CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC. 75,000,000 Common Shares Underwriting Agreement
EXHIBIT 1.1
Execution Version
75,000,000 Common Shares
October 29, 2025
UBS Securities LLC
As Representative of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o UBS Securities LLC
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representative (the “Representative”), an aggregate of 75,000,000 common shares, par value $0.125 per share, of the Company (the “Underwritten Shares”). In addition, the Company proposes to issue and sell, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 11,250,000 common shares, par value $0.125 per share, of the Company (the “Option Shares”). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Shares”. The common shares of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are referred to herein as the “Stock”. To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule 1 other than you, the term Representative as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representative and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires.
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:
1.Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-291146), including a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”) to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A or 430B under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” Any preliminary prospectus supplement describing the offering of the Shares that is used prior to the filing of the Prospectus (as defined below), together with the Base Prospectus, is called a “Preliminary Prospectus,” and the term “Prospectus” means the
final prospectus supplement to, and together with, the Base Prospectus that describes the offering of the Shares in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. Any reference in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”) to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. For purposes hereof, any reference to the Preliminary Prospectus includes the Canadian preliminary offering memorandum, dated October 29, 2025 regarding the offer for sale of the Shares being made in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Québec. For purposes hereof, any reference to the Prospectus includes the Canadian final offering memorandum, dated as of the date of this Agreement, regarding the offer for sale of the Shares being made in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Québec.
References to “Canadian Securities Laws” shall mean all applicable securities laws in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, and the respective regulations and rules under such laws together with applicable published rules, policy statements, blanket rulings and orders, instruments, rulings and notices of the regulatory authorities in such provinces or territories.
References to “Canadian Securities Commissions” means the securities commissions or similar regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada.
At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex A, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated October 29, 2025 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed in Section a. on Annex A hereto.
“Applicable Time” means 4:30 P.M., New York City time, on October 29, 2025.
2.Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(a)The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase at a price per share of $12.69 (the “Purchase Price”) from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto.
In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option Shares.
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If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make.
The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representative to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date or later than the fifth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.
(b)The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representative is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package provided that, it is understood and agreed that the offering of the Shares in Canada by the Underwriters as contemplated herein shall be made in Canada on a private placement basis in accordance with applicable exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable Canadian Securities Laws. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.
(c)Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Company to the Representative in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on October 31, 2025, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time specified by the Representative in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date,” and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date”.
Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.
(d)The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representative nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall
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consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.
3.Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Representative that:
(a)Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(b)Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(c)Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representative. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, when taken together with any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus delivered prior to such applicable date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
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under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(d)Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Shares has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
(e)Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f)No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been (A) any material change in capital stock, short-term or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (B) any material adverse change, or any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, financial position or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into
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any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority.
(g)Independent Accountants. (i) Deloitte & Touche LLP, which expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) and supporting schedules of the Company filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public or certified public accountants within the meaning of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and (ii) KPMG LLP, which expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) and supporting schedules of Stelco Inc. (f/k/a Stelco Holdings Inc.) (“Stelco”) filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public or certified public accountants with respect to Stelco within the meaning of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
(h)Financial Statements of the Company. (i) The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (A) comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods specified and (B) have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly, in all material respects, the information required to be stated therein, (ii) the financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of Stelco and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Final Offering Memorandum (A) present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Stelco and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods specified and (B) have been prepared in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and adopted by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information required to be stated therein, (iii) except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the pro forma financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and the related notes thereto set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information contained therein, have been prepared in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation S-X with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly presented on the bases described therein and the assumptions underlying the pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein, in each case as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (iv) the other financial information included or
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incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, or Stelco and its consolidated subsidiaries, as applicable, and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby.
(i)[Reserved]
(j)Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation; 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, and has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial position or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(k)Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company that, as of December 31, 2024, was a “significant subsidiary” (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) of the Company has been duly incorporated or organized, as applicable, and is existing and, if applicable, is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with power and authority (corporate or limited liability company, as applicable, and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as presently being conducted; and each significant subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation, limited liability company or other entity as applicable and is 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 or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. As of the date of this Agreement, (i) all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or membership interests, as applicable, of each significant subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and (ii) the capital stock or membership interests, as applicable, of each significant subsidiary of the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, are owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects, other than liens existing pursuant to the Company’s asset-based lending facility (the “Existing Secured Indebtedness”) and the liens otherwise permitted by any indenture.
(l)Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as disclosed in or expressly contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; and the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(m)Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the
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due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken.
