UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report – August 11, 2010
(Date of earliest event reported)
QEP RESOURCES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| STATE OF DELAWARE | 001-34778 | 87-0287750 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File No.) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
1050 17th Street, Suite 500, Denver, Colorado 80265
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (303) 672-6900
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
Underwriting Agreement
On August 11, 2010, QEP Resources, Inc. (the “Registrant”) entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Banc of America Securities LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and each of the other underwriters named on Schedule A thereto (collectively the “Underwriters”), relating to the issuance and sale by the Registrant of $625,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.875% Notes due 2021 (the “Notes”). The sale of the Notes has been made under the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-165805) (the “Registration Statement”).
In the Underwriting Agreement, the Registrant made various representations and warranties to the Underwriters and generally agreed to indemnify, subject to the exceptions in the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriters and their respective affiliates from, among other things, any untrue statement of a material fact, or omission to state a material fact, in the Registration Statement, the disclosure package or the prospectus related thereto.
Notes and Officers’ Certificate
On August 16, 2010, the Registrant completed the public offering of the Notes. The Registrant intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of approximately $610.9 million, after deducting the underwriting discount and commissions and estimated offering expenses, to repay all of the $500.0 million in indebtedness outstanding under the Registrant’s term loan and approximately $110.9 million in aggregate principal amount of indebtedness outstanding under the Registrant’s revolving credit facility.
The Notes mature on March 1, 2021. Interest will be payable semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, beginning March 1, 2011 at the rate of 6.875% per year. The Notes are unsecured and rank equally with the Registrant’s other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness from time to time outstanding and senior in right of payment to the Registrant’s subordinated indebtedness from time to time outstanding. If the Registrant experiences certain kinds of changes of control, it will offer to repurchase all of the Notes at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the repurchase date. The Registrant may redeem the Notes, at any time in whole or from time to time in part, at the redemption prices set forth in the Officers’ Certificate.
The terms of the Notes are governed by an Indenture dated as of March 1, 2001 (the “Indenture”), between the Registrant and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), and an officers’ certificate setting forth the terms of the Notes, dated as of August 16, 2010 (the “Officers’ Certificate”). The Officers’ Certificate, including the form of the Notes, is filed herewith as Exhibit 4.1 and incorporated by reference herein. The Indenture is incorporated by reference herein by reference to Exhibit No. 4.01. to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 6, 2001.
Relationships
The Underwriters and certain of their affiliates have provided from time to time, and may provide in the future, investment and commercial banking and financial advisory services to us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business, for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
| (d) | Exhibits. |
| Exhibit No. |
Exhibit | |
| 1.1 | Underwriting Agreement, dated August 11, 2010, by and among QEP Resources, Inc., and the Underwriters named on Schedule A thereto. | |
| 4.1 | Officers’ Certificate, dated as of August 16, 2010 (including form of the Registrant’s 6.875% Notes due 2021). | |
| 4.2 | Indenture dated as of March 1, 2001, between Questar Market Resources, Inc. (predecessor-in-interest to QEP Resources, Inc.) and Bank One, NA (predecessor-in-interest to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association), as Trustee. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 4.01. to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 6, 2001.) | |
| 5.1 | Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP. | |
| 23.1 | Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto). | |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| QEP RESOURCES, INC. | ||
| (Registrant) | ||
| August 16, 2010 | ||
| /s/ Richard J. Doleshek | ||
| Richard J. Doleshek | ||
| Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer | ||
List of Exhibits:
| Exhibit No. |
Exhibit | |
| 1.1 | Underwriting Agreement, dated August 11, 2010, by and among QEP Resources, Inc., and the Underwriters named on Schedule A thereto. | |
| 4.1 | Officers’ Certificate, dated as of August 16, 2010 (including form of the Registrants 6.875% Notes due 2021). | |
| 4.2 | Indenture dated as of March 1, 2001, between Questar Market Resources, Inc. (predecessor-in-interest to QEP Resources, Inc.) and Bank One, NA (predecessor-in-interest to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association), as Trustee. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit No. 4.01. to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 6, 2001.) | |
| 5.1 | Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP. | |
| 23.1 | Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto). | |
Exhibit 1.1
QEP RESOURCES, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
$625,000,000 6.875% Notes due 2021
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Dated: August 11, 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||||
| SECTION 1. |
Representations and Warranties of the Company | 2 | ||
| SECTION 2. |
Qualified Independent Underwriter | 7 | ||
| SECTION 3. |
Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing | 7 | ||
| SECTION 4. |
Covenants of the Company | 8 | ||
| SECTION 5. |
Payment of Expenses | 11 | ||
| SECTION 6. |
Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations | 12 | ||
| SECTION 7. |
QIU Consent | 13 | ||
| SECTION 8. |
Indemnification | 13 | ||
| SECTION 9. |
Contribution | 16 | ||
| SECTION 10. |
Indemnification and Contribution of QIU | 17 | ||
| SECTION 11. |
Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery | 18 | ||
| SECTION 12. |
Termination of Agreement | 18 | ||
| SECTION 13. |
Default by One or More of the Underwriters | 19 | ||
| SECTION 14. |
Notices | 19 | ||
| SECTION 15. |
Parties | 19 | ||
| SECTION 16. |
No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility | 20 | ||
| SECTION 17. |
GOVERNING LAW, TIME AND WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL | 20 | ||
| SECTION 18. |
Effect of Headings | 20 | ||
| SCHEDULES | ||||
| Schedule A - List of Underwriters |
Sch. A-1 | |||
| Schedule B - Final Term Sheet |
Sch. B-1 | |||
| Schedule C - Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses |
Sch. C-1 | |||
| Schedule D - Opinion of Eric L. Dady |
Sch. D-1 | |||
| Schedule E - Opinion of Company Counsel |
Sch. E-1 | |||
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QEP RESOURCES, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
$625,000,000
6.875% Senior Notes due 2021
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
August 11, 2010
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
As Representative of
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Banc of America Securities LLC
BMO Capital Markets Corp.
