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EXHIBIT 1.1
THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
New York, New York
[date]
To the Representative(s)
named in Schedule I
hereto of the
Underwriters named in
Schedule II hereto
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, an Ohio corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to sell to the underwriters named in Schedule II hereto
(the "Underwriters"), for whom you (the "Representatives") are acting as
representatives, the principal amount of its securities identified in Schedule I
hereto (the "Securities"), to be issued under an indenture (the "Indenture")
dated as of September 15, 1998, between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank
(formerly Chemical Bank), as trustee (the "Trustee"). If the firm or firms
listed in Schedule II hereto include only the firm or firms listed in Schedule I
hereto, then the terms "Underwriters" and "Representatives", as used herein,
shall each be deemed to refer to such firm or firms.
1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. The Company represents and
warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this
Section 1. Certain terms used in this Section 1 are defined in paragraph (c)
hereof.
(a) If the offering of the Securities is a Delayed Offering
(as specified in Schedule I hereto), paragraph (i) below is applicable
and, if the offering
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of the Securities is a Non-Delayed Offering (as so specified), paragraph (ii)
below is applicable.
(i) The Company meets the requirements for the use of
Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") and has
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement (the file number of
which is set forth in Schedule I hereto) on such Form,
including a basic prospectus, for registration under the Act
of the offering and sale of the Securities. The Company may
have filed one or more amendments thereto, and may have used a
Preliminary Final Prospectus, each of which has previously
been furnished to you. Such registration statement, as so
amended, has become effective. The offering of the Securities
is a Delayed Offering and, although the Basic Prospectus may
not include all the information with respect to the Securities
and the offering thereof required by the Act and the rules
thereunder to be included in the Final Prospectus, the Basic
Prospectus includes all such information required by the Act
and the rules thereunder to be included therein as of the
Effective Date. The Company will next file with the Commission
pursuant to Rules 415 and 424(b)(2) or (5) a final supplement
to the form of prospectus included in such registration
statement relating to the Securities and the offering thereof.
As filed, such final prospectus supplement shall include or
incorporate by reference to other documents all required
information with respect to the Securities and the offering
thereof and, except to the extent the Representatives shall
agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all
substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the
Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the
Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional
information and other changes (beyond that contained in the
Basic Prospectus and any Preliminary Final Prospectus) as the
Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be
included or made therein.
(ii) The Company meets the requirements for the use
of Form S-3 under the Act and has filed with the Commission a
registration statement (the file number of which is set forth
in Schedule I hereto) on such Form, including a basic
prospectus, for registration under the Act of the
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offering and sale of the Securities. The Company may have
filed one or more amendments thereto, including a Preliminary
Final Prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished
to you. The Company will next file with the Commission either
(x) a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities
in accordance with Rules 430A and 424(b)(1) or (4), or (y)
prior to the effectiveness of such registration statement, an
amendment to such registration statement, including the form
of final prospectus supplement. In the case of clause (x), the
Company has included in such registration statement, as
amended at the Effective Date, all information (other than
Rule 430A Information) required by the Act and the rules
thereunder to be included in the Final Prospectus with respect
to the Securities and the offering thereof. As filed, such
final prospectus supplement or such amendment and form of
final prospectus supplement shall contain all Rule 430A
Information, together with all other such required
information, with respect to the Securities and the offering
thereof and, except to the extent the Representatives shall
agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all
substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the
Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the
Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional
information and other changes (beyond that contained in the
Basic Prospectus and any Preliminary Final Prospectus) as the
Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be
included or made therein.
(b) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did or
will, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed (if required) in
accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final
Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material
respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939 (the "Trust Indenture Act") and the respective rules
thereunder; on the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did not
or will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein not misleading; on the Effective
Date and on the Closing Date the Indenture did or will comply in all
material respects with the requirements of the Trust Indenture
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Act and the rules thereunder; and, on the Effective Date, the Final
Prospectus, if not filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), did not or will not,
and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the
Closing Date, the Final Prospectus (together with any supplement
thereto) will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company makes no
representations or warranties as to (i) that part of the Registration
Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility and
Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee
or (ii) the information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing
to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the
Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration
Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto).
