Firm Securities. The Company agrees to sell to the Underwriter the number of shares of Optional Securities specified in such notice and the Underwriter agrees to purchase such Optional Securities.  No Optional Securities shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Underwriter to the Company.

 

Each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities, being herein referred to as an “Optional Closing Date,” which may be the First Closing Date (the First Closing Date and each Optional Closing Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Closing Date”), shall be determined by Barclays but shall be not later than five full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Securities is given. Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the time of delivery specified therein. The Company will deliver the Optional Securities being purchased on each Optional Closing Date to or as instructed by Barclays against payment of the purchase price therefor in Federal (same day) funds by wire transfer to an account at a bank designated by the Company and reasonably acceptable to Barclays drawn to the order of the Company at the above office of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP.  The Optional Securities being purchased on each Optional Closing Date or evidence of their issuance will be made available for checking at the above office of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP at a reasonable time in advance of such Optional Closing Date.

 

4.  Offering by the Underwriter.  It is understood that the Underwriter proposes to offer the Offered Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus.

 

5.  Certain Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the Underwriter that:

 

(a)         Filing of Prospectuses.  The Company has filed or will file each Statutory Prospectus (including the Final Prospectus) pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 424(b)(2) (or, if applicable and consented to by the Underwriter, subparagraph (5)) not later than the second business day following the earlier of the date it is first used or the execution and delivery of this Agreement.  The Company has complied and will comply with Rule 433.

 

(b)         Filing of Amendments; Response to Commission Requests.  The Company will promptly advise the Underwriter of any proposal to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus at any time and will offer the Underwriter a reasonable opportunity to comment on any such amendment or supplement; and the Company will also advise the Underwriter promptly of (i) the filing of any such amendment or supplement, (ii) any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment to the Registration Statement, for any supplement to any Statutory Prospectus or for any additional information, (iii) the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of the Registration Statement or the threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, and (iv) the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Offered Securities in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceedings for such purpose.  The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

 

(c)          Continued Compliance with Securities Laws.  If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act

 


 

by the Underwriter or any dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter of such event and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriter and the dealers and any other dealers upon request of the Underwriter, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance.  Neither the Underwriter’s consent to, nor the Underwriter’s delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof.

 

(d)         Rule 158.  As soon as practicable, but not later than 16 months, after the date of this Agreement, the Company will make generally available to its securityholders an earnings statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the date of this Agreement and satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.

 

(e)          Furnishing of Prospectuses.  The Company will furnish to the Underwriter copies of the Registration Statement, including all exhibits, any Statutory Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriter reasonably requests.  The Company will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the Underwriter all such documents.

 

(f)           Blue Sky Qualifications.  The Company will cooperate with the Underwriter with respect to the qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter designates and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Offered Securities; provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject.

 

(g)          Reporting Requirements.  During the period of three years hereafter, the Company will furnish to the Underwriter as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of its annual report to stockholders for such year; and the Company will furnish to the Underwriter (i) as soon as available, a copy of each report and any definitive proxy statement of the Company filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act or mailed to stockholders, and (ii) from time to time, such other information concerning the Company as the Underwriter may reasonably request.  However, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and is timely filing reports with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“XXXXX”), it is not required to furnish such reports, statements or such other information to the Underwriter.

 

(h)         Payment of Expenses.  The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including but not limited to any filing fees and other expenses incurred in connection with qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter designates and the preparation and printing of memoranda relating thereto (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriter in connection with state securities or blue sky laws), reasonable costs and expenses relating to investor presentations or any “road show” in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities, any travel-related costs and expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any other expenses of the Company including the chartering of airplanes, fees and expenses incident to listing the Offered Securities on the New York Stock Exchange, fees and expenses in connection with the registration of the Offered Securities under the Exchange Act, and expenses incurred in distributing preliminary prospectuses and the Final Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto) to the Underwriter and for expenses incurred for preparing, printing and distributing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses to investors or prospective investors.

 

(i)             Use of Proceeds.  The Company will use the net proceeds received in connection with this offering in the manner described in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the General Disclosure Package.