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
and the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto
c/o Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
60 Wall Street, 4th Floor
New York, New York 10005
Ladies and Gentlemen:
QEP Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Banc of America Securities LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 13 hereof), for whom Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), with respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective principal amounts set forth in Schedule A of $625,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.875% senior notes due 2021 (the “Securities”). The Securities are to be issued pursuant to an indenture dated as of March 1, 2001 (the “Indenture”) between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as successor trustee (the “Trustee”). The term “Indenture,” as used herein, includes the Officers’ Certificate (as defined in the Indenture) establishing the form and terms of the Securities pursuant to Sections 201 and 301 of the Indenture.
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered and the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”).
The Company and the Underwriters, in accordance with the requirements of Rule 2720(a) (“Rule 2720(a)”) of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, hereby confirm the engagement of the services of Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs & Co. hereby confirms its agreement to act as a “qualified independent underwriter”
within the meaning of Rule 2720(f)(12) in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities. Goldman, Sachs & Co., in its capacity as qualified independent underwriter and not otherwise, is referred to herein the “QIU.” As compensation for the services of the QIU hereunder, the Company agrees to pay the QIU $10,000 at the Closing Time.
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Time referred to in Section 3(b) hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-165805), which contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Securities. Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, at each time of effectiveness under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), including any required information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), is called the “Registration Statement.” Any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus that describes the Securities and the offering thereof and is used prior to filing of the Prospectus is called, together with the Base Prospectus, a “preliminary prospectus.” The term “Prospectus” shall mean the final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities, together with the Base Prospectus, that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, any 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; any reference to any amendment or supplement to any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date of such preliminary prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Exchange Act, and incorporated by reference in such preliminary prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”).
(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act, no post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed as of the date of this Agreement and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with.
At the time the Registration Statement became effective and at the date hereof, the Registration Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time, included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit
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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. The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Representative consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.
Each preliminary prospectus and the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(c) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package (as defined below) and the Prospectus, at the times they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and, when read together with the other information in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the times the Registration Statement became effective, at the time the Prospectus was issued and at the Closing Time, did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) Disclosure Package. The term “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Base Prospectus, including any preliminary prospectus supplement, as amended or supplemented, (ii) the issuer free writing prospectuses as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (each, an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), if any, identified in Schedule C hereto, (iii) any other free writing prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package and (iv) the Final Term Sheet (as defined herein), which also shall be identified in Schedule C hereto. As of 4:20 pm (New York City time) on the date of this Agreement (the “Applicable Time”), the Disclosure Package did not contain 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. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Representative consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.
(e) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement relating to the Securities that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act) and (ii) as of the date of the execution and delivery of this Agreement (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 of the Securities Act that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer), including, without limitation, for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities with respect to the offering of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement.
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(f) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the offering or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representative as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, including in each case, any document incorporated by reference therein that has not been superseded or modified. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representative and has promptly amended or supplemented or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict. The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Representative consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.
(g) Distribution of Offering Material by the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Time and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Securities, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representative and included in Schedule C hereto or the Registration Statement.
(h) Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are, to the best knowledge of the Company, a registered public accounting firm independent of the Company as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).
(i) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as at the dates indicated and the results of their operations for the periods specified; except as otherwise stated in such document, such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis; and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data included in each of the preliminary prospectus and Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in such document. The Company does not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities”), not disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not included as required. The Company’s ratio of earnings to fixed charges set forth in each of the preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus have been calculated in compliance with Item 503(d) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.
(j) Material Changes or Material Transactions. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (a) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (b) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary
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course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (c) except for the regular dividends, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.
(k) Due Incorporation and Qualification. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(l) Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of 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, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and nonassessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity.
(m) Capital Stock. The shares of issued and outstanding common stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.
(n) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(o) Authorization and Validity of the Indenture and the Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor as provided in this Agreement, 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 general equitable principles, and will be entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, which will be substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument of the Company, 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 general equitable principles; and the Securities and the Indenture conform to the respective descriptions thereof in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(p) No Defaults; Regulatory Approvals. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or bylaws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any
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of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, which violations or defaults in the aggregate would have a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, in the Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except as expressly contemplated in the Indenture or except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws of the Company or, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, any applicable law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree.
(q) Legal Proceedings; Contracts. There is no action, suit or proceeding before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (other than as disclosed therein) or which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligation hereunder; all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or which any of their respective property is subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, considered in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect; and there are no contracts or documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Securities Act which have not been so filed.
(r) No Governmental Authorization. No authorization, approval or consent of any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary in connection with the sale of the Securities hereunder, except such as may be required under the Securities Act and state securities laws and except as have been obtained.
(s) Possession of Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such valid franchises, certificates of convenience and necessity, easements, rights-of-way, operating rights, licenses, permits, consents, authorizations and orders of governmental political subdivisions or regulatory authorities as are necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except those the failure of which to possess would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification thereof which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is regulated or required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(u) [INTENTIONALLY OMITTED].
