UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instructions A.2. below):
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: |
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
ITEM 8.01. Other Events.
On August 11, 2021, Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (the “Company”) and its operating partnership, Easterly Government Properties LP (the “Operating Partnership”), entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with RBC Capital Markets, LLC and BMO Capital Markets Corp. (together, the “Underwriters”), RBC Capital Markets, LLC and BMO Capital Markets Corp., in their capacities as agent for one of their affiliates (together, in such capacities, the “Forward Sellers”), and Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal (together, in such capacities, the “Forward Purchasers”), relating to the offer and sale (the “Offering”) of an aggregate of up to 7,245,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), including up to 945,000 shares of Common Stock that may be sold to the Underwriters pursuant to their exercise of an option to purchase additional shares, by the Forward Sellers in connection with certain forward sale agreements described below. The Company will not initially receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock by the Forward Sellers.
The shares of Common Stock were offered by the Underwriters to purchasers directly or through agents, or through brokers in brokerage transactions on the New York Stock Exchange, or to dealers in negotiated transactions or in a combination of such methods of sale, at a fixed price or prices or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
In connection with the Offering, on August 11, 2021, the Company also entered into separate forward sale agreements (the “Forward Sale Agreements”) with each of the Forward Purchasers. In connection with the execution of the Forward Sale Agreements and at the Company’s request, the Forward Sellers borrowed from third parties and sold to the Underwriters an aggregate of 6,300,000 shares of Common Stock (subject to increase if the Underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares). The Company expects to physically settle the Forward Sale Agreements and receive proceeds, subject to certain adjustments, from the sale of those shares of Common Stock upon one or more such physical settlements within approximately one year. Although the Company expects to settle the Forward Sale Agreements entirely by the physical delivery of shares of Common Stock for cash proceeds, the Company may also elect to cash or net-share settle all or a portion of its obligations under the Forward Sale Agreements, in which case, the Company may receive, or may owe, cash or shares of Common Stock from or to the Forward Purchasers. The Forward Sale Agreements provide for an initial forward price of $21.64 per share, subject to certain adjustments pursuant to the terms of each of the Forward Sale Agreements. The Forward Sale Agreements are subject to early termination or settlement under certain circumstances.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds it receives from the Offering for general corporate purposes, which may include acquisition, development, redevelopment or improvement of properties, full or partial repayment of debt, capital expenditures, working capital, and other general corporate or business purposes.
The shares were offered and sold pursuant to the Company’s effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-253480), which became effective upon filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 2021, and a prospectus supplement dated August 11, 2021.
The closing of the Offering occurred on August 16, 2021. The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement and the Forward Sale Agreements does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the exhibits filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K. In connection with the filing of the Prospectus Supplement, the Company is also filing the opinion of its counsel, Goodwin Procter LLP, as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits:
Exhibit |
Description |
1.1 |
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1.2 |
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1.3 |
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5.1 |
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23.1 |
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104 |
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL with applicable taxonomy extension information contained in Exhibits 101.) |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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EASTERLY GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES, INC. |
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By: |
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/s/ William C. Trimble, III |
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Name: |
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William C. Trimble, III |
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Title: |
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Chief Executive Officer and President |
Date: August 16, 2021
Exhibit 1.1
Easterly Government Properties, Inc.
6,300,000 Shares
Common Stock
($0.01 par value)
Underwriting Agreement
New York, New York
August 11, 2021
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor
3 World Financial Center
New York, NY 10281
BMO Capital Markets Corp.
3 Times Square, 25th Floor
New York, New York 10036
Easterly Government Properties, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Maryland (the “Issuer”), Easterly Government Properties LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”), and, in their capacity as forward sellers, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, in its capacity as agent for one of its affiliates (“RBC”), and BMO Capital Markets Corp., in its capacity as agent for one of its affiliates (“BMO” and, together with RBC, in such capacities, the “Forward Sellers”), at the request of the Issuer in connection with the Forward Sales Agreements (as defined below), confirm their respective agreements with the several underwriters named in Schedule II-A hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives on the terms set forth herein, with respect to (i) subject to Section 20 hereof, the sale by the Forward Sellers and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of an aggregate of 6,300,000 shares of common stock of the Issuer, $0.01 par value (such common stock, the “Common Stock”, and such shares of Common Stock, the “Borrowed Initial Securities”) and (ii) subject to Section 20 hereof, the grant by the Forward Sellers to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of an option to purchase up to an additional 945,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Borrowed Option Securities”).
The Borrowed Initial Securities and any Issuer Top-Up Initial Securities (as defined in Section 20 hereof) are herein referred to collectively as the “Initial Securities.” The Borrowed Option Securities and any Issuer Top-Up Option Securities (as defined in Section 20 hereof) are herein referred to collectively as the “Option Securities.” The Issuer Top-Up Initial Securities and the Issuer Top-Up Option Securities are herein referred to collectively as the “Issuer Securities.” The Borrowed Initial Securities and the Borrowed Option Securities are herein referred to collectively as the “Borrowed Securities.” The Initial Securities and the Option Securities are herein referred to collectively as the “Securities.” As used herein, (i) “Initial Forward Sales
Agreements” means the letter agreement, dated the date hereof, between the Issuer and RBC, and the letter agreement, dated the date hereof, between the Issuer and BMO, relating to the forward sale by the Issuer of an aggregate number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Borrowed Initial Securities sold by the Forward Sellers to the Underwriters pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement, subject to the Issuer’s right to elect Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement (as such terms are defined in the Initial Forward Sales Agreements), (ii) “Option Forward Sales Agreements” means the letter agreement between the Issuer and RBC, and the letter agreement between the Issuer and BMO, relating to the forward sale by the Issuer of an aggregate number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Borrowed Option Securities sold by the Forward Sellers to the Underwriters pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement, subject to the Issuer’s right to elect Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement (as such terms are defined in the Option Forward Sales Agreements) and (iii) “Forward Sales Agreements” means, collectively, the Initial Forward Sales Agreements and the Option Forward Sales Agreements. The term “Forward Counterparties” as used herein shall mean Royal Bank of Canada, together with Bank of Montreal, and shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires.
The Issuer understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities on the terms set forth herein as soon as the Underwriters deem advisable after this Underwriting Agreement (as defined below) has been executed and delivered. To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule II-A 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 the neuter in this Underwriting Agreement shall include the feminine and masculine wherever appropriate. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or 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 Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) on or before each date and time when the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or becomes effective (the “Effective Date”) 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.
The Issuer has filed with the SEC an automatic shelf registration statement (File No. 333-253480), as defined in Rule 405. Such registration statement, at the time it became effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the related prospectus for registration under the Securities Act of the offering and sale of the Securities is hereinafter referred to as the “Base Prospectus.”
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1.Representations and Warranties. The Issuer and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to and agree with each Underwriter, each Forward Seller and each Forward Counterparty as set forth below:
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(a) |
The Issuer meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and has prepared and filed with the SEC the Registration Statement on Form S-3, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, as amended on each Effective Date and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the Closing Date (as defined herein), shall also mean such registration statement as so amended, including the Base Prospectus. The Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the date and time that this Underwriting Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto (the “Execution Time”), became effective upon filing. The Issuer may have filed with the SEC, as part of an amendment to the Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 424(b), one or more preliminary prospectus supplements to the Base Prospectus relating to the Securities which is used prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus, together with the Base Prospectus (the “Preliminary Prospectus”), each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Issuer will file with the SEC a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities in accordance with Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time, together with the Base Prospectus (the “Final Prospectus”). As filed, such Final Prospectus shall contain, in all material respects, all information required by the Securities Act, 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 Issuer 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; |
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(b) |
On each Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and on the Closing Date and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Final Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act; on each Effective Date, at the Execution Time and on the Closing Date, 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; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement 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 |
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statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Issuer and the Operating Partnership make no representations or warranties as to 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 information furnished in writing to the Issuer by or on behalf of any Forward Seller, any Forward Counterparty or 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 Forward Seller, any Forward Counterparty or any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(b) hereof; |
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(c) |
(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 Securities 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), (iii) at the time the Issuer or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the Securities Act) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption in Rule 163, and (iv) at the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (iv)), the Issuer was or is (as the case may be) a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. The Issuer agrees to pay the fees required by the SEC relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) of the Securities Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act; |
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(d) |
The “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, as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (the “Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses”), if any, identified in Schedule III hereto, and (iv) any other free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (“Free Writing Prospectus”), that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package. The (i) Disclosure Package and (ii) each electronic road show distributed by or on behalf of the Issuer, 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 Issuer by or on behalf of any Forward Seller, any Forward Counterparty or any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf any Forward Seller, any Forward Counterparty or of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(b) hereof; |
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(e) |
(i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Issuer or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) 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 Issuer was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), without taking account of any determination by the SEC pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Issuer be considered an Ineligible Issuer; |
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(f) |
Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus that has not been superseded or modified, and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, each as supplemented by and taken together with the Disclosure Package, as of the Execution Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. 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 Issuer by or on behalf of any Forward Seller, any Forward Counterparty or 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 Forward Seller, any Forward Counterparty or any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(b) hereof; |
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(g) |
The interactive data in the eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“XBRL”) included as an exhibit to the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the SEC’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto; |
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(h) |
The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act, and the Issuer is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. |
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(i) |
(i) The Issuer has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, (ii) the Operating Partnership has been duly formed and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, (iii) each of the other subsidiaries of the Issuer listed on Annex A hereto (the “Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized, (iv) each of the Issuer, the Operating Partnership and the Significant Subsidiaries has full power and authority (corporate or other) 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 (v) each of the Issuer, the Operating Partnership and the Significant Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or |
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organization and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except in the cases of clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), where the failure to be so incorporated or organized or so validly existing and in good standing, to have such power or authority or to be so qualified or in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or business prospects of the Issuer and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”); |
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(j) |
All outstanding partnership interests of the Operating Partnership owned by the Issuer are free and clear of any perfected security interest or any other security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances; |
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(k) |
All outstanding shares of capital stock, partnership interests or membership units of the Operating Partnership’s subsidiaries are owned by the Operating Partnership either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries and, except as otherwise set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, free and clear of any perfected security interest or any other security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances; |
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(l) |
The Securities and all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Issuer have been duly authorized; the authorized equity capitalization of the Issuer is as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Issuer are, and, when the Securities have been delivered and paid for in accordance with this Underwriting Agreement on the Closing Date and any settlement date, such Securities will have been, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform, in all material respects, to the information in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and to the description of such Securities contained therein; the stockholders of the Issuer have no preemptive rights with respect to the Securities; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Issuer have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder; and the form of certificate used to represent the Common Stock, if any, complies in all material respects with all applicable statutory requirements and with any applicable requirements of the articles of amendment and restatement of the Issuer, as amended and/or restated, the bylaws of the Issuer, as amended and/or restated, and with any requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”). Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no outstanding (A) securities or obligations of the Issuer convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock of the Issuer, (B) warrants, rights or options to subscribe for or purchase from the Issuer any such capital stock or any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations or (C) obligations of the Issuer to issue or sell any shares of capital stock, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations, or any such warrants, rights or options; |
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(m) |
The shares of Common Stock issuable upon settlement of the Forward Sales Agreements, including as a result of an Early Valuation (as defined in the Forward |
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Sales Agreements), have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon settlement of the Forward Sales Agreements, and when issued and delivered by the Issuer to the Forward Counterparties pursuant thereto, against payment of any consideration required to be paid by the Forward Counterparties pursuant to the terms of the Forward Sales Agreements, such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform, in all material respects, to the information in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and to the description of such Securities contained therein; |
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(n) |
There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, which is not described or filed as required (and the Preliminary Prospectus contains in all material respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Final Prospectus); and the statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Description of Common Stock of Easterly Government Properties, Inc.,” “Material Provisions of Maryland Law and Our Charter and Bylaws,” and “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings, in all material respects; |
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(o) |
This Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Issuer and the Operating Partnership; |
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(p) |
The Forward Sales Agreements have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Issuer and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Forward Counterparties, constitute valid and binding agreements of the Issuer, enforceable against the Issuer in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity, and except to the extent that any indemnification provisions thereof may be limited by public policy considerations in respect thereof; |
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(q) |
None of the Issuer or its subsidiaries is, nor, 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 any of them be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; |
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(r) |
None of the Issuer or its subsidiaries is, nor, 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 any of them be, required to register as an “investment adviser,” as defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended; |
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(s) |
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, except (i) such as have been obtained or made under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, (ii) such as may be required under the NYSE and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), (iii) such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, or (iv) such consents, approvals, authorizations, filings or orders that will be obtained or completed on or prior to the Closing Date or the absence of which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or delay, prohibit or prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein; |
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(t) |
None of the issue and sale of the Securities, the execution, delivery and performance of the Forward Sales Agreements by the Issuer or the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries, including the Operating Partnership, pursuant to, (i) the organizational documents of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Issuer 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 applicable to the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) only, for such conflicts, breaches, violations, liens, charges or encumbrances that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Underwriting Agreement, the Forward Sales Agreements or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; |
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(u) |
Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus or as set forth in agreements granting holders of common units representing limited partnership interests in the Operating Partnership (“OP Units”) registration rights with respect to the shares of Common Stock that may be issued in exchange for such OP Units (which do not provide for rights or inclusion of any shares in connection with this offering), no holders of securities of the Issuer or the Operating Partnership have rights to the registration or other similar rights of such securities under the Registration Statement; |
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(v) |
The consolidated financial statements and schedules of the Issuer and its consolidated subsidiaries incorporated by reference in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and the Registration Statement, together with the related notes, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition, results of operations |
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and cash flows of the Issuer as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply, in all material respects, as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared, in all material respects, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). The selected financial data incorporated by reference in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and Registration Statement fairly present, in all material respects, on the basis stated in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and the Registration Statement, the information included or incorporated by reference therein; |
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(w) |
Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Issuer or the Operating Partnership, threatened that (i) would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Underwriting Agreement, the Forward Sales Agreements or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; |
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(x) |
(i) Each of the Issuer or its subsidiaries has good and marketable title (fee or leasehold) to all of the real properties described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as owned by them and the improvements located thereon (individually, a “Property” and collectively, the “Properties”) and any other real property owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, claims, security interests, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind, except for such mortgages, pledges, liens, claims, security interests, restrictions or encumbrances as (x) are described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus or (y) are Permitted Encumbrances (as defined below); (ii) all liens, charges, encumbrances, claims or restrictions on or affecting any of the Properties or assets of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries that are required to be disclosed in the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus are disclosed therein; (iii) each of the Properties complies with all applicable codes, laws and regulations (including, without limitation, building and zoning codes, laws and regulations and laws relating to access to the Properties), other than non-compliance that would not render a material portion of such Property unusable for its current or intended purpose; (iv) the Issuer has not received written notice of any and, to the Issuer’s knowledge, there are no pending or threatened, condemnation proceedings, zoning change or other proceeding or action that will in any material manner affect the size of, use of, improvements on, construction on or access to the Properties; (v) the mortgages and deeds of trust that encumber the Properties are not convertible into equity securities of the entity owning such Property and said mortgages and deeds of trust are not cross-defaulted or cross-collateralized with any property other than other Properties; and (vi) neither the Issuer nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Issuer, any tenant of any of the Properties, is in default under (x) any tenant lease (as lessor or lessee, as |