(n)Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(o)The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
(p)Description of the Underwriting Agreement. The statements in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus insofar as they summarize provisions of this Agreement, fairly summarize these provisions in all material respects.
(q)No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares by the Company and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of incorporation or code of regulations of the Company, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default (“Default”) or a Debt Repayment Triggering 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 of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, contract, franchise, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound (including, without limitation, the Company’s Existing Secured Indebtedness), or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”), except, in the case of this clause (ii), for such conflicts, breaches, Defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, or the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares or consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except (i) for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act, (ii) periodic and other reporting requirements under the Exchange Act, (iii) as may be required under state securities or “blue sky” laws or (iv) the post-closing filing of a report on Form 45-106F1 – Report of Exempt Distribution (“Form 45-106F1”), with payment of applicable filing fees, and, if applicable, delivery of the Canadian final offering memorandum with the Canadian Securities Commissions in each jurisdiction in which sales of the Shares are made and such delivery is required. As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which 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.
(r)No Material Actions or Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or
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may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that are not so disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no contracts or other documents that are required under the Exchange Act to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that are not so disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(s)Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and to the Company’s knowledge, there is no existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(t)Intellectual Property Rights. Except liens under the Existing Secured Indebtedness, the Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, trade secrets, know-how and other intellectual property necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and the conduct of their respective businesses as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus does not conflict with any such rights of others, except in each case as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(u)All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all adequate licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties to conduct their respective businesses as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make such declaration or filing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not received notice of any revocation or modification of any such licenses, certificates, permits or other authorization and has no reason to believe that any such licenses, certificates, permits or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except, in any case, where such revocation, modification or non-renewal would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(v)Title to Properties. Except liens under the Existing Secured Indebtedness, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property and assets that are necessary to the business of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, charges, encumbrances and defects of title except those that do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(w)Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof and have paid all federal, state,
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local and non-U.S. taxes due and payable through the date hereof, except where (1) the failure to pay such taxes or file such tax returns would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (2) the obligation to pay such taxes is being contested in good faith and adequately accounted for within the financial statements of the Company in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles; and, except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or against any of their respective properties or assets, except for any deficiency that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(x)No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, shareholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents.
(y)Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the net proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(z)Insurance. The Company and its significant subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance, in the Company’s and the significant subsidiaries’ reasonable belief, is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are adequate to protect the Company and its significant subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its significant subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that material capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) 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 at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.
(aa)Solvency. The Company is, and immediately after the Closing Date will be, Solvent. As used herein, the term “Solvent” means, with respect to any person on a particular date, that on such date (i) the fair market value of the assets of such person is greater than the total amount of liabilities (including contingent liabilities) of such person, (ii) the present fair salable value of the assets of such person is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liabilities of such person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (iii) such person is able to realize upon its assets and pay its debts and other liabilities, including contingent obligations, as they mature and (iv) such person does not have unreasonably small capital.
(bb)Disclosure Controls. The Company (including its consolidated subsidiaries) maintains a system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.
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(cc)Internal Controls. The Company (including its consolidated subsidiaries) maintains a system of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Deloitte & Touche LLP and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(dd)Compliance with Environmental Laws. (i) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or except for any such matter, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries (A) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and the common law relating to pollution or the protection of the environment, natural resources or human health or safety (with respect to exposure to Hazardous Materials (as defined below)), including those relating to the generation, storage, treatment, use, handling, transportation, Release (as defined below) or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, (C) have not received written notice of, or claims for, any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice or claims, (D) are not conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation or other corrective action pursuant to any Environmental Law at any location, (E) have not agreed to assume, undertake or provide indemnification for any liability of any other person under any Environmental Law, including any obligation for cleanup or remedial action and (F) are not a party to any order, decree or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Environmental Law; (ii) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except for any such matter, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) there are no proceedings that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of
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$1,000,000 or more will be imposed, except as disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, (B) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws, including the Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (C) none of the Company nor any of its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws. No property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject to any lien under any Environmental Law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ee)Hazardous Materials. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has been no storage, generation, transportation, use, handling, treatment, Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials by, relating to or caused by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, any other entity (including any predecessor) for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or could reasonably be expected to be liable) at, on, under or from any property or facility now or previously owned, operated or leased by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or at, on, under or from any other property or facility, in violation of any Environmental Laws or in a manner or amount or to a location that could reasonably be expected to result in any liability under any Environmental Law, except for any violation or liability which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. “Hazardous Materials” means any material, chemical, substance, waste, pollutant, contaminant, compound, mixture or constituent thereof, in any form or amount, including petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) and petroleum products, natural gas liquids, asbestos and asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances, naturally occurring radioactive materials, brine and drilling mud, regulated or which can give rise to liability under any Environmental Law. “Release” means any spilling, leaking, seepage, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing, depositing, dispersing or migrating in, into or through the environment, or in, indoor air.
