Exhibit 1.1
WYNDHAM WORLDWIDE CORPORATION
$300,000,000 2.950% Notes due 2017
$500,000,000 4.250% Notes due 2022
Underwriting Agreement
February 27, 2012
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed in Schedule II hereto
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, New York 10179
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the Company), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the Underwriters), for whom you (the Representatives) are acting as representatives, the principal amount of its 2.950% Notes due 2017 (the 2017 Notes) and the principal amount of its 4.250% Notes due 2022 (the 2022 Notes and together with the 2017 Notes, the Securities) identified in Schedule II hereto, to be issued under an indenture (the Base Indenture) dated as of November 20, 2008, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the Trustee) and a sixth supplemental indenture between the Company and the Trustee to be dated the Closing Date (together with the Base Indenture, the Indenture). To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule II other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. The use of neuter in this Agreement shall include the feminine and masculine wherever appropriate. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms amend, amendment or supplement with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 20 hereof.
1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 1.
(a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission an automatic shelf registration statement, as defined in Rule 405 (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule I hereto) on Form S-3, including a related Base Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, became effective upon filing. The Company may have filed with the Commission, as part of an amendment to the Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 424(b), one or more preliminary prospectus supplements relating to the Securities, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will file with the Commission a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities in accordance with Rule 424(b). As filed, such final prospectus supplement shall contain all information required by the Act and the rules thereunder, and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the Base Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. The Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x). The initial Effective Date of the Registration Statement was not earlier than the date three years before the Execution Time.
(b) On each Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined herein), the Final Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules thereunder; on each Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; on each Effective Date and on the Closing Date the Indenture did or will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules thereunder; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to (i) that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee or (ii) the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with
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information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
(c) As of the Execution Time, (i) the Disclosure Package and (ii) each electronic road show related to the Securities, when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package, does 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 any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
(d) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), and (iii) at the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (iii)), the Company was or is (as the case may be) a well-known seasoned issuer as defined in Rule 405. The Company agrees to pay the fees required by the Commission relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r).
(e) (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Securities and (ii) as of the Execution Time (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), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.
(f) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(b) hereto does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated therein by reference and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does 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 any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
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(g) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, will not be an investment company as defined in the Investment Company Act.
(h) The Company has not paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any securities of the Company (except as contemplated in this Agreement).
(i) The statements in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the captions Description of Notes and Description of Debt Securities, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Indenture and the Securities, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects.
(j) No holders of debt securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such debt securities under the Registration Statement.
(k) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(l) Each of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated or formed and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction that requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to so qualify or be in good standing, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse effect, or would not constitute a development involving a prospective change which would have a material adverse effect, on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a Material Adverse Effect).
(m) All the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company and each Significant Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. Except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the subsidiaries are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) The Companys authorized equity capitalization is as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and
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the Final Prospectus; the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the Common Stock) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable; the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities; and, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.
(o) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; the Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, when executed and delivered by the Company, will constitute a valid and legally binding instrument enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity); and the Securities have been duly authorized, and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company, will be fully paid and nonassessable, and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture (subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity).
(p) No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein or in the Indenture, except such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in which the Securities are offered and sold or for any filings made by the Company under the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act.
(q) None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Indenture, the issuance and sale of the Securities, or the consummation of any other of the transactions herein or therein contemplated, or the fulfillment of the terms hereof or thereof will conflict with, result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries pursuant to (i) the charter or bylaws or comparable constituting documents of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other similar agreement, obligation or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject; or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such conflicts, breaches, violations, liens, charges or encumbrances as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance by the Company of this Agreement or the Indenture, the issuance and sale of the Securities or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein or therein.
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(r) The consolidated and combined historical financial statements and schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of Regulation S-X, except as otherwise stated therein, and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein).
(s) No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance by the Company of this Agreement or the Indenture, or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto made after the date hereof).
(t) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries owns or leases all such tangible properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its charter or bylaws or comparable constituting documents; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other similar agreement, obligation or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject; or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated and combined historical financial statements and schedules incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Act.
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(w) The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all applicable tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a Material Adverse Effect and except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto made after the date hereof)) and have paid all taxes required to be paid by them and any other tax assessment, fine or penalty levied against them, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such tax assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as would not have individually or in the aggregate a Material Adverse Effect and except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto made after the date hereof).