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the case may be) relating to any of the Properties or (y) any of the mortgages or other security documents or other agreements encumbering or otherwise recorded against the Properties, whether with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default under any of such documents or agreements, where such default (in any of the above) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. “Permitted Encumbrances” shall mean each of the following: (i) mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairers’, materialmen’s, warehousemen’s and other similar liens and encumbrances for construction in progress or which have otherwise arisen in the ordinary course of business; (ii) liens for taxes not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith and for which there are adequate reserves on the financial statements of the owner of the applicable Property; (iii) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected Property or interfere with the ordinary course business of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries; and (iv) liens arising under conditional sales contracts and equipment leases with third parties entered into in the ordinary course of business; |
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(y) |
Neither the Issuer nor any subsidiary is in violation of or default under (i) any provision of its organizational documents, except in the case of subsidiaries of the Issuer that are not significant subsidiaries of the Issuer as defined by Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X for such violations or defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant 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 of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Issuer or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) only, for such violations or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Underwriting Agreement, the Forward Sales Agreements or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; |
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(z) |
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Issuer and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the Issuer within the meaning of the Securities Act; |
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(aa) |
There are no unpaid transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Underwriting Agreement or the issuance by the Issuer or sale by the Issuer of the Securities; |
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(bb) |
Each of the Issuer and its subsidiaries has timely filed all U.S. federal income and other material federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns required to be filed by applicable law or has requested extensions thereof, and all such tax returns were in all material respects true, correct and complete. No audit, administrative proceedings or court proceedings are presently pending with regard to any material potential federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax of any nature, and the Issuer has no knowledge of any tax deficiencies which could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Issuer and its subsidiaries has paid (within the time and in the manner prescribed by law) all taxes of any nature which are due (whether or not shown on any tax returns), in each case except for those not yet delinquent and those being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted for which the Issuer and/or each of the subsidiaries has established on its books and records adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP, or those that would not have a Material Adverse Effect; |
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(cc) |
Commencing with its taxable year ending December 31, 2015, the Issuer has been organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the Issuer’s method of operation as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus enables it to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. All statements regarding the Issuer’s qualification and taxation as a REIT and descriptions of the Issuer’s organization and proposed method of operation (to the extent they relate to the availability of the Issuer’s qualification and taxation as a REIT) set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus are true, complete and correct in all material respects; |
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(dd) |
The Operating Partnership has been properly classified as a partnership or disregarded entity, and not as a corporation or as a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation, for federal income tax purposes throughout the period from its formation through the date hereof; and each of the subsidiaries of the Operating Partnership that is a partnership or a limited liability company (other than an entity for which a taxable REIT subsidiary election has been made) has been properly classified either as a disregarded entity or as a partnership, and not as a corporation or as a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation, for federal income tax purposes; |
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(ee) |
No labor dispute with the employees of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Issuer, is threatened or imminent, and the Issuer is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or tenants except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; |
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(ff) |
The Issuer and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or |
11
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confidential information, systems or procedures) used in the operation of the business as now operated, except where the failure to so own or possess such rights would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Issuer and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with the asserted rights of others in connection with its patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and know-how; |
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(gg) |
Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, neither the Issuer nor the Operating Partnership (i) has any material lending or other relationship with any Underwriter or, to its knowledge, any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter, and (ii) intends to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any Underwriter or, to its knowledge, any affiliate of any Underwriter; |
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(hh) |
The Issuer and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, 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, if any, insuring the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, Properties, employees, officers and directors are, to the knowledge of the Issuer, in full force and effect; the Issuer and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no claims by the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Issuer nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Issuer nor any such subsidiary 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 reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; |
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(ii) |
The Issuer and its subsidiaries own or have a valid right to access and use all material computer systems, networks, hardware, software, databases, websites, and equipment used to process, store, maintain and operate data, information, and functions used in connection with the business of the Issuer and its subsidiaries (the “Issuer IT Systems”). The Issuer IT Systems (i) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with, the operation of the business of the Issuer and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, and (ii) are, to the Issuer’s knowledge, free of any viruses, “back doors,” “Trojan horses,” “time bombs,” “worms,” “drop dead devices” or other software or hardware components that are designed to interrupt use of, permit unauthorized access to, or disable, damage or erase, any software material to the business of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries, except in the case of (i) and (ii) as has been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Issuer and its subsidiaries have implemented commercially reasonable |
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backup, security and disaster recovery technology consistent in all material respects with applicable regulatory standards and customary industry practices. To the knowledge of the Issuer, no third party has breached or compromised the integrity or security of the Issuer IT Systems in a manner which would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Issuer makes no representation in this Section 2(ii) regarding the computer systems, networks, hardware, software, databases, websites, and equipment used by the Issuer’s third party operators and managers; |
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(jj) |
No subsidiary of the Issuer is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Issuer, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Issuer any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Issuer or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Issuer or any other subsidiary of the Issuer, except, in each case, as described in or contemplated by the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; |
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(kk) |
The Issuer and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by all applicable federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to possess such license, certificate, permit or other authorization would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the applicable Property, and neither the Issuer nor any such subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would be expected to have a material adverse effect on the applicable Property; |
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(ll) |
The Issuer and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Issuer and its subsidiaries’ internal controls over financial reporting are effective and the Issuer and its subsidiaries are not aware of any material weakness in their internal controls over financial reporting; |
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(mm) |
The Issuer and its subsidiaries have taken all necessary actions to ensure that, within the time period required, the Issuer and its subsidiaries will maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective; |
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(nn) |
None of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or |
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manipulation of the price of any security of the Issuer to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities; |
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(oo) |
The Issuer and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local 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”), other than non-compliance that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to own the Properties and to conduct their respective businesses, other than non-compliance that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under any Environmental Law from any federal, state or local governmental authority. Neither the Issuer nor any of the subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended. Costs and liabilities currently expected to be undertaken by the Issuer in response to Environmental Laws would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; |
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(pp) |
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 the United States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“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 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 Issuer or any of its subsidiaries; 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 Issuer or any of its subsidiaries. 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 Issuer and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such contributions made in the most recently completed fiscal year of the Issuer 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 Issuer and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such obligations in the most recently completed fiscal year of the Issuer and its subsidiaries; (iii) any event or condition giving rise to a liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the Plan; or (iv) the filing of a claim by one or more employees or former employees of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries related to their employment. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “Plan” means a plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) subject to Title |
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IV of ERISA with respect to which the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries may have any liability; |
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(qq) |
As of the date hereof, the Issuer and its subsidiaries are in compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and rules and regulations promulgated thereunder that are applicable to them or are implementing the provisions thereof that are in effect and with which the Issuer and its subsidiaries are required to comply; |
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(rr) |
None of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Issuer, any director, officer, agent acting on behalf of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries, employee or affiliate of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action in connection with the Issuer’s business, directly or indirectly, that could result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction; and none of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Issuer, any director, officer, agent acting on behalf of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries, employee or affiliate of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action in connection with the Issuer’s business, directly or indirectly, that could result in a sanction for violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction; and prohibition of noncompliance therewith is covered by the codes of conduct or other procedures instituted and maintained by the Issuer and its subsidiaries; |
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(ss) |
The operations of the Issuer 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 Issuer or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Issuer and the Operating Partnership, threatened; |
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(tt) |
None of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Issuer, any director, officer, agent acting on behalf of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries, employee or affiliate of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries (i) is currently subject to any sanctions administered or imposed by the United States (including any administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department, the U.S. Department of State, or the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, or the United Kingdom (including sanctions administered or controlled by Her Majesty’s Treasury) (collectively, “Sanctions” and such persons, “Sanctioned Persons”) or (ii) will, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of this offering or of the settlement of the Forward Sales Agreements, as |
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the case may be, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person in any manner that will result in a violation of any economic Sanctions by, or could result in the imposition of Sanctions against, any person (including any person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise); |
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(uu) |
None of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Issuer, any director, officer, agent acting on behalf of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries, employee or affiliate of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries, is a person that is, or is 50% or more owned or otherwise controlled by a person that is: (i) the subject of any Sanctions; or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (currently, the Crimea region, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria) (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries” and each, a “Sanctioned Country”); |
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(vv) |
None of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries has engaged in any dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country, in the preceding three years, nor does the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries have any plans to increase its dealings or transactions with Sanctioned Persons, or with or in Sanctioned Countries; |
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(ww) |
Exhibit 21.1 to the Issuer’s most recently filed annual report on Form 10-K includes the significant subsidiaries of the Issuer as defined by Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X as of the date of the Issuer’s most recently filed annual report on Form 10-K; |
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(xx) |
Neither the Issuer nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of its or their properties or assets has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution or otherwise) under the laws of the States of Maryland, Delaware or New York or under the laws of their jurisdictions of formation or incorporation; |
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(yy) |
As of the date hereof, neither the Issuer nor the Operating Partnership has outstanding any debt securities rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act); and |
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(zz) |
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Issuer or the Operating Partnership and delivered to the Representatives, counsel for the Forward Sellers and the Forward Counterparties or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Issuer or the Operating Partnership, respectively, as to matters covered thereby, to each Forward Seller, each Forward Counterparty and each Underwriter. |
2.Each of the Forward Sellers and each of the Forward Counterparties, severally and not jointly, hereby represents, warrants and agrees with, the Issuer, the Operating Partnership and each Underwriter that, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date or any settlement date for the Borrowed Option Securities, as applicable:
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(a) |
this Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Forward Sellers and each of the Forward Counterparties and, at the Closing Date or any settlement date for the Borrowed Option Securities, as applicable, each of Forward Sellers and each of the Forward Counterparties will have full right, power and authority to sell, transfer and deliver the number of Borrowed Initial Securities or Borrowed Option Securities, as applicable, to the extent that it is required to sell, transfer and deliver such Borrowed Initial Securities or Borrowed Option Securities hereunder; |
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(b) |
each Forward Sales Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the applicable Forward Counterparty and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Forward Counterparty, enforceable against the Forward Counterparty in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles; and |
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(c) |
each of the Forward Sellers will at the Closing Date or any settlement date for the Borrowed Option Securities, as applicable, have the free and unqualified right to transfer the number of Borrowed Initial Securities or Borrowed Option Securities, as applicable, that it is required to deliver to the extent that it is required to transfer such Borrowed Initial Securities or Borrowed Option Securities hereunder, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, charge, lien, encumbrance, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party; and upon delivery of such Borrowed Initial Securities or Borrowed Option Securities and payment of the purchase price therefor, as herein contemplated, assuming each of the Underwriters has no notice of any adverse claim, each of the Underwriters will have the free and unqualified right to transfer any such Borrowed Initial Securities or Borrowed Option Securities purchased by it from a Forward Seller, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party. |
3.Purchase and Sale.
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purchases of fractional shares, in each case, at the purchase price set forth in Schedule I hereto. |
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(b) |
Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties set forth herein, each of the Forward Sellers (with respect to the number of Borrowed Option Securities set forth on Schedule II-B hereto) and the Issuer (with respect to any Issuer Top-Up Option Securities) hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to the number of Option Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule II-A hereto under the heading “Number of Option Securities To Be Purchased” at the same purchase price per share as the Underwriters shall pay for the Initial Securities, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Issuer and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. Said option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 30th day after the date of the Final Prospectus upon written notice by the Representatives to the Forward Sellers and the Issuer setting forth the aggregate number of shares of the Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date. The number of Option Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total number of shares of the Option Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Initial Securities, subject to such adjustments as you in your absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional shares. |
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(c) |
If (i) any of the conditions to effectiveness of either of the Initial Forward Sales Agreements set forth therein have not been satisfied at the Closing Date; (ii) the Issuer has not performed all of the obligations required to be performed by it under this Underwriting Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date; or (iii) any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof have not been satisfied on or prior to the Closing Date; (clauses (i) through (iii), together, the “Conditions”), each Forward Counterparty, in its sole discretion, may elect not to borrow, and may cause the applicable Forward Seller not to deliver for sale to the Underwriters the Borrowed Initial Securities deliverable by the applicable Forward Seller hereunder. |
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(d) |
If (i) any of the conditions to effectiveness of either of the Option Forward Sales Agreements set forth therein have not been satisfied at the settlement date for the Borrowed Option Securities; (ii) the Issuer has not performed all of the obligations required to be performed by it under this Underwriting Agreement on or prior to the settlement date for the Option Securities; or (iii) any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof have not been satisfied on or prior to the settlement date for the Option Securities; (clauses (i) through (iii), together, the “Option Conditions”), each Forward Counterparty, in its sole discretion, may elect not to borrow, and may cause the applicable Forward Seller not to deliver for sale to the Underwriters the Borrowed Option Securities deliverable by the applicable Forward Seller hereunder. |
4.Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities (if the option provided for in Section 3(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the second Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date) shall be made at
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10:00 AM, Eastern Daylight Time, on August 16, 2021, 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 among the Representatives, the Issuer and the Forward Sellers (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). For purposes herein, “Business Day” shall have the meaning of 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, New York. 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 respective aggregate purchase prices of the Securities being sold by the Issuer (with respect to the Issuer Securities, including the Issuer Top-Up Option Securities, if exercised) or the Forward Sellers (with respect to the Borrowed Securities, including the Borrowed Option Securities, if exercised), as the case may be, to or upon the order of the Issuer (with respect to the Issuer Securities, including the Issuer Top-Up Option Securities, if exercised) or the Forward Sellers (with respect to the Borrowed Securities, including the Borrowed Option Securities, if exercised), as the case may be, by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to the accounts specified by the Issuer (with respect to the Issuer Securities, including the Issuer Top-Up Option Securities, if exercised) or the Forward Sellers (with respect to the Borrowed Securities, including the Borrowed Option Securities, if exercised), as the case may be. Delivery of the Initial Securities and the Option Securities (if exercised) shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company.
If the option provided for in Section 3(b) hereof is exercised after the second Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date, (i) the Forward Sellers will deliver the Borrowed Option Securities to the Representatives, c/o RBC Capital Markets, LLC, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, 3 World Financial Center, New York, NY 10281, and c/o BMO Capital Markets Corp., 3 Times Square, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10036, on the date specified by the Representatives (which shall be within two Business Days after exercise of said option) 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 Forward Sellers by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to the accounts specified by the Forward Sellers or (ii) if applicable, the Issuer will deliver the Issuer Top-Up Option Securities (at the expense of the Issuer) to the Representatives, c/o RBC Capital Markets, LLC, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, 3 World Financial Center, New York, NY 10281, and c/o BMO Capital Markets Corp., 3 Times Square, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10036, on the date specified by the Representatives (which shall be within two Business Days after exercise of said option) 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 Issuer by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to the accounts specified by the Issuer. If settlement for the Option Securities occurs after the Closing Date, the Forward Sellers or Issuer, as applicable, will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for the Option Securities, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option Securities shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 7 hereof.
5.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.