(c) The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall
have the meanings indicated. The term "the Effective Date" shall mean
each date that the Registration Statement and any post-effective
amendment or amendments thereto became or become effective and each
date after the date hereof on which a document incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement is filed. "Execution Time"
shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and
delivered by the parties hereto. "Basic Prospectus" shall mean the
prospectus referred to in paragraph (a) above contained in the
Registration Statement at the Effective Date including, in the case of
a Non-Delayed Offering, any Preliminary Final Prospectus. "Preliminary
Final Prospectus" shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement to
the Basic Prospectus which describes the Securities and the offering
thereof and is used prior to filing of the Final Prospectus. "Final
Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the
Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the
Execution Time, together with the Basic Prospectus or, if, in the case
of a Non-Delayed Offering, no filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) is
required, shall mean the form of final prospectus relating to the
Securities, including the Basic Prospectus, included in the
Registration Statement at the Effective Date. "Registration Statement"
shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph (a)
above, including
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incorporated documents, exhibits and financial statements, as amended
at the Execution Time (or, if not effective at the Execution Time, in
the form in which it shall become effective) and, in the event any
post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the Closing
Date (as hereinafter defined), shall also mean such registration
statement as so amended. Such term shall include any Rule 430A
Information deemed to be included therein at the Effective Date as
provided by Rule 430A. "Rule 415", "Rule 424", "Rule 430A" and
"Regulation S-K" refer to such rules or regulation under the Act. "Rule
430A Information" means information with respect to the Securities and
the offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration
Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A. Any
reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus,
any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference
therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the
Exchange Act on or before the Effective Date of the Registration
Statement or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary
Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be; and any
reference herein to the terms "amend", "amendment" or "supplement" with
respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any
Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to
refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act
after the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue
date of the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the
Final Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein
by reference. A "Non-Delayed Offering" shall mean an offering of
securities which is intended to commence promptly after the effective
date of a registration statement, with the result that, pursuant to
Rules 415 and 430A, all information (other than Rule 430A Information)
with respect to the securities so offered must be included in such
registration statement at the effective date thereof. A "Delayed
Offering" shall mean an offering of securities pursuant to Rule 415
which does not commence promptly after the effective date of a
registration statement, with the result that only information required
pursuant to Rule 415 need be included in such registration statement at
the effective date thereof with respect to the securities so offered.
Whether the offering of the Securities is a Non-Delayed Offering or a
Delayed Offering shall be set forth in Schedule I hereto.
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2. PURCHASE AND SALE. Subject to the terms and conditions and
in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the
Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price
set forth in Schedule I hereto the principal amount of the Securities set forth
opposite such Underwriter's name in Schedule II hereto, except that, if Schedule
I hereto provides for the sale of Securities pursuant to delayed delivery
arrangements, the respective principal amounts of Securities to be purchased by
the Underwriters shall be as set forth in Schedule II hereto less the respective
amounts of Contract Securities determined as provided below. Securities to be
purchased by the Underwriters are herein sometimes called the "Underwriters'
Securities" and Securities to be purchased pursuant to Delayed Delivery
Contracts as hereinafter provided are herein called "Contract Securities".
