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EXHIBIT 1.2
AUTOMOTIVE ONE PARTS STORES, INC.
1,200,000 SHARES
OF COMMON STOCK
AND
1,200,000 REDEEMABLE WARRANTS
AGREEMENT AMONG UNDERWRITERS
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Nutmeg Securities, Ltd
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
as Representative
GENTLEMEN:
We wish to confirm as follows the agreement among you, the undersigned and
the other members of the Underwriting Group named in Schedule I to the
Underwriting Agreement, as it is to be executed (all such parties being herein
called the "Underwriters"), with respect to the purchase by the Underwriters
severally from Automotive One Parts Stores, Inc. ("Company") of 1,200,000 shares
of Common Stock and 1,200,000 five-year Redeemable Warrants ("Securities") set
forth in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement. The number of Securities to
be purchased by each Underwriter from the Company shall be determined in
accordance with Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement. It is understood that
changes may be made in those who are to be Underwriters and in the respective
numbers of Securities to be purchased by them, but that the Underwriting
Agreement will not be changed without our consent, except as provided herein,
and in the Underwriting Agreement. The obligations of the Underwriters to
purchase the number of Securities set opposite their respective names in
Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement, are herein called their "underwriting
obligations." The number of Securities set opposite our name in said Schedule I,
are herein called "our Securities." For purposes of this Agreement the following
definitions shall be applicable:
(a) "Manager's Concession" shall be the compensation to you for acting as
Manager as provided in Paragraph 1 of not less than percent ( %) of the
underwriting discount. The Manager's Concession shall include the right to a
portion of the warrants to be issued pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and,
the right to the nonaccountable expenses to be paid pursuant to the Underwriting
Agreement.
(b) "Underwriting Group Concession" shall mean compensation to members of
the Underwriting Group for assuming the underwriting risk and shall be not less
than percent ( %) of the underwriting discount.
(c) "Dealer's Concession" shall mean compensation to Dealers, who are
members of the Selling Group and shall, as to Dealers who have executed an
agreement with you, be not less than percent ( %) of the underwriting
discount.
(d) "Dealer's Reallowance Concession" shall mean the compensation allowed
Dealers by Underwriters other than you and shall be one-half (1/2) of the
Dealer's Concession.
(e) It is contemplated that the underwriting discount will be ten percent
(10%) of the offering price. You, in your absolute discretion, shall determine,
within the foregoing limitations, the precise allocation of the underwriting
discount and shall notify us of same at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to
the execution of the Underwriting Agreement.
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1. Authority and Compensation of Representative. We hereby authorize you,
as our Representative and on our behalf, (a) to enter into an agreement with the
Company substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A ("Underwriting
Agreement"), but with such changes therein as in your judgment are not
materially adverse to the Underwriters, (b) to exercise all the authority and
discretion vested in the Underwriters and in you by the provisions of the
Underwriting Agreement, and (c) to take all such action as you, in your
discretion, may deem necessary or advisable in order to carry out the provisions
of the Underwriting Agreement and this Agreement and the sale and distribution
of the Securities, provided, however, that the time within which the
Registration Statement is required to become effective pursuant to the
Underwriting Agreement will not be extended more than forty-eight (48) hours
without the approval of a majority in interest of the Underwriters (including
you). We authorize you, in executing the Underwriting Agreement on our behalf,
to set forth in Schedule I of the Underwriting Agreement as our commitment to
purchase the number of Securities (which shall not be substantially in excess of
the number of Securities included in your invitation to participate unless we
have agreed otherwise) included in a wire, telex, or similar means of
communication transmitted by you to us at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to
the commencement of the offering as our finalized underwriting participation.
As our share of the compensation for your services hereunder, we will pay you,
and we authorize you to charge to our account, a sum equal to the Manager's
Concession.
2. Public Offering. A public offering of the Securities is to be made, as
herein provided, as soon after the Registration Statement relating thereto shall
become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Securities shall be
initially offered to the public at the public offering price of $ 6.00 per share
and $.125 per Redeemable Warrant. You will advise us by telegraph or telephone
when the Securities shall be released for offering. We authorize you as
Representative of the Underwriters, after the initial public offering, to vary
the public offering price, in your sole discretion, by reason of changes in
general market conditions or otherwise. The public offering price of the
Securities at any time in effect is herein called the "Offering Price."