(x) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or to the knowledge of the Company is threatened or imminent, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect and except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto made after the date hereof).
(y) To the Companys best knowledge, except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto made after the date hereof), no disputes exist or, to the Companys knowledge, are threatened with any franchisee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each a Franchisee) that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(z) Each Franchisee is such by virtue of being a party to a franchise contract with either the Company or a subsidiary thereof and assuming each such contract has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto, other than the Company or a subsidiary thereof, each such contract constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of each party thereto, enforceable against the Company or a subsidiary thereof in accordance with its terms, except (i) for any one or more of such franchise contracts as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) to the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(aa) The Company and each of its Significant Subsidiaries have complied and are currently complying with the rules and regulations of the United States Federal Trade Commission and the comparable laws, rules and regulations of each state or state agency applicable to the franchising business of the Company and such Significant Subsidiary in each state in which the Company or such Significant Subsidiary is doing business, except for any non-compliance that (individually or in the aggregate with any other such non-compliance) would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(bb) No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiarys capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiarys property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto made after the date hereof).
(cc) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are to the knowledge of the Company in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto made after the date hereof).
(dd) The Company and its subsidiaries possess all governmental licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by all applicable governmental authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where failure 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 of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto made after the date hereof).
(ee) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any material weakness in their internal control over financial reporting. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain adequate disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15e under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
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(ff) Except as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, with respect to the stock options (the Stock Options) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the Company Stock Plans), (i) each Stock Option designated by the Company at the time of grant as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the Grant Date) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and any other exchange on which Company securities are traded, (iv) the per share exercise price of each Stock Option was no less than the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the applicable Grant Date and (v) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Companys filings with the Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinate the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.
(gg) The Company and its subsidiaries are (i) in compliance with any and all applicable laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (Environmental Laws); (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under any Environmental Law, except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto made after the date hereof). Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been named as a potentially responsible party under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.
(hh) In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any
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potential liabilities to third parties); on the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto made after the date hereof).
(ii) The minimum funding standard under Section 302 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (ERISA), has been satisfied by each pension plan (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) which has been established or maintained by the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, and the trust forming part of each such plan which is intended to be qualified under Section 401 of the Code is so qualified; each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under Section 515 of ERISA; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries maintains or is required to contribute to a welfare plan (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA) which provides retiree or other post-employment welfare benefits or insurance coverage (other than continuation coverage (as defined in Section 602 of ERISA)); each pension plan and welfare plan established or maintained by the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with the currently applicable provisions of ERISA; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred or could reasonably be expected to incur any withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA, any liability under Section 4062, 4063, or 4064 of ERISA, or any other liability under Title IV of ERISA.
(jj) None of the following events has occurred or exists: (i) a failure to fulfill the obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of ERISA, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to a Plan, determined without regard to any waiver of such obligations or extension of any amortization period; (ii) an audit or, to the knowledge of the Company, investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other federal or state governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by any of the Company or any of its subsidiaries that could have a Material Adverse Effect; or (iii) any breach of any contractual obligation, or any violation of law or applicable qualification standards, with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that could have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (i) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans in the current fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such contributions made in the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries; (ii) a material increase in the accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations (within the meaning of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 106) of the Company and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such obligations in the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries; (iii) any event or condition giving rise to a liability under Title IV of ERISA that could have a Material Adverse Effect; or (iv) the filing of a claim by one or more employees or former employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries related to their employment that
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could have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this paragraph, the term Plan means a plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA with respect to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries may have any liability.
(kk) Subject to the exceptions set forth in clauses (ii) through (iv) of the second sentence of this Section 1(kk), the Company and/or its subsidiaries own, possess, license or have other rights to use all patents, trade and service marks, trade names, copyrights, domain names (in each case including all registrations and applications to register same), inventions, trade secrets, technology and other intellectual property (collectively, the Intellectual Property) necessary for the conduct of the Companys business as now conducted or as proposed in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus to be conducted (collectively, the Company Intellectual Property) free and clear of all liens or other similar encumbrances, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect or as set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus. Except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect or as set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, (i) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement or other violation by third parties of any Company Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (ii) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party challenging the Companys or its subsidiaries rights in or to any Company Intellectual Property, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is no reasonable basis for any such claim; (iii) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party against the Company challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any Company Intellectual Property owned by the Company or the Companys use of any Company Intellectual Property, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is no reasonable basis for any such claim; and (iv) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party that the Company or any subsidiary infringes or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property of any third party, and to the knowledge of the Company there is no reasonable basis for any such claim.