If so provided in Schedule I hereto, the Underwriters are
authorized to solicit offers to purchase Securities from the Company pursuant to
delayed delivery contracts ("Delayed Delivery Contracts"), substantially in the
form of Schedule III hereto but with such changes therein as the Company may
authorize or approve. The Underwriters will endeavor to make such arrangements
and, as compensation therefor, the Company will pay to the Representatives, for
the account of the Underwriters, on the Closing Date, the percentage set forth
in Schedule I hereto of the principal amount of the Securities for which Delayed
Delivery Contracts are made. Delayed Delivery Contracts are to be with
institutional investors, including commercial and savings banks, insurance
companies, pension funds, investment companies and educational and charitable
institutions. The Company will enter into Delayed Delivery Contracts in all
cases where sales of Contract Securities arranged by the Underwriters have been
approved by the Company but, except as the Company may otherwise agree, each
such Delayed Delivery Contract must be for not less than the minimum principal
amount set forth in Schedule I hereto and the aggregate principal amount of
Contract Securities may not exceed the maximum aggregate principal amount set
forth in Schedule I hereto. The Underwriters will not have any responsibility in
respect of the validity or performance of Delayed Delivery Contracts. The
principal amount of Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter as set forth
in Schedule II hereto shall be reduced by an amount which shall bear the same
proportion to the total principal amount of Contract Securities as the principal
amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to
the aggregate principal amount set forth in Schedule II hereto, except to the
extent that you
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determine that such reduction shall be otherwise than in such proportion and so
advise the Company in writing; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the total principal
amount of Securities to be purchased by all Underwriters shall be the aggregate
principal amount set forth in Schedule II hereto less the aggregate principal
amount of Contract Securities.
3. DELIVERY AND PAYMENT. Delivery of and payment for the
Underwriters' Securities shall be made on the date and at the time specified in
Schedule I hereto (or such later date not later than five business days after
such specified date as the Representatives shall designate), which date and time
may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as
provided in Section 8 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the
Underwriters' Securities being herein called the "Closing Date"). Payment for
the Underwriters' Securities shall be made by certified or official bank check
or checks payable to the order of the Company, or by wire transfer if so
specified in Schedule I, in the funds and at the time and place set forth in
Schedule I, upon delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of
the several Underwriters of the Underwriters' Securities. Unless otherwise
specified in Schedule I, the Underwriters' Securities will be represented by one
or more definitive global Securities in book-entry form which will be deposited
by or on behalf of the Company with The Depository Trust Company (the "DTC") or
its designated custodian. The Company will deliver the Underwriters' Securities
to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter by causing DTC to
credit the Underwriters' Securities to the account of the Representatives at
DTC. The Company will cause the certificates representing the Underwriters'
Securities to be made available to the Representatives for checking on the
business day prior to the date of delivery at the office of DTC or its
designated custodian.
4. AGREEMENTS. The Company agrees with the several
Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution Time, and any
amendment thereto, to become effective. Prior to the termination of the
offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of
the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final
Prospectus or any Preliminary Final Prospectus) to the Basic Prospectus
unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to
filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to
which you reasonably object. Subject to
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the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the Final Prospectus,
properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed with the
Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within
the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to
the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly
advise the Representatives (i) when the Registration Statement, if not
effective at the Execution Time, and any amendment thereto, shall have
become effective, (ii) when the Final Prospectus, and any supplement
thereto, shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b), (iii) when, prior to termination of the offering of the
Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been
filed or become effective, (iv) of any request by the Commission for
any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the Final
Prospectus or for any additional information, (v) of the issuance by
the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or the institution or threatening of any
proceeding for that purpose and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of
any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of
the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or
threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use
its reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order
and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(b) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the
Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs
as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it
shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement
the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the
respective rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) prepare and
file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph
(a) of this Section 4, an amendment or supplement which will correct
such statement or omission or effect such compliance and (ii) supply
any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may
reasonably request.
(c) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally
available to its security holders and to the Representatives an
earnings statement or statements of
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the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act.
(d) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the
Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and, so long as
delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by
the Act, as many copies of any Preliminary Final Prospectus and the
Final Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may
reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or
other production of all documents relating to the offering.
(e) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the
Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the
Representatives may designate and with respect to which the Company
does not reasonably object, will maintain such qualifications in effect
so long as required for the distribution of the Securities and will
arrange for the determination of the legality of the Securities for
purchase by institutional investors.
(f) Until the business date set forth on Schedule I hereto,
the Company will not, without the consent of the Representatives,
offer, sell or contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of, directly or
indirectly, or announce the offering of, any debt securities issued or
guaranteed by the Company (other than the Securities, commercial paper
borrowings, borrowings under credit facilities in existence on the date
hereof, borrowings from banks that replace indebtedness then
outstanding, or borrowings from banks used to finance working capital
requirements which do not increase consolidated debt by more than 5%,
in each case in the ordinary course of business).
5. CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS. The
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwriters' Securities shall
be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of
the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time and the Closing Date, to
the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant
to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) If the Registration Statement has not become effective
prior to the Execution Time, unless the Representatives agree in
writing to a later time, the
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Registration Statement will become effective not later than (i) 6:00 PM
New York City time, on the date of determination of the public offering
price, if such determination occurred at or prior to 3:00 PM New York
City time on such date or (ii) 12:00 Noon on the business day following
the day on which the public offering price was determined, if such
determination occurred after 3:00 PM New York City time on such date;
if filing of the Final Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, is
required pursuant to Rule 424(b), the Final Prospectus, and any such
supplement, shall have been filed in the manner and within the time
period required by Rule 424(b); and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and
no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
threatened.
(b) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives
the opinion of either C. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq., a Vice President and the
General Counsel of the Company or ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq., an
Assistant General Counsel of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to
the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of Ohio, with full corporate power and authority to own
its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a
foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of
each jurisdiction which requires such qualification wherein it
owns or leases material properties or conducts material
business;
(ii) the Company's authorized equity capitalization
is as set forth in the Final Prospectus; the Securities
conform to the description thereof contained in the Final
Prospectus; and, if the Securities are to be listed on any
securities exchange, authorization therefor has been given,
subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of
satisfactory distribution, or the Company has filed a
preliminary listing application and all required supporting
documents with respect to the Securities with such securities
exchange and such counsel has no reason to believe that the
Securities will not be authorized for listing, subject to
official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory
distribution;
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(iii) the Indenture has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered, has been duly qualified under the
Trust Indenture Act, and constitutes a legal, valid and
binding instrument enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms (subject, as to enforcement of
remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization,
insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and other laws
now or hereinafter in effect relating to, affecting or
limiting creditors' rights generally, and subject to general
principles of equity (whether considered in a proceeding at
law or in equity) and to the discretion of the court before
which any proceeding may be brought); and the Securities have
been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in
accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered
to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this
Agreement, in the case of the Underwriters' Securities, or by
the purchasers thereof pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts,
in the case of any Contract Securities, will constitute legal,
valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the
benefits of the Indenture, subject to general principles of
equity (whether considered in a proceeding at law or in
equity) and to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding may be brought;
(iv) to the best knowledge of such counsel, there is
no pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding before any
court or governmental agency, authority or body or any
arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement which is not disclosed in the Registration
Statement, and, to the knowledge of such counsel, there is no
franchise, contract or other document of a character required
to be described in the Registration Statement or Final
Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit, which is not
described or filed as required; and, to the knowledge of such
counsel, the descriptions of the legal proceedings and
material contracts included in the Final Prospectus are
accurate in all material respects;
(v) the Registration Statement has become effective
under the Act; any required filing of the Basic Prospectus,
any Preliminary Final Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, and
any supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made
in the manner and within the time period required by
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Rule 424(b); to the best knowledge of such counsel, no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued, no proceedings for that purpose
have been instituted or threatened, and the Registration
Statement and the Final Prospectus (other than the financial
statements and other financial and statistical information
contained therein as to which such counsel need express no
opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules thereunder; and
such counsel has no reason to believe that at the Effective
Date the Registration Statement contained any untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading or that the Final
Prospectus includes any untrue statement of a material fact or
omits to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading;
(vi) this Agreement and any Delayed Delivery
Contracts have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company;
(vii) no consent, approval, authorization or order of
any court or governmental agency or body is required to be
obtained by the Company for the consummation by the Company of
the transactions contemplated herein or in any Delayed
Delivery Contracts, except (i) such as have been obtained
under the Act, (ii) such as may be required under the blue sky
laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters, and (iii)
such other approvals (as may be specified in such opinion) as
have been obtained;
(viii) neither the execution and delivery of the
Indenture, the issue and sale of the Securities, nor the
consummation of any other of the transactions herein
contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or of any
Delayed Delivery Contracts will conflict with, result in a
breach or violation of, or constitute a default under any law
or the charter or by-laws of the Company or the terms of any
indenture or other
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agreement or instrument known to such counsel and to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound or any
judgment, order or decree known to such counsel to be
applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any
court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental
body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company or any
of its subsidiaries; and
(ix) no holders of securities of the Company have
rights to the registration of such securities under the
Registration Statement.