 


 

(j)            Absence of Manipulation.  The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.

 

(k)     Restriction on Sale of Securities.  For the period specified below (the “Lock-Up Period”), the Company will not, directly or indirectly, take any of the following actions with respect to its Securities or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of its Securities (“Lock-Up Securities”):  (i) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of Lock-Up Securities, (ii) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, contract to purchase or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase Lock-Up Securities, (iii) enter into any swap, hedge or any other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequences of ownership of Lock-Up Securities, (iv) establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in Lock-Up Securities within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (v) file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to Lock-Up Securities, or publicly disclose the intention to take any such action, without the prior written consent of Barclays.  The foregoing, however, will not apply to (A) grants of non-employee director stock option, employee stock option or performance share awards or the issuance of common stock to non-employee directors pursuant to the terms of a plan in effect on the date hereof as described in the General Disclosure Package or issuances of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the exercise of such options, the terms of such performance share awards or the exercise of any other employee stock options or the terms of any other performance share awards outstanding on the date hereof or (B) Securities of the Company issued in connection with any acquisition or strategic investment (including any joint venture, collaboration, partnership, alliance or other strategic or commercial relationship); provided, however, that in the case of this clause (B), (x) the aggregate number of Securities of the Company issued in connection with such acquisition or strategic investment does not exceed 10% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately after the issuance and sale of the Securities and (y) any recipient of such Securities agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions on the resale of securities consistent with the lock-up letters described in Section 7(g) hereof for the Lock-Up Period.  The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date hereof and continue for 60 days after the date hereof or such earlier date that Barclays consents to in writing.

 

6.  Free Writing Prospectuses.  The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Underwriter, and the Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission.  Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Underwriter is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.”  The Company represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping.

 

7.  Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriter. The obligations of the Underwriter to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities on the First Closing Date and the Optional Securities to be purchased on each Optional Closing Date will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein (as though made on such Closing Date), to the accuracy of the statements of Company officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:

 

(a)  Accountants’ Comfort Letter.  The Underwriter shall have received (i) letters, dated, respectively, the date hereof and the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, of KPMG LLP confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm and independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Laws and containing such other statements and information as is ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters substantially in the form of Annex I hereto and (ii) letters, dated, respectively, the date hereof and the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, of KPMG LLP confirming that they

 


 

are a registered public accounting firm and independent public accountants with respect to the Green Giant business of General Xxxxx, Inc. within the meaning of the Securities Laws and containing such other statements and information as is ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters.

 

(b)  Filing of Prospectus.  The Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and Section 5(a) hereof. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Underwriter, shall be contemplated by the Commission.

 

(c)  No Material Adverse Change.  Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Underwriter, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Offered Securities; (ii) any downgrading in the rating of any debt securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)), or any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating); (iii)  any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Underwriter, impractical to market or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market; (iv) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (v) or any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (vi) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal or New York authorities; (vii) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment, or clearance services in the United States or any other country where such securities are listed or (viii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Underwriter, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it impractical or inadvisable to market the Offered Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities.

 

(d)  Opinion of Counsel for Company.  The Underwriter shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Dechert LLP, counsel for the Company, substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex II.

 

(e)  Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriter.  The Underwriter shall have received from Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Underwriter may require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

 

(f)  Officers’ Certificate.  The Underwriter shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of an executive officer of the Company and a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company in which such officers shall state that: the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct; the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the best of their knowledge and after reasonable investigation, are contemplated by the Commission; subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the General Disclosure Package, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package or as described in such certificate; they have no reason to believe that any part of the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Time relating to the Offered Securities or as of any Closing

 


 

Date, or any amendment thereto, as of its effective time or as of such Closing Date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the Final Prospectus, as of the date of this Agreement or as of any Closing Date, or any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date or as of such Closing Date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and they have no reason to believe that the General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time or as of such Closing Date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(g)  Lock-Up Agreements.  The Underwriter shall have received executed lock-up agreements, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, from the directors and officers of the Company listed on Schedule C hereto.