(ff)ERISA Compliance. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is subject to ERISA and is sponsored by the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, ERISA and the Code, except for noncompliance that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) no non-exempt prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Sections 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA, the minimum funding standard of Section 412 of the Code or Sections 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA, as applicable, has been satisfied (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period) and is reasonably expected to be satisfied in the future (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period); (iv) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the fair market value of the assets of each Plan that is required to be funded exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan) as of the relevant date or dates described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (v) with respect to any Plan, no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has
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occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that either has resulted, or could reasonably be expected to result, in material liability under Title IV of ERISA to the Company or its subsidiaries; (vi) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any material liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than for premiums owed to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (the “PBGC”), in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan); and (vii) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no pending audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the PBGC or any other governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to any Plan that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (x) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans that are required to be funded by the Company or its subsidiaries in the current fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year; or (y) a material increase in the Company and its subsidiaries’ “benefit obligations” (as reported in the financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year.
(gg)No Unlawful Payments. 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 (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 or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (“FCPA”), or any other applicable anti-corruption law; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure continued compliance therewith. No part of the net proceeds of the sale of the Shares will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity in violation of the FCPA or any other applicable anti-corruption law.
(hh)Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. 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.
(ii)Compliance with Sanctions. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is, or is owned or controlled by individuals or entities that are, (i) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), the U.S. State Department, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of
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Sanctions, including, without limitation, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic or any other Covered Region of Ukraine identified pursuant to Executive Order 14065, the Crimea region and the non-government controlled areas of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Regions of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea or Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”). The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the net proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions or (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country.
(jj)No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No wholly owned significant subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such significant subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such significant subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such significant subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, other than as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the Existing Secured Indebtedness.
(kk)No Broker’s Fees. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(ll)No Registration Rights. No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company.
(mm)No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.
(nn)Margin Rules. The application of the net proceeds received by the Company from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
(oo)Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(pp)Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that the Company believes are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(qq)▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 and the rules and
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regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(rr)Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement, the Company was a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
(ss)Reporting Issuer Status. The Company is a “reporting issuer” (or equivalent) within the meaning of Canadian Securities Laws in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, is in compliance in all material respects with applicable Canadian Securities Laws and has filed pursuant to such laws all documents required to be filed by it and is either listed on the list of reporting issuers as not being in default or not on the list of defaulting reporting issuers maintained by the applicable Canadian Securities Commissions in each such Canadian jurisdiction, as the case may be. The Company is an SEC foreign issuer within the meaning of National Instrument 71-102 - Continuous Disclosure and Other Exemptions Relating to Foreign Issuers.
(tt)eXtensible Business Reporting Language. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus 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.
(uu)Cyber Security. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have taken all reasonable technical and organizational measures necessary to protect the information technology systems and data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company and its subsidiaries have used reasonable efforts to establish and maintain, and have established, maintained, implemented and complied with, reasonable information technology, information security, cyber security and data protection controls, policies and procedures, including oversight, access controls, encryption, technological and physical safeguards and business continuity/disaster recovery and security plans that are designed to protect against and prevent breach, destruction, loss, unauthorized distribution, use, access, disablement, misappropriation or modification, or other compromise or misuse of or relating to any information technology system or data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses (“Breach”). There has been no such Breach with a material impact on the Company's business, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any such material Breach.
4.Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a)Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A or 430B under the Securities Act, as applicable, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for the remainder of the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below); and will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00
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A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will pay the registration fee for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall also file or cause to be filed with the Canadian Securities Commissions all information and forms required to be supplied or filed by it in connection with the distribution of the Shares, including a Form 45-106F1, together with the prescribed filing fee, as required under applicable Canadian Securities Laws and the Canadian final offering memorandum in such jurisdictions where such filing is required.
(b)Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period, as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representative may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.
(c)Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, before using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects.
(d)Notice to the Representative. The Company will advise the Representative promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such
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qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(e)Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph 5(c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph 5(c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.
(f)Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(g)Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representative as soon as practicable an earnings statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.