The foregoing opinion may be subject to certain assumptions,
qualifications and exceptions reasonably satisfactory to the
Representatives, and in rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely
(A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction
other than the State of Ohio or the United States, to the extent deemed
proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel
of good standing believed to be reliable and who are satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriters (or, on the assumption that, although
contrary to the intent of the parties, the laws of the State of Ohio
are to govern) and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent deemed
proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and
public officials. References to the Final Prospectus in this paragraph
(b) include any supplements thereto at the Closing Date.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from Cravath,
Swaine & ▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions,
dated the Closing Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the
Securities, the Indenture, any Delayed Delivery Contracts, the
Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus (together with any
supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives
may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such
counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them
to pass upon such matters.
(d) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a
certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board or any
executive vice president or senior vice president and the principal
financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date,
to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully
examined the Registration Statement, the
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Final Prospectus, any supplement to the Final Prospectus and this
Agreement and that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company
in this Agreement are true and correct in all material
respects on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as
if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with
all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its
part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing
Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings
for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company's
knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial
statements included in the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse change
in the condition (financial or other), earnings, business or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, whether or not
arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business,
except as set forth in or contemplated in the Final Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(e) At the Closing Date, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have
furnished to the Representatives a letter or letters (which may refer
to letters previously delivered to one or more of the Representatives),
dated as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, confirming that they are independent accountants with
respect to The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company within the meaning of the
Act and the Exchange Act and the respective applicable published rules
and regulations thereunder and that they have performed a review of the
unaudited interim financial information in accordance with Statement of
Auditing Standards No. 71 and stating in effect that:
(i) in their opinion the audited financial statements
and financial statement schedules and pro forma financial
statements included or incorporated in the Registration
Statement and the Final Prospectus and reported on by them
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and
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the Exchange Act and the related published rules and
regulations;
(ii) on the basis of a reading of the latest
unaudited financial statements made available by the Company
and its subsidiaries; their limited review in accordance with
standards established by the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants under Statement of Auditing Standards No.
71 of any unaudited interim financial information as indicated
in their reports, if any, included or incorporated in the
Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus; carrying out
certain specified procedures (but not an examination in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) which
would not necessarily reveal matters of significance with
respect to the comments set forth in such letter; a reading of
the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders, directors and
any committees of the Company and its subsidiaries the
Representatives may reasonably request; and inquiries of
certain officials of the Company and its subsidiaries who have
responsibility for financial and accounting matters of the
Company and its subsidiaries as to transactions and events
subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial
statements included or incorporated in the Final Prospectus,
nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe
that:
(1) any unaudited financial statements
included or incorporated in the Registration
Statement and the Final Prospectus do not comply as
to form in all material respects with applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and with the
published rules and regulations of the Commission
with respect to financial statements included or
incorporated in quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under
the Exchange Act; and said unaudited financial
statements require modifications that should be made
for such statements to be in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a
basis substantially consistent with that of the
audited financial statements included or incorporated
in the Registration Statement and the Final
Prospectus;
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(2) with respect to the period subsequent to
the date of the most recent financial statements
(other than any capsule information), audited or
unaudited, included or incorporated in the
Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus,
there were any changes, at a specified date not more
than five business days prior to the date of the
letter, in the long term debt and capital leases of
the Company and its subsidiaries or capital stock or
capital surplus of the Company or decreases in the
shareholders' equity of the Company or decreases in
working capital of the Company and its subsidiaries
as compared with the amounts shown on the most recent
consolidated balance sheet included or incorporated
in the Registration Statement and the Final
Prospectus, or for the period from the date of the
most recent financial statements included or
incorporated in the Registration Statement and the
Final Prospectus to such specified date there were
any decreases, as compared with the corresponding
period in the preceding year or the preceding quarter
in net sales or income before income taxes or in
total or per share amounts of net income of the
Company and its subsidiaries, except in all instances
for changes or decreases set forth in such letter, in