(ll) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and the money laundering statutes and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the Money Laundering Laws) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(mm) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (OFAC); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute
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or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(nn) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Companys directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), including Section 402 relating to loans and Sections 302 and 906 relating to certifications.
(oo) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the FCPA), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any foreign official (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company and its subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with the FCPA.
(pp) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price set forth in Schedule I hereto the principal amount of the Securities set forth opposite such Underwriters name in Schedule II hereto.
3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be made on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I hereto or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the Closing Date). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company. Delivery of the Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
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4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
5. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, other than as required by law, the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus) to the Base Prospectus unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object. The Company will cause the Final Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), (ii) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement or for any supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or, to the Companys knowledge, the threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or, to the Companys knowledge, the threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.
(b) To prepare a final term sheet, containing solely a description of final terms of the Securities and the offering thereof, or such other information necessary to cause the Disclosure Package not to contain a material misstatement or omission, in substantially the form attached as Schedule IV hereto and as approved by you and to file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such Rule.
(c) If, at any time prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
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(d) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, including in connection with use or delivery of the Final Prospectus, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event, (ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, (iii) use its reasonable efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable in order to avoid any disruption in use of the Final Prospectus and (iv) supply any supplemented Final Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
(e) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.
(f) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.
(g) The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.
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(h) The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Company that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and 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) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433, other than a free writing prospectus containing the information contained in the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(b) hereto; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule III hereto and any electronic road show. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.
(i) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company (other than the Securities) or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, until the Business Day set forth on Schedule I hereto.
(j) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(k) The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation of the Indenture, the issuance of the Securities and the fees of the Trustee; (ii) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (iii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably
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requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iv) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (v) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (vi) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act; (vii) if required, any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (viii) if required, any filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings); (ix) the reasonable transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (x) the fees and expenses of the Companys accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and (xii) fees and expenses of the Trustee (including counsel for the Trustee).
6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time and the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); the final term sheet contemplated by Section 5(b) hereto, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.
(b) The Company shall have requested and caused Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Company, and in-house counsel of the Company to furnish to the Representatives their opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, in substantially the forms of Exhibits A and B attached hereto. In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, the State of New York or the federal laws of the United States, to the extent they deem proper and specify such reliance in such opinions, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. References therein to the Final Prospectus shall also include any supplements thereto at the Closing Date.
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(c) The Representatives shall have received from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives 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.
(d) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by and in their capacity as such (x) the Chairman of the Board or the President and (y) the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have reviewed the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus and any supplements or amendments thereto, as well as each electronic road show used in connection with the offering of the Securities, and this Agreement and that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse effect, and no development involving a prospective change which would have a material adverse effect, on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(e) At the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, the Company shall have requested and caused Deloitte & Touche LLP to furnish to the Representatives letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in the form attached as Exhibit C hereto confirming that they are independent accountants within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder. References therein to the Final Prospectus shall also include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.
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(f) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), as the case may be, there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of supplement thereto).
(g) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Companys debt securities by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization (as such term is defined by the Commission in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.
(h) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.
The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, on the Closing Date.
7. Reimbursement of Underwriters Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC on demand for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.
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8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or in the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or any other preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Securities, the Final Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the information contained in the final term sheet required to be prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(b) hereto, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, and with respect to such prospectuses in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or omission made in written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth (i) in the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the Securities and, under the heading Underwriting, (ii) the list of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities, (iii) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances, (iv) the paragraph related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in any Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus and (v) the paragraph, under the heading Conflicts of interest, with respect to compliance with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. Rule 5121 constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
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(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise have knowledge of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to assume the defense of any such action and appoint counsel (including local counsel) of the indemnifying partys choice at the indemnifying partys expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel, other than local counsel if not appointed by the indemnifying party, retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying partys election to appoint counsel (including local counsel) to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding 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) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any loss, claim, damage, liability or action) (collectively Losses) to which the Company and one or more of the
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Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities; provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute 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 of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Final Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each officer and director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).
