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EXHIBIT 10.26
VIASYSTEMS, INC.
$100,000,000
9 3/4% Series B Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
February 9, 1998
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
NATWEST CAPITAL MARKETS LIMITED
c/o Chase Securities Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
VIASYSTEMS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to issue and sell $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 9
3/4% Series B Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007 (the "Securities"). The
Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture to be dated as of February
17, 1998 (the "Indenture") between the Company and The Bank of New York, as
trustee (the "Trustee"). The Company hereby confirms its agreement with Chase
Securities Inc. ("CSI"), and NatWest Capital Markets Limited (together with
CSI, the "Initial Purchasers") concerning the purchase of the Securities from
the Company by the Initial Purchasers.
The Securities will be offered and sold to the Initial
Purchasers without being registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), in reliance upon exemptions therefrom. The
Company has prepared an offering memorandum dated the date hereof (the
"Offering Memorandum") setting forth information concerning the Company and the
Securities. Copies of the Offering Memorandum will be delivered by the Company
to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. Any
references herein to the Offering Memorandum shall be deemed to include all
amendments and supplements thereto, unless otherwise noted. The Company hereby
confirms that it has authorized the use of the Offering Memorandum in
connection with the offering and resale of the Securities by the Initial
Purchasers in accordance with Section 2.
Holders of the Securities (including the Initial Purchasers
and their direct and indirect transferees) will be entitled to the benefits of
an Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement, substantially in the form
attached hereto as Annex A (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), pursuant to
which the Company will agree to file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the
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"Commission") (i) a registration statement under the Securities Act (the
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement") registering an issue of senior
subordinated notes of the Company (the "Exchange Securities") which are
identical in all material respects to the Securities (except that the Exchange
Securities will not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions) and
(ii) under certain circumstances, a shelf registration statement pursuant to
Rule 415 under the Securities Act (the "Shelf Registration Statement").
Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the
meanings given to such terms in the Offering Memorandum.
1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the
Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Initial
Purchasers that:
(a) The Offering Memorandum as of the date hereof and as of
the Closing Date (as defined in Section 3) does not (or 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, however, that the Company makes no
representation or warranty as to information contained in or omitted
from the Offering Memorandum in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any
Initial Purchaser relating to such Initial Purchaser specifically for
use therein (the "Initial Purchasers' Information"). The parties
hereto acknowledge and agree that, for all purposes of this Agreement,
the Initial Purchasers' Information consists solely of the last
paragraph on the front cover page concerning the terms of the Offering
by the Initial Purchasers, the first paragraph of the legends on page
"i" concerning over-allotments and the statements relating to the
Initial Purchasers in the [third, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth,
tenth, and eleventh] paragraphs under the heading "Plan of
Distribution" in the Preliminary Offering Memorandum and the Final
Offering Memorandum.
(b) Assuming the accuracy of the representations and
warranties of the Initial Purchasers contained in Section 2 and their
compliance with the agreements set forth herein, it is not necessary,
in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities to the
Initial Purchasers and the offer, resale and delivery of the
Securities by the Initial Purchasers in the manner contemplated by
this Agreement and the Offering Memorandum, to register the Securities
under the Securities Act or to qualify the Indenture under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act").
(c) The Company and each of its subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of its respective jurisdiction of incorporation, is
duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign
corporation in each jurisdiction in which its respective ownership or
lease of property or the conduct of its respective businesses requires
such qualification, and has all power and authority necessary to own
or hold its respective properties and to conduct the businesses in
which it is engaged, except where the failure to so qualify or have
such power or authority
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would not, singularly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of
operations, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect").
(d) On the Closing Date, the authorized capital stock of the
Company will consist of 1,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value
per share, of which 1,000 shares will be issued and outstanding; all
of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly and
validly authorized and issued and fully paid and non-assessable. All
of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the
Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully
paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the
Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security
interest, restriction upon voting or transfer or any other claim of
any third party (other than liens and security interests created
pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as
of June 5, 1997 (the "Senior Credit Facilities"), the Indenture or
applicable law).
(e) The Company has all requisite corporate power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Indenture, the
Registration Rights Agreement, the Securities and any other agreement
or instrument entered into or to be entered into in connection
therewith (collectively, the "Transaction Documents") and to perform
its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
(f) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and legally binding
agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms, except (i) to the extent that such
enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors'
rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (ii) to the extent
that the enforceability of rights to indemnification and contribution
thereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws or
regulations or the public policy underlying such laws or regulations.
(g) The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly
authorized by the Company and, when duly executed and delivered in
accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will
constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except
(i) to the extent that such enforceability may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and
other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by
general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law) and (ii) to the extent that the enforceability of
rights to indemnification and contribution thereunder may be limited
by federal or state securities laws or regulations or the public
policy underlying such laws or regulations.
(h) The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company
and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by
each of the parties thereto, will constitute a
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valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against
the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that
such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally and by general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(i) The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company
and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as
provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be
duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and
legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of
the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms, except to the extent that such enforceability may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors' rights
generally and by general equitable principles (whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law).
(j) The Exchange Securities have been duly authorized by
the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and
delivered as provided in the Indenture and the Registration Rights
Agreement, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will
constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company
entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their terms, except to the extent that such
enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors'
rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(k) Each Transaction Document that is described in the
Offering Memorandum conforms in all material respects to the
description thereof contained in the Offering Memorandum.
(l) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of
each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance, authentication, sale
and delivery of the Securities by the Company and compliance by the
Company with the terms thereof and the consummation by the Company and
its subsidiaries of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents including, without limitation, the use of the proceeds from
the sale of the Securities as described in the Offering Memorandum
under the caption "Use of Proceeds" do not and will not conflict with
or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions
of, or constitute a default 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, any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other material
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except for any such
conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that
could not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect or any material adverse
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effect on the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under
the Transaction Documents; nor will such actions result in any
violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries or any statute or any order, rule or
regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental agency or body
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any
of their properties or assets, except for any such conflict, breach,
violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that could not, singly
or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect or any material adverse effect on the ability of the Company to
perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents; and, except
for such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or
qualifications which have been obtained or as may be required under
(i) applicable Blue Sky or securities laws in connection with the
purchase and resale of the Notes by the Initial Purchasers, (ii) the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939 in connection with the Exchange Securities
or (iii) the Securities Act and state Blue Sky laws or securities laws
in connection with the actions contemplated by the Registration Rights
Agreement, no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing
or registration with, any such court or arbitrator or governmental
agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and performance
by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance,
authentication, sale and delivery of the Securities and compliance by
the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for
such consents, approvals, authorizations, filings, registrations or
qualifications (i) which have been obtained or made prior to the
Closing Date and (ii) as may be required to be obtained or made under
the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws as provided in
the Registration Rights Agreement.
(m) (a)(i) Coopers & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P. are independent
accountants with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries,
Viasystems Group, Inc. ("Viasystems Group") and its subsidiaries,
Circo Craft Co. Inc. (name subsequently changed to Viasystems Canada,
Inc.) and its subsidiaries ("Circo Craft") and the net assets sold of
Viasystems Technologies Corp. ("Viasystems Technologies") (formerly
Microelectronics Group, Interconnection Technologies Unit of Lucent
Technologies Inc.), (ii) Deloitte & Touche are independent accountants
with respect to Circo Craft and its subsidiaries, (iii) KPMG Audit Plc
are independent accountants with respect to Forward Group PLC (name
subsequently changed to Viasystems Holdings Limited) and its
subsidiaries (the "Forward Group") and (iv) Ernst & Young are
independent accountants with respect to Interconnection Systems
(Holding) Limited (name subsequently changed to Viasystems II Limited)
and its subsidiaries ("Chips"), each within the meaning of Rule 101 of
the Code of Professional Conduct of the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants ("AICPA") and its interpretations and
rulings thereunder and (b) the financial statements (including the
related notes) contained in the Offering Memorandum have been prepared
in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles other
than the financial statements of Forward Group and Chips which have
been prepared in conformity with U.K. generally accepted accounting
principles and the financial statements of Circo Craft which have been
prepared in conformity with Canadian generally accepted accounting
principles, each consistently applied throughout the periods
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covered thereby and fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition and the results of operations of the entities
purported to be covered thereby for the respective periods indicated
except as otherwise disclosed therein. The financial information
contained in the Offering Memorandum under the headings
"Summary--Summary Supplemental Historical Combined and Pro Forma
Financial Data," "Capitalization," "Selected Financial Data,"
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and
Financial Condition" are derived from the accounting records of the
entities purported to be covered thereby and fairly present the
information purported to be shown thereby. The pro forma financial
information and statistical data contained in the Offering Memorandum
has been prepared on a basis consistent with the historical financial
statements contained in the Offering Memorandum and the pro forma
adjustments specified therein include all material adjustments to the
historical financial information required by Rule 11-02 of Regulation
S-X under the Securities Act to fairly reflect the transactions
described in the Offering Memorandum, and utilizes assumptions made on
a reasonable basis to give effect to the historical and proposed
transactions described in the Offering Memorandum.
(n) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which
any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates is the subject which, singularly or in the aggregate, if
determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect; and to the best knowledge of the Company, no such proceedings
are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
threatened by others.