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6.Agreements of the Issuer. The Issuer agrees with the Forward Sellers, Forward Counterparties and several Underwriters that:
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(b) |
If, at any time prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, 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 in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Issuer will (i) notify promptly the Forward Sellers and 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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(c) |
If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), 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 in order 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 Securities Act or the Exchange Act, including in connection with use or delivery of the Final Prospectus, the Issuer promptly will (i) notify the Forward Sellers and the Representatives of any such event, (ii) prepare and file with the SEC, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 6, an amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance (iii) use its reasonable best 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; |
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(d) |
As soon as practicable, the Issuer will make generally available to its security holders, the Forward Sellers and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Issuer and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 9(a) and Rule 158 under the Securities Act; |
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(e) |
The Issuer will furnish to the Forward Sellers, counsel to the Forward Sellers, the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies (which may be electronic 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 a Forward Seller, Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Forward Sellers and the Representatives may reasonably request. The Issuer will pay the expenses of printing, if any, or other production of all documents relating to the offering; |
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(f) |
The Issuer will use its commercially reasonable efforts to arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of any U.S. jurisdiction that the Representatives may designate and will use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Issuer 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, or subject it or its subsidiaries to taxation, in each case, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject; |
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(g) |
The Issuer will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, 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 Issuer or any affiliate of the Issuer or any person in privity with the Issuer or any affiliate of the Issuer), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the SEC 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 other shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock; or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 30 days after the date of this Underwriting Agreement, provided, however, that (i) the Operating Partnership may issue OP Units as consideration in the acquisition of one or more properties; (ii) the Issuer may issue shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock pursuant to any director or employee equity incentive plan of the Issuer described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; (iii) the Issuer may file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 with respect to any director or employee equity incentive plan of the Issuer referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; (iv) the Issuer may enter into and issue and deliver Common Stock pursuant to the Forward Sales Agreements; (v) the Issuer may issue and deliver Common Stock pursuant to forward sale transactions entered into prior to the date of this Underwriting Agreement under its at-the-market equity offering programs; (vi) the Issuer may file prospectus supplements (including any amendments or supplements thereto) in connection with existing contractual agreements, provided that the black-out periods indicated in such contractual agreements shall be in effect; and (vii) the Issuer may issue (x) Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock in the aggregate not to exceed 10% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding, on a non-diluted basis in connection with other acquisitions of real property or real property companies and (y) Common Stock upon conversion or exchange of any securities issued pursuant to (i) or (vii)(x) above or pursuant to Section 8.5 of the Operating Partnership’s amended and restated agreement of limited partnership; provided that, in the case of clauses (i), (ii) and (vii), the securities issued are subject to the terms of a lock-up or similar agreement restricting their sale or transfer consistent with the terms of Exhibit A hereto, for the remainder of the 30-day period referred to above. |
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(h) |
Neither the Issuer nor the Operating Partnership will 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 Issuer to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities; |
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(i) |
The Issuer will use its commercially reasonable efforts to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Code unless the Board of Directors of the Issuer determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Issuer to qualify as a REIT; |
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(j) |
The Issuer and the Operating Partnership agree to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the SEC 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; (ii) 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 requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) 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; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Underwriting Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (v) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Securities on the NYSE; (vi) 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, up to an aggregate $10,000); (vii) any filings required to be made with the FINRA (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters (up to $10,000) relating to such filings); (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Issuer representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities (except that the cost of any aircraft chartered for use in such presentations shall be split evenly between the Issuer, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand); (ix) the fees and expenses of the Issuer’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Issuer; (x) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or register for the Securities; and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Issuer of its obligations hereunder. |
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(k) |
The Issuer agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Forward Sellers and the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Issuer that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Issuer, 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 required to be filed by the Issuer with the SEC or retained by the Issuer under Rule 433 under the Securities Act; 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 used in |
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connection with the offering of the Securities. Any such Free Writing Prospectus consented to by the Forward Sellers, the Representatives or the Issuer is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Issuer 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 under the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the SEC, legending and record keeping; and |
7.Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, as the case may be, and the obligations of each Forward Seller to deliver and sell the Borrowed Initial Securities and the Borrowed Option Securities, as the case may be, under the terms set forth herein, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Issuer and the Operating Partnership contained herein as of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Issuer and the Operating Partnership made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Issuer and the Operating Partnership of their respective obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
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(a) |
The Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; any material required to be filed by the Issuer pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, shall have been filed with the SEC 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. |
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(b) |
(i) The Issuer shall have requested and Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the Issuer, shall have furnished to the Representatives their opinion, dated the Closing Date or the applicable settlement date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Representatives, the Forward Sellers and the Forward Counterparties substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B; and (ii) the Issuer shall have requested and Goodwin Procter LLP, tax counsel for the Issuer, shall have furnished to the Representatives their opinion, dated the Closing Date or the applicable settlement date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Representatives, the Forward Sellers and the Forward Counterparties, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C. |
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(c) |
The Representatives shall have received from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date or the applicable settlement date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, 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 Issuer and the Operating Partnership shall have |
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furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters. |
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(d) |
The Issuer shall have furnished to the Forward Sellers, Forward Counterparties and the Representatives a certificate of the Issuer and the Operating Partnership, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Issuer, on behalf of itself and as the general partner of the Operating Partnership, dated the Closing Date or the applicable settlement date, as the case may be, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined 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 Underwriting Agreement and that: |
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(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 knowledge of the Issuer or the Operating Partnership, threatened; and |
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(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 amendment or supplement thereto), there has been no 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). |
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(e) |
The Issuer shall have requested and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Forward Sellers, the Forward Counterparties and the Representatives, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, or the applicable settlement date, as the case may be, letters (which may refer to letters previously delivered to the Forward Sellers, the Forward Counterparties or one or more of the Representatives), dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, or the applicable settlement date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Forward Sellers, the Forward Counterparties and the Representatives, confirming that they are independent accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the respective applicable rules and regulations adopted by the SEC thereunder and containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial |
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information contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. References to the Final Prospectus in this paragraph (e) 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 Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section 7 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 Issuer 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 by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto). |
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(g) |
Prior to the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Issuer shall have furnished to the Representatives, certificates of the Chief Financial Officer of the Issuer, substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto. |
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(h) |
Prior to the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Issuer shall have furnished to the Forward Sellers and the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request. |
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(i) |
The Securities shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Representatives. |
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(j) |
If required, FINRA, upon review of the terms of the public offering of the Securities, shall not have objected to such offering, such terms or the participation of the Underwriters, the Forward Sellers and the Forward Counterparties in the same. |
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(k) |
At or prior to the Execution Time, the Issuer shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto from each executive officer and director of the Issuer set forth in Exhibit A addressed to the Representatives. |
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 7 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Underwriting Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Underwriting Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Forward Sellers and the Representatives and counsel for the Forward Sellers and the Underwriters, this Underwriting Agreement and all obligations of the Forward Sellers and
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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 Issuer in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.
8.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 7 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 11 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Issuer or the Operating Partnership to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Issuer will reimburse the Underwriters severally through the Representatives on demand for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket 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.
9.Indemnification and Contribution.
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(a) |
The Issuer and the Operating Partnership jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and the Forward Sellers and the Forward Counterparties and each person, if any, who controls any Forward Seller or Forward Counterparty within the meaning of either Securities 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 Securities 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 for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, 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 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 in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that none of the Issuer or the Operating Partnership will 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 information furnished in writing to the Issuer by or on behalf of any Forward Seller, any Forward Counterparty or any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Issuer or the Operating Partnership may otherwise have. |
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(b) |
Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless (i) the Issuer, the Operating Partnership, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Issuer or the Operating Partnership within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and (ii) each Forward Seller and Forward Counterparty and each person who controls any Forward Seller or any Forward Counterparty within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, if any, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Issuer 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 Issuer 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 sixth paragraph related to the offering price and discounts, (iv) the ninth, tenth and eleventh paragraphs related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids and (v) the twelfth paragraph related to electronic delivery in any Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus 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 and that no information has been furnished by the Forward Sellers or the Forward Counterparties for such inclusion. |
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(c) |
Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 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 9, 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 learn 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 appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s 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 retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint 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 |
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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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is understood that the Issuer shall, in connection with any action or related actions in the same jurisdiction, bear the fees, costs and expenses of only one such separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel) for all the Underwriters, Forward Sellers and Forward Counterparties and the directors, officers, employees and agents of the Underwriters, Forward Sellers and Forward Counterparties and each person who controls any Underwriter, Forward Seller or Forward Counterparty within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (collectively, the “Specified Indemnified Parties”), provided, however, the Issuer shall bear the fees, costs and expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel) if the use of only one separate counsel for all the Specified Indemnified Parties would present such counsel with a conflict of interest with respect to one or more of the Specified Indemnified Parties. It is understood and agreed that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all indemnified parties. Except as expressly provided in this Section 9, the indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify each indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment; provided, however, that if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this Section 9(c), the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (1) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request; (2) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 45 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (3) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. 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 an admission of fault. |
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(d) |
In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Issuer and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, the Forward Sellers and the Forward Counterparties, severally, 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 the same) (collectively, “Losses”) to which the Issuer, the Operating Partnership, the Forward Sellers, the Forward Counterparties and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the parties from the offering of the Securities. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Issuer and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, the Forward Sellers, the Forward Counterparties and the Underwriters, each severally, shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the parties in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the parties shall be deemed to be the same respective proportions as (1) in the case of the Issuer and the Operating Partnership, the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Issuer (which proceeds shall include the proceeds that would be received by the Issuer pursuant to the Forward Sales Agreements, assuming Physical Settlement (as defined in the Forward Sales Agreements) of the Forward Sales Agreements on the Effective Date (as such term is defined in the Forward Sales Agreements)), (2) in the case of the Underwriters, the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Final Prospectus and (3) in the case of the Forward Sellers, the Spread (as such term is defined in the Forward Sales Agreements) retained by the Forward Counterparties under the Forward Sales Agreements, net of any costs associated therewith, as reasonably determined by the Forward Sellers, in each case as set forth in the applicable Forward Sale Agreement. Relative fault of the parties 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 Issuer, Operating Partnership, the Forward Sellers, the Forward Counterparties or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Issuer, the Operating Partnership, the Forward Sellers, the Forward Counterparties 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), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 9, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, each person, if any who controls a Forward Seller or a Forward Counterparty within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee, affiliate and agent of an Underwriter, Forward Seller or Forward Counterparty shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, Forward Seller or Forward Counterparty, and each person who controls the Issuer or the Operating Partnership within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Issuer who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Issuer shall have the same rights to contribution as the Issuer and the Operating Partnership, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d). |
10.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 Underwriting Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule II-A hereto bears to the aggregate 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 amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Securities set forth in Schedule II-A 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 non-defaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Underwriting Agreement will terminate without liability to any non-defaulting Underwriter, any Forward Seller, any Forward Counterparty, the Issuer or the Operating Partnership. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 10, 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 Underwriting Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Issuer, the Operating Partnership, the Forward Sellers, the Forward Counterparties and any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
11.Termination. This Underwriting Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Issuer, the Forward Sellers and the Forward Counterparties prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such payment and delivery (i) trading in the Issuer’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the SEC or the NYSE or trading in securities generally on the NYSE shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by federal or New York State authorities, (iii) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities,
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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 or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
12.Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Issuer or its officers or of the Operating Partnership, of each Forward Seller, each Forward Counterparty and each of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any Forward Seller, any Forward Counterparty, the Issuer or the Operating Partnership or any of the officers, directors, employees, affiliates, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 9 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Underwriting Agreement.
13.Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to (i) the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to RBC Capital Markets, LLC at 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, New York 10281, Fax: (212) 428-6260, Attn: Equity Syndicate, and to BMO Capital Markets Corp. at 3 Times Square, New York, New York 10036, with a copy to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, One Manhattan West, New York, New York, 10001, Attn: David J. Goldschmidt; (ii) the Forward Sellers or Forward Counterparties, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Royal Bank of Canada at Brookfield Place, 200 Vesey Street, New York, New York 10281, Attention: ECM, Email: RBCECMCorporateEquityLinkedDocumentation@rbc.com and BMO Capital Markets Corp., Equity-Linked Capital Markets, 3 Times Square 25th Floor, New York, New York 10036, Attn: Brian Riley, Telephone: 212-605-1414, Facsimile: 212-885-4165 or (iii) the Issuer or the Operating Partnership, will be mailed to Easterly Government Properties, Inc., 2001 K Street NW, Suite 775 North, Washington, D.C. 20006 or telefaxed to (617) 581-1440, Attention: William C. Trimble, III, with a copy to Goodwin Procter LLP: 100 Northern Avenue, Boston, MA 02210, Attention: Mark S. Opper (facsimile (617) 523-1231).
14.Successors. This Underwriting 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 9 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
15.No Fiduciary Duty. Each of the Issuer and the Operating Partnership hereby acknowledge that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement and the Forward Sales Agreements is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Issuer, on the one hand, and the Forward Sellers, the Forward Counterparties and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) each of the Underwriters, the Forward Sellers and the Forward Counterparties are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Issuer or the Operating Partnership and (c) the engagement of the Underwriters, the Forward Sellers and the Forward Counterparties by the Issuer, 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 Issuer and the Operating Partnership agree that they are
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solely responsible for making their own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters, the Forward Sellers or the Forward Counterparties has advised or is currently advising the Issuer or the Operating Partnership on related or other matters). The Issuer and the Operating Partnership agree that they will not claim that the Underwriters, the Forward Sellers or the Forward Counterparties have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to them, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
16.Integration. This Underwriting Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Issuer, the Operating Partnership, the Forward Sellers, the Forward Counterparties and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
17.Applicable Law. This Underwriting 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.
18.Waiver of Jury Trial. THE ISSUER, THE OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, THE UNDERWRITERS, THE FORWARD SELLERS AND THE FORWARD COUNTERPARTIES EACH 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 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
19.Counterparts. This Underwriting Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
20.Issuance and Sale by the Issuer.
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(a) |
In the event that a Forward Counterparty elects not to borrow Securities, pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(d) hereof, or the Forward Counterparty is unable to borrow and cause the applicable Forward Seller to deliver for sale under this Underwriting Agreement a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Borrowed Initial Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters at the Closing Date from such Forward Seller hereunder (or Borrowed Option Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters at the settlement date for the Borrowed Option Securities from such Forward Seller hereunder), or such Forward Counterparty determines in good faith, in its commercially reasonable judgment, that the Forward Counterparty would incur a stock loan fee, excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the applicable variable rate component payable by the relevant stock lender to such |
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Forward Counterparty (such stock loan fee, a “Stock Loan Fee”), of more than a rate equal to 200 basis points per annum to do so, then, upon notice by the Forward Seller to the Issuer (which notice shall be delivered no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date or settlement date for the Option Securities, as applicable), the Issuer shall issue and sell to the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 3 (b) hereof, as applicable, in whole but not in part, an aggregate number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Borrowed Initial Securities or Borrowed Option Securities, as applicable, deliverable by such Forward Seller hereunder that such Forward Seller does not so deliver and sell to the Underwriters. In connection with any such issuance and sale by the Issuer, the Issuer or the Representatives shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or settlement date for the Option Securities, as applicable, for one Business Day in order to effect any required changes in any documents or arrangements. Any shares of Common Stock sold by the Issuer to the Underwriters pursuant to this Section 20(a) in lieu of any Borrowed Initial Securities are referred to herein as the “Issuer Top-Up Initial Securities” and any shares of Common Stock sold by the Issuer to the Underwriters pursuant to this Section 20(a) in lieu of any Borrowed Option Securities are referred to herein as the “Issuer Top-Up Option Securities.” |
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(b) |
A Forward Counterparty and the applicable Forward Seller shall not have any liability whatsoever for any Borrowed Securities that such Forward Seller does not deliver and sell to the Underwriters or any other party if (i) all of the Conditions or Option Conditions, as applicable, with respect to such Forward Counterparty and such Forward Seller are not satisfied on or prior to the Closing Date or settlement date for the Option Securities, as applicable, and the Forward Seller elects pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(d) hereof not to deliver and sell to the Underwriters the Borrowed Securities deliverable by the Forward Seller hereunder, (ii) such Forward Counterparty is unable to borrow and cause such Forward Seller to deliver for sale under this Underwriting Agreement at the Closing Date or settlement date for the Option Securities a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Borrowed Initial Securities or Borrowed Option Securities, as applicable, deliverable by such Forward Seller hereunder or (iii) the Forward Counterparty determines in good faith, in its commercially reasonable judgment, that such Forward Counterparty would incur a Stock Loan Fee of more than a rate equal to 200 basis points per annum to do so (it being understood that the foregoing exclusion of liability shall not apply in the case of fraud and/or any intentional misconduct). |
21.Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
22.Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
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(i) |
In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Underwriting Agreement, and any interest and |
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obligation in or under this Underwriting Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Underwriting Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. |
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(ii) |
In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Underwriting Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Underwriting Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. |
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(iii) |
As used in this section: |
“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
“Covered Entity” means any of the following:
(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this Underwriting Agreement and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Issuer, the Operating Partnership, the several Underwriters, the Forward Sellers and the Forward Counterparties.