 

The Company will furnish the Underwriter with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Underwriter reasonably requests.  The Underwriter may waive compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriter hereunder, whether in respect of the First Closing Date, an Optional Closing Date or otherwise.

 

8.  Indemnification and Contribution.  (a)  Indemnification of the Underwriter.  The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

 

(b)  Indemnification of Company.  The Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and each of its officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, based

 


 

upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the following information in the Final Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter:  the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the second paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Discounts and Commissions” and the information appearing under the caption “Underwriting—Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids.

 

(c)  Actions against Parties; Notification.  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a) or (b) above.  In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.  In no event shall any indemnifying party be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one counsel separate from its own counsel (in addition to any local counsel as may be required by the indemnified party) 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.  Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action 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 an indemnified party.

 

(d)  Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other from the offering of the Offered Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above 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 the Underwriter on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriter and

 


 

the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriter’s obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to its underwriting obligations and not joint.  The Company and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 8(d).

 

9.  Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations.  The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriter set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of the Underwriter, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities. If the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriter is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8 hereof, the Company will reimburse the Underwriter for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities, and the respective obligations of the Company and the Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 hereof shall remain in effect.  In addition, if any Offered Securities have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in Section 2 and all obligations under Section 5 shall also remain in effect.

 

10.  Notices.  All communications hereunder will be in writing and,

 

(a)         if sent to the Underwriter, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to Barclays Capital Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: (000) 000-0000), with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 8(c), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Barclays Capital Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.

 

(b)         or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxxx, X.X. 00000, Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, President and Chief Executive Officer (Fax: 000-000-0000), with copies to Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer, at B&G Foods, Inc., Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxxx, X.X. 00000 (Fax: 000-000-0000) and Dechert LLP, Xxxx Centre, 0000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx (Fax: 000-000-0000);

 

provided, however, that any notice to the Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 will be mailed, delivered or transmitted electronically and confirmed to the Underwriter.

 

11.  Successors.  This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 8, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

 

12.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

 

13.  Absence of Fiduciary Relationship.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

 


 

(a)                                 No Other Relationship.  The Underwriter has been retained solely to act as underwriter in connection with the sale of Offered Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Underwriter has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Final Prospectus, irrespective of whether the Underwriter have advised or is advising the Company on other matters;

 

(b)                                 Arms’ Length Negotiations.  The price of the Offered Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriter and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(c)                                  Absence of Obligation to Disclose.  The Company has been advised that the Underwriter and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Underwriter has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company solely by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship;

 

(d)                                 Waiver.  The Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Underwriter for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading thereto and agrees that the Underwriter shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company; and

 

(e)                                  Research Analyst Independence.  The Company acknowledges that the Underwriter’s research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from its investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that the Underwriter’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering that differ from the views of its investment banking division.  The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriter with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by the Underwriter’s investment banking division.  The Company acknowledges that the Underwriter is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

14.  Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflict of laws principles (other than Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law).

 

15. Waiver of Jury Trial; Venue.  The Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.  The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

16. Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 


 

If the foregoing is in accordance with the Underwriter’s understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement between the Company and the Underwriter in accordance with its terms.

Very truly yours,

 

 

B&G FOODS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx

 

 

Name:

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx

 

 

Title:

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed
and accepted as of the date first above written.

 

BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxx

 

 

Name:

Xxxxxxxx Xxxx

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 


 

SCHEDULE A

 

1.              Price per share to Underwriter: $33.10.

 

2.              “Applicable Time” means 6:00 P.M. (Eastern time) on March 9, 2016.

 


 

SCHEDULE B

 

1.              General Use Free Writing Prospectuses (included in the General Disclosure Package)

 

“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” includes each of the following documents:

 

2.              Other Information Included in the General Disclosure Package

 

The following information is also included in the General Disclosure Package:

 

1.              The initial price to the public of the Offered Securities: $33.55.

 

2.              Number of shares offered: 4,000,000.

 


 

SCHEDULE C

 

PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS

 

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx

Xxxx X. Xxxx

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx

XxXxx X.  Xxxxxx

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxxxxx Xxx

Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx

 

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Filed: March 11th, 2016
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