(o) No injunction, restraining order or order of any nature
by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction has been
issued with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which
would prevent or suspend the issuance or sale of the Securities or the
use of the Offering Memorandum in any jurisdiction; no action, suit or
proceeding is pending against or, to the best knowledge of the
Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its
subsidiaries before any court or arbitrator or any governmental
agency, body or official, domestic or foreign, which could reasonably
be expected to interfere with or adversely affect the issuance of the
Securities or in any manner draw into question the validity or
enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or any action taken
or to be taken pursuant thereto.
(p) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in
violation of its charter or by-laws, (ii) in default, and no event has
occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute
such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term,
covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which it is
a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or
assets is subject except for any such default that could not, singly
or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect or (iii) in violation of any applicable law, ordinance, court
decree, governmental rule or regulation to which it or
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its property or assets may be subject except for any such violation
that could not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(q) The Company and each of its subsidiaries possess all
material licenses, orders, certificates, authorizations, approvals and
permits issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with,
the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory agencies or
bodies that are necessary or desirable for the ownership of their
respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as
described in the Offering Memorandum, except where the failure to
possess or make the same would not, singularly or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has received notification of any revocation or
modification of any such license, certificate, authorization or permit
that is generally renewable in the ordinary course or has any reason
to believe that any such license, certificate, authorization or permit
will not be renewed in the ordinary course.
(r) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is an
"investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"), and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
(s) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a
system of 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 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.
(t) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have insurance
covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and
businesses, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such
losses and risks as are in the Company's opinion adequate to protect
the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective businesses.
Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has 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.
(u) The Company and each of its subsidiaries own or possess
adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications,
trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations,
service ▇▇▇▇ registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how
(including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable
proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures)
necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses; and the
conduct of their respective businesses does not conflict in any
material respect with, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not
received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of
others.
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(v) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and
marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or
otherwise use, all items of real and personal property which are
material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as
a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and
defects other than (i) liens and encumbrances granted pursuant to the
Senior Credit Facilities and (ii) liens, encumbrances and defects that
do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made
of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) No labor disturbance by or dispute with the employees
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the best
knowledge of the Company, is imminent, which could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) No "prohibited transaction" (as defined in Section 406
of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder
("ERISA"), or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended from time to time (the "Code")) or "accumulated funding
deficiency" (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA) or any of the events
set forth in Section 4043(b) of ERISA (other than events with respect
to which the 30-day notice requirement under Section 4043 of ERISA has
been waived) has occurred with respect to any employee benefit plan of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries which could have a Material
Adverse Effect; each such employee benefit plan is in compliance in
all material respects with applicable law, including ERISA and the
Code; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred or
expects to incur material liability under Title IV of ERISA with
respect to the termination of, or withdrawal from, any "pension plan";
no event has occurred and, to the best knowledge of the Company, after
reasonable inquiry, there exists no condition or set of circumstances,
in connection with which the Company or any of its subsidiaries could
be subject, by reason of its affiliation with any member of its
Controlled Group (defined as any entity which is a member of a
controlled group of organizations within the meaning of Sections
414(b), (c), (m), or (o) of the Code) or the Controlled Group of the
Hicks, Muse, ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Equity Fund III, L.P., to any liability
under ERISA, the Code or any other applicable law which, individually
or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and each
"pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company or any of
its subsidiaries would have any liability that is intended to be
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all
material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by
failure to act, which could cause the loss of such qualification.
(y) There has been no storage, generation, transportation,
handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission or other release or
threatened release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other
hazardous substances by, due to or caused by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries (or, to the best knowledge of the Company, any other
entity (including any predecessor) for whose acts or omissions the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is or could
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reasonably be expected to be liable) upon any property now or
previously owned or leased by the Company or any of its subsidiaries,
or upon any other property, in violation of any statute or any
ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or
which would, under any statute or any ordinance, rule (including rule
of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give
rise to any liability except for any violation or liability which
would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such
violations and liabilities, a Material Adverse Effect; and there has
been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind
onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property
of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with
respect to which the Company has knowledge, except for any such
disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind which would
not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such disposal,
discharge, emission and other release, a Material Adverse Effect.
(z) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all
material federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax
returns required to be filed through the date hereof and have paid all
material taxes due thereon, and no tax deficiency has been determined
adversely to the Company or any of the Company's subsidiaries which
has had (nor do the Company or any of the Company's subsidiaries have
any knowledge of any tax deficiency which, if determined adversely to
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, might reasonably be expected
to have) a Material Adverse Effect.
(aa) On the Closing Date, the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, (after giving effect to the issuance of the
Securities) will be Solvent. As used in this paragraph, the term
"Solvent" means, with respect to a particular date, that on such date
(i) the aggregate fair value (or present fair saleable value) of the
assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, is not
less than their total existing debts and liabilities (including
contingent liabilities) as they become absolute and matured in the
normal course of business and (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, do not have an unreasonably small amount of capital
with which to conduct their businesses. In computing the amount of
such contingent liabilities at any time, it is intended that such
liabilities will be computed at the amount that, in the light of all
the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the
amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured
liability.
(bb) There are no outstanding subscriptions, rights,
warrants, calls or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into
or exchangeable for, or agreements or understandings with respect to
the sale or issuance of, any shares of capital stock of or other
equity or other ownership interest in the Company.
(cc) No holder of securities of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries will be entitled to have such securities registered under
the registration statements required to be filed by the Company
pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, other than as expressly
permitted thereby.
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(dd) The statistical and market-related data included in the
Offering Memorandum are based on or derived from sources which the
Company believes to be reliable and accurate.
(ee) None of the proceeds of the sale of the Securities will
be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or
carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring
any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry
any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of
the Securities to be considered a "purpose credit" within the meanings
of Regulation G, T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System.
(ff) Neither the Company nor any Affiliate (as defined in
Rule 501(b) of Regulation D under the Securities Act ("Regulation D"))
has directly, or through any agent (provided that no representation is
made as to the Initial Purchasers or any Person acting on their
behalf) (i) sold, offered for sale, solicited offers to buy or
otherwise negotiated in respect of, any "security" (as defined in the
Securities Act) which is or will be integrated with the sale of the
Securities in a manner that would require the registration under the
Securities Act of the Securities or (ii) engaged in any form of
general solicitation or general advertising (as those terms are used
in Regulation D) in connection with the offering of the Securities.
(gg) When the Securities are delivered pursuant to this
Agreement, none of the Securities will be of the same class (within
the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act) as securities of
the Company or any subsidiary of the Company that are listed on a
national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the
Exchange Act or that are quoted in a United States automated
inter-dealer quotation system.
(hh) Neither the Company nor the Company's affiliates has
taken, and the Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any
action designed to, or that might reasonably be expected to, cause or
result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the
Securities.
(ii) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act)
contained in the Offering Memorandum has been made or reaffirmed
without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good
faith.
(jj) Since the date as of which information is given in the
Offering Memorandum, except as otherwise stated therein, (i) there has
been no material adverse change or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs, management or
business prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, (ii) neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has incurred any liability or obligation, direct or
contingent, other than in the ordinary course of business, which
would, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect,
(iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into
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any material transaction other than in the ordinary course of business
and (iv) there has not been any change in the capital stock or
long-term debt of the Company, or any dividend or distribution of any
kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital
stock.
(kk) The subsidiaries of the Company which constitute
"significant subsidiaries," as defined in Rule 1- 02 of Regulation
S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act are set forth on
Schedule 2 hereto.
2. Purchase and Resale of the Securities. (a) On the basis
of the representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, and subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to issue and
sell to each of the Initial Purchasers, severally and not jointly, and each of
the Initial Purchasers, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the
Company, the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of such
Initial Purchaser on Schedule 1 hereto at a purchase price equal to 101.75% of
the principal amount thereof. The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any
of the Securities except upon payment for all of the Securities to be purchased
as provided herein.
(b) The Initial Purchasers have advised the Company that they
propose to offer the Securities for resale upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth herein and in the Offering Memorandum. Each Initial
Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to, and agrees
with, the Company that (i) it is purchasing the Securities pursuant to a
private sale exempt from registration under the Securities Act, (ii) it has not
solicited offers for, or offered or sold, and will not solicit offers for, or
offer or sell, the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or
general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) of Regulation D or in any
manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act and (iii) it has solicited and will solicit offers for the
Securities only from, and has offered or sold and will offer, sell or deliver
the Securities, as part of its initial offering, only to persons (A) whom it
reasonably believes to be qualified institutional buyers ("Qualified
Institutional Buyers") as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act as such
rule may be amended from time to time ("Rule 144A"), or if any such person is
buying for one or more institutional accounts for which such person is acting
as fiduciary or agent, only when such person has represented to it that each
such account is a Qualified Institutional Buyer to whom notice has been given
that such sale or delivery is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and in each
case, in transactions in accordance with Rule 144A, or (B) outside the United
States of America in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act as such
regulation may be amended from time to time ("Regulation S"). Each Initial
Purchaser, severally and not jointly, agrees that, prior to or simultaneously
with the confirmation of sale by such Initial Purchaser to any purchaser of any
of the Securities purchased by such Initial Purchaser from the Company pursuant
hereto, such Initial Purchaser shall furnish to that purchaser a copy of the
Offering Memorandum (and any amendment or supplement thereto that the Company
shall have furnished to such Initial Purchaser prior to the date of such
confirmation of sale). In addition to the foregoing, such Initial Purchaser
acknowledges and agrees that the Company and, for purposes of the opinions to
be delivered to the
- 11 -
12
Initial Purchasers pursuant to Sections 5(d) and (g), counsel for the Company
and for the Initial Purchasers, respectively, may rely upon the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Initial Purchasers and their compliance
with their agreements contained in this Section 2, and each Initial Purchaser
hereby consents to such reliance.