Very truly yours, |
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Easterly Government Properties, Inc. |
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By: |
/s/ Meghan G. Baivier |
Name: |
Meghan G. Baivier |
Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer |
Easterly Government Properties LP |
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By: Easterly Government Properties, Inc. |
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By: |
/s/ Meghan G. Baivier |
Name: |
Meghan G. Baivier |
Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer |
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The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.
RBC Capital Markets, LLC as Underwriter |
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By: |
/s/ Ivana Rupcic-Hulin |
Name: |
Ivana Rupcic-Hulin |
Title: |
Managing Director |
BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
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By: |
/s/ Matthew Coley |
Name: |
Matthew Coley |
Title: |
Manager, Derivatives Operations |
For themselves and the other several Underwriters named in Schedule II-A to the foregoing Underwriting Agreement. |
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RBC Capital Markets, LLC as agent for Royal Bank of Canada, acting in its capacity as Forward Counterparty |
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By: |
/s/ Brian Ward |
Name: |
Brian Ward |
Title: |
Managing Director |
RBC Capital Markets, LLC as agent for Royal Bank of Canada, acting in its capacity as Forward Purchaser |
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By: |
/s/ Ivana Rupcic-Hulin |
Name: |
Ivana Rupcic-Hulin |
Title: |
Managing Director |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
Bank of Montreal as Forward Counterparty |
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By: |
/s/ Sue Henderson |
Name: |
Sue Henderson |
Title: |
Director, Derivatives Operations |
BMO Capital Markets Corp. as Forward Seller |
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By: |
/s/ Matthew Coley |
Name: |
Matthew Coley |
Title: |
Manager, Derivatives Operations |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
ANNEX A – LIST OF SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARIES
WI Loma Linda LLC
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I
Underwriting Agreement dated August 11, 2021
Registration Statement No. 333-253480
Underwriters: |
RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
BMO Capital Markets Corp.
Title, Purchase Price and Description of Securities:
Title: Common Stock
Number of Initial Securities: 6,300,000
Number of Option Securities: 945,000
Price per Share to the Underwriters: $21.64
Closing Date, Time and Location: August 16, 2021 at 10:00 A.M. at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, One Manhattan West, New York, New York 10001, or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the parties to the Underwriting Agreement.
Date referred to in Section 6(g) after which the Issuer may offer or sell securities issued by the Issuer without the consent of the Representative(s): 30 days from the date of this Underwriting Agreement
Modification of items to be covered by the letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP delivered pursuant to Section 7(e) at the Execution Time: None
SCHEDULE II-A
Underwriters |
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Number of Initial Securities to be Purchased |
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Number of Option Securities to be Purchased |
RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
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3,150,000 |
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472,500 |
BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
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3,150,000 |
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472,500 |
Total |
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6,300,000 |
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945,000 |
SCHEDULE II-B
Forward Sellers |
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Number of Borrowed Initial Sold |
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Maximum Number of Option Sold |
RBC Capital Markets, LLC. |
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3,150,000 |
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472,500 |
BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
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3,150,000 |
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472,500 |
Total |
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6,300,000 |
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945,000 |
SCHEDULE III
None.
Exhibit 1.2
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To: |
Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (“Party B”) |
From: |
RBC Capital Markets, LLC as Agent for Royal Bank of Canada (“Party A”) Brookfield Place 200 Vesey Street New York, NY 10281-1021 Telephone: (212) 858-7000 |
Re: |
Issuer Share Forward Sale Transaction |
Date: |
August 11, 2021 |
The purpose of this communication (this “Confirmation”) is to set forth the terms and conditions of the above-referenced transaction entered into on the Trade Date specified below (the “Transaction”) between Royal Bank of Canada (“Party A”), represented by RBC Capital Markets, LLC as its agent (“Agent”) and Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (“Party B”). This communication constitutes a “Confirmation” as referred to in the Agreement specified below. This Confirmation is a confirmation for purposes of Rule 10b-10 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Party A has appointed as its agent its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, Agent, for purposes of conducting on Party A’s behalf, a business in privately negotiated transactions in options and other derivatives. You hereby are advised that Party A, the principal and stated counterparty in such transactions, duly has authorized Agent to market, structure, negotiate, document, price, execute and hedge transactions in over-the-counter derivative products. Agent has full, complete and unconditional authority to undertake such activities on behalf of Party A. Agent acts solely as agent and has no obligation, by way of issuance, endorsement, guarantee or otherwise with respect to the performance of either party under this Transaction. This Transaction is not insured or guaranteed by Agent.
1. |
This Confirmation is subject to, and incorporates, the 2002 ISDA Equity Derivatives Definitions (the “Equity Definitions”), as published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (“ISDA”). For purposes of the Equity Definitions, the Transaction will be deemed to be a Share Forward Transaction. |
This Confirmation shall supplement, form a part of and be subject to an agreement (the “Agreement”) in the form of the 1992 ISDA Master Agreement (Multicurrency—Cross Border) (the “ISDA Form”), as published by ISDA, as if Party A and Party B had executed the ISDA Form on the date hereof (but without any Schedule except for (i) the election of Loss and Second Method, New York law (without regard to New York’s choice of laws doctrine other than Title 14 of Article 5 of the New York General Obligations Law) as the governing law and US Dollars (“USD”) as the Termination Currency and (ii) the replacement of the word “third” in the last line of Section 5(a)(i) with the word “second”). All provisions contained in the Agreement are incorporated into and shall govern this Confirmation except as expressly modified below. This Confirmation evidences a complete and binding agreement between Party A and Party B as to the terms of the Transaction and replaces any previous agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.
The Transaction hereunder shall be the sole Transaction under the Agreement. If there exists any ISDA Master Agreement between Party A or any of its Affiliates and Party B or any confirmation or other agreement between Party A or any of its Affiliates and Party B pursuant to which an ISDA Master Agreement is deemed to exist between Party A or any of its Affiliates and Party B, then notwithstanding anything to the contrary in such ISDA Master Agreement, such confirmation or agreement or any other agreement to which Party A or any of its Affiliates and Party B are parties, the Transaction shall not be considered a Transaction under, or otherwise governed by, such existing or deemed ISDA Master Agreement. In the event of any inconsistency among the Agreement, this Confirmation and the Equity Definitions, the following will prevail in the order of precedence indicated: (i) this Confirmation; (ii) the Equity Definitions; and (iii) the Agreement.
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Forward Price Reduction Amount: |
For each Forward Price Reduction Date, the Forward Price Reduction Amount set forth opposite such date on Annex B. |
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Valuation Date: |
For any Settlement (as defined below), if Physical Settlement is applicable, as designated in the relevant Settlement Notice (as defined below); or if Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement is applicable, the last Unwind Date for such Settlement. Section 6.6 of the Equity Definitions shall not apply to any Valuation Date. For the avoidance of doubt, Party A shall determine the last Unwind Date in good faith based on the completion of the unwinding of its commercially reasonable hedge position. Party A shall notify Party B in writing that such last Unwind Date has so occurred before the next following Scheduled Trading Day. |
Unwind Dates: |
For any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement, each day on which Party A (or its agent or affiliate) purchases Shares in the market in connection with unwinding its commercially reasonable hedge position in connection with such Settlement, starting on the First Unwind Date for such Settlement. |
First Unwind Date: |
For any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement, as designated in the relevant Settlement Notice. |
Unwind Period: |
For any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement, the period starting on the First Unwind Date for such Settlement and ending on the Valuation Date for such Settlement. |
Cash Settlement Valuation Disruption: |
If Cash Settlement is applicable and any Unwind Date during an Unwind Period is a Disrupted Day, then the 10b-18 VWAP for such Disrupted Day shall not be included in the calculation of the Settlement Price. |
Market Disruption Event: |
The definition of “Market Disruption Event” in Section 6.3(a) of the Equity Definitions is hereby amended by deleting the words “at any time during the one-hour period that ends at the relevant Valuation Time, Latest Exercise Time, Knock-in Valuation Time or Knock-out Valuation Time, as the case may be” and inserting the words “at any time on any Exchange Business Day during the Valuation Period” after the word “material,” in the third line thereof. |
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Section 6.3(d) of the Equity Definitions is hereby amended by deleting the remainder of the provision following the term “Scheduled Closing Time” in the fourth line thereof. |
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Settlement: |
Any Physical Settlement, Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement of all or any portion of the Transaction. |
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(E) such election, and settlement in accordance therewith, does not and will not violate or conflict with any law or regulation applicable to Party B, or any order or judgment of any court or other agency of government applicable to it or any of its assets, and any governmental consents that are required to have been obtained by Party B with respect to such election or settlement have been obtained and are in full force and effect and all conditions of any such consents have been complied with; and |
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(iii) Notwithstanding any election to the contrary in any Settlement Notice, Physical Settlement shall be applicable: |
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(A) to all of the Settlement Shares designated in such Settlement Notice if, at any time from the date such Settlement Notice is received by Party A until the related First Unwind Date, inclusive, (I) the trading price per Share on the Exchange (as determined by Party A in a commercially reasonable manner) is below USD5.41 (the “Threshold Price”) or (II) Party A determines, in its good faith and commercially reasonable judgment, that it would, after using commercially reasonable efforts, be unable to purchase a number of Shares in the market sufficient to unwind a commercially reasonable hedge position in respect of the portion of the Transaction represented by such Settlement Shares and satisfy its delivery obligation hereunder, if any, by the Maturity Date (x) in a manner that (A) would, if Party A were Party B or an affiliated purchaser of Party B, be subject to the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18(b) under the Exchange Act and (B) based on advice of counsel, would not raise material risks under applicable securities laws or (y) due to the lack of sufficient liquidity in the Shares (each, a “Trading Condition”); or |
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(B) to all or a portion of the Settlement Shares designated in such Settlement Notice if, on any day during the relevant Unwind Period, (I) the trading price per Share on the Exchange (as determined by Party A in a commercially reasonable manner) is below the Threshold Price or (II) Party A determines, in its good faith and commercially reasonable judgment or based on advice of counsel, as applicable, that a Trading Condition has occurred, in which case the provisions set forth below in the fourth paragraph opposite “Early Valuation” shall apply as if such day were the Early Valuation Date and (x) for purposes of clause (i) of such paragraph, such day shall be the last Unwind Date of such Unwind Period and the “Unwound Shares” shall be calculated to, and including, such day and (y) for purposes of clause (ii) of such paragraph, the “Remaining Shares” shall be equal to the number of Settlement Shares designated in such Settlement Notice minus the Unwound Shares determined in accordance with clause (x) of this sentence. |
Electing Party: |
Party B |
Settlement Method Election Date: |
With respect to any Settlement, the 5th Scheduled Trading Day immediately preceding (x) the Valuation Date, in the case of Physical Settlement, or (y) the First Unwind Date, in the case of Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement. |
Default Settlement Method: |
Physical Settlement |
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hereby amended (i) by adding the words “(including, for the avoidance of doubt and without limitation, adoption or promulgation of new regulations authorized or mandated by existing statute)” after the word “regulation” in the second line thereof and (ii) by replacing the words “the interpretation” with the words “or public announcement of any formal or informal interpretation” in the third line thereof and (C) the words “, unless the illegality is due to an act or omission of the party seeking to elect termination of the Transaction with the intent to avoid its obligations under the terms of the Transaction” are added immediately following the word “Transaction” in the fifth line thereof; and provided further that Section 12.9(a)(ii) of the Equity Definitions is hereby amended by adding the phrase “and/or Hedge Position” after the word “Shares” in clause (X) thereof and (iii) by immediately following the word “Transaction” in clause (X) thereof, adding the phrase “in the manner contemplated by the Hedging Party on the Trade Date”. |
Failure to Deliver: |
Applicable if Party A is required to deliver Shares hereunder; otherwise, Not Applicable. |
Hedging Disruption: |
Applicable |
Increased Cost of Hedging: |
Applicable; provided that Section 12.9(b)(vi) of the Equity Definitions shall be amended by (i) adding “or” before clause (B) of the second sentence thereof; (ii) deleting clause (C) of the second sentence thereof; (iii) deleting the third and fourth sentences thereof; and (iv) inserting the following language at the end of such Section: “provided, however, that any such increased tax, duty, expense or fee that occurs solely due to the deterioration of the creditworthiness of the Hedging Party relative to comparable financial institutions shall not be an Increased Cost of Hedging.” |
Increased Cost of Stock Borrow: |
Applicable; provided that Section 12.9(b)(v) of the Equity Definitions shall be amended by (i) adding “or” immediately before clause (B) of the second sentence thereof, (ii) deleting clause (C) of the second sentence thereof and (iii) deleting the third, fourth and fifth sentences thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, upon the announcement of any event that, if consummated, would result in a Merger Event or Tender Offer, the term “rate to borrow Shares” as used in Section 12.9(a)(viii) of the Equity Definitions shall include any commercially reasonable cost borne or amount payable by the Hedging Party in respect of maintaining or reestablishing its hedge position, including, but not limited to, any assessment or other amount payable by the Hedging Party to a lender of Shares in respect of any merger or tender offer premium, as applicable. |
Initial Stock Loan Rate: |
35 basis points per annum |
Loss of Stock Borrow: |
Applicable; provided that Section 12.9(b)(iv) of the Equity Definitions shall be amended by (i) deleting clause (A) of the first sentence thereof in its entirety and (ii) deleting the words “neither the Non-Hedging Party nor the Lending Party lends Shares in the amount of the Hedging Shares or” in the second sentence thereof. |
Maximum Stock Loan Rate: |
200 basis points per annum |
Hedging Party: |
For all applicable Additional Disruption Events, Party A |
Determining Party: |
For all applicable Extraordinary Events, Party A |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Nationalization or Merger Event, if at the time of the related Relevant Settlement Date the Shares have changed into cash or any other property or the right to receive cash or any other property, the Calculation Agent shall adjust the nature of the Shares as it determines appropriate to account for such change such that the nature of the Shares is consistent with what shareholders receive in such event. |
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ISDA Event: |
(i) Any Event of Default or Termination Event, other than an Event of Default or Termination Event that also constitutes a Bankruptcy Termination Event, that gives rise to the right of either party to designate an Early Termination Date pursuant to Section 6 of the Agreement or (ii) the announcement of any event or transaction that, if consummated, would result in a Merger Event, Tender Offer, Nationalization, Delisting or Change in Law, in each case, as determined by the Calculation Agent. |
Amendment to Merger Event: |
Section 12.1(b) of the Equity Definitions is hereby amended by deleting the remainder of such Section beginning with the words “in each case if the Merger Date is on or before” in the fourth to last line thereof. |
Hedging Event: |
(i) (x) A Loss of Stock Borrow in connection with which Party B does not refer the Hedging Party to a satisfactory Lending Party within the required time period as provided in Section 12.9(b)(iv) of the Equity Definitions or (y) a Hedging Disruption, (ii) (A) an Increased Cost of Stock Borrow or (B) an Increased Cost of Hedging in connection with which, in the case of sub-clause (A) or (B), Party B does not elect, and so notify the Hedging Party of its election, in each case, within the required time period to either amend the Transaction pursuant to Section 12.9(b)(v)(A) or Section 12.9(b)(vi)(A) of the Equity Definitions, as applicable, or pay an amount determined by the Calculation Agent that corresponds to the relevant Price Adjustment pursuant to Section 12.9(b)(v)(B) or Section 12.9(b)(vi)(B) of the Equity Definitions, as applicable, or (iii) the occurrence of a Market Disruption Event during an Unwind Period and the continuance of such Market Disruption Event for at least eight Scheduled Trading Days. |
Remaining Shares: |
On any day, the Number of Shares as of such day (or, if such day occurs during an Unwind Period, the Number of Shares as of such day minus the Unwound Shares for such Unwind Period on such day). |
Unwound Shares: |
For any Unwind Period on any day, the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which Party A has unwound its commercially reasonable hedge position in respect of the Transaction in connection with the related Settlement as of such day. |
Acknowledgements: |
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Non-Reliance: |
Applicable |
Agreements and Acknowledgements Regarding Hedging Activities: |
Applicable |
Additional Acknowledgements: |
Applicable |
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Transaction is: |
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The Office of Party A for the |
Toronto |
Transaction is: |
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Party B’s Contact Details |
To be provided by Party B |
for Purpose of Giving Notice: |
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Party A’s Contact Details for Purpose of Giving Notice: |
To: RBC Capital Markets, LLC Brookfield Place 200 Vesey Street New York, NY 10281 Attention: ECM Email: RBCECMCorporateEquityLinkedDocumentation@rbc.com
For Trade Affirmations and Settlements:
To: RBC Capital Markets, LLC Brookfield Place 200 Vesey Street New York, NY 10281 Attention: Back Office Email: geda@rbccm.com
For Trade Confirmations:
To: RBC Capital Markets, LLC Brookfield Place 200 Vesey Street New York, NY 10281 Attention: Structured Derivatives Documentation Email: seddoc@rbccm.com |
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3. |
Effectiveness. The effectiveness of this Confirmation and the Transaction shall be subject to the following conditions: |
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(b) |
each of Party B and the Partnership shall have performed all of the obligations required to be performed by it under the Underwriting Agreement on or prior to the Effective Date; |
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(c) |
all of the conditions set forth in Section 7 of the Underwriting Agreement shall have been satisfied; |
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(d) |
the Closing Date (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) shall have occurred as provided in the Underwriting Agreement; |
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(e) |
all of the representations and warranties of Party B hereunder and under the Agreement shall be true and correct on the Effective Date as if made as of the Effective Date; |
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(f) |
Party B shall have performed all of the obligations required to be performed by it hereunder and under the Agreement on or prior to the Effective Date, including without limitation its obligations under Section 6 hereof; and |
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(g) |
Party B shall have delivered to Party A an opinion of counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Party A, with respect to the matters set forth in Section 3(a) of the Agreement and that the maximum number of Shares initially issuable hereunder have been duly authorized and, upon issuance pursuant to the terms of the Transaction, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Confirmation, if (x) on or prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date the Closing Date is scheduled to occur, in connection with establishing its commercially reasonable hedge position Party A, in its sole judgment, is unable, after using commercially reasonable efforts, to borrow and deliver for sale the Full Number of Shares or (y) in Party A’s sole judgment, it would incur a stock loan cost of more than the Maximum Stock Loan Rate with respect to all or any portion of the Full Number of Shares (in each case, an “Initial Hedging Disruption”), the effectiveness of this Confirmation and the Transaction shall be limited to the number of Shares Party A is so able to borrow in connection with establishing its commercially reasonable hedge position at a cost of not more than the Maximum Stock Loan Rate (such number of Shares, the “Reduced Number of Shares”), which, for the avoidance of doubt, may be zero.
