Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION COPY
$450,000,000
9-3/4% Senior Notes due 2010
May 14, 2003
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
United States Steel Corporation, a Delaware 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"), $450,000,000 principal amount of its
9-3/4% Senior Notes due 2010 (the "Securities"). The Securities will be issued
pursuant to an indenture dated as of September 6, 2002 as amended and
supplemented to May 20, 2003 (the "Indenture") between the Company and The Bank
of New York, as trustee (the "Trustee").
The Company has agreed to acquire (the "Acquisition") substantially all
of the assets of National Steel Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("National")
(such assets being referred to as the "National Assets") pursuant to a purchase
agreement by and between National and the Company, dated April 21, 2003 (the
"Acquisition Agreement"). The Acquisition will be financed in part through the
offering of the Securities and proceeds from the sale of accounts receivable
under the Company's receivables sales program (the "Asset-Backed Financing").
The Acquisition, the offering of the Securities, the Asset-Backed Financing and
the application of proceeds therefrom and each of the related transactions are
herein collectively referred to as the "Transactions". All representations and
warranties made by Company shall be deemed to include the National Assets as if
the Acquisition had occurred on the date hereof except for the representation
and warranty set forth in Section 3(w).
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 (No.
333-99273) (the "Registration Statement"), including a prospectus (the "Basic
Prospectus"), relating to the Securities. The Company has also filed, or
proposes to file, with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities
Act a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities (the
"Prospectus Supplement"). As used herein, the term "Prospectus" means the Basic
Prospectus included in the Registration Statement (and any amendments thereto)
as supplemented by the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the
Securities in the form first used to confirm sales of the Securities and the
term "Preliminary Prospectus" means the preliminary prospectus supplement
specifically relating to the Securities together with the Basic Prospectus. If
the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule
462(b) under the Securities Act (the "Rule 462 Registration Statement"), then
any reference herein to the term "Registration Statement" shall be deemed to
include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. References herein to the
Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by
reference therein. The terms "supplement," "amendment" and "amend" as used
herein with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or
the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed by
the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the "Exchange Act") subsequent to
the date of the Underwriting Agreement which are deemed to be incorporated by
reference therein.
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 98.00% of the
principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from May 20, 2003 to the
Closing Date. 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 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on May
20, 2003, 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".
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(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,
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.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:
(a) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement
has become effective under the Securities Act; no order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission
and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the
Commission; as of its applicable effective date and any amendment thereto, the
Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder (collectively the "Trust Indenture Act") and the
Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the
date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the
Closing Date, 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 such Underwriter through
the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.
(b) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when filed with the Commission,
conformed or will conform, as the case may be, in all material respects with the
requirements of the Exchange 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 to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) Company Organization and Good Standing. The Company has been duly
incorporated and is an existing corporation in good standing under the laws of
the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and the
Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good
standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property
or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the
failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect upon the
financial condition, business,
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properties or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect").
(d) Subsidiary Organization and Good Standing. Each subsidiary listed
on Annex A (each, a "Designated Subsidiary") of the Company has been duly
incorporated or otherwise organized and is an existing corporation, limited
liability company or other business entity in good standing under the laws of
the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with power and authority
(corporate, limited liability company and other) to own its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and each Designated
Subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation or other business entity in good standing in all other jurisdictions
in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business
requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify would not
have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock
or other equity securities of each Designated Subsidiary of the Company have
been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable;
and the shares of capital stock or other equity securities of each Designated
Subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, are owned
free from liens, encumbrances and defects, except such liens, encumbrances and
defects that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect. The entities listed on Annex A hereto include every subsidiary
of the Company that is a "significant subsidiary" (as such term is defined in
Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, substituting 5% thresholds for the 10% thresholds
throughout such definition) of the Company.
(e) Capitalization. All outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company have been duly authorized; all outstanding shares of capital stock of
the Company are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to
the description thereof contained in the Prospectus. The Company has an
authorized capitalization as of March 31, 2003 as set forth in the Prospectus.
(f) No Broker's Fees. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are
no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person
that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for
a brokerage commission, finder's fee or other like payment in connection with
this offering.
(g) No Registration Rights. There are no contracts, agreements or
understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right
to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act
with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such
person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities
registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being
registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company
under the Securities Act.
