BEMIS COMPANY, INC. 3.100% Senior Notes due 2026 Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION VERSION
$300,000,000
▇▇▇▇▇ COMPANY, INC.
3.100% Senior Notes due 2026
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September 8, 2016 |
BNP Paribas Securities Corp.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
▇▇▇▇▇ Company, Inc., a Missouri corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $300,000,000 principal amount of its 3.100% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an indenture (the “Indenture”) dated as of June 15, 1995 between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association (formerly known as First Trust National Association), as Trustee (the “Trustee”).
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:
1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-213475), including a prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), relating to the Securities to be issued from time to time by the Company. The Company has also filed with, or transmitted for filing to, or shall promptly hereafter file with or transmit for filing to, the Commission a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act (the “Prospectus Supplement”). The term “Registration Statement” means the registration statement, as amended at the time it
becomes effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”). The term “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement specifically relating to the Securities in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities. The term “Preliminary Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities together with the Base Prospectus Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, Base Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Base Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
At or prior to the time when sales of the Securities were first made, which was 3:45 p.m., New York City time, on September 8, 2016 (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated September 8, 2016, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex B hereto as constituting part of the Time of Sale Information.
2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters. (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.179% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from September 15, 2016, to the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.
(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter
and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.
(c) Payment for and delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on T+5, 2016, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”.
(d) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company. The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.
(e) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:
(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact 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; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in
writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus. The statistical and industry data included in each Preliminary Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.
(b) Time of Sale Information. The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Time of Sale Information. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.
(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. The Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i) (ii) and (iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on Annex B hereto as constituting part of the Time of Sale Information and (v) any electronic road show or other written communications, including for the avoidance of doubt the investor presentation dated September 7, 2016, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not at the Time of Sale, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto. The statistical and industry data included in the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.
(e) Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. At the date of filing of the Registration Statement and at the date hereof, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”), including not having been and not being an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405.
(f) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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 any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(g) Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(h) No Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there has not been any material change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(i) Organization and Good Standing. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(j) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.
(k) The Indenture and the Securities. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and on the Closing Date, the Securities will have been duly authorized, and, when the Securities are issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement on the Closing Date, the Securities will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and the Indenture conforms, and the Securities will conform, to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(l) No Conflicts. The issuance and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”), and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject or result in any violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, except to the extent that any such breach, violation or default will not have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or By-laws of the Company, as amended; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters.
(m) Certain Statements. The statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the captions
“Description of the Notes” and “Description of the Debt Securities”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the caption “Underwriting”, and the statements set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the caption “Item 3 - Legal Proceedings”, in each case insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon or in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriters through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(n) No Violation or Defaults. The Company is not in violation of its Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or By-laws, as amended, and no subsidiary of the Company is in material violation of its Certificate of Incorporation, By-laws or similar organizational documents, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except to the extent that any such default will not have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries.
(o) Legal Proceedings. Other than as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, 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 of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries or on the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under or to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities; and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others.
(p) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company”, as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(q) Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent registered public accountants as required by the Exchange Act.
(r) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, or possess adequate rights to, all material patents, trademarks, service marks and proprietary rights or information necessary for the conduct of their businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, and the Company has not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with the asserted rights of others in that respect, and does not know of any basis therefor, which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries would individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries.
(s) Hazardous Substances. There has been no storage, disposal, generation, manufacture, refinement, transportation, handling or treatment of toxic wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their predecessors in interest) at, upon or from any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or its subsidiaries in violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would require remedial action under any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, except for any violation or remedial action which would not have, or would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate with all such violations and remedial actions, a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries; there has been no material spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection, escape, dumping or release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances due to or caused by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or with respect to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries have knowledge, except for any such spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection, escape, dumping or release which would not have, or would not be reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate with all such spills, discharges, leaks, emissions, injections, escapes, dumpings and releases, a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries.
(t) Significant Subsidiaries. The only subsidiaries of the Company that are “significant subsidiaries” as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act are ▇▇▇▇▇ Packaging, Inc., Bemis Wisconsin, LLC and ▇▇▇▇▇ do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Embalagens Ltda.