4. |
Additional Mutual Representations and Warranties. In addition to the representations and warranties in the Agreement, each party represents and warrants to the other party that it is an “eligible contract participant”, as defined in the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act (as amended), and an “accredited investor” as defined in Section 2(a)(15)(ii) of the Securities Act of 1933 (as amended) (the “Securities Act”), and is entering into the Transaction hereunder as principal and not for the benefit of any third party. |
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(a) |
without limiting the generality of Section 13.1 of the Equity Definitions, it acknowledges that Party A is not making any representations or warranties with respect to the treatment of the Transaction, including without limitation ASC Topic 260, Earnings Per Share, ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, ASC 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (or any successor issue statements) or under the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Liabilities & Equity Project; |
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(b) |
it shall not take any action to reduce or decrease the number of authorized and unissued Shares below the sum of (i) the Number of Shares plus (ii) the total number of Shares issuable upon settlement (whether by net share settlement or otherwise) of any other transaction or agreement to which it is a party; |
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(c) |
it will not repurchase any Shares if, immediately following such repurchase, the Number of Shares would be equal to or greater than 9.0% of the number of then-outstanding Shares and it will notify Party A immediately upon the announcement or consummation of any repurchase of Shares in an amount that, taken together with the amount of all repurchases since the date of the last such notice (or, if no such notice has been given, since the Trade Date), exceeds 0.5% of the number of then-outstanding Shares; |
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(d) |
it is not entering into this Confirmation to create actual or apparent trading activity in the Shares (or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Shares), or to raise or depress or otherwise manipulate the price of the Shares (or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Shares) for the purpose of inducing the purchase or sale of the Shares (or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Shares) by others; |
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|
(e) |
it is not aware of any material non-public information regarding itself or the Shares; it is entering into this Confirmation and will provide any Settlement Notice in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade compliance with Rule 10b-5 or any other provision of the federal securities laws; it has not entered into or altered any hedging transaction relating to the Shares corresponding to or offsetting the Transaction; and it has consulted with its own advisors as to the legal aspects of its adoption and implementation of this Confirmation under Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (“Rule 10b5-1”); |
|
(f) |
to its knowledge, no state or local (including non-U.S. jurisdictions) law, rule, regulation or regulatory order applicable to the Shares would give rise to any reporting, consent, registration or other requirement (including without limitation a requirement to obtain prior approval from any person or entity) as a result of Party A or its affiliates owning or holding (however defined) Shares; provided that Party B makes no such representation or warranty regarding any such requirement that is applicable generally to the ownership of equity securities by Party A; |
|
(g) |
as of the Trade Date and as of the date of any payment or delivery by Party B or Party A hereunder, it is not and will not be “insolvent” (as such term is defined under Section 101(32) of the Bankruptcy Code); |
|
(h) |
it is not, and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; |
|
(j) |
ownership positions held by Party A or any of its affiliates solely in its capacity as a nominee or fiduciary do not constitute “ownership” by Party A, and Party A shall not be deemed or treated as the “owner” of such positions for purposes of the Issuer’s Articles of Incorporation; |
|
(k) |
it has not applied for or received a loan, loan guarantee, direct loan (as that term is defined in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”)) or other investment, or any financial assistance or relief under any program or facility (collectively, “Financial Assistance”) that (a) is established under applicable law, including without limitation the CARES Act and the Federal Reserve Act, as amended, and (b) (i) would preclude or limit, as a condition to such Financial Assistance or otherwise, Party B’s ability to enter into, exercise its rights or perform its obligations under any Transaction (including in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement) or (ii) for which the terms of any Transaction would cause Party B to fail to satisfy any condition for application for or receipt or retention of the Financial Assistance and it acknowledges that entering into a Transaction may limit its ability to receive any such Financial Assistance; |
|
(l) |
as of July 30, 2021, Party B represents and warrants to Party A that the number of Shares that would result in an Excess Charter Ownership Position is 5,960,471; |
|
(n) |
the person(s) executing this document are duly authorized to act on behalf of Party B in connection with the entry of this Transaction. |
15
|
(a) |
Party B acknowledges and agrees that any Shares delivered by Party B to Party A on any Settlement Date or Net Share Settlement Date will be (i) newly issued, (ii) approved for listing or quotation on the Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance, and (iii) registered under the Exchange Act, and, when delivered by Party A (or an affiliate of Party A) to securities lenders from whom Party A (or an affiliate of Party A) borrowed Shares in connection with hedging its exposure to the Transaction, will be freely saleable without further registration or other restrictions under the Securities Act in the hands of those securities lenders, irrespective of whether any such stock loan is effected by Party A or an affiliate of Party A. Accordingly, Party B agrees that any Shares so delivered will not bear a restrictive legend and will be deposited in, and the delivery thereof shall be effected through the facilities of, the Clearance System. In addition, Party B represents and agrees that any such Shares shall be, upon such delivery, duly and validly authorized, issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable, free of any lien, charge, claim or other encumbrance. |
|
(b) |
Party B agrees that Party B shall not enter into or alter any hedging transaction relating to the Shares corresponding to or offsetting the Transaction. Without limiting the generality of the provisions set forth opposite the caption “Unwind Activities” in Section 2 of this Confirmation, Party B acknowledges that it has no right to, and agrees that it will not seek to, control or influence Party A’s decision to make any “purchases or sales” (within the meaning of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(B)(3)) under or in connection with the Transaction, including, without limitation, Party A’s decision to enter into any hedging transactions. |
|
(c) |
Party B acknowledges and agrees that any amendment, modification, waiver or termination of this Confirmation must be effected in accordance with the requirements for the amendment or termination of a “plan” as defined in Rule 10b5-1(c). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any such amendment, modification, waiver or termination shall be made in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade the prohibitions of Rule 10b-5, and no such amendment, modification or waiver shall be made at any time at which Party B or any officer, director, manager or similar person of Party B is aware of any material non-public information regarding Party B or the Shares. |
|
(d) |
Party B shall promptly provide notice thereof to Party A (i) upon the occurrence of any event that would constitute an Event of Default or a Termination Event in respect of which Party B is a Defaulting Party or an Affected Party, as the case may be, and (ii) upon announcement of any event that, if consummated, would constitute an Extraordinary Event or Potential Adjustment Event. |
|
(e) |
Neither Party B nor any of its “affiliated purchasers” (as defined by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act (“Rule 10b-18”)) shall take any action that would cause any purchases of Shares by Party A or any of its Affiliates in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement not to meet the requirements of the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 if such purchases were made by Party B. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, during any Unwind Period, except with the prior written consent of Party A, Party B will not, and will cause its affiliated purchasers (as defined in Rule 10b-18) not to, directly or indirectly (including, without limitation, by means of a derivative instrument) purchase, offer to purchase, place any bid or limit order that would effect a purchase of, or announce or commence any tender offer relating to, any Shares (or equivalent interest, including a unit of beneficial interest in a trust or limited partnership or a depository share) or any security convertible into or exchangeable for the Shares. |
|
(f) |
Party B will not be subject to any “restricted period” (as such term is defined in Regulation M promulgated under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) in respect of Shares or any security with respect to which the Shares are a “reference security” (as such term is defined in Regulation M) during any Unwind Period. |
16
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A following any such announcement that such announcement has been made; (iii) promptly (but in any event prior to the next opening of the regular trading session on the Exchange) provide Party A with written notice specifying (A) Party B’s average daily Rule 10b-18 Purchases (as defined in Rule 10b-18) during the three full calendar months immediately preceding the announcement date for the Merger Transaction that were not effected through Party A or its affiliates and (B) the number of Shares purchased pursuant to the proviso in Rule 10b-18(b)(4) under the Exchange Act for the three full calendar months preceding such announcement date. Such written notice shall be deemed to be a certification by Party B to Party A that such information is true and correct. In addition, Party B shall promptly notify Party A of the earlier to occur of the completion of such transaction and the completion of the vote by target shareholders. Party B acknowledges that any such notice may result in a Regulatory Disruption, a Trading Condition or, if such notice relates to an event that is also an ISDA Event, an Early Valuation, or may affect the length of any ongoing Unwind Period; accordingly, Party B acknowledges that its delivery of such notice must comply with the standards set forth in Section 6(c) above. “Merger Transaction” means any merger, acquisition or similar transaction involving a recapitalization as contemplated by Rule 10b-18(a)(13)(iv) under the Exchange Act. For the avoidance of doubt, a Merger Transaction or the announcement thereof shall not give either party the right to designate an Early Valuation Date and/or to accelerate or preclude an election by Party B of Physical Settlement, unless such Merger Transaction or the announcement thereof is also an ISDA Event. |
7. |
Termination on Bankruptcy. The parties hereto agree that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Agreement or the Equity Definitions, the Transaction constitutes a contract to issue a security of Party B as contemplated by Section 365(c)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code and that the Transaction and the obligations and rights of Party B and Party A (except for any liability as a result of breach of any of the representations or warranties provided by Party B in Section 4 or Section 5 above) shall immediately terminate, without the necessity of any notice, payment (whether directly, by netting or otherwise) or other action by Party B or Party A, if, on or prior to the final Settlement Date, Cash Settlement Payment Date or Net Share Settlement Date, an Insolvency Filing occurs or any other proceeding commences with respect to Party B under the Bankruptcy Code (a “Bankruptcy Termination Event”). |
8. |
Additional Provisions. |
|
(a) |
Party A acknowledges and agrees that Party B’s obligations under the Transaction are not secured by any collateral and that this Confirmation is not intended to convey to Party A rights with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby that are senior to the claims of common stockholders in any U.S. bankruptcy proceedings of Party B; provided that nothing herein shall limit or shall be deemed to limit Party A’s right to pursue remedies in the event of a breach by Party B of its obligations and agreements with respect to this Confirmation or the Agreement; provided further that nothing herein shall limit or shall be deemed to limit Party A’s rights in respect of any transaction other than the Transaction. |
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(b) |
[Reserved] |
|
(c) |
The parties hereto intend for: |
|
(i) |
the Transaction to be a “securities contract” as defined in Section 741(7) of the Bankruptcy Code, and the parties hereto to be entitled to the protections afforded by, among other Sections, Sections 362(b)(6), 362(b)(27), 362(o), 546(e), 546(j), 555 and 561 of the Bankruptcy Code; |
|
(ii) |
the rights given to Party A pursuant to “Early Valuation” in Section 2 above to constitute “contractual rights” to cause the liquidation of a “securities contract” and to set off mutual debts and claims in connection with a “securities contract”, as such terms are used in Sections 555 and 362(b)(6) of the Bankruptcy Code; |
17
|
(iii) |
any cash, securities or other property provided as performance assurance, credit support or collateral with respect to the Transaction to constitute “margin payments” and “transfers” under a “securities contract” as defined in the Bankruptcy Code; |
|
(d) |
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement or this Confirmation, in no event will Party B be required to deliver in the aggregate in respect of all Settlement Dates, Net Share Settlement Dates or other dates on which Shares are delivered in respect of any amount owed under this Agreement a number of Shares greater than 6,300,000 (the “Capped Number”). The Capped Number shall be subject to adjustment only on account of (x) Potential Adjustment Events of the type specified in (1) Sections 11.2(e)(i) through (vi) of the Equity Definitions or (2) Section 11.2(e)(vii) of the Equity Definitions so long as, in the case of this sub-clause (2), such event is within Issuer’s control, (y) Merger Events requiring corporate action of Issuer (or any surviving entity of the Issuer hereunder in connection with any such Merger Event) and (z) Announcement Events that are not outside Issuer’s control. Party B represents and warrants to Party A (which representation and warranty shall be deemed to be repeated on each day that the Transaction is outstanding) that the Capped Number is equal to or less than the number of authorized but unissued Shares that are not reserved for future issuance in connection with transactions in the Shares (other than the Transaction) on the date of the determination of the Capped Number (such Shares, the “Available Shares”). In the event Party B shall not have delivered the full number of Shares otherwise deliverable as a result of this Section 8(d) (the resulting deficit, the “Deficit Shares”), Party B shall be continually obligated to deliver Shares, from time to time until the full number of Deficit Shares have been delivered pursuant to this paragraph, when, and to the extent that, (A) Shares are repurchased, acquired or otherwise received by Party B or any of its subsidiaries after the Trade Date (whether or not in exchange for cash, fair value or any other consideration), (B) authorized and unissued Shares reserved for issuance in respect of other transactions prior to such date which prior to the relevant date become no longer so reserved and (C) Party B additionally authorizes any unissued Shares that are not reserved for other transactions (such events as set forth in clauses (A), (B) and (C) above, collectively, the “Share Issuance Events”). Party B shall promptly notify Party A of the occurrence of any of the Share Issuance Events (including the number of Shares subject to clause (A), (B) or (C) and the corresponding number of Shares to be delivered) and, as promptly as reasonably practicable, deliver such Shares thereafter. Party B shall not, until Party B’s obligations under the Transaction have been satisfied in full, use any Shares that become available for potential delivery to Party A as a result of any Share Issuance Event for the settlement or satisfaction of any transaction or obligation other than the Transaction or reserve any such Shares for future issuance for any purpose other than to satisfy Party B’s obligations to Party A under the Transaction. |
|
(e) |
The parties intend for this Confirmation to constitute a “Contract” as described in the letter dated October 6, 2003 submitted on behalf of Goldman, Sachs & Co. to Paula Dubberly of the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Staff”) to which the Staff responded in an interpretive letter dated October 9, 2003. |
|
(f) |