which case the letter shall be accompanied by an
explanation by the Company as to the significance
thereof unless said explanation is not deemed
necessary by the Representatives;
(3) the amounts included in any unaudited
"capsule" information included or incorporated in the
Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus do
not agree with the amounts set forth in the unaudited
financial statements for the same periods or were not
determined on a basis substantially consistent with
that of the corresponding amounts in the audited
financial statements included or incorporated in the
Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus; or
(4) the information included in the
Registration Statement and Final Prospectus in
response to Regulation S-K, Item 301 (Selected
Financial Data), Item 302 (Supplementary
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Financial Information), Item 402 (Executive
Compensation), and Item 503 (Ratio of Earnings to
Fixed Charges) is not in conformity with the
applicable disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K;
(iii) they have performed certain other specified
procedures as a result of which they determined that certain
information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature
(which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical
information derived from the general accounting records of the
Company and its subsidiaries) set forth in the Registration
Statement and the Final Prospectus and in Exhibit 12 to the
Registration Statement, including the information included or
incorporated in Items 1, 6 and 7 of the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K, incorporated in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and the information included in
the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations" included or incorporated
in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, incorporated
in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus, agrees
with the accounting records of the Company and its
subsidiaries, excluding any questions of legal interpretation;
and
(iv) if unaudited pro forma financial statements are
included or incorporated in the Registration Statement and the
Final Prospectus, on the basis of a reading of the unaudited
pro forma financial statements, carrying out certain specified
procedures, inquiries of certain officials of the Company and
the acquired company who have responsibility for financial and
accounting matters, and proving the arithmetic accuracy of the
application of the pro forma adjustments to the historical
amounts in the pro forma financial statements, nothing came to
their attention which caused them to believe that the pro
forma financial statements do not comply in form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements
of Rule 11-02 of Regulation S-X or that the pro forma
adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical
amounts in the compilation of such statements.
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References to the Final Prospectus in this paragraph (e)
include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.
In addition, except as provided in Schedule I hereto, at the
Execution Time, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the
Representatives a letter or letters, dated as of the Execution Time, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth above.
(f) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates
as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
(exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i)
any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to
in paragraph (e) of this Section 5 or (ii) any change, or any
development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the
condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries the effect of which, in
any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the judgment
of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of
the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive
of any amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement thereto).
(g) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have
been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company's debt securities
by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as
defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act) or any notice given
of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a
possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction
of the possible change.
(h) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have
furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates
and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request and as may
be obtained at a reasonable cost to the Company.
(i) The Company shall have accepted Delayed Delivery Contracts
in any case where sales of Contract Securities arranged by the
Underwriters have been approved by the Company.
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If any of the conditions specified in this Section 5 shall not
have been fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this
Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or
elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably
satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the
Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder
may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the
Representatives. Notice of such cancelation shall be given to the Company in
writing or by telephone or telegraph confirmed in writing.
The documents required to be delivered by this Section 5 shall
be delivered at the office of Cravath, Swaine & ▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the
Underwriters, at Worldwide Plaza, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ the
Closing Date.
6. REIMBURSEMENT OF UNDERWRITERS' EXPENSES. If the sale of the
Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 5 hereof is not satisfied,
because of any termination pursuant to Section 9 hereof or because of any
refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any
agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a
default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters
severally upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in
connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.
7. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION. (a) The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees
and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any
of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or
state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained or incorporated by reference to other documents in the
registration statement for the registration of the Securities as originally
filed or in any amendment thereof, or in the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary
Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged
omission to state therein
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a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified
party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them
in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company will not be liable in
any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein.