(v) Internal Controls and Procedures. The Company maintains on a consolidated basis (i) effective internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and Rule 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act, and (ii) a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable
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assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(w) No Material Weakness in Internal Controls. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or in any document incorporated by reference therein, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(x) Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(y) Additional Certifications. Any certificate signed by any director or officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Qualified Independent Underwriter.
(a) The Company hereby confirms its engagement of Goldman, Sachs & Co. as, and Goldman, Sachs & Co. hereby confirms its agreement with the Company to render services as, a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of Rule 2720(f)(12) of FINRA with respect to the offering and sale of the Securities.
(b) The QIU hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Company and the Underwriters that with respect to the offering and sale of the Securities as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus:
(i) The QIU constitutes a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of Rule 2720(f)(12);
(ii) The QIU has participated in the preparation of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and has exercised the usual standards of “due diligence” in respect thereto; and
(iii) The QIU has undertaken the legal responsibilities and liabilities of an underwriter under the Securities Act specifically including those inherent in Section 11 thereof.
(c) The Company agrees to cooperate with the Underwriters and the QIU to enable the Underwriters to comply with Rule 2720(a) and the QIU to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement.
SECTION 3. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter,
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severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company at a price of 97.824% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from the Closing Time, the aggregate principal amount of the Securities set forth on Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional principal amount of the Securities, as the case may be, which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 13 hereof.
(b) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Securities shall be made at the offices of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, 80 Pine Street, New York, NY 10005, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the fifth business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 13), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Securities which it has agreed to purchase.
(c) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Securities shall be in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 and registered in such names as the Representative may request in writing at least one full business day before Closing Time. The Securities will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representative in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the business day prior to Closing Time.
SECTION 4. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 4(b) hereof, will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Representative immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission concerning the Registration Statement, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(b) Representative’s Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. During the period beginning on the Applicable Time and ending on the later of the Closing Time or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus is no longer required by
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law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (including any amendment or supplement through incorporation by reference of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall furnish to the Representative for review a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects.
(c) Amendments and Supplements to the Registration Statement, Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. The Company will comply with the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event or development shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus 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 or then prevailing, as the case may be, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or then prevailing, as the case may be, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Representative it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or to file a new registration statement containing the Prospectus, in order to comply with law, including in connection with the delivery of the Prospectus, the Company agrees to (i) notify the Representative of any such event or condition and (ii) promptly prepare (subject to Sections 4(b) and 4(e) hereof), file with the Commission (and use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement to be declared effective) and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to dealers, amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any new registration statement, necessary in order to make the statements in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing or under which they were made, as the case may be, not misleading or so that the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.
(d) Final Term Sheet. The Company will prepare a final term sheet containing only a description of the Securities, in a form approved by the Representative and contained in Schedule B hereto, and will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act within the time required by such rule (such term sheet, the “Final Term Sheet”).
(e) Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents that it has not made, and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), it will not make, any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act; provided that the prior written consent of the Representative hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule C hereto. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted
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Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 of the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping. Each Underwriter represents that it has not and will not use any written communication that constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities other than a free writing prospectus that (a) is not an “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433, and (b) contains only (i) information describing the preliminary terms of the Securities or their offering, (ii) information permitted by Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (iii) information that describes the final terms of the Securities or their offering and that is included in the Final Term Sheet of the Company contemplated in Section 4(d) hereof.
(f) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(g) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(h) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will endeavor, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the later of the date hereof or such shorter period as is necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for a period of not less than one year from the effective date of the Registration Statement. The Company will also supply the Underwriters with such information as is necessary for the determination of the legality of the Securities for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may request.
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(i) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.
(j) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of Securities in the manner specified in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”
(k) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 30 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer, pledge or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, any debt securities of the Company or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, debt securities of the Company, other than such securities representing commercial bank debt or intercompany debt.
(l) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act.
SECTION 5. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters, the Indenture and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 4(h) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Securities, (viii) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities, (ix) all costs and expenses of the QIU incurred in its capacity as “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of FINRA Conduct Rule 2720 in connection with the offering of the Securities, (x) any costs, expenses and filing fees incurred in connection with the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdiction as the Representative designates (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel relating to such qualification) and the preparation and printing of memoranda relating thereto, costs and expenses related to the review by FINRA of the offering (including filing fees, but excluding the fees and expenses of counsel and any special counsel for the Underwriters relating to such review), and (xi) all other costs and expenses of the Company and its representatives incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 6 or Sections 12(a)(i) or (a)(iii) (only with respect to the Company’s securities) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
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SECTION 6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order. For the period from and after effectiveness of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Time:
(i) the Company shall have filed any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information required by Rule 430B under the Securities Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; or the Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing the information required by such Rule 430B, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective;
(ii) the Final Term Sheet, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings under such Rule 433; and
(iii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the Commission.
(b) Opinion of Eric L. Dady, Esq. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Eric L. Dady, Esq., counsel for the Company, who may rely as to all matters governed by Federal and New York law upon the opinion of Latham and Watkins LLP referred to below, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters as set forth in Schedule D.
(c) Opinion of Company Counsel. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Latham and Watkins LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters as set forth in Schedule E.
(d) Opinion of Counsel to the Underwriters. The Representative shall have received from Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Time, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and other related matters as the Representative may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(e) Officers’ Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the
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representations and warranties in Section 1 hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all covenants and agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission.
(f) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus.
(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
(h) [Intentionally Omitted].
(i) Additional Documents. At Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters.
(j) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 5 and except that Sections 1, 8, 9, 10 and 11 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 7. QIU Consent. The QIU hereby consents to the references to it as set forth under the caption “Underwriting; Conflicts of Interest” in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and in any amendment or supplement thereto made in accordance with Section 4 hereof.