The parties intend for this Transaction (taking into account purchases of Shares in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement) to comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(A) under the Exchange Act and for this Confirmation to constitute a binding contract or instruction satisfying the requirements of 10b5-1(c) and to be interpreted to comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c). |
|
(g) |
[Reserved] |
18
|
|
(h) |
Party B acknowledges that: |
|
(i) |
during the term of the Transaction, Party A and its affiliates may buy or sell Shares or other securities or buy or sell options or futures contracts or enter into swaps or other derivative securities in order to establish, adjust or unwind its hedge position with respect to the Transaction; |
|
(ii) |
Party A and its affiliates may also be active in the market for the Shares and derivatives linked to the Shares other than in connection with hedging activities in relation to the Transaction, including acting as agent or as principal and for its own account or on behalf of customers; |
|
(iv) |
any market activities of Party A and its affiliates with respect to the Shares may affect the market price and volatility of the Shares, as well as the Forward Price and the Settlement Price, each in a manner that may be adverse to Party B; and |
|
(v) |
the Transaction is a derivatives transaction; Party A may purchase or sell shares for its own account at an average price that may be greater than, or less than, the price received by Party B under the terms of the Transaction. |
19
and the rules promulgated thereunder) of Shares by Party A, any other person that would have beneficial ownership of such Shares (any such person, an “Additional Owner,” which shall include without limitation any of Party’s affiliates’ business units subject to aggregation with Party A for purposes of the “beneficial ownership” test under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), or any “group” (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act) of which Party A or any Additional Owner is a member (any such group, a “Party A Group”), would be equal to or greater than 4.5% of the outstanding Shares (such condition, an “Excess Ownership Position”), (ii) the receipt of such Shares would result in a violation of any restriction on ownership and transfer set forth in Section 6.2.1(a) of Party B’s Amended and Restated Articles of Amendment and Restatement, taking into account any waivers that are then in effect (such condition, the “Excess Charter Ownership Position”) or (iii) upon such receipt of such Shares, Party A, any Party A Group or any Additional Owner (any of Party A, any Party A Group or any Additional Owner, a “Party A Person”) under Sections 3-601 through 3-603 of the Maryland Code (Corporations and Associations) or any state or federal bank holding company or banking laws, or any federal, state or local laws, regulations or regulatory orders applicable to ownership of Shares (“Applicable Laws”), would own, beneficially own, constructively own, control, hold the power to vote or otherwise meet a relevant definition of ownership in excess of a number of Shares equal to (x) the lesser of (A) the maximum number of Shares that would be permitted under Applicable Laws and (B) the number of Shares that would give rise to reporting or registration obligations or other requirements (including obtaining prior approval by a state or federal regulator) of a Party A Person under Applicable Laws and with respect to which such requirements have not been met or the relevant approval has not been received or that would give rise to any consequences under the constitutive documents of Party B) or any contract or agreement to which Party B is a party, in each case minus (y) 1% of the number of Shares outstanding on the date of determination(such condition described in clause (iii), an “Excess Regulatory Ownership Position”). If any delivery owed to Party A hereunder is not made, in whole or in part, as a result of this provision, (i) Party B’s obligation to make such delivery shall not be extinguished and Party B shall make such delivery as promptly as practicable after, but in no event later than one Exchange Business Day after, Party A gives notice to Party B that such delivery would not result in (x) any Party A Person directly or indirectly so beneficially owning in excess of 4.5% of the outstanding Shares or (y) the occurrence of an Excess Charter Ownership Position or Excess Regulatory Ownership Position and (ii) if such delivery relates to a Physical Settlement, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Party A shall not be obligated to satisfy the portion of its payment obligation corresponding to any Shares required to be so delivered until the date Party B makes such delivery. Upon request of Party A, Party B shall promptly confirm to Party A the number of Shares then outstanding and Party A shall then promptly advise Party B with respect to any limitations under this Section 10 applicable to any anticipated delivery of Shares hereunder; provided, however, that neither a failure by Party B to notify Party A of the number of Shares then outstanding nor a failure of Party A to advise Party B with respect to any applicable limitations shall be deemed a default hereunder and notwithstanding such failure the remainder of this Section 10 shall continue to apply. For the avoidance of doubt, any delivery of Shares made by Party B to Party A that Party A was not entitled to receive under the terms of this Section 10 shall not be deemed to satisfy any of the delivery obligations of Party B hereunder and Party A shall promptly return such Shares to Party B, pending which Party A shall be deemed to hold any such Shares solely as custodian for the benefit of Party B. |
11. |
Non-Confidentiality. The parties hereby agree that (i) effective from the date of commencement of discussions concerning the Transaction, Party A and Party B and each of its respective employees, representatives, or other agents may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the Transaction and all materials of any kind, including opinions or other tax analyses relating to such tax treatment and tax structure and (ii) Party A and Party B do not assert any claim of proprietary ownership in respect of any description contained herein or therein relating to the use of any entities, plans or arrangements to give rise to a particular United States federal income tax treatment for the parties. |
12. |
Restricted Shares. If Party B is unable to comply with the covenant of Party B contained in Section 6 above or Party A otherwise determines in its reasonable opinion that any Shares to be delivered to Party A by Party B may not be freely returned by Party A to securities lenders as described in the covenant of Party B contained in Section 6 above, then delivery of any such Settlement Shares (the “Unregistered Settlement Shares”) shall be effected pursuant to Annex A hereto, unless waived by Party A |
20
13. |
Use of Shares. Party A acknowledges and agrees that, except in the case of a Private Placement Settlement, Party A shall use any Shares delivered by Party B to Party A on any Settlement Date to return to securities lenders to close out borrowings created by Party A in connection with its hedging activities related to exposure under this Transaction or otherwise in compliance with applicable law. |
14. |
Rule 10b-18. In connection with bids and purchases of Shares in connection with any Net Share Settlement or Cash Settlement of the Transaction, Party A shall use commercially reasonable efforts to conduct its activities, or cause its affiliates to conduct their activities, in a manner consistent with the requirements of the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, as if such provisions were applicable to such purchases and taking into account any applicable Securities and Exchange Commission no-action letters as appropriate, and subject to any delays between the execution and reporting of a trade of the Shares on the Exchange and other circumstances beyond Party A’s control. |
17. |
Staggered Settlement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Party A may, by prior notice to Party B, satisfy its obligation to deliver any Shares or other securities on any date due (an “Original Delivery Date”) by making separate deliveries of Shares or such securities, as the case may be, at more than one time on or prior to such Original Delivery Date, so long as the aggregate number of Shares and other securities so delivered on or prior to such Original Delivery Date is equal to the number required to be delivered on such Original Delivery Date. |
18. |
Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury. EACH OF PARTY A AND PARTY B HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES (ON SUCH PARTY’S OWN BEHALF AND, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ON BEHALF OF SUCH PARTY’S STOCKHOLDERS) ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS CONFIRMATION OR THE ACTIONS OF PARTY A, PARTY B OR THEIR AFFILIATES IN THE NEGOTIATION, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF. |
19. |
Jurisdiction. THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND THE UNITED STATES COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK IN CONNECTION WITH ALL MATTERS RELATING HERETO AND WAIVE ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE IN, AND ANY CLAIM OF INCONVENIENT FORUM WITH RESPECT TO, THESE COURTS. |
20. |
Counterparts. This Confirmation may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument, and any party hereto may execute this Confirmation by signing and delivering one or more counterparts. Counterparts may be delivered via electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. |
21
21. |
Delivery of Cash. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Confirmation shall be interpreted as requiring Party B to deliver cash or other assets in respect of the settlement of the Transaction, except in circumstances where the required cash or other asset settlement thereof is permitted for classification of the contract as equity by ASC 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity, as in effect on the Trade Date. |
22. |
Adjustments. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the Calculation Agent, the Hedging Party or the Determining Party is called upon to make an adjustment pursuant to the terms of this Confirmation or the Equity Definitions to take into account the effect of an event, the Calculation Agent, the Hedging Party or the Determining Party, as applicable, shall make such adjustment by reference to the effect of such event on the Hedging Party, assuming that the Hedging Party maintains a commercially reasonable hedge position at the time of the event. |
23. |
Ownership Limit. Party B represents and undertakes to Party A that Party A, solely in its capacity as Forward Counterparty or Forward Seller (each as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) and solely with respect to its entering into and consummating the transactions contemplated by this Confirmation and the Underwriting Agreement, will not, either individually or collectively with any other Forward Purchasers or Forward Sellers, be subject to the ownership limitations set forth in clauses (1) and (2) of Section 6.2.1(a)(i) of Party B’s Amended and Restated Articles of Amendment and Restatement. |
24. |
Matters Relating to Agent. Agent is acting as agent for Party A in connection with this Confirmation and the Agreement. As such all delivery of funds, assets, notices, demands and communications of any kind relating to this Confirmation or the Agreement and this Transaction between Party A and Party B shall be transmitted exclusively through Agent. Agent has no obligation by way of issuance, endorsement, guarantee or otherwise with respect to the performance of either Party A or Party B under this Confirmation or the Agreement. |
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(a) |
For the purpose of Section 3(f) of the Agreement: |
|
(i) |
Party A makes the following representations: |
|
A. |
It is a bank organized under the laws of Canada and is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
|
B. |
It is a “foreign person” (as that term is used in Treasury Regulations section 1.6041-4(a)(4)) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and each payment received or to be received by it in connection with this Confirmation will be effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the United States. |
|
(ii) |
Party B makes the following representations: |
|
A. |
It is a “U.S. person” (as that term is used in Treasury Regulation section 1.1441-4(a)(3)(ii)) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
|
B. |
It is a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is organized under the laws of the State of Maryland, and is an exempt recipient under Treasury Regulation section 1.6049-4(c)(1)(ii)(J). |
|
(b) |
Withholding Tax imposed on payments to non-US counterparties under the United States Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. “Indemnifiable Tax”, as defined in Section 14 of the Agreement, shall not include any U.S. federal withholding tax imposed or collected pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b) of the Code, or any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such Sections of the Code (a “FATCA Withholding Tax”). For the avoidance of doubt, a FATCA |
22
|
Withholding Tax is a Tax the deduction or withholding of which is required by applicable law for the purposes of Section 2(d) of the Agreement. |
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(c) |
871(m) Protocol. The parties agree that the definitions and provisions contained in the ISDA 2015 Section 871(m) Protocol, as published by ISDA and as may be amended, supplemented, replaced or superseded from time to time shall be incorporated into and apply to the Agreement solely for purposes of this Confirmation as if set forth in full herein. |
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(e) |
Change of Account. Section 2(b) of the Agreement is hereby amended by the addition of the following after the word “change” in the fourth line thereof: “; provided that if any new account of one party is not in the same tax jurisdiction as the original account, the other party shall not be obliged to pay, for tax reasons, any greater amount and shall not be obliged to accept any lesser amount as a result of such change than would have been the case if such change had not taken place.” |
23
Party B hereby agrees (a) to check this Confirmation carefully and immediately upon receipt so that errors or discrepancies can be promptly identified and rectified and (b) to confirm that the foregoing (in the exact form provided by Party A) correctly sets forth the terms of the agreement between Party A and Party B with respect to the Transaction, by signing this Confirmation or this page hereof as evidence of agreement to such terms and providing the other information requested herein and immediately returning an executed copy to us.
Yours faithfully,
RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
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as agent for |
|
ROYAL BANK OF CANADA |
|
By: |
/s/ Shane Didier |
Name: |
Shane Didier |
Title: |
Associate Director |
[Signature Page to Forward Confirmation]
Agreed and accepted by:
EASTERLY GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES, INC.
By: |
/s/ Meghan G. Baivier |
Name: |
Meghan G. Baivier |
Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer |
[Signature Page to Forward Confirmation]
ANNEX A
If Party B delivers Unregistered Settlement Shares pursuant to Section 12 above (a “Private Placement Settlement”), then:
(a)all Unregistered Settlement Shares shall be delivered to Party A (or any affiliate of Party A designated by Party A) pursuant to the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Section 4(a)(2) thereof;
(b)as of or prior to the date of delivery, Party A and any potential purchaser of any such shares from Party A (or any affiliate of Party A designated by Party A) identified by Party A shall be afforded a commercially reasonable opportunity to conduct a due diligence investigation with respect to Party B customary in scope for private placements of equity securities of similar size (including, without limitation, the right to have made available to them for inspection all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and other information reasonably requested by them);
(c)as of the date of delivery, Party B shall enter into an agreement (a “Private Placement Agreement”) with Party A (or any affiliate of Party A designated by Party A) in connection with the private placement of such shares by Party B to Party A (or any such affiliate) and the private resale of such shares by Party A (or any such affiliate), substantially similar to private placement purchase agreements customary for private placements of equity securities of similar size, in form and substance commercially reasonably satisfactory to Party A, which Private Placement Agreement shall include, without limitation, provisions substantially similar to those contained in such private placement purchase agreements relating, without limitation, to the indemnification of, and contribution in connection with the liability of, Party A and its affiliates and obligations to use best efforts to obtain customary opinions, accountants’ comfort letters and lawyers’ negative assurance letters, and shall provide for the payment by Party B of all commercially reasonable fees and expenses in connection with such resale, including all commercially reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for Party A, and shall contain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of Party B reasonably necessary or advisable to establish and maintain the availability of an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for such resales; and
(d)in connection with the private placement of such shares by Party B to Party A (or any such affiliate) and the private resale of such shares by Party A (or any such affiliate), Party B shall, if so requested by Party A, prepare, in cooperation with Party A, a private placement memorandum in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Party A.