(h) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, or order
of, or filing with, any governmental agency or body or any court is required for
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the
Acquisition Agreement, the officer's certificate setting forth the terms of the
Securities in accordance with the terms of the Indenture (the "Indenture
Certificate"), the Securities, the documentation to be entered into in
connection with
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the Asset Backed Financing or the Indenture (collectively, the "Transaction
Documents") in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities or the
consummation of the Transactions by the Company, except such as have been
obtained and made under the Securities Act and such as may be required under
state securities laws and, with respect to the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement, except for such consents, approvals,
authorizations, orders or filings the failure of which to obtain or make would
not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(i) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of the
Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
the Acquisition Agreement and the Asset Backed Financing and the issuance and
sale of the Securities will not result in a breach or violation of any of the
terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any statute, any rule,
regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any Designated Subsidiary of
the Company or any of their properties, or any agreement or instrument to which
the Company or any such Designated Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company
or any such Designated Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the properties of
the Company or any such Designated Subsidiary is subject, or the charter or
by-laws of the Company or any such Designated Subsidiary.
(j) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority
to execute and deliver the Transaction Documents and to perform its obligations
hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and
proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction
Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been
duly and validly taken.
(k) The Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the
Company and has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, when duly
executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties
thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as
enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar
laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally or by equitable
principles relating to enforceability (collectively, the "Enforceability
Exceptions").
(l) The Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized by the
Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided
in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly
issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations
of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms,
subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits
of the Indenture.
(m) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company.
(n) Other Transaction Documents. Each of the Transaction Documents
other than this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture have been duly
authorized by the Company and, when executed and delivered in accordance with
its terms by each of the parties thereto will
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constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may
be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions.
(o) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of the
Designated Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its respective charter or by-laws
or other organizational documents, (ii) in default in the performance of any
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan
agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to
the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any
Designated Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any Designated
Subsidiaries or their respective property is bound, or (iii) in violation of any
law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or
arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except for such defaults and
violations in the case of these clauses (ii) and (iii) that would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(p) Title to Real and Personal Property. Except as disclosed in the
Prospectus, the Company and the Designated Subsidiaries have good and marketable
title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them,
in each case free from liens, encumbrances and defects, except such liens,
encumbrances and defects that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have
a Material Adverse Effect; and except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the
Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under
valid and enforceable leases with no exceptions that would materially interfere
with the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. The
Company and its subsidiaries own or lease all properties and assets necessary to
conduct their business as described in the Prospectus.
(q) Licenses and Permits. The Company and the Designated Subsidiaries
possess adequate certificates, authorities or permits issued by appropriate
governmental agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their business as described
in the Prospectus and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to
the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit
that, if determined adversely to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary, would
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. The Transaction
Documents conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained
in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(s) No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company,
is imminent that could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate,
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and the Designated
Subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate
trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents,
copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property
(collectively, "intellectual property rights") necessary to conduct its business
as described in the Prospectus, or presently employed by them, and have not
received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of
others with respect to any intellectual property
6
rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Designated
Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) Compliance With Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the
Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of
any statute, any rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency
or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or
release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or
restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic
substances (collectively, "environmental laws"), owns or operates any real
property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any environmental
laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any
environmental laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any environmental
laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim could reasonably be
expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect;
and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to
such a claim.
(v) Legal Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are
no pending actions, suits or proceedings against or affecting the Company, any
of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, individually or
in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect,
or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform
its obligations under this Agreement, or which are otherwise material in the
context of the sale of the Securities; and, to the Company's knowledge, no such
actions, suits or proceedings are threatened.
(w) Financial Statements of the Company. The financial statements of
the Company and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the financial
position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown
and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and,
except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, such financial statements have
been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles in
the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered
thereby, and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement
present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the other
financial information of the Company included in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and
its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby.
(x) Pro Forma Financial Information. The pro forma financial
information and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus has been prepared in accordance with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the
assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable and
are set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(y) Financial Statements of National. To the best of our knowledge, the
financial statements of National and the related notes thereto included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
present fairly the financial position of National and its consolidated
subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash
flows for the periods shown, and, except as otherwise disclosed in the
Prospectus, such financial
7
statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted
accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis
throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules included in
the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated
therein; and the other financial information of National included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting
records of National and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information
shown thereby.