(c) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Initial
Purchasers may sell Securities to any affiliate of an Initial Purchaser and
that any such affiliate may sell Securities purchased by it to an Initial
Purchaser.
3. Delivery of and Payment for the Securities. (a) Delivery
of and payment for the Securities shall be made at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, New York, New York, or at such other place as shall be
agreed upon by the Initial Purchasers and the Company, at 10:00 A.M., New York
City time, on February 17, 1998 or at such other time or date, not later than
seven full business days thereafter, as shall be agreed upon by the Initial
Purchasers and the Company (such date and time of payment and delivery being
referred to herein as the "Closing Date").
(b) On the Closing Date, payment of the purchase price for
the Securities shall be made to the Company by wire or book-entry transfer of
same-day funds to such account or accounts as the Company shall specify prior
to the Closing Date or by such other means as the parties hereto shall agree
prior to the Closing Date against delivery to the Initial Purchasers of the
certificates evidencing the Securities. Time shall be of the essence, and
delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a
further condition of the obligations of the Initial Purchasers hereunder. Upon
delivery, the Securities shall be in global form, registered in such names and
in such denominations as CSI on behalf of the Initial Purchasers shall have
requested in writing not less than two full business days prior to the Closing
Date. The Company agrees to make one or more global certificates evidencing
the Securities available for inspection by CSI on behalf of the Initial
Purchasers in New York, New York at least 24 hours prior to the Closing Date.
4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees
with each of the Initial Purchasers:
(a) to advise the Initial Purchasers promptly and, if
requested, confirm such advice in writing, of the happening of any
event which makes any statement of a material fact made in the
Offering Memorandum untrue or which requires the making of any
additions to or changes in the Offering Memorandum (as amended or
supplemented from time to time) in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading; to advise the Initial Purchasers promptly of any order
preventing or suspending the use of the Offering Memorandum, of any
suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale
in any jurisdiction and of the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for any such purpose; and to use its reasonable best
efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order preventing or
suspending the use of the Offering Memorandum or suspending any such
qualification and, if any such suspension is issued, to obtain the
lifting thereof at the earliest possible time;
- 12 -
13
(b) to furnish to the Initial Purchasers, without charge, as
many copies of the Offering Memorandum (and any amendments or
supplements thereto) as may be reasonably requested;
(c) prior to making any amendment or supplement to the
Offering Memorandum, to furnish a copy thereof to each of the Initial
Purchasers and counsel for the Initial Purchasers and not to effect
any such amendment or supplement to which the Initial Purchasers shall
reasonably object by notice to the Company after a reasonable period
to review, which shall not be in any case longer than five business
days after receipt of such copy;
(d) if, at any time prior to completion of the resale of the
Securities by the Initial Purchasers, any event shall occur or
condition exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion
of counsel for the Initial Purchasers or counsel for the Company, to
amend or supplement the Offering Memorandum in order that the Offering
Memorandum will not include an 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 at the
time it is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it is
necessary to amend or supplement the Offering Memorandum to comply
with applicable law, to promptly prepare such amendment or supplement
as may be necessary to correct such untrue statement or omission so
that the Offering Memorandum, as so amended or supplemented, will
comply with applicable law;
(e) for so long as the Securities are outstanding and are
"restricted securities" within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the
Securities Act, to furnish to holders of the Securities and
prospective purchasers of the Securities designated by such holders,
upon request of such holders or such prospective purchasers, the
information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under
the Securities Act, unless the Company is then subject to and in
compliance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;
(f) for a period of five years following the Closing Date, to
furnish to the Initial Purchasers copies of any annual reports,
quarterly reports and current reports filed by the Company with the
Commission on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, or such other similar forms as
may be designated by the Commission, and such other documents, reports
and information as shall be furnished by the Company to the Trustee or
to the holders of the Securities pursuant to the Indenture;
(g) to use its reasonable best efforts to qualify the
Securities for sale under the state securities or Blue Sky laws of
such jurisdictions as the Initial Purchasers may reasonably designate
and to continue such qualifications in effect for so long as required
for the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the
Company and its subsidiaries shall not be obligated to qualify as
foreign corporations or to file a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction or to subject itself to taxation in any
jurisdiction;
(h) to use their reasonable best efforts to assist the
Initial Purchasers in arranging for the Securities to be designated
Private Offerings, Resales and Trading through Automated
- ▇▇ -
▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ("▇▇▇▇▇▇") Market securities in accordance with the rules and
regulations adopted by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. ("NASD") relating to trading in the PORTAL Market and for the
Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the
Depository Trust Company ("DTC");
(i) not to, and to cause its affiliates not to, sell, offer
for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of
any security (as such term is defined in the Securities Act) which
could be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner which
would require registration of the Securities under the Securities Act;
(j) except following the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement, as the
case may be, not to, and to cause its affiliates as such term is
defined in Rule 501(b) of Regulation D not to, and not to authorize or
knowingly permit any person acting on its behalf to, solicit any offer
to buy or offer to sell the Securities by means of any form of general
solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Regulation D
or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of
Section 4(2) of the Securities Act; and not to offer, sell, contract
to sell or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any
securities under circumstances where such offer, sale, contract or
disposition would cause the exemption afforded by Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act to cease to be applicable to the offering and sale of
the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering
Memorandum;
(k) for a period of 90 days from the date of the Offering
Memorandum, not to offer for sale, sell, contract to sell or otherwise
dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file a registration statement
(except as required by the Registration Rights Agreement) for, or
announce any offer, sale, contract for sale of or other disposition of
any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries (other than the Securities or the Exchange Securities)
without the prior written consent of the Initial Purchasers;
(l) in connection with the Offering, until CSI on behalf of
the Initial Purchasers shall have notified the Company of the
completion of the resale of the Securities, neither the Company nor
any of its affiliated purchasers (as defined in Regulation M under the
Exchange Act), either alone or with one or more other persons, will
bid for or purchase, for any account in which it or any of its
affiliated purchasers has a beneficial interest, any Securities, or
attempt to induce any person to purchase any Securities; and neither
it nor any of its affiliated purchasers will make bids or purchase for
the purpose of creating actual, or apparent, active trading in or of
raising the price of the Securities;
(m) in connection with the offering of the Securities, to make
its officers, employees, independent accountants and legal counsel
reasonably available upon request by the Initial Purchasers;
- 14 -
15
(n) to not take any action prior to the execution and delivery
of the Indenture which, if taken after such execution and delivery,
would have violated any of the covenants contained in the Indenture;
(o) to not take any action prior to the Closing Date which
would require the Offering Memorandum to be amended or supplemented
pursuant to Section 4(d);
(p) to apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities
substantially as set forth in the Offering Memorandum under the
heading "Use of Proceeds".
5. Conditions of Initial Purchasers' Obligations. The respective
obligations of the Initial Purchasers hereunder are subject to the accuracy, on
and as of the date hereof and the Closing Date, of the representations and
warranties of the Company contained herein, to the accuracy of the statements
of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant
hereto, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and to
each of the following additional terms and conditions:
(a) The Offering Memorandum (and any amendments or
supplements thereto) shall have been printed and copies distributed to
the Initial Purchasers as promptly as practicable on or following the
date of this Agreement or at such other date and time as to which the
Initial Purchasers may agree; and no stop order suspending the sale of
the Securities in any jurisdiction shall have been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose shall have been commenced or shall be
pending or threatened.
(b) None of the Initial Purchasers shall have discovered and
disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date that the
Offering Memorandum or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an
untrue statement of a fact which is material or omits to state any
fact which, in the opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for
the Initial Purchasers, is material and is necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading.
(c) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters
incident to the authorization, form and validity of each of the
Transaction Documents and the Offering Memorandum, and all other legal
matters relating to the Transaction Documents and the transactions
contemplated thereby, shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material
respects to the Initial Purchasers, and the Company shall have
furnished to the Initial Purchasers all documents and information that
they or their counsel may reasonably request to enable them to pass
upon such matters.
(d) Weil, Gotshal & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP shall have furnished to the
Initial Purchasers their written opinion, as counsel for the Company,
addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the Closing Date,
substantially to the effect set forth in Annex B hereto.
- 15 -
16
(e) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, as Canadian counsel to
Circo Craft, Weil, Gotshal & ▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP as United Kingdom counsel to
Forward Group and Chips and counsel to Viasystems Technologies, shall
have each furnished to the Initial Purchasers their written opinion,
addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the Closing Date,
substantially to the effect set forth in Annex C hereto.
(f) W. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ shall have furnished to the Initial
Purchasers their written opinion, as General Counsel to the Company,
addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the Closing Date,
substantially to the effect set forth in Annex D hereto.
(g) The Initial Purchasers shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, such opinion
or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as
the Initial Purchasers may reasonably require, and the Company shall
have furnished to such counsel such documents and information as they
reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such
matters.