(u) Organization and Good Standing of Significant Subsidiaries. Each of ▇▇▇▇▇ Packaging, Inc. and Bemis Wisconsin, LLC has been duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and Bemis do
Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Embalagens Ltda. is validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation; and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of ▇▇▇▇▇ Packaging, Inc. and limited liability company interests of Bemis Wisconsin, LLC are owned directly by the Company and all of the outstanding shares of common stock of ▇▇▇▇▇ do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Embalagens Ltda. are owned by the Company or wholly owned direct or indirect subsidiaries of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities and claims.
(v) Stabilization. None of the Company or any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 501(b) of Regulation D under the Securities Act, each an “Affiliate”) has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(w) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(x) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.
(y) Accounting Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintains a system of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that is sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with 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; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto; and the Company maintains a system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act).
(z) No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government,
(including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country, region or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person (i) to fund any activities of or business with any Person that, at the time of such funding, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country, except to the extent permissible for a Person required to comply with Sanctions or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. Except as permitted by applicable law, for the past 5 years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any Person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.
(aa) Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental or regulatory agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(bb) No Unlawful Payments. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”) or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or
anti-corruption laws; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other payment in violation of applicable law. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, and maintain and enforce, policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.
Each certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or their counsel shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including the Term Sheet in the form of Annex C hereto) to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the second business day succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the registration fees for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, if so requested (i) to the Representatives, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.
(c) Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably objects.
(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Time of Sale Information. If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information
to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the statements in the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.
(f) Ongoing Compliance. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.
(g) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(h) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.
(i) Clear Market. During the period from the date hereof through and including the business day following the Closing Date the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company and having a tenor of more than one year.
(j) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.
(k) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
(l) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that it has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such Underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex B or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex C hereto without the consent of the Company.
6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.
(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Time of Sale and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any other debt securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any other debt securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading) and (iii) no notice of any intended or potential downgrade shall have been received by the Company.
(d) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(h) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Time of Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of an executive officer of the Company who has specific knowledge of the Company’s financial matters and is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officer has carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and, to the best knowledge of such officer, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) or 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.
(f) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.
(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A-1 hereto.
(h) Opinion of General Counsel of the Company. The General Counsel of the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, her written opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A-2 hereto.
(i) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion and 10b-5 statement of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(j) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.
(k) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its significant subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(l) DTC. The Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.
(m) Securities. The Securities shall have been duly executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee.
(n) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) or any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the following: The third paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus Supplement concerning the terms of offering, including the concession and reallowance to certain dealers, by the Underwriters; the third and fourth sentences of the seventh paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus Supplement relating to market making by
the Underwriters; and the eighth paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus Supplement relating to over-allotment, stabilization and syndicate covering transactions by the Underwriters.
(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section 7 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 7. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by BNP Paribas Securities Corp. and ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and
against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) there shall have occurred any material disruption in settlement or clearance services (iv) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
10. Defaulting Underwriter. (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such
Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
11. Payment of Expenses. (a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its
obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority; and the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by DTC; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.
14. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; and (d) the term “significant subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.
15. Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
16. Miscellaneous. (a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by BNP Paribas Securities Corp. and ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by BNP Paribas Securities Corp. and ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC shall be binding upon the Underwriters.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o BNP Paribas Securities Corp., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Syndicate Desk; email: ▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇; and ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk; fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇; Notices to the Company shall be given to it at ▇▇▇▇▇ Company, Inc., One Neenah Center, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇.▇. ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇; fax: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇.
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(d) Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and New York state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding in such courts. The Company agrees that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which Company is subject by a suit upon such judgment.
(e) Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.
(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(g) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(h) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
[signature pages follow]
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
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Very truly yours, | |
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▇▇▇▇▇ COMPANY, INC. | |
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By |
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ |
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Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ |
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Title: Vice President and Treasurer |
Accepted: September 8, 2016
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BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP. |
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By |
/s/ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ |
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Managing Director |
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▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES LLC |
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By |
/s/ Som ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ |
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Vice President |
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For themselves and as Representatives
on behalf of the several Underwriters
listed in Schedule 1 hereto.