We hereby agree to deliver all preliminary and final Prospectuses as
required for compliance with the provisions of Rule 15c2-8 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 5(b) of the Securities Act of 1933. You have
heretofore delivered to us such preliminary Prospectuses as have been requested
by us, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, and will deliver such final
Prospectuses as will be requested by us.
3. Offering to Dealers and Group Sales. We authorize you to reserve for
offering and sale, and on our behalf to sell, to institutions or other retail
purchasers (such sales being herein called "Group Sales") and to dealers
selected by you (such dealers being herein called the "Dealers") all or any part
of our Securities as you may determine. Such sales of Securities, if any, shall
be made (i) in the case of Group Sales, at the Offering Price, and (ii) in the
case of sales to Dealers, at -the Offering Price less the Dealer's Concession.
Any Group Sales shall be as nearly as practicable in proportion to the
underwriting obligations of the respective Underwriters. Any sales to Dealers
made for our account shall be as nearly as practicable in the ratio that the
Securities reserved for our account for offering to Dealers bears to the
aggregate of all Securities of all Underwriters, including you, so reserved. On
any Group Sales or sales to Dealers made by you on our behalf, we shall be
entitled to receive only the Underwriter's Concession.
You agree to notify us not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the
commencement of the public offering as to the number of Securities, if any,
which we may retain for direct sale. Prior to the termination of this Agreement,
you may reserve for offering and sale, as herein before provided, any Securities
remaining unsold theretofore retained by us and we may, with your consent,
retain any Securities remaining unsold theretofore reserved by you. Sales to
Dealers shall be made under a Selected Dealers Agreement, attached hereto as
Exhibit B and by this reference incorporated herein. We authorize you to
determine the form and manner of any communications with Dealers, and to make
such changes in the Selected Dealers Agreement, as you may deem appropriate. In
the event that there shall be any such agreements with Dealers, you are
authorized to act as managers thereunder, and we agree, in such event, to be
governed by the terms and conditions of such agreements. Each Underwriter agrees
that it will not offer any of the Securities for sale at a price below the
Offering Price or allow any concession therefrom, except as herein
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otherwise provided. We, as to our Securities, may enter into agreements with
Dealers, but any Dealer's Reallowance Concession shall not exceed half of the
Dealer's Concession.
It is understood that any person to whom an offer may be made, as herein before
provided, shall be a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. ("NASD") or dealers or institutions with their principal place of business
located outside of the United States, its territories or possessions, and who
are not eligible for membership under Section 1 of the Bylaws of the NASD who
agree to make no sales within the United States, its territories or possessions,
or to persons who are nationals thereof, or residents therein, and, in making
sales, to comply with the NASD's Rules of Fair Practice.
We authorize you to determine the form and manner of any public
advertisement of the Securities.
Nothing in this Agreement contained shall be deemed to restrict our right,
subject to the provisions of this Section 3, to offer our Securities prior to
the effective date of the Registration Statement, provided, however, that any
such offer shall be made in compliance with any applicable requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder and of any
applicable state securities laws.
4. Repurchases in the Open Market. Any Securities sold by us (otherwise
than through you) which, prior to the termination of this Agreement, or such
earlier date as you may determine, shall be contracted for or purchased in the
open market by you on behalf of any Underwriter or Underwriters, shall be
repurchased by us on demand at a price equal to the cost of such purchase plus
commissions and taxes, if any, on redelivery. Any Securities delivered on such
repurchase need not be the identical Securities originally sold by us. In lieu
of delivery of such Securities to us, you may (i) sell such Securities in any
manner for our account and charge us with the amount of any loss or expense, or
credit us with the amount of any profit, less any expense, resulting from such
sale, or (ii) charge our account . t with an amount not in excess of the
concession to Dealers on such Securities.
5. Delivery and Payment. We agree to deliver to you, at or before 9:00
A.M., New York, New York Time, on the Closing Date referred to in the
Underwriting Agreement, at your office, a certified or bank cashier's check
payable to your order for the offering price of the Securities less Dealer's
Concession of the Securities which we retained for direct sale by us, the
proceeds of which check shall be delivered to you, in the manner provided in
the Underwriting Agreement, to or for the account of the Company against
delivery of certificates for such Securities to you for our account. You are
authorized to accept such delivery and to give receipts therefor. You may
advance funds for Securities which have been sold or reserved for sale to
retail purchasers or Dealers for our account. If we fail (whether or not such
failure shall constitute a default hereunder) to deliver to you, or you fail to
receive, our check and/or payment for sales made by you for our account for the
Securities which we have agreed to purchase, you, individually and not as
Representative of the Underwriters, are authorized (but shall not be obligated)
to make payment, in the manner provided in the Underwriting Agreement, to or
for the account of the Company for such Securities for our account, but any
such payment by you shall not relieve us of any of our obligations under the
Underwriting Agreement or under this Agreement and we agree to repay you on
demand the amount so advanced for our account.