In the case of a Private Placement Settlement, Party A shall, in its good faith discretion, adjust the amount of Unregistered Settlement Shares to be delivered to Party A hereunder in a commercially reasonable manner to reflect the fact that such Unregistered Settlement Shares may not be freely returned to securities lenders by Party A and may only be saleable by Party A at a discount to reflect the lack of liquidity in Unregistered Settlement Shares.
If Party B delivers any Unregistered Settlement Shares in respect of the Transaction, Party B agrees that (i) such Shares may be transferred by and among Party A and its affiliates and (ii) after the minimum “holding period” within the meaning of Rule 144(d) under the Securities Act has elapsed after the applicable Settlement Date (or earlier, if applicable), Party B shall promptly remove, or cause the transfer agent for the Shares to remove, any legends referring to any transfer restrictions from such Shares upon delivery by Party A (or such affiliate of Party A) to Party B or such transfer agent of seller’s and broker’s representation letters customarily delivered by Party A or its affiliates in connection with resales of restricted securities pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, each without any further requirement for the delivery of any certificate, consent, agreement, opinion of counsel, notice or any other document, any transfer tax stamps or payment of any other amount or any other action by Party A (or such affiliate of Party A).
ANNEX B
FORWARD PRICE REDUCTION AMOUNTS
REGULAR DIVIDEND AMOUNTS
Exhibit 1.3
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To: |
Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (“Party B”) |
From: |
Bank of Montreal (“Party A”) 55 Bloor Street West, 18th Floor Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A5 Telephone No.:(416) 552-4177 Facsimile No.:(416) 552-7904 |
Re: |
Issuer Share Forward Sale Transaction |
Date: |
August 11, 2021 |
The purpose of this communication (this “Confirmation”) is to set forth the terms and conditions of the above-referenced transaction entered into on the Trade Date specified below (the “Transaction”) between Bank of Montreal (“Party A”), represented by BMO Capital Markets Corp. as its agent (“Agent”) and Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (“Party B”). This communication constitutes a “Confirmation” as referred to in the Agreement specified below. This Confirmation is a confirmation for purposes of Rule 10b-10 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Party A is acting as principal in this Transaction and Agent, its affiliate, is acting as agent for this Transaction solely in connection with Rule 15a-6 of the Exchange Act.
1. |
This Confirmation is subject to, and incorporates, the 2002 ISDA Equity Derivatives Definitions (the “Equity Definitions”), as published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (“ISDA”). For purposes of the Equity Definitions, the Transaction will be deemed to be a Share Forward Transaction. |
This Confirmation shall supplement, form a part of and be subject to an agreement (the “Agreement”) in the form of the 1992 ISDA Master Agreement (Multicurrency—Cross Border) (the “ISDA Form”), as published by ISDA, as if Party A and Party B had executed the ISDA Form on the date hereof (but without any Schedule except for (i) the election of Loss and Second Method, New York law (without regard to New York’s choice of laws doctrine other than Title 14 of Article 5 of the New York General Obligations Law) as the governing law and US Dollars (“USD”) as the Termination Currency and (ii) the replacement of the word “third” in the last line of Section 5(a)(i) with the word “second”). All provisions contained in the Agreement are incorporated into and shall govern this Confirmation except as expressly modified below. This Confirmation evidences a complete and binding agreement between Party A and Party B as to the terms of the Transaction and replaces any previous agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.
The Transaction hereunder shall be the sole Transaction under the Agreement. If there exists any ISDA Master Agreement between Party A or any of its Affiliates and Party B or any confirmation or other agreement between Party A or any of its Affiliates and Party B pursuant to which an ISDA Master Agreement is deemed to exist between Party A or any of its Affiliates and Party B, then notwithstanding anything to the contrary in such ISDA Master Agreement, such confirmation or agreement or any other agreement to which Party A or any of its Affiliates and Party B are parties, the Transaction shall not be considered a Transaction under, or otherwise governed by, such existing or deemed ISDA Master Agreement. In the event of any inconsistency among the Agreement, this Confirmation and the Equity Definitions, the following will prevail in the order of precedence indicated: (i) this Confirmation; (ii) the Equity Definitions; and (iii) the Agreement.
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Unwind Activities: |
The times and prices at which Party A (or its agent or affiliate) purchases any Shares during any Unwind Period in connection with unwinding its commercially reasonable hedge position shall be determined by Party A in a commercially reasonable manner. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that Party A concludes, in its reasonable discretion based on advice of counsel, that it is appropriate with respect to any legal, regulatory or self-regulatory requirements or related policies and procedures (whether or not such requirements, policies or procedures are imposed by law or have been voluntarily adopted by Party A) (a “Regulatory Disruption”), for it to refrain from purchasing Shares in connection with unwinding its commercially reasonable hedge position on any Scheduled Trading Day that would have been an Unwind Date but for the occurrence of a Regulatory Disruption, Party A may (but shall not be required to) notify Party B in writing that a Regulatory Disruption has occurred on such Scheduled Trading Day, in which case Party A shall, to the extent practicable in its good faith discretion, specify the nature of such Regulatory Disruption, and, for the avoidance of doubt, such Scheduled Trading Day shall not be an Unwind Date and such Regulatory Disruption shall be deemed to be a Market Disruption Event; provided that Party A may exercise its right to suspend under this sentence only in good faith in relation to events or circumstances that are not the result of actions of it or any of its Affiliates that are taken with the intent to avoid its obligations under the Transaction. |
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Relevant Settlement Date: |
For any Settlement, the Settlement Date, Cash Settlement Payment Date or Net Share Settlement Date, as the case may be. |
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Other Applicable Provisions: |
To the extent Party A is obligated to deliver Shares hereunder, the provisions of Sections 9.2 (last sentence only), 9.8, 9.9, 9.10, 9.11 and 9.12 of the Equity Definitions will be applicable as if “Physical Settlement” applied to the Transaction; provided that the Representation and Agreement contained in Section 9.11 of the Equity Definitions shall be modified by excluding any representations therein relating to restrictions, obligations, limitations or requirements under applicable securities laws that exist as a result of the fact that Party B is the issuer of the Shares. |
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Potential Adjustment Events: |
An Extraordinary Dividend shall not constitute a Potential Adjustment Event. For the avoidance of doubt, a cash dividend on the Shares that differs from expected dividends as of the Trade Date shall not be a Potential Adjustment Event under Section 11.2(e)(vii) of the Equity Definitions. |
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Extraordinary Dividend: |
Any dividend or distribution on the Shares with an ex-dividend date occurring on any day following the Trade Date (other than (i) any dividend or distribution of the type described in Section 11.2(e)(i) or Section 11.2(e)(ii)(A) of the Equity Definitions or (ii) a regular, quarterly cash dividend in an amount equal to or less than the Regular Dividend Amount for such calendar quarter that has an ex-dividend date no earlier than the Forward Price Reduction Date occurring in the relevant quarter). |
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Party A represents and warrants to and agrees with Party B, assuming the accuracy and completeness of the representations of Party B hereunder and the compliance with, and satisfaction of, the covenants and undertakings of Party B hereunder, that (i) based upon advice of counsel and excluding any Shares beneficially owned by Party A or its affiliates in connection with the Transaction, Party A (A) does not know of the existence on the Trade Date of an Excess Ownership Position, an Excess Charter Ownership Position or an Excess Regulatory Ownership Position and (B) based on reasonable internal inquiry in the ordinary course of Party A’s business does not know on the Trade Date of any event or circumstance that will cause the occurrence of an Excess Ownership Position, an Excess Charter Ownership Position or an Excess Regulatory Ownership Position on any day during the term of the Transaction; and (ii) Party A will not knowingly cause the occurrence of an Excess Ownership Position, an Excess Charter Ownership Position or an Excess Regulatory Ownership Position on any day during the term of the Transaction for the purpose, in whole or in part, of causing the occurrence of an Early Valuation Date. |
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If the Early Valuation Date occurs on a date that is not during an Unwind Period, then the Early Valuation Date shall be a Valuation Date for a Physical Settlement, and the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement shall be the Number of Shares on the Early Valuation Date; provided that Party A may in its sole discretion permit Party B to elect Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement. |
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If the Early Valuation Date occurs during an Unwind Period, then (i) (A) the last Unwind Date of such Unwind Period shall be deemed to be the Early Valuation Date, (B) a Settlement shall occur in respect of such Unwind Period, and the Settlement Method elected by Party B in respect of such Settlement shall apply, and (C) the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement shall be the number of Unwound Shares for such Unwind Period on the Early Valuation Date, and (ii) (A) the Early Valuation Date shall be a Valuation Date for an additional Physical Settlement (provided that Party A may in its sole discretion elect that the Settlement Method elected by Party B for the Settlement described in clause (i) of this sentence shall apply) and (B) the number of Settlement Shares for such additional Settlement shall be the number of Remaining Shares on the Early Valuation Date. |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Nationalization or Merger Event, if at the time of the related Relevant Settlement Date the Shares have changed into cash or any other property or the right to receive cash or any other property, the Calculation Agent shall adjust the nature of the Shares as it determines appropriate to account for such change such that the nature of the Shares is consistent with what shareholders receive in such event. |
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ISDA Event: |
(i) Any Event of Default or Termination Event, other than an Event of Default or Termination Event that also constitutes a Bankruptcy Termination Event, that gives rise to the right of either party to designate an Early Termination Date pursuant to Section 6 of the Agreement or (ii) the announcement of any event or transaction that, if consummated, would result in a Merger Event, Tender Offer, Nationalization, Delisting or Change in Law, in each case, as determined by the Calculation Agent. |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Confirmation to the contrary requiring or allowing Party A to purchase, sell, receive or deliver any Shares or other securities to or from Party B, Party A may designate any of its affiliates to purchase, sell, receive or deliver such Shares or other securities and otherwise to perform Party A obligations in respect of the Transaction and any such designee may assume such obligations. Party A shall be discharged of its obligations to Party B only to the extent of any such performance. |
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Calculation Agent: |
Party A; provided that, following the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default pursuant to Section 5(a)(vii) of the Agreement with respect to which Party A is the sole Defaulting Party, Party B shall have the right to select a leading dealer in the market for U.S. corporate equity derivatives reasonably acceptable to Party A to replace Party A as Calculation Agent, and the parties shall work in good faith to execute any appropriate documentation required by such replacement Calculation Agent. Following any determination or calculation by the Calculation Agent hereunder, upon a written request by Party B, the Calculation Agent will, within a commercially reasonable period of time following such request, provide to Party B by e-mail to the e-mail address provided by Party B in such written request a report (in a commonly used file format for the storage and manipulation of financial data) displaying in reasonable detail the basis for such determination or calculation, as the case may be; provided that Party A shall not be required to disclose any proprietary or confidential models of Party A or any information that is proprietary or subject to contractual, legal or regulatory obligations to not disclose such information. |
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Party B Payment Instructions: |
To be provided by Party B |
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Party A Payment Instructions: |
Bank of New York ABA#: 021000018 A/C#: 8661062712 Acct Name: BMO Nesbitt Burns |
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The Office of Party B for the |
Inapplicable, Party B is not a Multibranch Party |
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Transaction is: |
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The Office of Party A for the |
Toronto, Ontario |
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Transaction is: |
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Party B’s Contact Details |
To be provided by Party B |
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for Purpose of Giving Notice: |
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Party A’s Contact Details for Purpose of Giving Notice: |
Bank of Montreal 55 Bloor Street West, 18th Floor Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A5 Canada
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Attention: |
Manager, Derivatives Operations |
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Facsimile: |
(416) 552-7904 |
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Telephone: |
(416) 552-4177 |
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With a copy to: |
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Bank of Montreal 100 King Street West, 20th Floor Toronto, Ontario M5X 1A1 Canada
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Attention: |
Associate General Counsel & Managing Director, |
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Derivatives Legal Group |
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Facsimile: |
(416) 956-2318 |
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and |
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BMO Capital Markets Corp. 3 Times Square 25th Floor New York, New York 10036
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Attention: |
Brian Riley |
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Telephone: |
(212) 605-1414 |
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Facsimile: |
(212) 885-4165 |
3. |
Effectiveness. The effectiveness of this Confirmation and the Transaction shall be subject to the following conditions: |
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(b) |
each of Party B and the Partnership shall have performed all of the obligations required to be performed by it under the Underwriting Agreement on or prior to the Effective Date; |
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(c) |
all of the conditions set forth in Section 7 of the Underwriting Agreement shall have been satisfied; |
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(d) |
the Closing Date (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) shall have occurred as provided in the Underwriting Agreement; |
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(e) |
all of the representations and warranties of Party B hereunder and under the Agreement shall be true and correct on the Effective Date as if made as of the Effective Date; |
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(f) |
Party B shall have performed all of the obligations required to be performed by it hereunder and under the Agreement on or prior to the Effective Date, including without limitation its obligations under Section 6 hereof; and |
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(g) |
Party B shall have delivered to Party A an opinion of counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Party A, with respect to the matters set forth in Section 3(a) of the Agreement and that the maximum number of Shares initially issuable hereunder have been duly authorized and, upon issuance pursuant to the terms of the Transaction, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Confirmation, if (x) on or prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date the Closing Date is scheduled to occur, in connection with
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establishing its commercially reasonable hedge position Party A, in its sole judgment, is unable, after using commercially reasonable efforts, to borrow and deliver for sale the Full Number of Shares or (y) in Party A’s sole judgment, it would incur a stock loan cost of more than the Maximum Stock Loan Rate with respect to all or any portion of the Full Number of Shares (in each case, an “Initial Hedging Disruption”), the effectiveness of this Confirmation and the Transaction shall be limited to the number of Shares Party A is so able to borrow in connection with establishing its commercially reasonable hedge position at a cost of not more than the Maximum Stock Loan Rate (such number of Shares, the “Reduced Number of Shares”), which, for the avoidance of doubt, may be zero.