This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company
may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the
Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the
meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the
foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with
reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the
Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing
indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which
any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the statements
set forth in (i) the last paragraph of the cover page of the Final Prospectus,
(ii) the second paragraph and the second sentence of the third paragraph under
the heading "Underwriting" and (iii) the first sentence of the sixth paragraph
under the heading "Plan of Distribution" in any Preliminary Final Prospectus or
the Final Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or
on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the documents referred to
in the foregoing indemnity, and you, as the Representatives, confirm that such
statements are correct.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 7 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party
under this Section 7, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i)
will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and
to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results
in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses
and (ii) will not, in any
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event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified
party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b)
above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the
indemnifying party's choice at the indemnifying party's expense to represent the
indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which
case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and
expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties
except as set forth below); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such counsel shall be
satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party's
election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the
indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including
local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs
and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the
indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel
with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or
targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded
that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified
parties which are different from or additional to those available to the
indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel
satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within
a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the
indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate
counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a)
or (b) of this Section 7 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters agree to
contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or
defending same) (collectively "Losses") to which the Company and one or more of
the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by the Company and by the Underwriters from the
offering of the Securities; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no case shall any
Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters
relating to the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in
excess of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the Securities
purchased by such Underwriter hereunder. If the allocation provided by the
immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any
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reason, the Company and the Underwriters shall contribute in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company and of the Underwriters in connection with the statements
or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be
equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses),
and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the
total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the
cover page of the Final Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
relates to information provided by the Company or the Underwriters, and the
parties' relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that
it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata
allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of
this Section 7, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of
either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and
agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such
Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of
either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have
signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have
the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the
applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d). The Underwriters'
obligations to contribute as provided in this paragraph (d) are several in
proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
8. DEFAULT BY AN UNDERWRITER. If any one or more Underwriters
shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased
by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall
constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this
Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up
and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set
forth opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate amount
of Securities set forth opposite the names
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of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that in the event that the aggregate amount of Securities which the defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of
the aggregate amount of Securities set forth in Schedule II hereto, the
remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be
under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such
nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement
will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the
Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this
Section 8, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding
seven days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required
changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other
documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement
shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the
Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default
hereunder.
9. TERMINATION. This Agreement shall be subject to termination
in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the
Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if prior to such
time (i) trading in the Company's Common Stock shall have been suspended by the
Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, The Chicago Stock Exchange,
Incorporated or The Pacific Exchange, Incorporated or trading in securities
generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the
NASDAQ National Market shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices
shall have been established on either of such Exchanges or Market System, (ii) a
banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State
authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of
hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or
other calamity or crisis or change in general economic, political or financial
conditions the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in
the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed
with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
10. REPRESENTATIONS AND INDEMNITIES TO SURVIVE. The respective
agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the
Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made
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pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of
any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any
of the officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 7
hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The
provisions of Sections 6 and 7 hereof shall survive the termination or
cancelation of this Agreement.
11. NOTICES. All communications hereunder will be in writing
and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be
mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to them, at the address specified
in Schedule I hereto; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or
telegraphed and confirmed to it at ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, facsimile number ▇▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, attention of the Vice President and
General Counsel.
12. SUCCESSORS. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the
officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof,
and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
13. APPLICABLE LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
14. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
15. HEADINGS. The headings herein are inserted 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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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of
our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof,
whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement
among the Company and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER
COMPANY
Attest: By:
-------------------------- --------------------------------
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
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The foregoing Agreement is
hereby confirmed and accepted
as of the date specified in
Schedule I hereto.
[Underwriter]
[Underwriter]
By:
By:
By:
----------------------------
Name:
Title:
For themselves and the other
several Underwriters, if any,
named in Schedule II to the
foregoing Agreement.