Schedule 1
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Underwriter |
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Principal Amount |
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BNP Paribas Securities Corp. |
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$ |
60,000,000 |
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▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities LLC |
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$ |
60,000,000 |
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▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Lynch, Pierce, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ |
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$ |
45,000,000 |
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U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
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$ |
45,000,000 |
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▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Securities, LLC |
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$ |
45,000,000 |
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ING Financial Markets LLC |
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$ |
12,000,000 |
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SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. |
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$ |
12,000,000 |
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Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. |
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$ |
6,000,000 |
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HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. |
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$ |
6,000,000 |
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Loop Capital Markets LLC |
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$ |
6,000,000 |
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The ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Group, L.P. |
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$ |
3,000,000 |
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Total |
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$ |
300,000,000 |
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Annex A-1
▇▇▇▇▇ & Lardner LLP
Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company
1. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date of the Underwriting Agreement; each of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) under the Securities Act on [·], 2016 and [·], 2016, respectively; and, to our knowledge, no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or in connection with the offering is pending or threatened by the Commission.
2. The Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus included in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and financial schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted therefrom and the Trustee’s Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1, as to which we express no opinion) appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act; and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.
3. The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
4. The Securities have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture and authentication of the Securities by the Trustee, when delivered by the Company to the Underwriters against payment as specified in the Underwriting Agreement, the Securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; and the Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
5. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and the Indenture conforms in all material respects to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act applicable to an indenture that is qualified thereunder.
6. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any U.S. federal or state court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement or the other Transaction Documents, except such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as (i) have been obtained or made with respect to the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act and the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and (ii) may be required under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters, as to which we express no opinion.
7. The statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and under the caption “Description of the Notes” and “Description of the Debt Securities,” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the caption “Underwriting” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the U.S. federal and state laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate in all material respects; provided, however, that this opinion shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon or in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and the statements in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the caption “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the United States federal tax laws referred to therein, are accurate in all material respects.
8. The Company is not, and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will not be, an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act.
9. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and financial schedules and other financial data included therein or omitted therefrom and the Trustee’s Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1, as to which we express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act.
Form of 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company
We have acted as counsel for the Company in connection with the sale to the Underwriters of the Securities. The primary purpose of our professional engagement was not to establish or confirm factual matters or financial or quantitative information. Moreover, many of the determinations required to be made in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus involve matters of a non-legal nature. Therefore, we are not passing upon, and do not take any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of, the statements contained in, or incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus (other than as specifically described in paragraph 7 of our opinion letter to you dated the date hereof) and have not made an independent check or verification thereof. We have, however, reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and participated in conferences and telephone conversations with certain officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and representatives of and counsel for the Underwriters, during which conferences and conversations the contents of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and related matters were reviewed and discussed.
Subject to the foregoing and on the basis of the information we gained in the course of performing the services referred to above, nothing came to our attention that caused us to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, as of its most recent effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the Securities Act, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Time of Sale Information, as of the Time of Sale, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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 or (iii) the Prospectus, as of its date or the Closing Date, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits 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 in each case we express no belief with respect to any financial statements and related notes, financial schedules or other financial and accounting data or information, or the auditor’s attestation report on the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting, contained or incorporated by reference in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus, and the Trustee’s Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 that constitutes part of the Registration Statement.
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Form of Opinion of General Counsel of the Company
1. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Missouri, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
2. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.
3. Each of ▇▇▇▇▇ Packaging, Inc. and Bemis Wisconsin, LLC has been duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of ▇▇▇▇▇ Packaging, Inc. and limited liability company interests of Bemis Wisconsin, LLC are owned directly by the Company and all of the outstanding shares of common stock of ▇▇▇▇▇ do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Embalagens Ltda. are owned by the Company or wholly owned direct or indirect subsidiaries of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities and claims.
4. To the best of my knowledge and other than as set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016 incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the caption “Item 3 - Legal Proceedings” and “Part II, Item 1 - Legal Proceedings,” respectively, 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 of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries or on the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities; and, to the best of my knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others.
5. The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to me to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject or result in any violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation known to me of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, except to the extent that any such breach, violation or default will not have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, nor will such actions result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Articles of Incorporation or Amended By-laws of the Company.
6. The Company is not in violation of its Restated Articles of Incorporation or Amended By-laws and no subsidiary of the Company is in material violation of its Articles/Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except to the extent that any such default will not have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, management, consolidated financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries.
7. The statements set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016 incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the caption “Item 3 — Legal Proceedings” and “Part II, Item 1 - Legal Proceedings,” respectively, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate in all material respects.