(h) With respect to the letters (the "Initial Letters") of
Coopers & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P., Deloitte & Touche, KPMG Audit Plc and Ernst
& Young delivered to the Initial Purchasers concurrently with the
execution of this Agreement (which letters shall be in form and
substance satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers and counsel for the
Initial Purchasers), the Company shall have caused each of Coopers &
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P., Deloitte & Touche, KPMG Audit Plc and Ernst & Young to
furnish to the Initial Purchasers a letter (the "Bring-Down Letter")
addressed to the Initial Purchasers and dated the Closing Date (i)
confirming that they are independent public accountants with respect
to the entities listed in Section 1(m) hereof within the meaning of
Rule 101 of the Code of Professional Conduct of the AICPA and its
interpretations and rulings thereunder, (ii) stating, as of the date
of the Bring-Down Letter (or, with respect to matters involving
changes or developments since the respective dates as of which
specified financial information is given in the Offering Memorandum,
as of a date not more than three business days prior to the date of
the Bring-Down Letter), that the conclusions and findings of such
accountants with respect to the financial information and other
matters covered by the Initial Letter are accurate and (iii)
confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set
forth in the Initial Letter.
(i) The Company shall have furnished to the Initial
Purchasers a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of the chief
executive officer or president of the Company and the chief financial
officer of the Company in their respective capacities as officers of
the Company and not as an individual stating that (A) such officers
have carefully examined the Offering Memorandum, (B) in their opinion,
the Offering Memorandum, as of its date, did not include any untrue
statement of a material fact and did not 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, and since
the date of the Offering Memorandum, no event has occurred which
should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the
Offering Memorandum so that the Offering Memorandum (as so amended or
supplemented) would not include any
- 16 -
17
untrue statement of a material fact and would not omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading and (C) as of the Closing Date,
the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement
are true and correct, the Company has complied with all agreements and
satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
hereunder on or prior to the Closing Date, and subsequent to the date
of the most recent financial statements contained in the Offering
Memorandum, there has been no material adverse change in the financial
position or results of operations of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, or any material change, or any development including a
prospective material change, in or affecting the condition (financial
or otherwise), results of operations, business or prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, except as set forth in
the Offering Memorandum.
(j) The Securities shall have been approved by the NASD for
trading in the PORTAL Market.
(k) The Initial Purchasers shall have received a counterpart
of the Registration Rights Agreement which shall have been executed
and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Company.
(l) The Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered
by the Company and the Trustee, and the Securities shall have been
duly executed and delivered by the Company and duly authenticated by
the Trustee.
(m) If any event shall have occurred that requires the
Company under Section 4(d) to prepare an amendment or supplement to
the Offering Memorandum, such amendment or supplement shall have been
prepared, the Initial Purchasers shall have been given a reasonable
opportunity to comment thereon, and copies thereof shall have been
delivered to the Initial Purchasers reasonably in advance of the
Closing Date.
(n) There shall not have occurred any invalidation of Rule
144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act by any court or any
withdrawal or proposed withdrawal of any rule or regulation under the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act by the Commission or any amendment
or proposed amendment thereof by the Commission which in the
reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers would materially impair
the ability of the Initial Purchasers to purchase, hold or effect
resales of the Securities as contemplated hereby.
(o) At the Closing Date, after giving effect to the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
Documents, there shall exist no default or event of default under the
Indenture or the Senior Credit Facilities.
(p) Other than as contemplated by the Offering Memorandum,
since the dates as of which information is given in the Offering
Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or
- 17 -
18
supplement thereto), there shall not have been any change in the
capital stock or long-term debt or any change, or any development
involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition
(financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or prospects
of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, the effect of
which, in any such case described above, is, in the judgment of CSI,
so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to
proceed with the sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and
in the manner contemplated by this Agreement in the Offering
Memorandum.
(q) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule,
regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any
governmental agency or body which would, as of the Closing Date,
prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction,
restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or state
court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the
Closing Date which would prevent the issuance, sale or resale of the
Securities.
(r) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating
accorded the Securities or any of the Company's other debt securities
or preferred stock by any "nationally recognized statistical rating
organization," as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes
of Rule 436(g)(2) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under
the Securities Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly
announced that it has under surveillance or review (other than an
announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading), its
rating of the Securities or any of the Company's other debt securities
or preferred stock.
(s) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i)
trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the
American Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market shall have been
suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall have been established on
any such exchange or market by the Commission, by any such exchange or
by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having
jurisdiction, or trading in any securities of the Company on any
exchange or in the over-the-counter market shall have been suspended
or (ii) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have
been declared by federal or New York state authorities or (iii) an
outbreak or escalation of hostilities or a declaration by the United
States of a national emergency or war or (iv) a material adverse
change in general economic, political or financial conditions (or the
effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the
United States shall be such) the effect of which, in the case of this
clause (iv), is, in the judgment of CSI, so material and adverse as to
make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or the
delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated
by this Agreement and in the Offering Memorandum (exclusive of any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(t) On or prior to the Closing Date, Viasystems Group shall
have entered into a binding securities purchase agreement with Hicks,
Muse, ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, Incorporated ("▇▇▇▇▇
- 18 -
19
Muse"), or any affiliate of ▇▇▇▇▇ Muse, for the issuance and sale of
$50 million of common equity interests of Viasystems Group and such
securities purchase agreement shall provide that such issuance and
sale must occur on or prior to April 15, 1998.
All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates 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 Initial Purchasers.
6. Termination. The obligations of the Initial Purchasers
hereunder may be terminated by the Initial Purchasers, in their absolute
discretion, by notice given to and received by the Company prior to delivery of
and payment for the Securities if, prior to that time, any of the events
described in Section 5(u) shall have occurred and be continuing.
7. Defaulting Initial Purchasers. (a) If, on the Closing
Date, any Initial Purchaser defaults in the performance of its obligations
under this Agreement, the non-defaulting Initial Purchaser may make
arrangements for the purchase of the Securities, which such defaulting Initial
Purchaser agreed but failed to purchase, by other persons satisfactory to the
Company and the non-defaulting Initial Purchaser, but if no such arrangements
are made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate
without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Initial Purchaser or the
Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of
expenses to the extent set forth in Sections 8 and 12 and except that the
provisions of Sections 9, 10, 14 and 16 shall not terminate and shall remain in
effect. As used in this Agreement, the term "Initial Purchasers" includes, for
all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any party
not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 7, purchases
Securities which a defaulting Initial Purchaser agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting
Initial Purchaser of any liability it may have to the Company or any
non-defaulting Initial Purchaser for damages caused by its default. If other
persons agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Initial Purchaser,
either the non-defaulting Initial Purchasers or the Company may postpone the
Closing Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes
that in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the
Initial Purchasers may be necessary in the Offering Memorandum or in any other
document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to reasonably promptly prepare
any amendment or supplement to the Offering Memorandum that effects any such
changes.
8. Reimbursement of Initial Purchasers' Expenses. If (a)
this Agreement shall have been terminated pursuant to Section 6, (b) the
Company shall fail to tender the Securities for delivery to the Initial
Purchasers for any reason permitted under this Agreement or (c) the Initial
Purchasers shall decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted
under this Agreement, the Company shall reimburse the Initial Purchasers for
such out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel) as shall have been reasonably incurred by the Initial Purchasers in
connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase and resale of the
Securities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7 by reason of
the default of one or more of the Initial
- 19 -
20
Purchasers, the Company shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting
Initial Purchaser on account of such expenses.
9. Indemnification. (a) The Company shall indemnify and
hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, their respective
officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents, and each person, if
any, who controls any Initial Purchaser within the meaning of the Securities
Act or the Exchange Act (collectively referred to for purposes of this Section
9(a) and Section 10 as an Initial Purchaser), from and against any loss, claim,
damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof
(including, without limitation, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action
relating to purchases and sales of the Securities), to which that Initial
Purchaser may become subject, whether commenced or threatened, under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other federal or state statutory law or
regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Offering
Memorandum or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any information
provided by the Company pursuant to Section 4(e) or (ii) the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, and shall reimburse each Initial Purchaser promptly upon
demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Initial
Purchaser in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend
against or appearing as a third party witness in connection with any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent
that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is
based upon, an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or
alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity
with any Initial Purchasers' Information.
(b) Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, shall
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, their respective
officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents, and each person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act (collectively referred to for purposes of this Section 9(b) and
Section 10 as the Company), from and against any loss, claim, damage or
liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which the
Company may become subject, whether commenced or threatened, under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other federal or state statutory law or
regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Offering
Memorandum or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, but in each case only
to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with the
Initial Purchasers' Information, and shall reimburse the Company for any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending or preparing to defend against or appearing as a
third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action as such expenses are incurred.
- 20 -
21
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 9 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against
the indemnifying party pursuant to Section 9(a) or 9(b), notify the
indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action;
provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 9 except to
the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of
substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and, provided, further, that
the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 9. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified
party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it
wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume
the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of
its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying
party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 9 for any
legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in
connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation; provided, however, that an indemnified party shall have the
right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and
other charges of such counsel for the indemnified party will be at the expense
of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the
indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2)
a conflict or potential conflict exists (based upon advice of counsel to the
indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in
which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense
of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (3) the indemnifying
party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time
after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which
cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be
at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the
indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or
related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable
fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm of
attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) at any one time for all such
indemnified party or parties. Each indemnified party, as a condition of the
indemnity agreements contained in Sections 9(a) and 9(b), shall use all
reasonable efforts to cooperate with the indemnifying party in the defense of
any such action or claim. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any
settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with its written
consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action,
the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified
party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or
judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of
the indemnified party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld),
effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of
which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could
have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i)
does not contain an admission of fault or wrongdoing and (ii) includes an
unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
- 21 -
22
The obligations of the Company and each Initial Purchaser in
this Section 9 and in Section 10 are in addition to any other liability that
the Company or the Initial Purchasers, as the case may be, may otherwise have,
including in respect of any breaches of representations, warranties and
agreements made herein by any such party.
10. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in
Section 9 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party
under Section 9(a) or 9(b), then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of
indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable
by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability,
or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
Initial Purchasers on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if
the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law,
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits
referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on
the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other with respect to the
statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability,
or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and the Initial Purchasers on the other with respect to such offering shall be
deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering
of the Securities purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses)
received by or on behalf of the Company, on the one hand, and the total
discounts and commissions received by the Initial Purchasers with respect to
the Securities purchased under this Agreement, on the other, bear to the total
gross proceeds from the sale of the Securities under this Agreement, in each
case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Offering Memorandum.
The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to the Company or
information supplied by the Company on the one hand or to any Initial
Purchasers' Information on the other, the intent of the parties and their
relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Initial Purchasers
agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this
Section 10 were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Initial
Purchasers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method
of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations
referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a
result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof,
referred to above in this Section 10 shall be deemed to include, for purposes
of this Section 10, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no Initial
Purchaser shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by
which the total discounts and commissions received by such Initial Purchaser
with respect to the Securities purchased by it under this Agreement exceeds the
amount of any damages which such Initial Purchaser has otherwise paid or become
liable to pay by reason of any 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.
- 22 -
23
The Initial Purchasers' obligations to contribute as provided in this Section
10 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations and not
joint.
11. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement
shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Initial Purchasers, the
Company and their respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and
provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except as
provided in Sections 9 and 10 with respect to affiliates, officers, directors,
employees, representatives, agents and controlling persons of the Company and
the Initial Purchasers and in Section 4(e) with respect to holders and
prospective purchasers of the Securities. Nothing in this Agreement is
intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons
referred to in this Section 11, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.
12. Expenses. The Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers
to pay (a) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation
and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (b)
the costs incident to the preparation, printing and distribution of the
Offering Memorandum and any amendments or supplements thereto; (c) the costs of
reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (d) the costs
incident to the preparation, printing and delivery of the certificates
evidencing the Securities, including stamp duties and transfer taxes, if any,
payable upon issuance of the Securities; (e) the fees and expenses of the
Company's and its subsidiaries' counsel and independent accountants; (f) the
fees and expenses of qualifying the Securities under the securities laws of the
several jurisdictions as provided in Section 4(g) and of preparing, printing
and distributing Blue Sky Memoranda (including reasonable related fees and
expenses of counsel for the Initial Purchasers); (g) any fees charged by rating
agencies for rating the Securities; (h) the fees and expenses of the Trustee
and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to
such parties); (i) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection
with the application for the inclusion of the Securities on the PORTAL Market
and the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by DTC; and (j) all
other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the
Company under this Agreement which are not otherwise specifically provided for
in this Section 12; provided, however, that except as provided in this Section
12 and Section 8, the Initial Purchasers shall pay their own costs and expenses
(including the costs and expenses of their counsel).
13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of
contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the
Initial Purchasers contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the
Company or the Initial Purchasers pursuant to this Agreement shall survive the
delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and
effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement or any
investigation made by or on behalf of any of them.
14. Notices, etc.. All statements, requests, notices and
agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:
- 23 -
24
(a) if to the Initial Purchasers, shall be delivered or sent
by mail or telecopy transmission to Chase Securities Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ (telecopier
no.: (212) 270- 0994); or
(b) if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail or
telecopy transmission to the address of the Company at Viasystems,
Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ (telecopier no.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇) and to
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇., Hicks, Muse, ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ Incorporated, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ (telecopier no: (214)
740-7355);
provided, however, that any notice to an Initial Purchaser pursuant to Section
9(c) shall also be delivered or sent by mail to such Initial Purchaser at its
address set forth on the signature page hereof. Any such statements, requests,
notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The
Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or
agreement given or made on behalf of the Initial Purchasers by CSI.
15. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a)
the term "business day" means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange,
Inc. is open for trading, (b) the term "subsidiary" has the meaning set forth
in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and (c) except where otherwise expressly
provided, the term "affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the
Securities Act.
16. Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD
TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW PROVISIONS THEREOF TO THE EXTENT THE APPLICATION OF THE
LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.
17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or
more counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by telecopier) and,
if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each
be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together
constitute one and the same instrument.
18. Amendments. 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.
19. 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.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
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25
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of
our agreement, kindly sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument will become a binding agreement between the Company and the
Initial Purchaser in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
VIASYSTEMS, INC.
By
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted:
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
By
-----------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
Address for notices pursuant to Section 9(c):
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Legal Department
NATWEST CAPITAL MARKETS LIMITED
By
-----------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
Address for notices pursuant to Section 9(c):
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
Attention: Legal Department
- 25 -
26
SCHEDULE 1
Principal
Amount
Initial Purchasers of Securities
------------------ -------------
Chase Securities Inc. $50,000,000
NatWest Capital Markets Limited $50,000,000
-------------
Total $100,000,000
=============
27
SCHEDULE 2
Viasystems Canada, Inc.
Viasystems Selkirk Limited
Viasystems II Limited
Viasystems Technologies Corp.
28
ANNEX A
Viasystems, Inc.
$100,000,000
9 3/4% Series B Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007
FORM OF EXCHANGE AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
February __, 1998
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
NATWEST CAPITAL MARKETS LIMITED
c/o Chase Securities Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Viasystems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to issue and sell to Chase Securities Inc. ("CSI"), and NatWest
Capital Markets Limited (together with CSI, the "Initial Purchasers"), upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in a purchase agreement dated
February 9, 1998 (the "Purchase Agreement"), $100,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of its 9 3/4% Series B Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007 (the
"Securities"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the
meanings given to such terms in the Purchase Agreement.
In satisfaction of a condition to the obligations of the
Initial Purchasers to purchase the Securities under the Purchase Agreement, the
Company agrees with the Initial Purchasers, for the benefit of the holders
(including the Initial Purchasers) of the Transfer Restricted Securities and
the Exchange Securities (as defined herein) (collectively, the "Holders"), as
follows:
(i) Registered Exchange Offer. The Company shall (i) prepare and, not
later than 60 days following the date of original issuance of the Securities
(the "Issue Date"), file with the Commission a registration statement (the
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement") on an appropriate form under the
Securities Act with respect to a proposed offer to the Holders of the Transfer
Restricted Securities (the "Registered Exchange Offer") to issue and deliver to
such Holders, in exchange for the Transfer Restricted Securities, a like
aggregate principal amount of debt securities of the Company (the "Exchange
Securities") that are identical in all material respects to the Transfer
Restricted Securities, except for the transfer restrictions relating to the
Securities, (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement
29
to become effective under the Securities Act no later than 160 days after the
Issue Date and the Registered Exchange Offer to be consummated no later than 25
business days after the effective date of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and (iii) keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective
for not less than 20 business days (or longer, if required by applicable law)
after the date on which notice of the Registered Exchange Offer is first mailed
to the Holders (such period being called the "Exchange Offer Registration
Period"). The Exchange Securities and Private Exchange Securities (as defined
below, if any) will be issued under the Indenture or an indenture (the
"Exchange Securities Indenture") between the Company and the Trustee or such
other bank or trust company that is reasonably satisfactory to the Initial
Purchasers, as trustee (the "Exchange Securities Trustee"), such indenture to
be identical in all material respects to the Indenture, except for the transfer
restrictions relating to the Transfer Restricted Securities.
Upon the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement, the Company shall promptly commence the Registered Exchange Offer,
it being the objective of such Registered Exchange Offer to enable each Holder
electing to exchange Securities for Exchange Securities (assuming that such
Holder (a) is not an affiliate of the Company or an Exchanging Dealer (as
defined herein) not complying with the requirements of the next sentence, (b)
is not an Initial Purchaser with Securities that have the status of an unsold
allotment in an initial distribution, (c) acquires the Exchange Securities in
the ordinary course of such Holder's business and (d) has no arrangements or
understandings with any person to participate in the distribution of the
Exchange Securities) and to trade such Exchange Securities from and after their
receipt without any limitations or restrictions under the Securities Act and
without material restrictions under the securities laws of the several states
of the United States. The Company, the Initial Purchasers and each Exchanging
Dealer acknowledge that, pursuant to current interpretations by the
Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, (i) each Holder that is
a broker-dealer electing to exchange Securities, acquired for its own account
as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, for
Exchange Securities (an "Exchanging Dealer"), is required to deliver a
prospectus containing substantially the information set forth in Annex A hereto
on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and
the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex C hereto in the "Plan
of Distribution" section of such prospectus in connection with a sale of any
such Exchange Securities received by such Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the
Registered Exchange Offer and (ii) if any Initial Purchaser elects to sell
Private Exchange Securities acquired in exchange for Securities constituting
any portion of an unsold allotment, it is required to deliver a prospectus
containing the information required by Items 507 or 508 of Regulation S-K under
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act ("Regulation S-K").
Upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer in accordance with
this Section 1, the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply,
mutatis mutandis, solely with respect to Transfer Restricted Securities that
are Private Exchange Securities, Exchange Securities as to which clause (v) of
the first paragraph of Section 2 is applicable and Exchange Securities held by
Participating Broker-Dealers (as defined), and the Company shall have no
further obligations to register Transfer Restricted Securities (other than
Private Exchange Securities and other than in
-2-
30
respect of any Exchange Securities as to which clause (v) of the first
paragraph of Section 2 hereof applies) pursuant to Section 2 hereof.