(h)Clear Market. For a period of 60 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not (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 to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representative, other than (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of the Stock
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of the Company issued upon the exercise or settlement of any equity awards under the Company’s equity compensation plans existing on the date hereof, (C) the grant of options and other equity awards under the Company’s equity compensation plans, (D) any shares of Stock to be sold to the Company’s deferred compensation plans and savings plans existing on the date hereof and (E) any offer or entry into a contract to sell, or issuance or sale of, any shares of Stock, options, warrants or other convertible securities relating to Stock, in connection with any bona fide merger, acquisition, business combination, joint venture or strategic or commercial relationship, to a third party or group of third parties (each, a “Strategic Transaction”), and any public announcement relating to any such offer, entry into a contract, issuance or sale, provided that the recipient of such shares of Stock, options, warrants or other convertible securities relating to Stock so issued shall agree to be bound by the restrictions in this paragraph until the expiration of the restricted period, and provided that the amount of shares of Stock, options, warrants or other convertible securities relating to Stock issued in all Strategic Transactions in the aggregate do not exceed an amount greater than 15% of the Stock outstanding on the date of such Strategic Transaction.
(i)Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares substantially as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds.”
(j)No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Stock.
(k)Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange.
(l)Reports. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will furnish to the Representative, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided that the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representative to the extent they are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system.
(m)Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
5.Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:
(a)It has not used, authorized use of, referred to or participated in the planning for use of, and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance
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in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses 5(a)(i) or 5(a)(iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).
(b)It has not used and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto without the consent of the Company; and provided, further, that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.
(c)It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).
(d)It will only offer and sell Shares to persons resident in Canada who it reasonably believes are (i) “accredited investors” within the meaning of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (“NI 45-106”) or Section 73.3 of the Securities Act (Ontario) (the “Ontario Act”), as applicable, in a manner exempt from the prospectus requirements under Canadian Securities Laws in reliance on one or more exemptions from the prospectus requirements under NI 45-106 or Section 73.3 of the Ontario Act, as applicable, and (ii) “permitted clients” within the meaning of National Instrument 31-103 – Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations.
(e)It has not provided and will not provide to any person located or resident in Canada with any document or other material that would constitute an “offering memorandum” within the meaning of Canadian Securities Laws (other than the Canadian preliminary offering memorandum and the Canadian final offering memorandum) with respect to the private placement of the Shares in Canada.
(f)It is duly registered as an “investment dealer” or “exempt market dealer” as defined under Canadian Securities Laws or is otherwise exempt from the dealer registration requirements of Canadian Securities Laws in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares to any person located or resident in Canada.
(g)It will comply with all relevant Canadian Securities Laws concerning any resale of the Shares.
(h)All offers and sales of the Shares by such Underwriter will not be made through or accompanied by any advertisement of the Shares by such Underwriter, including, without limitation, in printed media of general and regular paid circulation, radio, television, or telecommunications, including electronic display or any other form of advertising or as part of a general solicitation by such Underwriter in Canada.
(i)It has not made and will not make any written or oral representations to any Canadian purchaser: (A) that any person will resell or repurchase the Shares purchased by such Canadian purchaser; (B) that the Shares will be freely tradeable by the Canadian purchaser without any restrictions or hold periods; (C) that any person will refund the purchase price of the Shares; or (D) as to the future price or value of the Shares.
(j)It will deliver to the Company as soon as practicable and, in any event, in sufficient time to allow the Company to comply with applicable Canadian Securities Laws, the information as required to be disclosed in Item 7 and Schedule 1 of Form 45-106F1 under NI 45-106, including the full name,
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residential address or address for service, telephone number, email address, corporate account number (if applicable) and such other information that may be requested by the applicable Canadian Securities Commissions for each Canadian purchaser to whom the Underwriter has sold Shares.
6.Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a)Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative.
(b)Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(c)No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Applicable Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, if there are any debt securities or preferred stock of, or guaranteed by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any such debt securities or preferred stock and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any such debt securities or preferred stock (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(d)No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(f) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representative makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(e)Officers’ Certificate. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representative (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
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performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs 6(a), 6(c) and 6(d) above.
(f)Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, each of (i) Deloitte & Touche LLP as to the Company and (ii) KPMG LLP as to Stelco shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(g)Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. (i) ▇▇▇▇▇ Day, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, and (ii) ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer & Secretary of the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative his written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
(h)Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representative may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(i)No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares by the Company; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares by the Company.
(j)Good Standing. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company in the State of Ohio and of each significant subsidiary organized in the United States of America or any state thereof evidence of the good standing of such significant subsidiary in the jurisdiction of its organization, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(k)Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.