9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate principal amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule II hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the
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Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
10. Termination. (a) This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading in the Companys Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Global Market shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange; (ii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment of clearance services in the United States shall have occurred; (iii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sales or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by any Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
(b) If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except to the extent provided in Section 5(k) and Section 7 herein. Notwithstanding any such termination, the provisions of Section 8 and Section 11 shall remain in effect.
11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (fax: (212) 834-6081), Attention: High Grade Syndicate Desk 3rd Floor; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to (973) 753-6496 and confirmed to it at 22 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054, attention of the Legal Department.
13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
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14. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
15. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.
16. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
17. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arms-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Companys engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters have advised or are currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
19. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
20. Definitions. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.
Act shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Base Prospectus shall mean the base prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above contained in the Registration Statement at the Execution Time.
Business Day shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.
Commission shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Disclosure Package shall mean (i) the Base Prospectus, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus used most recently prior to the Execution Time, (iii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule III hereto, (iv) the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(b) hereto, if any, and (v) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.
Effective Date shall mean February 27, 2012 and each date and time prior to the termination of the distribution period for the Securities that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or become effective.
Exchange Act shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Execution Time shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.
Final Prospectus shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that was first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time, together with the Base Prospectus.
Free Writing Prospectus shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.
Preliminary Prospectus shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above which is used prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus, together with the Base Prospectus.
Registration Statement shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B, as amended on each Effective Date and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended.
Regulations S-X shall mean Regulation S-X under the Act.
Significant Subsidiary shall have the meaning specified in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
Rule 158, Rule 163, Rule 164, Rule 172, Rule 405, Rule 415, Rule 424, Rule 430B and Rule 433 refer to such rules under the Act.
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Trust Indenture Act shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Well-Known Seasoned Issuer shall mean a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours, | ||
WYNDHAM WORLDWIDE CORPORATION | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date specified in Schedule I hereto.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
By: | J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC | |
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By: | DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. | |
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By: | GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO. | |
| ||
(Goldman, Sachs & Co.) |
For themselves and the other several Underwriters, if any, named in Schedule II to the foregoing Agreement.
SCHEDULE I
Underwriting Agreement dated February 27, 2012
Registration Statement No. 333-179710
Representatives: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Title and Purchase Price of Securities:
Title: 2.950% Notes due 2017
4.250% Notes due 2022
Principal amount: $300,000,000 of the 2.950% Notes due 2017
$500,000,000 of the 4.250% Notes due 2022
Purchase price (include accrued interest or amortization, if any):
99.189% of the principal amount of the 2.950% Notes due 2017, plus accrued interest, if any, from March 7, 2012 to the Closing Date
99.157% of the principal amount of the 4.250% Notes due 2022, plus accrued interest, if any, from March 7, 2012 to the Closing Date
Closing Date, Time and Location: March 7, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017.
Type of Offering: Non-delayed
Date referred to in Section 5(i) after which the Company may offer or sell debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company without the consent of the Representatives: the first Business Day following the Closing Date
SCHEDULE II
Underwriters |
Principal Amount of 2017 Notes to be Purchased |
Principal Amount of 2022 Notes to be Purchased |
||||||
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
$ | 90,000,000 | $ | 150,000,000 | ||||
Goldman, Sachs & Co. |