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SCHEDULE I
Underwriting Agreement dated:
Registration Statement No.:
Representatives:
Title, Purchase Price, Offering Price and Description of Securities:
Title:
Principal amount:
Interest Rate:
Interest Payment Dates:
Maturity:
Purchase price (include accrued
interest or amortization, if
any):
Offering Price:
Sinking fund provisions:
Redemption provisions:
Other provisions:
Closing Date, Time and Location:
Type of Offering:
Delayed Delivery Arrangements: None
Fee: Not applicable
Minimum principal amount of each contract:
Not applicable
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Maximum aggregate principal amount of all contracts:
Not applicable
Date referred to in Section 4(f) after which the Company may offer or sell debt
securities issued or guaranteed by the Company without the consent of the
Representative(s):
Modification of items to be covered by the letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP delivered pursuant to Section 5(e) at the Execution time:
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SCHEDULE II
Underwriters Principal Amount
of Securities to
be Purchased
=================================
Total . . . . . . . . . $
================================
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SCHEDULE III
Delayed Delivery Contract
___________, 19__
[Insert name and address
of lead representative]
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned hereby agrees to purchase from The Goodyear Tire &
Rubber Company (the "Company"), and the Company agrees to sell to the
undersigned, on _________, 19__, (the "Delivery Date"), $______ principal amount
of the Company's _________________ (the "Securities") offered by the Company's
Prospectus dated ____________, 19__, and related Prospectus Supplement dated
_____________, 19__, receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged, at a
purchase price of _______% of the principal amount thereof, plus [accrued
interest] [amortization of original issue discount], if any, thereon from
______________, 19__, to the date of payment and delivery, and on the further
terms and conditions set forth in this contract.
Payment for the Securities to be purchased by the undersigned shall be
made on or before 11:00 AM, New York City time, on the Delivery Date to or upon
the order of the Company in New York Clearing House (next day) funds, at your
office or at such other place as shall be agreed between the Company and the
undersigned, upon delivery to the undersigned of the Securities in definitive
fully registered form and in such authorized denominations and registered in
such names as the undersigned may request by written or telegraphic
communication addressed to the Company not less than five full business days
prior to the Delivery Date. If no request is received, the Securities will be
registered in the name of the undersigned and issued in a denomination equal to
the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be purchased by the undersigned
on the Delivery Date.
The obligation of the undersigned to take delivery of and make payment
for Securities on the Delivery Date, and the obligation of the Company to sell
and deliver Securities on the Delivery Date, shall be subject to the conditions
(and neither party shall incur any liability by reason of the failure thereof)
that (1) the purchase of Securities to be made by the undersigned, which
purchase the undersigned represents is not prohibited on the date hereof, shall
not on the Delivery Date be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to
which the undersigned is subject, and (2) the Company, on or before the Delivery
Date, shall have sold to certain underwriters (the "Underwriters") such
principal
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amount of the Securities as is to be sold to them pursuant to the Underwriting
Agreement referred to in the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement mentioned
above. Promptly after completion of such sale to the Underwriters, the Company
will mail or deliver to the undersigned at its address set forth below notice to
such effect, accompanied by a copy of the opinion of counsel for the Company
delivered to the Underwriters in connection therewith. The obligation of the
undersigned to take delivery of and make payment for the Securities, and the
obligation of the Company to cause the Securities to be sold and delivered,
shall not be affected by the failure of any purchaser to take delivery of and
make payment for the Securities pursuant to other contracts similar to this
contract.
This contract will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
parties hereto and their respective successors, but will not be assignable by
either party hereto without the written consent of the other.
It is understood that acceptance of this contract and other similar
contracts is in the Company's sole discretion and, without limiting the
foregoing, need not be on a first come, first served basis. If this contract is
acceptable to the Company, it is required that the Company sign the form of
acceptance below and mail or deliver one of the counterparts hereof to the
undersigned at its address set forth below. This will become a binding contract
between the Company and the undersigned, as of the date first above written,
when such counterpart is so mailed or delivered.
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This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York.
Very truly yours,
------------------------------
(Name of Purchaser)
By
------------------------------
(Signature and Title of
Officer)
------------------------------
(Address)
Accepted:
The Goodyear Tire &
Rubber Company
By
-----------------------------
(Authorized Signature)