SECTION 8. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters.
(i) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:
(A) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
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fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including, without limitation, the Rule 430B Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(B) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 8(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and
(C) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including, subject to Section 8(c) hereof, the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representative), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (A) or (B) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto). The foregoing indemnity shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Securities, or any person controlling such Underwriter, where it shall have been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment that (i) prior to the Applicable Time the Company shall have notified such Underwriter in writing that the Disclosure Package contains an untrue statement of material fact or omits to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein in order to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) such untrue statement or omission of a material fact was corrected in an amendment or supplement to the Disclosure Package and such amendment or supplement was provided to such Underwriter at least twenty-four hours prior to the Applicable Time and, to the extent that physical delivery is required, in sufficient quantity so that such amendment or supplement could have been conveyed to such person prior to the Applicable Time, (iii) the information contained in such amendment or supplement was not conveyed to such person at or prior to the Applicable Time with respect to such person and (iv) such loss, claim, damage or liability would not have occurred had such amendment or supplement been conveyed to such person.
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of 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 against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made
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in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including, without limitation, the Rule 430B Information, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in each case in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending such loss, liability, claim, damage, expense or action as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Actions Against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representative, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. If it so elects within a reasonable time after receipt of such notice, an indemnifying party, jointly with any other indemnifying parties receiving such notice, may assume the defense of such action with counsel chosen by it and approved by the indemnified parties defendant in such action (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), unless such indemnified parties reasonably object to such assumption on the ground that there may be legal defenses available to them which are different from or in addition to those available to such indemnifying party. If an indemnifying party assumes the defense of such action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable for any fees and expenses of counsel for the indemnified parties incurred thereafter in connection with such action other than the reasonable costs of investigation. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 8 or Section 9 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Settlement Without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 8(a)(i)(B) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, an indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 8(a)(i)(B) effected without its consent if such indemnifying party (i) reimburses such indemnified party in accordance with such request to the extent it considers such request to be reasonable and (ii) provides written notice to the indemnified party substantiating the unpaid balance as unreasonable, in each case prior to the date of such settlement.
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SECTION 9. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 8 hereof is for any reason (except as provided therein) unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, each indemnifying party shall severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred (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 pursuant to this Agreement 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) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective portions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the Securities purchased under this Agreement.
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 any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or by the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 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 which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 9. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 9 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, in no case shall any Underwriter or the QIU (except as may be provided in any agreement among the Underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities) be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten and distributed to the public by such Underwriter or the QIU were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any 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.
For purposes of this Section 9, each director of an Underwriter, each officer of an Underwriter, each affiliate of an Underwriter, and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company 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 shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
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SECTION 10. Indemnification and Contribution of QIU. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless Goldman, Sachs & Co., in its capacity as QIU, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the QIU may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (iii) any act or omission to act or any alleged act or omission to act by Goldman, Sachs & Co. as QIU in connection with any transaction contemplated by this Agreement or undertaken in preparing for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities, except as to this clause (iii) to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability results from the gross negligence or bad faith of Goldman, Sachs & Co. in performing the services as QIU, and will reimburse the QIU for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the QIU in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
(b) Promptly after receipt by the QIU under subsection (a) above of notice of the commencement of any action, the QIU shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company under such subsection, notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the Company shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to the QIU otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against the QIU and it shall notify the Company of the commencement thereof, the Company shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the QIU (who shall not, except with the consent of the QIU, be counsel to the Company), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to the QIU of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the QIU under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by the QIU, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Company shall not, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the QIU is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the QIU from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of QIU.
(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10(c) is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless Goldman, Sachs & Co., in its capacity as QIU, under subsection (a) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the QIU as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the QIU on the other from the offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the QIU failed to give the notice required under subsection (b) above, then the Company shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by the QIU in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the QIU on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the QIU on the other shall be deemed to
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be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, bear to the fee payable to the QIU pursuant to the preamble and Section 5(a)(ix) hereof. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the QIU on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the QIU agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (c) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (c). The amount paid or payable by the QIU as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (c) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. 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.
(d) The obligations of the Company under this Section 10(d) shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls the QIU within the meaning of the Securities Act.
SECTION 11. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters.
SECTION 12. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the reasonable judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in the securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the NASDAQ Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of the exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or any other governmental authority, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal, New York or Delaware authorities, or (v) there has occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 5 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 8, 9, 10 and 11 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
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SECTION 13. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement, either the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 13.
SECTION 14. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representative at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005; Attention: Debt Capital Markets Syndicate Desk, with a copy to Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005, Attention: General Counsel; notices to the QIU shall be directed to it at Goldman, Sachs & Co., 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, Attention: Registration Department; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 1050 17th St, Suite 500, Denver, Colorado 80625, attention of Richard J. Doleshek, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
SECTION 15. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 8, 9 and 10 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and the controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
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SECTION 16. No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) in connection with each transaction contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary of the Company or its affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other party; (iii) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement; (iv) the several Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the several Underwriters have no obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the several Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the several Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.
SECTION 17. GOVERNING LAW, TIME AND WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. THE UNDERWRITERS AND THE QIU, ON THE ONE HAND, AND THE COMPANY (ON ITS OWN BEHALF AND TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS STOCKHOLDERS), ON THE OTHER HAND, WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, CLAIM, SUIT OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO YOUR ENGAGEMENT AS UNDERWRITER OR QIU OR YOUR ROLE IN CONNECTION HEREWITH.