| 110,000,000 | ||||||
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
75,000,000 | | ||||||
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
| 110,000,000 | ||||||
RBS Securities Inc. |
75,000,000 | 30,000,000 | ||||||
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. |
21,000,000 | 10,000,000 | ||||||
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. |
| 30,000,000 | ||||||
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
21,000,000 | 10,000,000 | ||||||
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
| 30,000,000 | ||||||
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. |
6,000,000 | 5,000,000 | ||||||
nabSecurities, LLC |
6,000,000 | 10,000,000 | ||||||
SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited |
6,000,000 | 5,000,000 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total |
$ | 300,000,000 | $ | 500,000,000 | ||||
|
|
|
|
SCHEDULE III
Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package
1) Term Sheet dated February 27, 2012 of the Company with respect to the Securities
SCHEDULE IV
WYNDHAM WORLDWIDE CORPORATION
Pricing Term Sheet
Filed pursuant to Rule 433 |
Relating to |
Prospectus Supplement dated February 27, 2012 to |
Prospectus dated February 27, 2012 |
Registration Statement No. 333- 179710 |
$300,000,000 2.950% Notes due 2017
$500,000,000 4.250% Notes due 2022
Issuer: | Wyndham Worldwide Corporation | |||
Trade Date: | February 27, 2012 | |||
Settlement Date: | March 7, 2012 (1) | |||
Title of Securities: | 2.950% Notes due 2017 | 4.250% Notes due 2022 | ||
Principal Amount: | $300,000,000 | $500,000,000 | ||
Maturity Date: | March 1, 2017 | March 1, 2022 | ||
Interest Rate: | 2.950% per annum | 4.250% per annum | ||
Price to Public: | 99.789% | 99.807% | ||
Gross Proceeds to Issuer:: | $299,367,000 | $499,035,000 | ||
Yield to Maturity: | 2.996% | 4.274% | ||
Spread to Benchmark Treasury: | T + 215 basis points | T + 235 basis points | ||
Benchmark Treasury: | 0.875% Notes due February 28, 2017 | 2.000% Notes due February 15, 2022 | ||
Benchmark Treasury Price / Yield: | 100-04+ / 0.846% | 100-22 / 1.924% | ||
Interest Payment Dates: | March 1 and September 1, commencing September 1, 2012 | March 1 and September 1, commencing September 1, 2012 | ||
Optional Redemption Provisions: | Prior to February 1, 2017, make-whole call at any time at a discount rate of Treasury plus 35 basis points; par call at any time on and after February 1, 2017 | Prior to December 1, 2021, make-whole call at any time at a discount rate of Treasury plus 35 basis points; par call at any time on and after December 1, 2021 | ||
CUSIP / ISIN: | 98310WAH1 / US98310WAH16 | 98310WAJ7 / US98310WAJ71 | ||
Joint Bookrunners: | 2017 Notes
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
2022 Notes
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | ||
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
RBS Securities Inc. |
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC | |||
Lead Managers: | 2017 Notes
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
2022 Notes
RBS Securities Inc. Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
Co-Managers: | 2017 Notes
nabSecurities, LLC SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited (3) SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. |
2022 Notes
nabSecurities, LLC Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited (3) SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. | ||
Use of Proceeds: | The issuer intends to use the net proceeds of this offering (i) to repurchase any and all of the $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 9.875% Notes due 2014 and a portion of the $800,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 6.000% Notes due 2016 and the $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 7.375% Notes due 2020 in a tender offer it is conducting simultaneously with this offering, (ii) to repay borrowings under its revolving credit facility and (iii) for general corporate purposes. (2) |
(1) | The issuer expects that delivery of the notes will be made against payment thereof on or about the settlement date specified in this communication, which will be the 7th business day following the date of pricing of the notes (this settlement cycle being referred to as T+7). Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes on the date of pricing or the next succeeding three business days will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+7, to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of notes who wish to trade notes on the date of pricing should consult their own advisor. |
(2) | The issuer would use approximately $500 million of the net proceeds of this offering to purchase all outstanding 9.875% Notes due 2014 and $250 million of the outstanding 6.000% Senior Notes due 2016 in the tender offer pursuant to the terms of the offer to purchase. The issuer intends to use the remaining net proceeds of this offering to repay borrowings under its revolving credit facility and for general corporate purposes. |
(3) | SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited is not a U.S. registered broker-dealer and, therefore, intends to participate in the offering outside of the United States and, to the extent that the offering is within the United States, as facilitated by an affiliated U.S. registered broker-dealer, SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. (SMBC Nikko-SI), as permitted under applicable law. To that end, SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited and SMBC Nikko-SI have entered into an agreement pursuant to which SMBC Nikko-SI provides certain advisory and/or other services with respect to this offering. In return for the provision of such services by SMBC Nikko-SI, SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited will pay to SMBC Nikko-SI a mutually agreed-fee. |
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the 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 J.P. Morgan Securities LLC collect at 1-212-834-4533, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. toll free at 1-800-503-4611 or Goldman, Sachs & Co. toll free at 1-866-471-2526.