If, prior to the consummation of the Registered Exchange
Offer, any Holder holds any Securities acquired by it that have, or that are
reasonably likely to be determined to have, the status of an unsold allotment
in the initial distribution of the Securities, or any Holder is not entitled to
participate in the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall, upon the
request of any such Holder, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange
Securities in the Registered Exchange Offer, issue and deliver to any such
Holder, in exchange for the Securities held by such Holder (the "Private
Exchange"), a like aggregate principal amount of debt securities of the Company
(the "Private Exchange Securities") that are identical in all material respects
to the Exchange Securities, except for the transfer restrictions relating to
such Private Exchange Securities. The Private Exchange Securities will be
issued under the same indenture as the Exchange Securities, and the Company
shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Private Exchange Securities
to bear the same CUSIP number as the Exchange Securities.
In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company
shall:
(a) mail to each Holder a copy of the prospectus forming part of the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement, together with an appropriate letter of
transmittal and related documents;
(b) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than 30 days (or
longer, if required by applicable law) after the date on which notice of the
Registered Exchange Offer is first mailed to the Holders;
(c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered Exchange Offer
with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York;
(d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time prior to
the close of business, New York City time, on the last business day on which
the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and
(e) otherwise comply in all respects with all laws that are applicable to
the Registered Exchange Offer.
As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered
Exchange Offer and any Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:
(a) accept for exchange all Securities tendered and not
validly withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the
Private Exchange;
(b) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all
Securities so accepted for exchange; and
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31
(c) cause the Trustee or the Exchange Securities Trustee,
as the case may be, promptly to authenticate and deliver to each
Holder, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, as the
case may be, equal in principal amount to the Securities of such
Holder so accepted for exchange.
The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the
prospectus contained therein in order to permit such prospectus to be used by
all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities
Act for such period of time as such persons must comply with such requirements
in order to resell the Exchange Securities; provided that (i) in the case where
such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto must be delivered by an
Exchanging Dealer, such period shall be the lesser of 180 days and the date on
which all Exchanging Dealers have sold all Exchange Securities held by them and
(ii) the Company shall make such prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto available to any broker- dealer for use in connection with any resale
of any Exchange Securities for a period of not less than 90 days after the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer.
The Indenture or the Exchange Securities Indenture, as the
case may be, shall provide that the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the
Private Exchange Securities shall vote and consent together on all matters as
one class and that none of the Securities, the Exchange Securities or the
Private Exchange Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a
separate class on any matter.
Interest on each Exchange Security and Private Exchange
Security issued pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and in the Private
Exchange will accrue from the last interest payment date on which interest was
paid on the Securities surrendered in exchange therefor or, if no interest has
been paid on the Securities, from the Issue Date.
Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer
shall be required to represent to the Company that at the time of the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Securities
received by such Holder will be acquired in the ordinary course of business,
(ii) such Holder will have no arrangements or understanding with any person to
participate in the distribution of the Securities or the Exchange Securities
within the meaning of the Securities Act, (iii) such Holder is not an affiliate
of the Company or, if it is such an affiliate, such Holder will comply with the
registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the
extent applicable and (iv) if an Exchanging Dealer, such person shall comply
with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will
ensure that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto and any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto
complies in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and any amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective,
contain an untrue statement of a
-4-
32
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (iii) any
prospectus forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any
supplement to such prospectus, does not, as of the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer, include an 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.
(ii) Shelf Registration. If (i) because of any change in law or applicable
interpretations thereof by the Commission's staff the Company is not permitted
to effect the Registered Exchange Offer as contemplated by Section 1 hereof, or
(ii) any Securities validly tendered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer
are not exchanged for Exchange Securities within 25 business days after the
effective date of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, or (iii) any
Initial Purchaser so requests with respect to Securities or Private Exchange
Securities not eligible to be exchanged for Exchange Securities in the
Registered Exchange Offer and held by it following the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer, or (iv) any applicable law or interpretations do not
permit any Holder to participate in the Registered Exchange Offer, or (v) any
Holder that participates in the Registered Exchange Offer does not receive
freely transferable Exchange Securities in exchange for tendered Securities
(the obligation to comply with a prospectus delivery requirement being
understood not to constitute a restriction on transferability), then the
following provisions shall apply:
(a) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to
file as promptly as practicable (but in no event more than 30 days after so
required or requested pursuant to this Section 2) with the Commission, and
thereafter shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be declared
effective, a shelf registration statement on an appropriate form under the
Securities Act relating to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted
Securities (as defined) by the Holders thereof from time to time in accordance
with the methods of distribution set forth in such registration statement
(hereafter, a "Shelf Registration Statement" and, together with any Exchange
Offer Registration Statement, a "Registration Statement"); provided, however,
that no Holder of Securities or Exchange Securities (other than any Initial
Purchaser) shall be entitled to have Securities or Exchange Securities held by
it covered by such Shelf Registration Statement unless such Holder agrees in
writing to be bound by all the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such
Holder.
(b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to
keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit
the prospectus forming part thereof to be used by Holders of Transfer
Restricted Securities for a period ending on the earlier of (i) two years from
the Issue Date or such shorter period that will terminate when all the Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been
sold pursuant thereto and (ii) the date all of the Securities become eligible
for resale without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 under the
Securities Act (in any such case, such period being called the "Shelf
Registration Period"). The Company shall be deemed not to have used its
reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective
during the requisite
-5-
33
period if it voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell
such Transfer Restricted Securities during that period, unless such action is
required by applicable law; provided however, that the foregoing shall not
apply to actions taken by the Company in good faith and for valid business
reasons (not including avoidance of their obligations hereunder), including,
without limitation, the acquisition or divestiture of assets, so long as the
Company within 30 days thereafter complies with the requirements of Section
4(j) hereof. Any such period during which the Company fails to keep the
registration statement effective and usable for offers and sales of Securities
and Exchange Securities is referred to as a "Suspension Period." A Suspension
Period shall commence on and include the date that the Company gives notice
that the Shelf Registration Statement is no longer effective or the prospectus
included therein is no longer usable for offers and sales of Securities and
Exchange Securities and shall end on the date when each Holder of Securities
and Exchange Securities covered by such registration statement either receives
the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section
4(j) hereof or is advised in writing by the company that use of the prospectus
may be resumed. If one or more Suspension Periods occur, the two-year time
period referenced above shall be extended by the aggregate of the number of
days included in each such Suspension Period.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the
Company will ensure that (i) any Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto and any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto
complies in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) any Shelf Registration Statement
and any amendment thereto (in either case, other than with respect to
information included therein in reliance upon or in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Holder specifically
for use therein (the "Holders' Information")) does not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and
(iii) any prospectus forming part of any Shelf Registration Statement, and any
supplement to such prospectus (in either case, other than with respect to
Holders' Information), does not include an 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.
(iii) Liquidated Damages. (a) The parties hereto agree that the Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities will suffer damages if the Company fails to
fulfill its obligations under Section 1 or Section 2, as applicable, and that
it would not be feasible to ascertain the extent of such damages. Accordingly,
if (i) the applicable Registration Statement is not filed with the Commission
on or prior to 60 days after the Issue Date, (ii) the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be,
is not declared effective within 160 days after the Issue Date (or in the case
of a Shelf Registration Statement required to be filed in response to a change
in law or the applicable interpretations of Commission's staff, if later,
within 45 days after publication of the change in law or interpretation), (iii)
the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated within 25 business days after
the effective date of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, or (iv) the
Shelf Registration Statement is filed and declared effective within 160 days
-6-
34
after the Issue Date (or in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement required
to be filed in response to a change in law or the applicable interpretations of
Commission's staff, if later, within 45 days after publication of the change in
law or interpretation) but shall thereafter cease to be effective (at any time
that the Company is obligated to maintain the effectiveness thereof) without
being succeeded within 60 days by an additional Registration Statement filed
and declared effective (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through
(iv), a "Registration Default"), the Company will be obligated to pay
liquidated damages to each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, during the
period of one or more such Registration Defaults, in an amount equal to $0.10
per week per $1,000 principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities held by
such Holder until (i) the applicable Registration Statement is filed, (ii) the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective and the Registered
Exchange Offer is consummated, (iii) the Shelf Registration Statement is
declared effective or (iv) the Shelf Registration Statement again becomes
effective, as the case may be. Following the cure of all Registration
Defaults, the accrual of liquidated damages will cease. As used herein, the
term "Transfer Restricted Securities" means (i) each Security until the date on
which such Security has been exchanged for a freely transferable Exchange
Security (the obligation to comply with a prospectus delivery requirement being
understood not to constitute a restriction on transferability) in the
Registered Exchange Offer, (ii) each Security or Private Exchange Security
until the date on which it has been effectively registered under the Securities
Act and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement or
(iii) each Security or Private Exchange Security until the date on which it is
distributed to the public pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or is
saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Section 3(a), the Company shall not be
required to pay liquidated damages to a Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities if such Holder failed to comply with its obligations to make the
representations set forth in the second to last paragraph of Section 1 or
failed to provide the information required to be provided by it, if any,
pursuant to Section 4(n).