SECTION 18. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | ||||
| QEP RESOURCES, INC. | ||||
| By: | /s/ Charles B. Stanley | |||
| Name: | Charles B. Stanley | |||
| Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer | |||
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
For itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
| DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. | ||||
| By: | /s/ Ritu Ketkar | |||
| Name: | Ritu Ketkar | |||
| Title: | Director | |||
| DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. | ||||
| By: | /s/ Jared D. Birnbaum | |||
| Name: | Jared D Birnbaum | |||
| Title: | Director | |||
| GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO. | ||||
| By: | /s/ Michael Hickey | |||
| Name: | Michael Hickey | |||
| Title: | Authorized Signatory | |||
SCHEDULE A
| Name of Underwriter |
Principal Amount of Notes | ||
| $ | |||
| Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
112,500,000.00 | ||
| Banc of America Securities LLC |
112,500,000.00 | ||
| BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
112,500,000.00 | ||
| J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. |
112,500,000.00 | ||
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
112,500,000.00 | ||
| SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. |
8,594,000.00 | ||
| U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
8,593,000.00 | ||
| Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. |
6,250,000.00 | ||
| BBVA Securities Inc. |
6,250,000.00 | ||
| RBS Securities Inc. |
6,250,000.00 | ||
| TD Securities (USA) LLC |
6,250,000.00 | ||
| SG Americas Securities, LLC |
4,688,000.00 | ||
| Goldman, Sachs & Co. |
15,625,000.00 | ||
| Total |
$ | 625,000,000.00 | |
Sch. A-1
SCHEDULE B
QEP Resources, Inc.
Final Term Sheet
| Issuer: | QEP Resources, Inc. | |
| Security Type: | SEC Registered (Registration No. 333-165805) | |
| Principal Amount: | $625,000,000, which amount represents an increase of $125,000,000 from the aggregate principal amount of the offering listed in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. | |
| [Intentionally Omitted] | [Intentionally Omitted] | |
| Coupon: | 6.875% Senior Notes due 2021 | |
| Stated Maturity Date: | March 1, 2021 | |
| Issue Price: | 99.074% of the face amount | |
| Yield to Maturity: | 7.00% | |
| Trade Date: | August 11, 2010 | |
| Original Issue/Settlement Date: | August 16, 2010 | |
| Interest Payment Dates: | March 1 and September 1, commencing March 1, 2011 | |
| Record Dates: | February 15 and August 15 | |
| Make Whole Call: | Greater of par or T+50bp | |
| CUSIP/ISIN: | 74733V AA8/ US74733VAA89 | |
| Denominations: | $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 | |
| Joint Book-Running Managers: | Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. Banc of America Securities LLC BMO Capital Markets Corp. J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | |
| Co-Managers: | SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. BBVA Securities Inc. RBS Securities Inc. TD Securities (USA) LLC SG Americas Securities, LLC Goldman, Sachs & Co. | |
Sch. B-1
SCHEDULE C
Free Writing Prospectus
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 433
supplementing the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated August 11, 2010
Registration No. 333-165805
August 11, 2010
QEP Resources, Inc.
| Pricing Supplement |
| Pricing Supplement dated August 11, 2010 to Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated August 11, 2010 of QEP Resources, Inc. This Pricing Supplement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. The information in this Pricing Supplement supplements the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement to the extent it is inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. Financial information present in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement is deemed to have changed to the extent affected by changes described herein. Capitalized terms used in this Pricing Supplement but not defined have the meanings given them in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. |
| Issuer: | QEP Resources, Inc. | |
| Security Type: | SEC Registered (Registration No. 333-165805) | |
| Principal Amount: | $625,000,000, which amount represents an increase of $125,000,000 from the aggregate principal amount of the offering listed in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. | |
| [Intentionally Omitted] | [Intentionally Omitted] | |
| Coupon: | 6.875% Senior Notes due 2021 | |
| Stated Maturity Date: | March 1, 2021 | |
| Issue Price: | 99.074% of the face amount | |
| Yield to Maturity: | 7.00% | |
| Trade Date: | August 11, 2010 | |
| Original Issue/Settlement Date: | August 16, 2010 | |
| Interest Payment Dates: | March 1 and September 1, commencing March 1, 2011 | |
| Record Dates: | February 15 and August 15 | |
| Make Whole Call: | Greater of par or T+50bp | |
| CUSIP/ISIN: | 74733V AA8/ US74733VAA89 | |
| Denominations: | $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 | |
| Joint Book-Running Managers: | Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. Banc of America Securities LLC BMO Capital Markets Corp. J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | |
| Co-Managers: | SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. BBVA Securities Inc. RBS Securities Inc. TD Securities (USA) LLC SG Americas Securities, LLC Goldman, Sachs & Co. | |
Sch. C-1
| Additional Changes to Preliminary Prospectus Supplement: | The following changes are made to the line items to the table set forth in the “Capitalization” section of the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, giving effect to this offering and the use of proceeds therefrom: |
| As Adjusted (in millions) | |||
| Revolving Credit Facility(1) |
$ | 128.7 | |
| Term Loan(2) |
— | ||
| 6.875% Notes due 2021 |
625.0 | ||
| Total debt before unamortized debt discount |
1,285.5 | ||
| Common Stockholders’ equity |
2,934.9 | ||
| Total capitalization |
$ | 4,220.4 | |
| (1) | As of August 11, 2010, the outstanding indebtedness under our Revolving Credit Facility totaled approximately $309.0 million. |
| (2) | As of August 11, 2010, the outstanding indebtedness under our Term Loan totaled approximately $500 million. |
In addition, the “Use of Proceeds” of the Offering will now be used as follows:
We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering, after deducting the underwriting discount and commissions and our estimated offering expenses, will be approximately $610.9 million. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay approximately $500.0 million in indebtedness outstanding under our Term Loan and approximately $110.9 million indebtedness outstanding under our Revolving Credit Facility.