We also agree on demand to take up and pay for or to deliver to you
funds sufficient to pay for at cost any Securities of the Company purchased by
you for our account pursuant to the provisions of Section 9 hereof, and to
deliver to you on demand any Securities sold by you for our account, pursuant to
any provision of this Agreement.
We authorize you to deliver our Securities, and any other Securities
purchased by you for our account pursuant to the provisions of Section 9 hereof,
against sales made by you for our account pursuant to any provision of this
Agreement.
Upon receipt by you of payment for the Securities sold by us and/or through
you for our account, you will remit to us promptly an amount equal to the
Underwriter's Concession on such Securities. You agree to cause to be delivered
to us, as soon as practicable after the Closing Date referred to in the
Underwriting Agreement, such part of our Securities purchased on such Closing
Date as shall not have been sold or reserved for sale by your for our account.
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In case any Securities reserved for sale in Group Sales or to Dealers shall
not be purchased and paid for in due course as contemplated hereby, we agree to
accept delivery when tendered by you of any Securities so reserved for our
account and not so purchased and pay you the offering price less the Dealer's
and Underwriter's Concessions.
6. Authority to Borrow. We authorize you to advance your funds for our
account (charging current interest rates) and to arrange loans for our account
for the purpose of carrying out this Agreement, and in connection therewith to
execute and deliver any notes or other instruments, and to hold, or pledge as
security therefor, all or any part of our Securities of the Company purchased
hereunder for our account. Any lending bank is hereby authorized to accept your
instructions as Representative in all matters relating to such loans. Any part
of our Securities held by you, may be delivered to us for carrying purposes, and
if so delivered, will be redelivered to you upon demand.
7. Allocation of Expense and Liability. We authorize you to charge our
account with, and we agree to pay (a) all transfer taxes on sales made by you
for our account, except as herein otherwise provided, and (b) our proportionate
share (based on our underwriting obligations) of all expenses in excess of those
reimbursed by the Company incurred by you in connection with the purchase,
carrying and distribution, or proposed purchase and distribution, of the
Securities and all other expenses arising under the terms of the Underwriting
Agreement or this Agreement. Your determination of all such expenses and your
allocation thereof shall be final and conclusive. Funds for our account at any
time in your hands as our Representative may be held in your general funds
without accountability for interest. As soon as practicable after the
termination of this Agreement, the net credit or debit balance in our account,
after proper charge and credit for all interim payments and receipts, shall be
paid to or paid by us, provided, however, that you, in your discretion, may
reserve from distribution an amount to cover possible additional expenses
chargeable to the several Underwriters.
8. Liability for Future Claims. Neither any statement by you, as
Representative of the Underwriters, of any credit or debit balance in our
account nor any reservation from distribution to cover possible additional
expenses relating to the Securities shall constitute any representation by you
as to the existence or nonexistence of possible unforeseen expenses or
liabilities of or charges against the several Underwriters. Notwithstanding the
distribution of any net credit balance to us or the termination of this
Agreement, or both, we shall be and remain liable for, and will pay on demand,
(a) our proportionate share (based on our underwriting obligations) of all
expenses and liabilities which may be incurred by, or for the accounts of the
Underwriters, including any liability which may be incurred by the Underwriters
or any of them, and (b) any transfer taxes paid after such settlement on account
of any sale or transfer for our account.
9. Stabilization. We authorize you, until the termination of this
Agreement, (a) to make purchases and sales of the Securities, in the open market
or otherwise, for long or short account, and on such terms, and at such prices
as you in your discretion may deem desirable, (b) in arranging for sales of
Securities, to overallot, and (c) either before or after the termination of this
Agreement, to cover any short position incurred pursuant to this Section 9;
subject, however, to the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All such
purchases, sales and overallotments shall be made for the accounts of the
several Underwriters as nearly as practicable in proportion to their respective
underwriting obligations; provided, however, that our net position resulting
from such purchases and sales and overallotments shall not at any time exceed,
either for long or short account, fifteen percent (15%) of the number of
Securities agreed to be purchased by us.