(z) Taxes. The Company and its Designated Subsidiaries have timely
filed all material federal, state, local and foreign income tax returns that
have been required to be filed and have paid all taxes indicated by said returns
and all assessments received by any of them to the extent that such taxes have
become due and are not being contested in good faith in appropriate proceedings.
All material tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial
statements of the Company.
(aa) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent
financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other
than an increase in the Company's authorized capital stock) or long term debt of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any
kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class
of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties,
management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any
of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement that is
material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any
liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company
and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of
its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with its
business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered
by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or
decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority,
except in each case of (i), (ii) and (iii) above as otherwise disclosed in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(bb) Reporting Requirements. The Company is subject to the reporting
requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 and files reports with the Commission on the Electronic Data
Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (XXXXX) system.
(cc) Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have
certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and
Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of National
and its subsidiaries, are each independent public accountants with respect to
the entity for which they have certified financial statements as required by the
Securities Act.
(dd) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect,
exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand,
and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that
8
is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus and that is not so described.
(ee) Compliance With ERISA. Each employee benefit plan, within the
meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended ("ERISA"), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the
Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the
Company and its affiliates has been maintained in compliance in all material
respects with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders,
rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"); no prohibited transaction, within
the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred
with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a
statutory or administrative exemption; and for each such plan that is subject to
the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no
"accumulated funding deficiency" as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been
incurred, whether or not waived, and, except as otherwise disclosed in the
Prospectus, the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for
these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) exceeds the present value of
all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial
assumptions.
(ff) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain
systems of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable
assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's
general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary
to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii)
access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or
specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is
compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action
is taken with respect to any differences.
(gg) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries nor, to the best knowledge of the Company, any director, officer,
agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any
unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to
political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any
foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii)
violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback
or other unlawful payment.
(hh) No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause
or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
(ii) 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 Prospectus, will not be an "investment
company" as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.
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(jj) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Company is
currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other
instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to
the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary's capital
stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary
from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary's properties or
assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.
4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees
with each Underwriter that:
(a) Filings with the Commission. The Company will (i) prepare the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement, if necessary, in a form approved by the
Underwriters and file such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the
Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act by 10:00 a.m.
New York City time on the business day immediately following the date of
determination of the public offering price of the Securities and, at the time of
filing, either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such
fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Securities Act and (ii) file the
Prospectus in a form approved by the Underwriters with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424 under the Securities Act not later than the close of business on the
second business day following the date of determination of the public offering
price of the Securities or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required
by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; and the Company will furnish copies of
the Prospectus to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New
York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement
in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (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 many copies of the Prospectus (including all
amendments and supplements thereto) 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 in connection with sales of the Securities by
any Underwriter or dealer.
(c) Amendments or Supplements. 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 amendment or supplement for review and will not 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
10
amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the
Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission
relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission
for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing
or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose; (v) of the
occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period 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 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 is delivered to a
purchaser, not misleading; and (vi) 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 all reasonable 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 obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Ongoing Compliance of the Prospectus. 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.
(f) 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.
(g) 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.
11
(h) Clear Market. During the period from the date hereof through and
the date that is 90 days after the Idate hereof, the Company will not, without
the prior written consent of the X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., offer, sell,
contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or
guaranteed by the Company and having a term of more than one year.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the
sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the heading "Use of
Proceeds".
(j) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause
or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
5. 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. If a post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement is required to be filed under the
Securities Act, such post-effective amendment shall have become effective, and
the Representatives shall have received notice thereof, not later than 5:00
P.M., New York City time, on the date hereof; no order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no
proceeding for such purpose shall be pending before or threatened by the
Commission; the Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission
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 execution and delivery of this
Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any
securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any
"nationally recognized statistical rating organization", as such term is defined
by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act and
(ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under
surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating
of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries
(other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(d) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and
delivery of this Agreement, no event or condition of a type described in Section
3(aa) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not
described in the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and
the effect of which in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or
12
delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this
Agreement 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 reasonably
satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officer has
carefully reviewed the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and, to the
best knowledge of such officer, the representation set forth in Section 3(a)
hereof is 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 for the Company. 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 Company's financial statements and
certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement 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) Comfort Letters for National. On the date of this Agreement and on
the Closing Date, Ernst & Young 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 National's financial statements and certain financial
information contained in the Registration Statement 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.