In addition, the item entitled “Conflicts of Interest” set forth in the “Underwriting; Conflicts of Interest” section of the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement is amended and restated in its entirety as follows:
Conflicts of Interest
A portion of the net proceeds from this offering will be used to repay borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility and our Term Loan. Because we expect that more than 5% of the net offering proceeds will be received by certain of the underwriters in this offering or their affiliates that are lenders under our Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan, this offering is being conducted in accordance with the applicable requirements of NASD Rule 2720, or Rule 2720, as administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. regarding the underwriting of securities of a company with a member that has a conflict of interest within the meaning of those rules. Consequently, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Banc of America Securities LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., BBVA Securities Inc., RBS Securities Inc. and TD Securities (USA) LLC each have a conflict of interest within the meaning of Rule 2720. Rule 2720 requires that a qualified independent underwriter as defined in Rule 2720 participate in the preparation of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and perform its usual standard of due diligence with respect thereto. As a result of this conflict of interest and in accordance with Rule 2720, Goldman, Sachs & Co. is assuming the responsibilities of acting as the qualified independent underwriter in connection with this offering. In its role as qualified independent underwriter, Goldman, Sachs & Co. has performed a due diligence investigation and participated in the preparation of the registration statement and prospectus for this offering. Goldman, Sachs & Co. will receive a fee of $10,000 for serving as qualified independent underwriter in connection with this offering. We have also agreed to indemnify Goldman, Sachs & Co. against certain liabilities incurred in connection with it acting as a qualified independent underwriter for this offering, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Sch. C-2
Affiliates of one or more of the underwriters are lenders and/or agents under the Revolving Credit Facility and the Term Loan, and as such are entitled to be repaid with the net proceeds of this offering that are used to repay the existing senior unsecured credit facilities and will receive their pro rata portion of such repayment. In addition (i) Bank of America, N.A., the administrative agent under our Revolving Credit Facility, as well as affiliates of certain of the other underwriters that are lenders and/or agents under our Revolving Credit Facility received fees in connection with the amendment to the Revolving Credit Facility and (ii) Deutsche Bank AG Cayman Islands Branch, the administrative agent under our Term Loan, as well as affiliates of certain of the other underwriters that are lenders and/or agents under our Term Loan received fees in connection with the Term Loan.
[Intentionally Omitted]
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. toll free at 1-800-503-4611.
Sch. C-3
SCHEDULE D
Opinion of Eric L. Dady
(i) The documents incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and supporting schedules and other financial or reserve data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act.
(ii) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or documents required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which are not filed as required.
(iii) Such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings relating to regulatory matters pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of their property is subject that are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus pursuant to Item 103 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act which are not so disclosed as required.
Sch. D-1
SCHEDULE E
Opinion of Company Counsel
| 1. | The Company is a corporation under the DGCL with corporate power and authority to own its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. With your consent, based solely on certificates from public officials, we confirm that the Company is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. |
| 2. | The execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and the Underwriting Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company. |
| 3. | The execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement, and the issuance and the sale of the Notes by the Company to you and the other Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement do not on the date hereof: |
(i) violate the Company’s Governing Documents; or
(ii) result in the breach of or a default under any of the Specified Agreements; or
(iii) violate any federal or New York statute, rule or regulation, any Court Order applicable to the Company or the DGCL; or
(iv) require any consents, approvals, or authorizations to be obtained by the Company from, or any registrations, declarations or filings to be made by the Company with, any governmental authority under any federal or New York statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or the DGCL on or prior to the date hereof that have not been obtained or made.
| 4. | The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act. With your consent, based solely on a telephonic confirmation by a member of the Staff of the Commission on August [ ], 2010, we confirm that no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Act and no proceedings therefor have been initiated by the Commission. The Preliminary Prospectus has been filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the Act, the Prospectus has been filed in accordance with Rules 424(b) and 430B under the Act, and the Specified IFWP has been filed in accordance with Rule 433(d) under the Act. |
Sch. E-1
| 5. | The Registration Statement at August [ ], 2010, including the information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Act and the Prospectus, as of its date, each appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the applicable form requirements for registration statements on Form S-3 under the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; it being understood, however, that we express no view with respect to Regulation S-T, the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification of the Trustee on Form T-1, or the financial statements, schedules, or other financial data or the oil and gas reserve and production information, included in, incorporated by reference in, or omitted from, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. For purposes of this paragraph, we have assumed that the statements made in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are correct and complete. |
| 6. | The Company is not, and immediately after giving effect to the sale of the Notes in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement and the application of the proceeds as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds,” will not be required to be, registered as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. |
| 7. | The Indenture has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and is the legally valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms. |
| 8. | The Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and, when executed, issued and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms. |
| 9. | The Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The statements in the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Notes,” insofar as they purport to describe or summarize certain provisions of the Notes, are accurate summaries or descriptions in all material respects. |
Sch. E-2
Exhibit 4.1
QEP RESOURCES, INC.