EXHIBIT A
[Form of Kirkland & Ellis LLP Opinion]
1. The Company has been duly incorporated and is in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
2. The Company has the corporate power and corporate authority to execute and deliver each of the Transaction Documents and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby.
3. The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
4. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.
5. The execution and delivery by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents and the consummation by the Company of the issuance and sale of the Securities will not (i) conflict with the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, (ii) conflict with or result in the breach or violation of the terms of any Applicable Contract (as defined therein) or any of the Transaction Documents, or (iii) violate or conflict with, or result in any contravention of, any Applicable Law (as defined in such counsels opinion) or any Applicable Order (as defined in such counsels opinion). Such counsel does not express any opinion, however, as to whether the execution, delivery or performance of the Transaction Documents will constitute a violation of, or a default under, any covenant, restriction or provision with respect to financial ratios or tests or any aspect of the financial condition or results of operations of the Company or its subsidiaries.
6. No Governmental Approval, which has not been obtained or taken and is not in full force and effect, is required to authorize, or is required for, the execution or delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby.
7. The Securities have been duly authorized and executed by the Company, and when duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, the Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.
8. The statements in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the captions Description of Notes and Description of Debt Securities, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Indenture and the Securities, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects.
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9. The Company is not and, solely after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, will not be subject to registration and regulation as an investment company as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.
10. We hereby confirm that, subject to the qualifications and assumptions set forth therein, although the discussion set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the heading Material United States federal income tax considerations for non-United States holders does not purport to discuss all possible United States federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the Securities to non-U.S. holders of the Securities, such discussion constitutes, in all material respects, a fair and accurate summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the Securities under current U.S. federal income tax law to non-U.S. holders of the Securities.
11. The Registration Statement became effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462 of the Act; pursuant to Section 309 of the Trust Indenture Act, the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act; any required filing of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) have been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened by the Commission, and the Registration Statement, at the time of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement for purposes of Section 11 of the Act, as such section applies to the Underwriters, and the Final Prospectus (other than the financial statements, financial schedules and other financial and statistical information contained therein, the report of managements assessment of the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting or the auditors attestation report thereon, or the statements contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder.
Such counsel shall also state that nothing has come to their attention that causes them to believe that (i) on the Effective Date the Registration Statement contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) the Final Prospectus as of its date and on the Closing Date included or includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the financial statements and other financial information contained therein, the report of managements assessment of the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting or the auditors attestation report thereon, or the statements contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1, as to which such counsel need express no opinion); or (iii) the Disclosure Package, as amended or supplemented at the Execution Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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 (other than the financial statements, financial schedules and other financial information contained therein, the report of managements assessment of the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting or the auditors attestation report thereon, or the statements contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1, as to which such counsel need express no opinion).
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In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials that are furnished to the Underwriters.
The opinion of Kirkland & Ellis LLP described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
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EXHIBIT B
[Form of Company In-House Counsel Opinion]
1. The execution and delivery by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, will not (i) result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or (ii) constitute a violation of, or a breach or default under, the terms of any agreements or instruments of the Company (except, with respect to (ii) only, for such violations, breaches or defaults that are not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company). Such counsel does not express any opinion, however, as to whether the execution, delivery or performance by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement will constitute a violation of, or a default under, any covenant, restriction or provision with respect to financial ratios or tests or any aspect of the financial condition or results of operation of the Company.
2. To such counsels knowledge, there are no material legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company is a party or to which any property of the Company is subject that are of a type that are required to be disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus pursuant to Item 103 of Regulation S-K of the rules and regulations under the Securities Act and that were not so disclosed.
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EXHIBIT C
[Form of Deloitte & Touche LLP Comfort Letters]
February 27, 2012
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
As representatives of the several underwriters (the Underwriters) named in Schedule II to the Underwriting Agreement dated February 27, 2012 between Wyndham Worldwide Corporation and the Underwriters.
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, New York 10179
The Board of Directors
Wyndham Worldwide Corporation and Subsidiaries
22 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, NJ 07054
Dear Sirs:
We have audited the consolidated balance sheets of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, and the consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2011, and the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011. The Companys consolidated financial statements, and our report thereon (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph noting the Company has changed its method of presenting comprehensive income in 2011 due to the adoption of FASB Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05, Presentation of Comprehensive Income, discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements) and our report on the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting are included in the Companys annual report on Form 10-K (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2011, and incorporated by reference in the registration statement (No. 333-179710) on Form S-3 filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act) on February 27, 2012 and the preliminary prospectus supplement dated February 27, 2012 (herein collectively referred to as the Registration Statement).