(b) The Company shall notify the Trustee and the Paying
Agent under the Indenture immediately upon the happening of each and every
Registration Default. The Company shall pay the liquidated damages due on the
Transfer Restricted Securities by depositing with the Paying Agent (which may
not be the Company for these purposes), in trust, for the benefit of the
Holders thereof, prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next interest
payment date specified by the Indenture and the Securities, sums sufficient to
pay the liquidated damages then due. The liquidated damages due shall be
payable on each interest payment date specified by the Indenture and the
Securities to the record holder of the Transfer Restricted Securities entitled
to receive the interest payment to be made on such date. Each obligation to
pay liquidated damages shall be deemed to accrue from and including the date of
the applicable Registration Default.
(c) The parties hereto agree that the liquidated damages
provided for in this Section 3 constitute a reasonable estimate of and are
intended to constitute the sole damages that will be suffered by Holders of
Transfer Restricted Securities by reason of the failure of (i) the Shelf
Registration Statement or the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be
filed, (ii) the Shelf Registration Statement to remain effective or (iii) the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be
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declared effective and the Registered Exchange Offer to be consummated, in each
case to the extent required by this Agreement.
(iv) Registration Procedures. In connection with any Registration
Statement, the following provisions shall apply:
(a) The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial
Purchaser, prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the
Registration Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement, if any,
to the prospectus included therein and shall use its reasonable best efforts to
reflect in each such document, when so filed with the Commission, such comments
as any Initial Purchaser may reasonably propose; (ii) include the information
set forth in Annex A hereto on the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange
Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and
in Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the prospectus
forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and include the
information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal delivered
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; and (iii) if requested by any
Initial Purchaser, include the information required by Items 507 or 508 of
Regulation S-K, as applicable, in the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement.
(b) The Company shall advise each Initial Purchaser, each
Exchanging Dealer and the Holders (if applicable) and, if requested by any such
person, confirm such advice in writing (which advice pursuant to clauses
(ii)-(v) hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of
the prospectus until the requisite changes have been made):
(i) when any Registration Statement and any amendment thereto
has been filed with the Commission and when such Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;
(ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments or
supplements to any Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein or
for additional information;
(iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement or the initiation of
any proceedings for that purpose;
(iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with
respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities, the Exchange
Securities or the Private Exchange Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or
the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and
(v) of the happening of any event that requires the making of
any changes in any Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein in
order that the statements therein (in light of the circumstances in which made,
in the case of the prospectus) are not misleading and do
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36
not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading.
(c) The Company will make every reasonable effort to
obtain the withdrawal at the earliest possible time of any order suspending the
effectiveness of any Registration Statement.
(d) The Company will furnish to each Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities included within the coverage of any Shelf Registration
Statement, without charge, at least one conformed copy of such Shelf
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including
financial statements and schedules and, if any such Holder so requests in
writing, all exhibits thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by
reference).
(e) The Company will, during the Shelf Registration
Period, promptly deliver to each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
included within the coverage of any Shelf Registration Statement, without
charge, as many copies of the prospectus (including each preliminary
prospectus) included in such Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or
supplement thereto as such Holder may reasonably request; and the Company
consents to the use of such prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
by each of the selling Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities in connection
with the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such
prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.
(f) The Company will furnish to each Initial Purchaser
and each Exchanging Dealer, and to any other Holder who so requests, without
charge, at least one conformed copy of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial
statements and schedules and, if any Initial Purchaser or Exchanging Dealer or
any such Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits thereto (including those,
if any, incorporated by reference).
(g) The Company will, during the Exchange Offer
Registration Period or the Shelf Registration Period, as applicable, promptly
deliver to each Initial Purchaser, each Exchanging Dealer and such other
persons that are required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered
Exchange Offer, without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus included
in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the Shelf Registration
Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Initial Purchaser,
Exchanging Dealer or other persons may reasonably request; and the Company
consents to the use of such prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
by any such Initial Purchaser, Exchanging Dealer or other persons, as
applicable, as aforesaid.
(h) Prior to the effective date of any Registration
Statement, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to register or
qualify, or cooperate with the Holders of Securities, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities included therein and their respective counsel in
connection with the registration or qualification of, such Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities for offer and sale under the
securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any such Holder reasonably
requests in writing and do any and all other acts or things necessary or
advisable to enable the offer and sale in such jurisdictions of the Securities,
Exchange Securities or
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Private Exchange Securities covered by such Registration Statement; provided
that the Company will not be required to qualify generally to do business in
any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action which
would subject it to general service of process or to taxation in any such
jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(i) The Company will cooperate with the Holders of
Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities to facilitate
the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Securities,
Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities to be sold pursuant to any
Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such
denominations and registered in such names as the Holders thereof may request
in writing prior to sales of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private
Exchange Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(j) If (i) any event contemplated by Section 4(b)(ii)
through (v) occurs during the period for which the Company is required to
maintain an effective Registration Statement or (ii) any Suspension Period
remains in effect more than 30 days after the occurrence thereof, the Company
will promptly prepare and file with the Commission a post-effective amendment
to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus or file
any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to purchasers of
the Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities from a
Holder, the prospectus will not include an 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.
(k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the
Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities, as the
case may be, and provide the applicable trustee with certificates for the
Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the
case may be, in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.
(l) The Company will comply with all applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission and will make generally available to its security
holders as soon as practicable after the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement an earning statement satisfying the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the Securities Act; provided that in no event shall such
earning statement be delivered later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month
period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first
month of the Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date
of the applicable Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such
12-month period.
(m) The Company will cause the Indenture or the Exchange
Securities Indenture, as the case may be, to be qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act as required by applicable law in a timely manner.
(n) The Company may require each Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities to be registered pursuant to any Shelf Registration
Statement to furnish to the Company such
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38
information concerning the Holder and the distribution of such Transfer
Restricted Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably require
for inclusion in such Shelf Registration Statement, and the Company may exclude
from such registration the Transfer Restricted Securities of any Holder that
fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such
request.
(o) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each
Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities to be registered pursuant thereto
agrees by acquisition of such Transfer Restricted Securities that, upon receipt
of any notice from the Company pursuant to Section 4(b)(ii) through (v), such
Holder will discontinue disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities
until such Holder's receipt of copies of the supplemental or amended prospectus
contemplated by Section 4(j) or until advised in writing (the "Advice") by the
Company that the use of the applicable prospectus may be resumed. If the
Company shall give any notice under Section 4(b)(ii) through (v) during the
period that the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration
Statement (the "Effectiveness Period"), such Effectiveness Period shall be
extended by the number of days during such period from and including the date
of the giving of such notice to and including the date when each seller of
Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement shall
have received (x) the copies of the supplemental or amended prospectus
contemplated by Section 4(j) (if an amended or supplemental prospectus is
required) or (y) the Advice (if no amended or supplemental prospectus is
required).
(p) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the
Company shall enter into such customary agreements (including, if requested, an
underwriting agreement in customary form) and take all such other action, if
any, as Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities,
Exchange Securities and Private Exchange Securities being sold or the managing
underwriters (if any) shall reasonably request in order to facilitate any
disposition of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities
pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement.
(q) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the
Company shall (i) make reasonably available for inspection by a representative
of, and Special Counsel (as defined below) acting for, Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Securities, Exchange Securities and Private
Exchange Securities being sold and any underwriter participating in any
disposition of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities
pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, all relevant financial and other
records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and its
subsidiaries and (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to have its officers,
directors, employees, accountants and counsel supply all relevant information
reasonably requested by such representative, Special Counsel or any such
underwriter (an "Inspector") in connection with such Shelf Registration
Statement.
(r) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the
Company shall, if requested by the managing underwriters (if any) in connection
with such Shelf Registration Statement, use its reasonable best efforts to
cause (i) its counsel to deliver an opinion relating to the Shelf Registration
Statement and the Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange
Securities, as applicable, in
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customary form, (ii) its officers to execute and deliver all customary
documents and certificates requested by Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities, Exchange Securities and Private Exchange
Securities being sold, their Special Counsel or the managing underwriters (if
any) and (iii) its independent public accountants to provide a comfort letter
or letters in customary form, subject to receipt of appropriate documentation
as contemplated, and only if permitted, by Statement of Auditing Standards No.
72.
(v) Registration Expenses. The Company will bear all expenses incurred in
connection with the performance of its obligations under Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4
and the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders for the
reasonable fees and disbursements of one firm of attorneys (in addition to any
local counsel) chosen by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange
Securities to be sold pursuant to each Registration Statement (the "Special
Counsel") acting for the Initial Purchasers or Holders in connection therewith.
(vi) Indemnification. (a) In the event of a Shelf Registration Statement
or in connection with any prospectus delivery pursuant to an Exchange Offer
Registration Statement by an Initial Purchaser or Exchanging Dealer, as
applicable, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Holder
(including, without limitation, any such Initial Purchaser or Exchanging
Dealer), its affiliates, their respective officers, directors, employees,
representatives and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such Holder
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively
referred to for purposes of this Section 6 and Section 7 as a Holder) from and
against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action
in respect thereof (including, without limitation, any loss, claim, damage,
liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities), to which that Holder may become
subject, whether commenced or threatened, under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act, any other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common
law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action
arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any such Registration Statement or
any prospectus forming part thereof or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, and shall reimburse each Holder promptly upon demand for any legal
or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Holder in connection with
investigating or defending or preparing to defend against or appearing as a
third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company
shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from
any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with any Holders'
Information; and provided, further, that with respect to any such untrue
statement in or omission from any related preliminary prospectus, the indemnity
agreement contained in this Section 6(a) shall not inure to the benefit of any
Holder from whom the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action received Securities, Exchange Securities
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40
or Private Exchange Securities to the extent that such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action of or with respect to such Holder results from the fact
that both (A) a copy of the final prospectus was not sent or given to such
person at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Securities,
Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities to such person and (B) the
untrue statement in or omission from the related preliminary prospectus was
corrected in the final prospectus unless, in either case, such failure to
deliver the final prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with
Section 4(d), 4(e), 4(f) or 4(g).