OFFICERS’ CERTIFICATE
PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 301 AND 303 OF THE INDENTURE
August 16, 2010
The undersigned officers of QEP Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), hereby certify on behalf of the Company pursuant to Sections 301 and 303 of the Indenture, dated as of March 1, 2001 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as successor trustee (the “Trustee”), as follows:
1. There is hereby established, pursuant to the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted on March 29, 2010 and August 9, 2010, together with the resolutions of the Pricing Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted on August 11, 2010 (the “Resolutions”), a series of Securities to be issued under the Indenture, which have the following terms:
a. The title of the series of Securities shall be 6.875% Senior Notes due 2021 (the “Notes”).
b. The aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be offered and issued under the Indenture shall be $625,000,000.
c. The Notes shall mature on March 1, 2021, and shall bear interest from the date of original issue at the rate of 6.875% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, to Holders of record at the close of business on the immediately preceding February 15 or August 15, as the case may be, commencing March 1, 2011.
d. The Notes shall be redeemable at the option of the Company, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed or (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes to be redeemed (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued as of the redemption date) discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of 12 months with 30 days each) at the Treasury Rate (as defined in the Note) plus 50 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed to the redemption date (provided that interest payments due on or prior to the redemption date will be paid to the record Holders of such Notes on the relevant record date).
Payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes will be made at the office or agency of the Company in Denver, Colorado or, in the event that certificated Notes are issued or if required by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), in New York City, New York, maintained for such purpose, or, at the option of the Company, may be made by check mailed to the address of the person entitled to such payments at the address specified in the Security Register. All payments shall be made in currency and coins of the United States of America recognized as legal tender at the time of payment for payment of public and private debts.
e. The Company has no sinking fund or mandatory redemption obligations applicable to the Notes.
f. The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
g. If an event of default with respect to the Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal amount of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.
h. There are no deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default set forth in Section 501 of the Indenture or covenants of the Company set forth in Article Ten of the Indenture pertaining to the Notes, except as set forth below.
i. The forms of the Notes are attached as Exhibit A-1 and A-2 and the Notes shall have such other terms and provisions as are set forth in the form of Notes, all of which terms and provisions are incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Certificate and the Indenture as if set forth in full herein and therein.
j. The Notes shall be issued in global form with DTC as depositary. The Notes represented by the global notes will be exchangeable for Notes in the definitive form, known as certificated notes, only if (i) DTC or its nominee notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the global notes or the Company becomes aware that DTC has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the Company has not appointed a successor depositary within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility or (ii) the Company, in its sole discretion, determines to discontinue use of the system of book-entry transfer and to exchange the global notes for certificated debt securities.
k. Section 403 of the Indenture does apply to the Notes.
l. Section 1007 of the Indenture does not apply to the Notes.
m. If a Change of Control (defined below) occurs and is accompanied by a Rating Decline (defined below, and together with a Change of Control, a “Change of Control Triggering Event”), each Holder of the Notes will have the right to require the Company to offer to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of such Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase.
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Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Company will mail a notice (the “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder of Notes with a copy to the Trustee stating:
(1) that a Change of Control Triggering Event has occurred and that such Holder has the right to require the Company to purchase such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of such Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (the “Change of Control Payment”);
(2) the repurchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed and which may be up to five days after the expiration of the Change of Control Offer) (the “Change of Control Payment Date”); and
(3) the procedures determined by the Company, consistent with the Indenture, that a Holder must follow in order to have its Notes repurchased.
On the Change of Control Payment Date the Company will, to the extent lawful:
(1) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof (in integral multiples of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Change of Control Offer;
(2) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof so tendered; and
(3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of such Notes or portions thereof being purchased by the Company.
The Paying Agent will promptly mail or otherwise deliver to each Holder of Notes so tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each such new Note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
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If the Change of Control Payment Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, will be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no additional interest will be payable to Holders who tender pursuant to the Change of Control Offer.
Prior to mailing a Change of Control Offer, and as a condition to such mailing (i) the requisite Holders of each issue of Indebtedness issued under any indenture or other agreement that may be violated by such payment shall have consented to such Change of Control Offer being made and waived the event of default, if any, caused by the Change of Control Triggering Event or (ii) the Company will repay all outstanding Indebtedness issued under any indenture or other agreement that may be violated by a payment to the Holders of Notes under a Change of Control Offer or the Company must offer to repay all such Indebtedness, and make payment to the holders of such Indebtedness that accept such offer and obtain waivers of any event of default from the remaining holders of such Indebtedness. The Company covenants to effect such repayment or obtain such consent and waiver within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, it being an Event of Default under the Indenture if the Company fails to comply with such covenant within 30 days after receipt of written notice from the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes.
The Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control Triggering Event if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.
The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any such securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control Offer provisions of the Notes, the Company will comply with those securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control Offer provisions of the Notes by virtue of any such conflict.
For purposes of the Notes:
“Change of Control” means:
(a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time (such right, an “option right”)), directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the equity securities of the Company entitled to vote for members of the Board of Directors or equivalent governing body of the Company on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right); or
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(b) a majority of the members of the Board of Directors or equivalent governing body of the Company ceases to be composed of individuals (i) who were members of that Board of Directors or equivalent governing body on the date the Notes were issued, (ii) whose election or nomination to that Board of Directors or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that Board of Directors or equivalent governing body or (iii) whose election or nomination to that Board of Directors or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that Board of Directors or equivalent governing body (excluding, in the case of both clause (ii) and clause (iii), any individual whose initial nomination for, or assumption of office as, a member of that Board of Directors or equivalent governing body occurs as a result of an actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents for the election or removal of one or more directors by any person or group other than a solicitation for the election of one or more directors by or on behalf of the Board of Directors).