(h) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Assistant
General Counsel of the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at
the request of the Company, his 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 B hereto.
(i) Opinion of Special Slovakian Counsel of the Company. Xxxxx Xxxxxx
of Csekes, Vilagi, Drgonec & Partners, special Slovakian counsel for 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 C hereto.
(j) Opinion of Outside Counsel of the Company. Xxxxxx, Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx
LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at
the request of the Company, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date and
addressed to the Underwriters, in
13
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect
set forth in Annex D hereto.
(k) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall
have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx, 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.
(l) 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.
(m) 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 Designated 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.
(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.
(o) Acquisition. The Acquisition and each of the other Transactions
(excluding the offering of the Securities) shall be consummated simultaneously
with the Closing and there shall not be any pending or threatened legal or
governmental proceedings with respect to the Transactions other than as
described in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
(p) Indenture Certificate Relating to Securities. The Representatives
shall have received an executed copy of the Indenture Certificate.
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.
6. 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
14
several, that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Preliminary
Prospectus, or 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, 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;
provided, that with respect to any such untrue statement in or omission from any
Preliminary Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph (a)
shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter to the extent that the sale to
the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability was an initial
resale by such Underwriter and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of or
with respect to such Underwriter results from the fact that both (i) to the
extent required by applicable law, a copy of the Prospectus was not sent or
given to such person at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such
Securities to such person and (ii) the untrue statement in or omission from such
Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus unless, in either case,
such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the
Company with the provisions of Section 4 hereof.
(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 such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for
use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) or any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and
agreed that the only such information consists of the following: the statements
concerning the Underwriters contained in the third, fifth (the third sentence of
such paragraph) and seventh paragraphs under the heading "Underwriting".
(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 6 except to the extent that it has been materially
prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such
failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying
Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an
Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 6. 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 to represent the
Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this
Section 6 that the
15
Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and
expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such
proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own
counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of
such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified
Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person
has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to
the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably
concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different
from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the
named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include
both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of
both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or
potential differing 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 X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. 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
16
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
6 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 6, in no event
shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by such
Underwriter were offered to the public 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 6 are several in proportion to their
respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 6
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.
7. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective
upon the later of (i) the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto
and (ii) receipt by the Company and the Representatives of notice of the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement (or, if applicable, any
post-effective amendment thereto).
8. 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
17
limited on or by any of 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) a
general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by
federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial
banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States
shall have occurred; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or
escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or
crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the
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 and the Prospectus.
9. 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 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 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 9, 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 9 shall
be without liability on the part of the
18
Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of
expenses as set forth in Section 10 hereof and except that the provisions of
Section 6 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
(c) 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.
10. Payment of Expenses. (a) Whether or not the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated,
the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the
costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of
the 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 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 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 National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc.; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any "road
show" presentation to potential investors.
(a) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8, (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 other than due to a termination
pursuant to Section 9, 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.
11. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall
inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their
respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons
referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in
Section 6 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.
12. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution,
representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters
contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the
Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any
19
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.
13. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except
where otherwise expressly provided, the term "affiliate" has the meaning set
forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term "business day" means
any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed
in New York City; (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.
14. Miscellaneous. (a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by
the Representatives or the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by X.X. Xxxxxx
Securities Inc. on behalf of the Representative and the Underwriters, and any
such action taken by X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. shall be binding upon the
Representatives and 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 X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., 000 Xxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (fax: 000-000-0000); Attention: Xxx Xxxxxxx.
Notices to the Company shall be given to it at 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, XX
00000-0000, (fax: 000-000-0000); Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Assistant General
Counsel.
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which
may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication),
each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.
(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of
this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in
any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the
parties hereto.
(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of
reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or
interpretation of, this Agreement.
20
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please
indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided
below.
Very truly yours,
UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION
By_______________________
Title:
Accepted: May 14, 2003
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
For itself and as a Representative of the
several Underwriters listed in
Schedule 1 hereto.