(b) In the event of a Shelf Registration Statement, each
Holder, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, its affiliates, their respective officers, directors, employees,
representatives and agents, and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively
referred to for purposes of this Section 6(b) and Section 7 as the Company),
from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any
action in respect thereof, to which the Company may become subject, whether
commenced or threatened, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other
federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is
based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in any such Registration Statement or any prospectus forming
part thereof or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, but in each case only
to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with any
Holders' Information, and shall reimburse the Company for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or
defending or preparing to defend against or appearing as a third party witness
in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such
expenses are incurred; provided, however, that no such Holder shall be liable
for any indemnity claims hereunder in excess of the amount of net proceeds
received by such Holder from the sale of Securities, Exchange Securities or
Private Exchange Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
this Section 6 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against
the indemnifying party pursuant to Section 6(a) or 6(b), notify the
indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action;
provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 6 except to
the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of
substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that
the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 6. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified
party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it
wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume
the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of
its election
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41
to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not
be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the
defense thereof other than the reasonable costs of investigation; provided,
however, that an indemnified party shall have the right to employ its own
counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such
counsel for the indemnified party will be at the expense of such indemnified
party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been
authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) a conflict or potential
conflict exists (based upon advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between
the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the
indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action
on behalf of the indemnified party) or (3) the indemnifying party has not in
fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to
assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving
notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable
fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the
indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or
parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in
the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and
other charges of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any
local counsel) at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. Each
indemnified party, as a condition of the indemnity agreements contained in
Sections 6(a) and 6(b), shall use all reasonable efforts to cooperate with the
indemnifying party in the defense of any such action or claim. No indemnifying
party shall be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without
its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if
settled with its written consent or if there be a final judgment for the
plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by
reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without
the prior written consent of the indemnified party (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld), effect any settlement of any pending or threatened
proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a
party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party,
unless such settlement (i) does not contain an admission of fault or wrongdoing
and (ii) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
(vii) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section
6(a) or 6(b), then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified
party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in
respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company from the offering and sale of the
Securities, on the one hand, and a Holder with respect to the sale by such
Holder of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, on
the other, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and such Holder on the other with
respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim,
damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations..
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42
The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and a Holder on
the other with respect to such offering and such sale shall be deemed to be in
the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the
Securities (before deducting expenses) received by or on behalf of the Company
as set forth in the table on the cover of the Offering Memorandum, on the one
hand, bear to the total proceeds received by such Holder with respect to its
sale of Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities, on the
other. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to the
Company or information supplied by the Company on the one hand or to any
Holders' Information on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
untrue statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 7 were to be
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one
entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not
take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount
paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage
or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 7
shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 7, any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 7, an indemnifying party that is a Holder of
Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange Securities shall not be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Securities, Exchange Securities or Private Exchange
Securities sold by such indemnifying party to any purchaser exceeds the amount
of any damages which such indemnifying party has otherwise paid or become
liable to pay by reason of any 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 Holders' obligations to contribute as provided in this
Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective obligations and not
joint.
(viii) Rules 144 and 144A. If at any time the Company is not required to
file such reports, it will, upon the written request of any Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities, make publicly available other information so long as
necessary to permit sales of such Holder's securities pursuant to Rules 144 and
144A. The Company covenants that it will take such further action as any
Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities may reasonably request, all to the
extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Transfer
Restricted Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the
limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A (including, without
limitation, the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). Upon the written request of
any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, the Company shall deliver to such
Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such
requirements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 8 shall
be deemed to require the Company to register any of its securities pursuant to
the Exchange Act.
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43
(ix) Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by any Shelf Registration Statement are to be sold in an
underwritten offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager
or managers that will administer the offering will be selected by the Company,
subject to the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of such Transfer Restricted Securities included in such offering (which
shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), and such Holders shall be
responsible for all underwriting commissions and discounts in connection
therewith.
No person may participate in any underwritten registration
hereunder unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer
Restricted Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting
arrangements approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such
arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of
attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably
required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
(x) Miscellaneous. (a) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this
Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents
to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the Company
has obtained the written consent of Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private
Exchange Securities, taken as a single class. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a
waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter
that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose Securities, Exchange
Securities or Private Exchange Securities are being sold pursuant to a
Registration Statement and that does not directly or indirectly affect the
rights of other Holders may be given by Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private
Exchange Securities being sold by such Holders pursuant to such Registration
Statement.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications
provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery,
first-class mail, telecopier or air courier guaranteeing next-day delivery:
(1) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by
such Holder to the Company in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 10(b), which address initially is, with respect to each
Holder, the address of such Holder maintained by the Registrar under
the Indenture, with a copy in like manner to Chase Securities Inc. and
NatWest Capital Markets Limited;
(2) if to an Initial Purchaser, initially at its address
set forth in the Purchase Agreement; and
(3) if to the Company, initially at the address of the
Company set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
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All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have
been duly given: when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; one business
day after being delivered to a next-day air courier; five business days after
being deposited in the mail; and when receipt is acknowledged by the
recipient's telecopier machine, if sent by telecopier.
(c) Successors And Assigns. This Agreement shall be
binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts (which may be delivered in original form or by
telecopier) and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(e) Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Agreement,
(a) the term "business day" means any day on which the New York Stock Exchange,
Inc. is open for trading, (b) the term "subsidiary" has the meaning set forth
in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and (c) except where otherwise expressly
provided, the term "affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the
Securities Act.
(f) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for
convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the
meaning hereof.
(g) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without
regard to the conflicts of law provisions thereof to the extent the application
of the laws of another jurisdiction would be required thereby.
(h) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or
by any holder of Transfer Restricted Securities of any of their obligations
under this Agreement, each holder of Transfer Restricted Securities or the
Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all
rights granted by law, including recovery of damages (other than the recovery
of damages for a breach by the Company of its obligations under Sections 1 or 2
hereof for which liquidated damages have been paid pursuant to Section 3
hereof), will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this
Agreement. The Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not
be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of
any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agree that, in the
event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it
shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
-17-
45
(i) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company represents,
warrants and agrees that (i) it has not entered into, shall not, on or after
the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement that is inconsistent with
the rights granted to the holders of Transfer Restricted Securities in this
Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof, (ii) it has not
previously entered into any agreement which remains in effect granting any
registration rights with respect to any of its debt securities to any person
and (iii) without limiting the generality of the foregoing, without the written
consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then
outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities, it shall not grant to any person
the right to request the Company to register any debt securities of the Company
under the Securities Act unless the rights so granted are not in conflict or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement.
(j) No Piggyback on Registrations. Neither the Company
nor any of its security holders (other than the Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities in such capacity) shall have the right to include any securities of
the Company in any Shelf Registration or Registered Exchange Offer other than
Transfer Restricted Securities.
(k) Severability. The remedies provided herein are
cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law. If any term,
provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the
remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein
shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired
or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their reasonable best efforts
to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially
the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or
restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the
parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter
declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the
agreement among the Company and the Initial Purchasers.
Very truly yours,
VIASYSTEMS, INC.
By
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted:
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
By
-----------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
NATWEST CAPITAL MARKETS LIMITED
By
-----------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
-18-
46
EXHIBIT A
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its
own account in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange
Offer, where such Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it
will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange
Securities. The Letter of Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by
delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is
an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as
it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-
dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange
for Securities where such Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company
has agreed that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date (as defined
herein), it will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in
connection with any such resale. See "Plan of Distribution."
47
EXHIBIT B
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its
own account in exchange for Securities, where such Securities were acquired by
such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading
activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection
with any resale of such Exchange Securities. See "Plan of Distribution."
48
EXHIBIT C
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its
own account in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange
Offer, where such Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of
market making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it
will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange
Securities. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to
time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange
Securities received in exchange for Securities where such Securities were
acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities.
The Company has agreed that, for a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date,
it will make this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any
broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale.
The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of
Exchange Securities by broker-dealers. Exchange Securities received by
broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer
may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the
over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of
options on the Exchange Securities or a combination of such methods of resale,
at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. Any such resale may be made
directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive
compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such
broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange Securities. Any
broker-dealer that resells Exchange Securities that were received by it for its
own account pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and any broker or dealer
that participates in a distribution of such Exchange Securities may be deemed
to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit
on any such resale of Exchange Securities and any commission or concessions
received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting compensation
under the Securities Act. The Letter of Transmittal states that, by
acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within
the meaning of the Securities Act.
For a period of 90 days after the Expiration Date the Company
will promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Registered Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one
counsel for the Holders of the Securities) other than commissions or
concessions of any broker-dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the
Securities (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities,
including liabilities under the Securities Act.
49
EXHIBIT D
CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10
ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR
SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.
Name:
-------------------------------------------------------
Address:
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------
If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it
is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Securities. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents
that it will receive Exchange Securities for its own account, in exchange for
Securities that it represents and warrants were acquired as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities, and it acknowledges that
it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange
Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, the
undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act.
50
ANNEX B
[Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company]
51
ANNEX C
[Form of Opinion of Counsel for Subsidiaries]
52
ANNEX D
[Form of Opinion of W. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇]