In connection with the Registration Statement
1. | We are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB). |
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2. | In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements audited by us and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the related rules and regulations adopted by the SEC. |
3. | We have not audited any financial statements of the Company as of any date or for any period subsequent to December 31, 2011; although we have conducted an audit for the year ended December 31, 2011, the purpose (and therefore the scope) of the audit was to enable us to express our opinion on the consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2011, and for the year then ended, but not on the financial statements for any interim period within that year. Therefore, we are unable to and do not express any opinion on the financial position, results of operations, or cash flows as of any date or for any period subsequent to December 31, 2011. |
4. | For purposes of this letter, we have read the 2012 minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors, and Audit Committee of the Company as set forth in the minutes books through February 27, 2012, and discussed with Company officials summaries of actions of the meetings which occurred on February 6, 2012, February 16, 2012, and February 24, 2012 for which minutes have not yet been prepared, officials of the Company having advised us that the minutes or summaries of all such meetings through that date were set forth therein; we have carried out other procedures through February 27, 2012 as follows: |
(a) | With respect to the period from January 1, 2012, to January 31, 2012, we have: |
(i) | Read the unaudited consolidated balance sheet and related unaudited consolidated statement of income of the Company. The unaudited consolidated financial information omits the statements of comprehensive income, stockholders equity, cash flows and other disclosures, officials of the Company having advised us that no such consolidated financial information as of any date or for any period subsequent to January 31, 2012, were available. |
(ii) | Inquired of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters whether the unaudited consolidated financial information referred to in 4a(i) are stated on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. |
The foregoing procedures do not constitute an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Also, they would not necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect to the comments in the following paragraph. Accordingly, we make no representations regarding the sufficiency of the foregoing procedures for your purposes.
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5. | Nothing came to our attention as a result of the foregoing procedures, however, that caused us to believe that: |
(i) | At January 31, 2012, there was any change to authorized common stock, increase in long-term debt or any decreases in consolidated net current assets or stockholders equity of the Company as compared with amounts shown in the December 31, 2011 consolidated balance sheet incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement except that the unaudited consolidated financial information as of January 31, 2012 which we were furnished by the Company, showed an increase in long-term debt of $19,411,225 and a decrease in stockholders equity of $1,110,828. |
(ii) | For the period from January 1, 2012 to January 31, 2012, there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the preceding year, in consolidated net revenues or in the total or per-share amounts of net income. |
6. | As mentioned in 4(a)(i), Company officials have advised us that no consolidated financial information as of any date or for any period subsequent to January 31, 2012, are available; accordingly, the procedures carried out by us with respect to changes in financial information items after January 31, 2012, have, of necessity, been even more limited than those with respect to the periods referred to in 4. We have inquired of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters whether (a) at February 27, 2012, there was any change to authorized common stock, increase in long-term debt, or any decreases in consolidated net current assets or stockholders equity of the Company as compared with amounts shown in the December 31, 2011 audited consolidated balance sheet incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or (b) for the period from January 1, 2012 to February 27, 2012, there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the preceding year, in consolidated net revenues or in the total or per-share amounts of net income. On the basis of these inquiries and our reading of the minutes as described in 4, nothing came to our attention that caused us to believe that there was any such change, increase, or decrease, except in all instances for changes, increases, or decreases that the registration statement discloses have occurred or may occur and except as described in 5(i) and in the following sentence. We have been informed by officials of the Company that there is insufficient information to determine whether or not there is an increase in long term debt or a decrease in stockholders equity at February 27, 2012. |
7. | Our audit of the consolidated financial statements for the periods referred to in the introductory paragraph of this letter comprised audit tests and procedures deemed necessary for the purposes of expressing an opinion on such consolidated financial statements taken as a whole. For none of the periods referred to therein, or any other period, did we perform audit tests for the purposes of expressing an opinion on individual balances of accounts or summaries of selected transactions such as those enumerated above and, accordingly, we express no opinion thereon. Had we performed additional |