(l)Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and executive officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the
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date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(m)Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative such further certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
7.Indemnification and Contribution.
(a)Indemnification of the Underwriters by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, selling agents, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees (to the extent permitted in paragraph 7(c) below) and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in paragraph 7(b) below.
(b)Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph 7(a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the information contained in the thirteenth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting.”
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(c)Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7 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 Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interest between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, selling agents, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representative and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement, unless such failure to reimburse the Indemnified Person is based on a dispute with a good faith basis as to either the obligation of the Indemnifying Person arising under this Section 7 to indemnify the Indemnified Person or the amount of such obligation and the Indemnifying Party shall have notified the Indemnified Party of such good faith dispute prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified
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Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d)Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs 7(a) or 7(b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, from the offering of the Shares 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) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that 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 Underwriters on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, 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 by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e)Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph 7(d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph 7(d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f)Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
8.Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
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9.Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representative, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange or The Nasdaq Stock Market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representative, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
10.Payment of Expenses.
(a)Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing this Agreement; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares under the state or foreign securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters up to $5,000); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; (ix) the filing fees incident to and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Representative in connection with any required review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Shares; and (x) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange.
(b)If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement (other than the default by one or more of the Underwriters in its or their respective obligations hereunder, in which case only the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be entitled to reimbursement), the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred and documented by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
11.Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
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12.Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.
13.Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
14.Miscellaneous.
(a)Authority of the Representative. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representative shall be binding upon the Underwriters.
(b)Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representative at UBS Securities LLC, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Syndicate. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer and Secretary.
(c)Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state.
(d)Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Agreement or in any other certificate, agreement or document related to this Agreement, if any, shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf,” “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including, without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign). The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code.
(e)Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(f)Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
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(g)Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. (i) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
ii.In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
For purposes of this Section, a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the ▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
Very truly yours,
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇.
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇.
Title: Executive Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
Accepted: October 29, 2025
UBS SECURITIES LLC
For themselves and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.
UBS SECURITIES LLC
By: /s/ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Managing Director
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Director
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
Schedule 1
| Underwriter | Number of Shares | |||||||
| UBS Securities LLC | 75,000,000 | |||||||
| Total | 75,000,000 | |||||||
Schedule 1
Annex A
a. Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Pricing Disclosure Package
•None.
b. Other Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses not included in the Pricing Disclosure Package
•None.
c. Pricing Information Provided Orally by Underwriters
Price of Underwritten Shares to the public: Price per share paid by each applicable investor
Number of Underwritten Shares: 75,000,000
Number of Option Shares: 11,250,000
Annex A
Annex B
FORM OF TERM SHEET
None.
Annex B
Exhibit A
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
[●], 2025
UBS Securities LLC
As Representative of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement
c/o UBS Securities LLC
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
New York, New York 10010
Re: Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. — Public Offering
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as Representative of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of common shares, par value $0.125 per share, of the Company (the “Securities”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Securities, and for other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period ending 60 days after the date of the prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) 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, directly or indirectly, any common shares, $0.125 per share par value, of the Company (the “Common Shares”) or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares (including without limitation, Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant), or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right
Exhibit A-1
with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares, in each case other than: (A) the transfer of Common Shares to the Company to satisfy any payment or withholding obligations in connection with the vesting, exercise or settlement of any equity awards under the Company’s equity compensation plans in existence on the date hereof; (B) the transfer of Common Shares by will or intestacy; (C) transfers of Common Shares as a bona fide gift or gifts; (D) transfers of Common Shares to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this letter agreement (this “Letter Agreement”), “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); and (E) the establishment of, but not any sales pursuant to, a Rule 10b5-1 plan; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (B), (C) or (D), each transferee shall execute and deliver to the Representative a lock-up letter in the form of this paragraph; provided, further, that in the case of any transfer or distribution, no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the 60-day restricted period referred to above or a filing on Form 4 made when required); provided, further, that in the case of any establishment of a Rule 10b5-1 plan, to the extent a filing by any party under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such establishment of a Rule 10b5-1 plan, such announcement or disclosure shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of shares of Stock may be made under such plan during the Lock-Up Period. Nothing herein shall prohibit the exercise or settlement of any equity awards under the Company’s equity compensation plans in existence on the date hereof, however, any Common Shares received upon such exercise or settlement will be subject to the 60-day restricted period referred to above.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Securities to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from, all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.
This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
[Signature Page Follows]
Exhibit A-2
Very truly yours,
By:
Name:
Title:
[Signature Page to Lock-Up Agreement]
Exhibit A-3