If you engage in any stabilizing transactions as representative of the
underwriters, you shall promptly notify us of that fact and in like manner you
agree to promptly notify and file with us any stabilizing transaction in
accordance with the requirements of Rule 17a-2(d) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
We agree to advise you from time to time, upon request, until the settlement of
accounts hereunder, of the number of Securities at the time retained by us
unsold, and we will upon request sell to you, for the accounts of one or more of
the several Underwriters, such number of our unsold Securities as you may
designate, at the Offering Price less such amount, not in excess of the
concession to Dealers, as you may determine.
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10. Open Market Transactions. We agree that, except with your consent and
except as herein provided upon advice from you, we will not make purchases or
sales on the open market or otherwise, or attempt to induce others to make
purchases or sales, either before or after the purchase of the Securities, and
prior to the completion (as defined in Regulation M of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934) of our participation in the distribution, we will otherwise comply
with Regulation M. Nothing in this Section 10 contained shall prohibit us from
acting as broker or agent in the execution of unsolicited orders of customers
for the purchase or sale of any securities of the Company.
11. Blue Sky. Prior to the initial offering by the Underwriters, you will
inform us as to the states under the respective securities or Blue Sky laws of
which it is believed that the Securities have been qualified or are exempt for
sale, but you do not assume any responsibility or obligation as to the accuracy
of such information or as to the right of any Underwriter or Dealer to sell the
Securities in any jurisdiction. We will not sell any Securities in any other
state or jurisdiction and we will not sell Securities in any state or
jurisdiction unless we are qualified or licensed to sell securities in such
state or jurisdiction. We authorize you, if you deem it inadvisable in arranging
sales of Securities for our account hereunder, to sell any of our Securities to
any particular Dealer, or other buyer, because of the securities or Blue Sky
laws of any jurisdiction, to sell our Securities to one or more other
Underwriters at the Offering Price less, in the case of a sale to any Dealer,
such amount, not in excess of the concession to Dealers thereon, as you may
determine. The transfer tax on any such sales among Underwriters shall be
treated as an expense and charged to the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters, in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations.
12. Default by Underwriters. Default by one or more Underwriters, in
respect to their obligations under the Underwriting Agreement shall not release
us from any of our obligations. In case of such default by one or more
Underwriters, you are authorized to increase, pro rata, with the other
nondefaulting Underwriters, the number of defaulted Securities which we shall be
obligated to purchase from the Company, provided, however, that the aggregate
amount of all such increases for all Underwriters shall not exceed ten percent
(10%) of such Securities, and, if the aggregate number of the Securities not
taken up by such defaulting Underwriters exceeds such ten percent (10%), you are
further authorized, but shall not be obligated, to arrange for the purchase by
other persons, who may include yourselves, of all or a portion of the Securities
not taken up by such Underwriters. In the event any such increases or
arrangements are made, the respective numbers of Securities to be purchased by
the nondefaulting Underwriters and by any such other person or persons shall be
taken as the basis for the underwriting obligations under this Agreement, but
this shall not in any way affect the liability of any defaulting Underwriters to
the other Underwriters for damages resulting from such default.
In the event of default by one or more Underwriters in respect of their
obligations under this Agreement to take up and pay for any Securities purchased
by your for their respective accounts, pursuant to Section 9 hereof, or to
deliver any such Securities sold or overallotted by you for their respective
accounts pursuant to any provisions of this Agreement, and to the extent that
arrangements shall not have been made by you for other persons to assume the
obligations of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, each nondefaulting
Underwriter shall assume its proportionate share of the aforesaid obligations of
each such defaulting Underwriter without relieving any such Underwriter of its
liability therefor.
13. Termination of Agreement. Unless earlier terminated by you, the
provisions of Sections 2, 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10 of this Agreement shall, except as
otherwise provided therein, terminate thirty (30) full business days after the
effective date of the Registration Statement herein referred to, but may be
extended by you for an additional period or periods not exceeding thirty (30)
full business days in the aggregate. You may, however, terminate this Agreement,
or any provisions hereof, at any time by written or telegraphic notice to us.