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or, if Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. shall cease rating debt securities having a maturity at original issue of at least one year and such ratings business shall have been transferred to a successor Person, such successor Person; provided, however, that if there is no successor Person, then “Moody’s” shall mean any other national recognized rating agency, other than S&P, that rates debt securities having a maturity at original issuance of at least one year and that shall have been designated by the Company.
“Rating Agencies” means Moody’s and S&P.
“Rating Date” means the earlier of the date of public notice of (i) the occurrence of a Change of Control or (ii) the Company’s intention to effect a Change of Control.
“Rating Decline” shall be deemed to have occurred if, no later than 30 days after the Rating Date (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by either of the Rating Agencies), either of the Rating Agencies decreases its rating of the Notes to a rating that is below its rating of the Notes on the day immediately prior to the earlier of (i) the date of the first public announcement of the possibility of a proposed transaction which would result in a Change of Control or (ii) the date that the possibility of such transaction is disclosed to either of the Rating Agencies.
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“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service or, if Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service shall cease rating debt securities having a maturity at original issue of at least one year and such ratings business shall have been transferred to a successor Person, such successor Person; provided, however, that if there is no successor Person, then “S&P” shall mean any other national recognized rating agency, other than Moody’s, that rates debt securities having a maturity at original issuance of at least one year and that shall have been designated by the Company.
n. No Notes are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.
o. The Trustee is the only trustee for the Notes; the Trustee shall also serve as the Security Registrar, Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent for the Notes unless it is necessary to also maintain such agents in New York City.
2. Each of the undersigned has read the Indenture, including the applicable provisions of the Indenture and the definitions therein relating thereto with respect to the matters covered by this Certificate. In the opinion of each of the undersigned, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not all conditions precedent to the authentication and delivery of the Notes by the Trustee under the Indenture have been complied with and as to whether, to the best knowledge of each of the undersigned, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Notes has occurred and is continuing. In the opinion of each of the undersigned, all such conditions precedent have been complied with and, to the best of each of the undersigned’s knowledge, no such event has occurred and is continuing.
Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Indenture.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this certificate to be executed as of the date first written above.
| QEP RESOURCES, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Richard J. Doleshek | |
| Name: | Richard J. Doleshek | |
| Title: | Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer | |
| By: | /s/ Abigail L. Jones | |
| Name: | Abigail L. Jones | |
| Title: | Vice President, Compliance, Corporate Secretary and Assistant General Counsel | |
Signature Page to Indenture Officers’ Certificate
Exhibit 5.1
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717 Texas Avenue, 16th floor Houston, TX 77002 Tel: +1.713.546.5400 Fax: +1.713.546.5401 www.lw.com | |||
| FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES | ||||
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August 16, 2010 |
Abu Dhabi Barcelona Beijing Brussels Chicago Doha Dubai Frankfurt Hamburg Hong Kong Houston London Los Angeles Madrid Milan |
Moscow Munich New Jersey New York Orange County Paris Riyadh Rome San Diego San Francisco Shanghai Silicon Valley Singapore Tokyo Washington, D.C. | ||
| QEP Resources, Inc. |
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1050 17th Street, Suite 500
Denver, Colorado 80265
| Re: | Registration Statement No. 333-165805; $625,000,000 Aggregate Principal Amount of 6.875% Senior Notes due 2021 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel to QEP Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance of $625,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.875% Senior Notes due 2021 (the “Notes”), under an Indenture dated as of March 1, 2001 and an officers’ certificate dated August 16, 2010 setting forth the terms of the Notes (collectively, the “Indenture”) between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), and pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on March 31, 2010 (Registration No. 333-165805) (the “Registration Statement”), a base prospectus dated April 15, 2010, included in the Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective (the “Base Prospectus”), a final prospectus supplement dated August 11, 2010, filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issuance of the Notes.
As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the internal laws of the State of New York, and, the general corporation law of the state of Delaware, and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or, in the case of Delaware, any other laws, or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any local agencies within any state.
August 16, 2010
Page 2
Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, when the Notes have been duly executed, issued, and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered against payment therefor in the circumstances contemplated by the underwriting agreement dated August 11, 2010 between the underwriters named therein and the Company, the Notes will have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and will be legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.
Our opinions are subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, preference, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is brought; (iii) the invalidity under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy; and (iv) we express no opinion as to (a) any provision for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary penalties, make-whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such provisions are deemed to constitute a penalty, (b) consents to, or restrictions upon, governing law, jurisdiction, venue, arbitration, remedies, or judicial relief, (c) the waiver of rights or defenses contained in Section 514 of the Indenture; (d) any provision requiring the payment of attorneys’ fees, where such payment is contrary to law or public policy; (e) any provision permitting, upon acceleration of the Notes, collection of that portion of the stated principal amount thereof which might be determined to constitute unearned interest thereon; (f) any provision to the extent it requires that a claim with respect to the Notes (or a judgment in respect of such a claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange at a particular date, to the extent applicable law otherwise provides; and (g) the severability, if invalid, of provisions to the foregoing effect.
With your consent, we have assumed (a) that the Indenture and the Notes (collectively, the “Documents”) have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto other than the Company, (b) that the Documents constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the parties thereto other than the Company, enforceable against each of them in accordance with their respective terms, and (c) that the status of the Documents as legally valid and binding obligations of the parties is not affected by any (i) breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments, (ii) violations of statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders, or (iii) failures to obtain required consents, approvals or authorizations from, or make required registrations, declarations or filings with, governmental authorities.
August 16, 2010
Page 3
This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 16, 2010 and to the reference to our firm contained in the Prospectus under the heading “Legal Matters.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ Latham & Watkins LLP |