By___________________________
Authorized Signatory
21
Schedule 1
Underwriter Principal Amount of Notes
----------- -------------------------
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. $202,500,000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. 135,000,000
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. 38,250,000
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. 38,250,000
BNY Capital Markets, Inc. 9,000,000
NatCity Investments, Inc. 9,000,000
PNC Capital Markets, Inc. 9,000,000
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc 9,000,000
Total $450,000,000
Annex A
Designated Subsidiaries of the Company
U.S. Steel Kosice, s.r.o
U.S. Steel Mining Company, LLC
Annex B
Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is an existing
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware;
(ii) U.S. Steel Mining Company, LLC has been duly formed and is an
existing limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the State
of Delaware;
(iii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus under the heading "Capitalization" and all the outstanding shares of
capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have
been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable;
(iv) Each of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries (other than
U.S. Steel Kosice, s.r.o. ("USSK")) has power and authority (corporate and
other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus; is duly qualified to do business as a foreign entity in good
standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property
or the conduct of its business requires such qualification; all of the issued
and outstanding equity interests of U.S. Steel Mining Company, LLC have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable; and the
equity interests of U.S. Steel Mining Company, LLC owned by the Company,
directly or through subsidiaries, are owned free from liens, encumbrances and
defects;
(v) The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and
deliver each of the Transaction Documents and to perform its obligations
thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper
authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and
validly taken;
(vi) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with,
any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over the
Company, its U.S. subsidiaries or their respective properties is required for
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the
other Transaction Documents in connection with the issuance and sale of the
Securities or the consummation of the Transactions, except for (i) the order of
the Commission declaring the Registration Statement effective, which has been
obtained and is in full force and effect, and (ii) any consent, approval,
authorization, or order, or filing required pursuant to state "blue sky" laws or
foreign securities laws;
(vii) Except as described in the Prospectus, there are no pending
actions, suits or proceedings against or affecting the Company, any Designated
Subsidiary or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely
to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary could reasonably be expected,
individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect or would
materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its
obligations under this Agreement; and no such actions, suits or proceedings are
threatened;
(viii) The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction
Documents, the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Acquisition
Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company will not
result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or
constitute a default under, (A) the Delaware General Corporation Law or those
laws, rules and regulations of the State of Pennsylvania and the federal laws of
the United States (excluding, with respect to federal securities law, the
antifraud provisions thereof), in each case, which, in my experience, are
normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement
("Applicable Law") or (B) the respective charters or limited liability company
agreements or by-laws of the Company and the Designated Subsidiaries (other than
USSK), (C) to my knowledge after due inquiry, orders of any court, regulatory
tribunal, administrative agency or other governmental body with jurisdiction
over the Company, any Designated Subsidiary or any of their respective
properties or (D) to my knowledge after due inquiry, any agreement or instrument
to which the Company or any Designated Subsidiary is a party or by which the
Company or any Designated Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the properties
of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary is subject; the Company has full
power and authority to authorize, issue and sell the Securities as contemplated
by this Agreement;
(ix) The Registration Statement was declared effective under the
Securities Act as of the date and time specified in such opinion, the Prospectus
was filed with the Commission pursuant to the subparagraph of Rule 424(b)
specified in such opinion on the date specified therein, and, to the best of my
knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any part thereof has been issued and no proceedings for that
purpose have been instituted or are pending or contemplated under the Securities
Act, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and each amendment or
supplement thereto, as of their respective effective or issue dates, complied as
to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and
the documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, when filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects
with the requirements of the Exchange Act;
(x) The descriptions in the Registration Statement and Prospectus of
statutes, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents
are accurate and fairly present the information required to be shown; and such
counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not
described as required or of any contracts or documents of a character required
to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed
as exhibits to the Registration Statement which are not described and filed as
required;
(xi) Each of the other Transaction Documents has been duly authorized
by the Company and, when executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by
each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding
agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms subject to the Enforceability Exceptions;
(xii) Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to
the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus;
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(xiii) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the
Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to
file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any
securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities
with the Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or with
any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement
filed by the Company under the Securities Act;
(xiv) 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 Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" or an entity "controlled"
by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act; and
(xv) Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities nor the
application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the
Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
Such counsel shall also state that he has participated in conferences
with representatives of the Company and with representatives of its independent
accountants and counsel at which conferences the contents of the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto and
related matters were discussed and, although such counsel assumes no
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto (except as
expressly provided above), nothing has come to the attention of such counsel to
cause such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time of
its effective date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto as of its date and the Closing Date contains any untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading (other than the financial statements and other financial
information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no belief).