14. General Position of the Representative. In taking action under this
Agreement, you shall act only as agent of the several Underwriters. Your
authority as Representative of the several Underwriters shall include the taking
of such action as you may deem advisable in respect of all matters pertaining to
any and all offers and sales of the Securities, including the right to make any
modifications which you consider necessary or desirable in the arrangements with
Dealers or others. You shall be under no liability for or in respect of the
value of the Securities or the validity or the form thereof, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, the Underwriting Agreement, or other instruments
executed by the Company or others of any agreement on its or their part; nor
shall you, as such Representative or otherwise, be liable under any of the
provisions hereof, or for any matters connected herewith,
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except for want of good faith, and except for any liability arising under the
Securities Act of 1933; and no obligation not expressly assumed by you as such
Representative herein shall be implied from this Agreement. In representing the
Underwriters hereunder, you shall act as the representative of each of them
respectively. Nothing herein contained shall constitute the several Underwriters
partners with you or with each other, or render any Underwriter liable for the
commitments of any other Underwriter, except as otherwise provided in Section 12
hereof. The commitments and liabilities of each of the several Underwriters are
several in accordance with their respective underwriting obligations and are not
joint.
15. Acknowledgment of Registration Statement, etc. We hereby confirm that
we have examined the Registration Statement (including all amendments thereto)
relating to the Securities as heretofore filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, that we are familiar with the amendment(s) to the Registration
Statement and the final form of Prospectus proposed to be filed, that we are
willing to accept the responsibilities of an underwriter thereunder, and that we
are willing to proceed as therein contemplated. We further confirm that the
statements made under the heading "Underwriting" in such proposed final form of
Prospectus are correct and we authorize you so to advise the Company on our
behalf. We understand that the aforementioned documents are subject to further
change and that we will be supplied with copies of any amendment or amendments
to the Registration Statement and of any amended Prospectus promptly, if and
when received by you, but the making of such changes and amendments shall not
release us or affect our obligations hereunder or under the Underwriting
Agreement.
16. Indemnification. Each Underwriter, including you, agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each other Underwriter and each person who controls any other
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, to the extent of their several commitments under the Underwriting
Agreement and upon the terms that such Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company as set forth in Section 7 of the Underwriting Agreement.
The Agreement contained in this Section 16 shall survive any termination of this
Agreement Among Underwriters.
17. Capital Requirements. We confirm that our ratio of aggregate
indebtedness to net capital is such that we may, in accordance with and pursuant
to Rule 15c3-1, promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, agree to purchase the number of Securities we
may be obligated to purchase under any provision of the Underwriting Agreement
or this Agreement.
18. Miscellaneous. We have transmitted herewith a completed Underwriters'
Questionnaire on the form thereof supplied by you. Any notice hereunder from you
to us or from us to you shall be deemed to have been duly give if sent by
registered mail, telegram, teletype, telex, telecopier, graphic scan, or other
written form of telecommunication to us at our address as set forth in the
Underwriting Agreement, or to you at the address set forth on the first page of
this Agreement.
You hereby confirm that you are registered as a broker-dealer with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission and that you are a member of
the NASD and we confirm that we are either a member of the NASD or a foreign
broker-dealer not eligible for membership under Section I of the Bylaws of the
NASD, who agrees to make no sales within the United States, its territories or
possessions, or to persons who are nationals thereof or residents therein, and,
in making sales, to comply with the requirements of the NASD's Interpretation
with Respect to Free Riding and Withholding, and with Sections 2730, 2740 and
2420 to the extent applicable to foreign nonmember brokers or dealers, and
Section 2750 of the NASD's Rules of Fair Practice.
We will comply with all applicable federal laws, the laws of the states or
other jurisdictions concerned and the Rules and Regulations of the NASD,
including, but not limited to, Section 2740 of the Rules of Fair Practice.
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This instrument may be signed by the Underwriters in various counterparts
which together shall constitute one and the same agreement among all the
Underwriters and shall become effective as between us at such time as you shall
have confirmed same by returning an executed copy to us, and thereafter, as to
us and the other Underwriters, upon execution by them of counterparts which are
confirmed by you. In no event, however, shall we have any liability under this
Agreement if the Underwriting Agreement is not executed.
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly states the understanding
between us by signing and returning to us a counterpart hereof.
Very truly yours,
-------------------------------------
Attorney-in-Fact
for the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I
to the Underwriting Agreement
Confirmed as of the date first above written.
NUTMEG SECURITIES,LTD.
As Representative
By
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President or Director Investment Banking
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