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procedures, other matters might have come to our attention that would have been reported to you. Additionally, we make no comment as to the reasons for the increases or decreases in amounts included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. |
8. | However, for the purpose of this letter, we have also read items identified by you on the attached copy of the Registration Statement, the Definitive Proxy Statement filed by the Company with the SEC on April 1, 2011, and the Companys Form 10-K, filed by the Company with the SEC on February 17, 2012, and have performed the following procedures, which were applied as indicated with respect to the symbols explained below: |
A. | Compared the amount with the corresponding amount appearing in the audited consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and found such amounts to be in agreement. |
B. | Proved the arithmetic accuracy of the dollar amount or percentage using corresponding information from the audited consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. |
C. | Compared the dollar amount or percentage to worksheets prepared by the Company and found them to be in agreement. Compared amounts on such worksheets to accounting records of the Company and found them to be in agreement. Proved the arithmetic accuracy of the computations on such worksheets. Proved the arithmetic accuracy of percentages using information from the worksheets. |
D. | Compared to a schedule prepared by the Company that calculates the ratio of earnings to fixed charges by dividing the sum of income/(loss) before income taxes and cumulative effect of accounting change plus fixed charges (defined by the Company to include interest expense on all indebtedness including costs related to the early extinguishment of debt and the amortization of deferred financing costs, capitalized interest and the portion of operating lease rental expense that the Company has determined is representative of the interest factor) and the amortization of capitalized interest less income/(loss) from equity investees and capitalized interest, by fixed charges (as previously defined above). We compared the amount for income/(loss) before income taxes and cumulative effect of accounting change, the amortization of capitalized interest, income/(loss) from equity investees, interest and capitalized interest to the corresponding amounts included in the Companys accounting records and found such amounts to be in agreement. We did not agree the interest portion of rental payments to the Companys accounting records and make no comment as to whether the interest portion of rental payments (as defined by the Company) represents an appropriate or representative portion of rental expense attributable to interest. We make no representation as to the methodology and related terms used to compute the ratio of earnings to fixed charges to conform to SEC Regulation S-K Item 503(d). |
E. | Compared amounts to worksheets prepared by the Company and found them to be in agreement. Compared amounts on such worksheets to accounting records of the Company and found them to be in agreement. Proved the arithmetic accuracy of the computations on such worksheets. |
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F. | Compared to a schedule prepared by the Company that calculates the net interest income margin (defined by the Company as consumer financing revenues less consumer financing interest divided by consumer financing revenues). Compared the amount for consumer financing revenues and consumer financing interest to the corresponding amounts from the audited consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. Proved the arithmetic accuracy of percentages using such information from the audited consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. |
With respect to the above procedures:
a. | We make no representations with respect to the reasonableness or completeness of reporting changes in results of operations or financial position, as discussed in various sections of the Registration Statement and the Companys Form 10-K. |
b. | We make no representation with respect to the reasonableness or completeness of the causes listed for fluctuations of dollar amounts, ratios or percentages. |
c. | It should be understood that (1) we make no representations regarding the Companys determination and presentation of the non-GAAP measure of EBITDA, (2) the non-GAAP measure presented may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies and (3) we make no comment as to whether the non-GAAP measure complies with the requirements of Item 10 of Regulation S-K. |
9. | It should be understood that we make no representations regarding questions of legal interpretations or regarding the sufficiency for your purposes of the procedures enumerated in the preceding paragraphs; also, such procedures would not necessarily reveal any material misstatement of the amounts or percentages referred to above. Further, we have addressed ourselves solely to the foregoing data as set forth in the Registration Statement or incorporated by reference therein and make no representation regarding the adequacy of disclosure or regarding whether any material facts have been omitted. |
10. | This letter is solely for the information of the addressees and to assist the underwriters in conducting and documenting their investigation of the affairs of the Company in connection with the offering of the securities covered by the Registration Statement, and it is not to be used, circulated, quoted, or otherwise referred to within or without the underwriting group for any purpose, including but not limited to the registration, purchase, or sale of securities, nor is it to be filed with or referred to in whole or in part in the Registration Statement or any other document, except that reference may be made to it in the underwriting agreement or in any list of closing documents pertaining to the offering of the securities covered by the Registration Statement. |
Yours truly,
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