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact
on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials that
are furnished to the Underwriters.
The opinion described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at
the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
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Annex C
[Form of Opinion of Slovakian Counsel for the Company]
(i) USSK has been duly organized and is an existing limited liability
company in good standing under the laws of the Slovak Republic, with power and
authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business
as described in the Prospectus; and USSK is duly qualified to do business as a
foreign limited liability company in good standing in all other jurisdictions in
which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires
such qualification;
(ii) Each of the Significant Slovak Subsidiaries (as defined below) has
been duly organized and is an existing limited liability company in good
standing under the laws of the Slovak Republic, with power and authority
(corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as
described in the Prospectus; and each Significant Slovak Subsidiary is in good
standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property
or the conduct of its business requires such qualification; all of the issued
and outstanding equity interests of each Significant Slovak Subsidiary have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable; and the
equity interests of each Significant Slovak Subsidiary owned by USSK, directly
or through subsidiaries, are owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects. A
"Significant Slovak Subsidiary" is any subsidiary of USSK that is a "significant
subsidiary" (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X,
substituting 5% thresholds for the 10% thresholds throughout such definition) of
USSK.
(iii) All outstanding equity interests of USSK have been duly
authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable;
(iv) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with,
any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over USSK, its
subsidiaries or their respective properties in the Slovak Republic or any
political subdivision thereof is required for the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the issuance and
sale of the Securities by the Company;
(v) The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction
Documents, and the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company will not
result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or
constitute a default under, (A) any statute or any rule or regulation in the
Slovak Republic or any political subdivision thereof, (B) the respective
organizational documents of USSK and the Significant Slovak Subsidiaries;
(C) orders of any court, regulatory tribunal, administrative agency or other
governmental body with jurisdiction over USSK, any Significant Slovak Subsidiary
or any of their respective properties or (D) any agreement or instrument to
which USSK or any Significant Slovak Subsidiary is a party or by which USSK or
any Significant Slovak Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the properties of
USSK or any Significant Slovak Subsidiary is subject; and
(vi) The descriptions in the Registration Statement and Prospectus of
statutes, legal and governmental proceedings in the Slovak Republic or any
political subdivision thereof and
contracts and other documents relating to USSK are accurate and fairly present
the information required to be shown; and such counsel do not know of any legal
or governmental proceedings in the Slovak Republic or any political subdivision
thereof required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
which are not described as required or of any contracts or documents relating to
USSK of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which
are not described and filed as required.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact
on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials that
are furnished to the Underwriters.
The opinion described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at
the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
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Annex D
[Form of Opinion of Outside Counsel for the Company]
(i) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company and has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act; and
constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company enforceable in
accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions;
(ii) The Indenture Certificate has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company, and is enforceable according to its terms, subject to
the Enforceability Exceptions;
(iii) The Securities have been duly authorized and when issued,
executed and authenticated in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to and
paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement,
will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company,
enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability
Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
(iv) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company; and
(v) The statements made in the Prospectus under the captions
"Description of the notes" and "Description of the debt securities" insofar as
they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the Securities,
respectively, constitute an accurate summary of the terms of the Securities in
all material respects and the statements in the Prospectus under the heading
"Certain Federal Income Tax Considerations", to the extent that they constitute
summaries of matters of law or regulation or legal conclusions, fairly summarize
the matters described therein in all material respects;
Such counsel shall also state that he has participated in conferences
with representatives of the Company and with representatives of its independent
accountants and counsel at which conferences the contents of the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto and
related matters were discussed and, although such counsel assumes no
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto (except as
expressly provided above), nothing has come to the attention of such counsel to
cause such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time of
its effective date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto as of its date and the Closing Date contains any untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading (other than the financial statements and other financial
information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no belief).
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact
on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials that
are furnished to the Underwriters.
The opinion described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at
the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
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