4. |
Additional Mutual Representations and Warranties. In addition to the representations and warranties in the Agreement, each party represents and warrants to the other party that it is an “eligible contract participant”, as defined in the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act (as amended), and an “accredited investor” as defined in Section 2(a)(15)(ii) of the Securities Act of 1933 (as amended) (the “Securities Act”), and is entering into the Transaction hereunder as principal and not for the benefit of any third party. |
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(a) |
without limiting the generality of Section 13.1 of the Equity Definitions, it acknowledges that Party A is not making any representations or warranties with respect to the treatment of the Transaction, including without limitation ASC Topic 260, Earnings Per Share, ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, ASC 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (or any successor issue statements) or under the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Liabilities & Equity Project; |
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(b) |
it shall not take any action to reduce or decrease the number of authorized and unissued Shares below the sum of (i) the Number of Shares plus (ii) the total number of Shares issuable upon settlement (whether by net share settlement or otherwise) of any other transaction or agreement to which it is a party; |
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(c) |
it will not repurchase any Shares if, immediately following such repurchase, the Number of Shares would be equal to or greater than 9.0% of the number of then-outstanding Shares and it will notify Party A immediately upon the announcement or consummation of any repurchase of Shares in an amount that, taken together with the amount of all repurchases since the date of the last such notice (or, if no such notice has been given, since the Trade Date), exceeds 0.5% of the number of then-outstanding Shares; |
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(d) |
it is not entering into this Confirmation to create actual or apparent trading activity in the Shares (or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Shares), or to raise or depress or otherwise manipulate the price of the Shares (or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Shares) for the purpose of inducing the purchase or sale of the Shares (or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Shares) by others; |
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(e) |
it is not aware of any material non-public information regarding itself or the Shares; it is entering into this Confirmation and will provide any Settlement Notice in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade compliance with Rule 10b-5 or any other provision of the federal securities laws; it has not entered into or altered any hedging transaction relating to the Shares corresponding to or offsetting the Transaction; and it has consulted with its own advisors as to the legal aspects of its adoption and implementation of this Confirmation under Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (“Rule 10b5-1”); |
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(f) |
to its knowledge, no state or local (including non-U.S. jurisdictions) law, rule, regulation or regulatory order applicable to the Shares would give rise to any reporting, consent, registration or other requirement (including without limitation a requirement to obtain prior approval from any person or entity) as a result of Party A or its affiliates owning or holding (however defined) Shares; |
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provided that Party B makes no such representation or warranty regarding any such requirement that is applicable generally to the ownership of equity securities by Party A; |
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(g) |
as of the Trade Date and as of the date of any payment or delivery by Party B or Party A hereunder, it is not and will not be “insolvent” (as such term is defined under Section 101(32) of the Bankruptcy Code); |
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(h) |
it is not, and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; |
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(j) |
ownership positions held by Party A or any of its affiliates solely in its capacity as a nominee or fiduciary do not constitute “ownership” by Party A, and Party A shall not be deemed or treated as the “owner” of such positions for purposes of the Issuer’s Articles of Incorporation; |
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(k) |
it has not applied for or received a loan, loan guarantee, direct loan (as that term is defined in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”)) or other investment, or any financial assistance or relief under any program or facility (collectively, “Financial Assistance”) that (a) is established under applicable law, including without limitation the CARES Act and the Federal Reserve Act, as amended, and (b) (i) would preclude or limit, as a condition to such Financial Assistance or otherwise, Party B’s ability to enter into, exercise its rights or perform its obligations under any Transaction (including in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement) or (ii) for which the terms of any Transaction would cause Party B to fail to satisfy any condition for application for or receipt or retention of the Financial Assistance and it acknowledges that entering into a Transaction may limit its ability to receive any such Financial Assistance; |
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(l) |
as of July 30, 2021, Party B represents and warrants to Party A that the number of Shares that would result in an Excess Charter Ownership Position is 5,960,471; and |
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(a) |
Party B acknowledges and agrees that any Shares delivered by Party B to Party A on any Settlement Date or Net Share Settlement Date will be (i) newly issued, (ii) approved for listing or quotation on the Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance, and (iii) registered under the Exchange Act, and, when delivered by Party A (or an affiliate of Party A) to securities lenders from whom Party A (or an affiliate of Party A) borrowed Shares in connection with hedging its exposure to the Transaction, will be freely saleable without further registration or other restrictions under the Securities Act in the hands of those securities lenders, irrespective of whether any such stock loan is effected by Party A or an affiliate of Party A. Accordingly, Party B agrees that any Shares so delivered will not bear a restrictive legend and will be deposited in, and the delivery thereof shall be effected through the facilities of, the Clearance System. In addition, Party B represents and agrees that any such Shares shall be, upon such delivery, duly and validly authorized, issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable, free of any lien, charge, claim or other encumbrance. |
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(b) |
Party B agrees that Party B shall not enter into or alter any hedging transaction relating to the Shares corresponding to or offsetting the Transaction. Without limiting the generality of the provisions set |
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forth opposite the caption “Unwind Activities” in Section 2 of this Confirmation, Party B acknowledges that it has no right to, and agrees that it will not seek to, control or influence Party A’s decision to make any “purchases or sales” (within the meaning of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(B)(3)) under or in connection with the Transaction, including, without limitation, Party A’s decision to enter into any hedging transactions. |
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(c) |
Party B acknowledges and agrees that any amendment, modification, waiver or termination of this Confirmation must be effected in accordance with the requirements for the amendment or termination of a “plan” as defined in Rule 10b5-1(c). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any such amendment, modification, waiver or termination shall be made in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade the prohibitions of Rule 10b-5, and no such amendment, modification or waiver shall be made at any time at which Party B or any officer, director, manager or similar person of Party B is aware of any material non-public information regarding Party B or the Shares. |
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(d) |
Party B shall promptly provide notice thereof to Party A (i) upon the occurrence of any event that would constitute an Event of Default or a Termination Event in respect of which Party B is a Defaulting Party or an Affected Party, as the case may be, and (ii) upon announcement of any event that, if consummated, would constitute an Extraordinary Event or Potential Adjustment Event. |
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(e) |
Neither Party B nor any of its “affiliated purchasers” (as defined by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act (“Rule 10b-18”)) shall take any action that would cause any purchases of Shares by Party A or any of its Affiliates in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement not to meet the requirements of the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 if such purchases were made by Party B. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, during any Unwind Period, except with the prior written consent of Party A, Party B will not, and will cause its affiliated purchasers (as defined in Rule 10b-18) not to, directly or indirectly (including, without limitation, by means of a derivative instrument) purchase, offer to purchase, place any bid or limit order that would effect a purchase of, or announce or commence any tender offer relating to, any Shares (or equivalent interest, including a unit of beneficial interest in a trust or limited partnership or a depository share) or any security convertible into or exchangeable for the Shares. |
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(f) |
Party B will not be subject to any “restricted period” (as such term is defined in Regulation M promulgated under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) in respect of Shares or any security with respect to which the Shares are a “reference security” (as such term is defined in Regulation M) during any Unwind Period. |
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an election by Party B of Physical Settlement, unless such Merger Transaction or the announcement thereof is also an ISDA Event. |
7. |
Termination on Bankruptcy. The parties hereto agree that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Agreement or the Equity Definitions, the Transaction constitutes a contract to issue a security of Party B as contemplated by Section 365(c)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code and that the Transaction and the obligations and rights of Party B and Party A (except for any liability as a result of breach of any of the representations or warranties provided by Party B in Section 4 or Section 5 above) shall immediately terminate, without the necessity of any notice, payment (whether directly, by netting or otherwise) or other action by Party B or Party A, if, on or prior to the final Settlement Date, Cash Settlement Payment Date or Net Share Settlement Date, an Insolvency Filing occurs or any other proceeding commences with respect to Party B under the Bankruptcy Code (a “Bankruptcy Termination Event”). |
8. |
Additional Provisions. |
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(a) |
Party A acknowledges and agrees that Party B’s obligations under the Transaction are not secured by any collateral and that this Confirmation is not intended to convey to Party A rights with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby that are senior to the claims of common stockholders in any U.S. bankruptcy proceedings of Party B; provided that nothing herein shall limit or shall be deemed to limit Party A’s right to pursue remedies in the event of a breach by Party B of its obligations and agreements with respect to this Confirmation or the Agreement; provided further that nothing herein shall limit or shall be deemed to limit Party A’s rights in respect of any transaction other than the Transaction. |
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(b) |
[Reserved] |
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(c) |
The parties hereto intend for: |
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(i) |
the Transaction to be a “securities contract” as defined in Section 741(7) of the Bankruptcy Code, and the parties hereto to be entitled to the protections afforded by, among other Sections, Sections 362(b)(6), 362(b)(27), 362(o), 546(e), 546(j), 555 and 561 of the Bankruptcy Code; |
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(ii) |
the rights given to Party A pursuant to “Early Valuation” in Section 2 above to constitute “contractual rights” to cause the liquidation of a “securities contract” and to set off mutual debts and claims in connection with a “securities contract”, as such terms are used in Sections 555 and 362(b)(6) of the Bankruptcy Code; |
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(iii) |
any cash, securities or other property provided as performance assurance, credit support or collateral with respect to the Transaction to constitute “margin payments” and “transfers” under a “securities contract” as defined in the Bankruptcy Code; |
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(d) |
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement or this Confirmation, in no event will Party B be required to deliver in the aggregate in respect of all Settlement Dates, Net Share Settlement Dates or other dates on which Shares are delivered in respect of any amount owed under this Agreement a number of Shares greater than 6,300,000 (the “Capped Number”). The Capped Number shall be subject to adjustment only on account of (x) Potential Adjustment Events of the type specified in (1) Sections 11.2(e)(i) through (vi) of the Equity Definitions or (2) Section 11.2(e)(vii) of the Equity Definitions so long as, in the case of this sub-clause (2), such event is |
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within Issuer’s control, (y) Merger Events requiring corporate action of Issuer (or any surviving entity of the Issuer hereunder in connection with any such Merger Event) and (z) Announcement Events that are not outside Issuer’s control. Party B represents and warrants to Party A (which representation and warranty shall be deemed to be repeated on each day that the Transaction is outstanding) that the Capped Number is equal to or less than the number of authorized but unissued Shares that are not reserved for future issuance in connection with transactions in the Shares (other than the Transaction) on the date of the determination of the Capped Number (such Shares, the “Available Shares”). In the event Party B shall not have delivered the full number of Shares otherwise deliverable as a result of this Section 8(d) (the resulting deficit, the “Deficit Shares”), Party B shall be continually obligated to deliver Shares, from time to time until the full number of Deficit Shares have been delivered pursuant to this paragraph, when, and to the extent that, (A) Shares are repurchased, acquired or otherwise received by Party B or any of its subsidiaries after the Trade Date (whether or not in exchange for cash, fair value or any other consideration), (B) authorized and unissued Shares reserved for issuance in respect of other transactions prior to such date which prior to the relevant date become no longer so reserved and (C) Party B additionally authorizes any unissued Shares that are not reserved for other transactions (such events as set forth in clauses (A), (B) and (C) above, collectively, the “Share Issuance Events”). Party B shall promptly notify Party A of the occurrence of any of the Share Issuance Events (including the number of Shares subject to clause (A), (B) or (C) and the corresponding number of Shares to be delivered) and, as promptly as reasonably practicable, deliver such Shares thereafter. Party B shall not, until Party B’s obligations under the Transaction have been satisfied in full, use any Shares that become available for potential delivery to Party A as a result of any Share Issuance Event for the settlement or satisfaction of any transaction or obligation other than the Transaction or reserve any such Shares for future issuance for any purpose other than to satisfy Party B’s obligations to Party A under the Transaction. |
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(e) |
The parties intend for this Confirmation to constitute a “Contract” as described in the letter dated October 6, 2003 submitted on behalf of Goldman, Sachs & Co. to Paula Dubberly of the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Staff”) to which the Staff responded in an interpretive letter dated October 9, 2003. |
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(f) |
The parties intend for this Transaction (taking into account purchases of Shares in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement) to comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(A) under the Exchange Act and for this Confirmation to constitute a binding contract or instruction satisfying the requirements of 10b5-1(c) and to be interpreted to comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c). |
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(g) |
[Reserved] |
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(h) |
Party B acknowledges that: |
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(i) |
during the term of the Transaction, Party A and its affiliates may buy or sell Shares or other securities or buy or sell options or futures contracts or enter into swaps or other derivative securities in order to establish, adjust or unwind its hedge position with respect to the Transaction; |
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(ii) |
Party A and its affiliates may also be active in the market for the Shares and derivatives linked to the Shares other than in connection with hedging activities in relation to the Transaction, including acting as agent or as principal and for its own account or on behalf of customers; |
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(iv) |
any market activities of Party A and its affiliates with respect to the Shares may affect the market price and volatility of the Shares, as well as the Forward Price and the Settlement Price, each in a manner that may be adverse to Party B; and |
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(v) |
the Transaction is a derivatives transaction; Party A may purchase or sell shares for its own account at an average price that may be greater than, or less than, the price received by Party B under the terms of the Transaction. |
19
permitted under Applicable Laws and (B) the number of Shares that would give rise to reporting or registration obligations or other requirements (including obtaining prior approval by a state or federal regulator) of a Party A Person under Applicable Laws and with respect to which such requirements have not been met or the relevant approval has not been received or that would give rise to any consequences under the constitutive documents of Party B) or any contract or agreement to which Party B is a party, in each case minus (y) 1% of the number of Shares outstanding on the date of determination(such condition described in clause (iii), an “Excess Regulatory Ownership Position”). If any delivery owed to Party A hereunder is not made, in whole or in part, as a result of this provision, (i) Party B’s obligation to make such delivery shall not be extinguished and Party B shall make such delivery as promptly as practicable after, but in no event later than one Exchange Business Day after, Party A gives notice to Party B that such delivery would not result in (x) any Party A Person directly or indirectly so beneficially owning in excess of 4.5% of the outstanding Shares or (y) the occurrence of an Excess Charter Ownership Position or Excess Regulatory Ownership Position and (ii) if such delivery relates to a Physical Settlement, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Party A shall not be obligated to satisfy the portion of its payment obligation corresponding to any Shares required to be so delivered until the date Party B makes such delivery. Upon request of Party A, Party B shall promptly confirm to Party A the number of Shares then outstanding and Party A shall then promptly advise Party B with respect to any limitations under this Section 10 applicable to any anticipated delivery of Shares hereunder; provided, however, that neither a failure by Party B to notify Party A of the number of Shares then outstanding nor a failure of Party A to advise Party B with respect to any applicable limitations shall be deemed a default hereunder and notwithstanding such failure the remainder of this Section 10 shall continue to apply. For the avoidance of doubt, any delivery of Shares made by Party B to Party A that Party A was not entitled to receive under the terms of this Section 10 shall not be deemed to satisfy any of the delivery obligations of Party B hereunder and Party A shall promptly return such Shares to Party B, pending which Party A shall be deemed to hold any such Shares solely as custodian for the benefit of Party B. |
11. |
Non-Confidentiality. The parties hereby agree that (i) effective from the date of commencement of discussions concerning the Transaction, Party B and each of its employees, representatives, or other agents may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the Transaction and all materials of any kind, including opinions or other tax analyses, provided by Party A and its affiliates to Party B relating to such tax treatment and tax structure; provided that the foregoing does not constitute an authorization to disclose the identity of Party A or its affiliates, agents or advisers, or, except to the extent relating to such tax structure or tax treatment, any specific pricing terms or commercial or financial information, and (ii) Party A does not assert any claim of proprietary ownership in respect of any description contained herein or therein relating to the use of any entities, plans or arrangements to give rise to a particular United States federal income tax treatment for Party B. |
12. |
Restricted Shares. If Party B is unable to comply with the covenant of Party B contained in Section 6 above or Party A otherwise determines in its reasonable opinion that any Shares to be delivered to Party A by Party B may not be freely returned by Party A to securities lenders as described in the covenant of Party B contained in Section 6 above, then delivery of any such Settlement Shares (the “Unregistered Settlement Shares”) shall be effected pursuant to Annex A hereto, unless waived by Party A |
13. |
Use of Shares. Party A acknowledges and agrees that, except in the case of a Private Placement Settlement, Party A shall use any Shares delivered by Party B to Party A on any Settlement Date to return to securities lenders to close out borrowings created by Party A in connection with its hedging activities related to exposure under this Transaction or otherwise in compliance with applicable law. |
14. |
Rule 10b-18. In connection with bids and purchases of Shares in connection with any Net Share Settlement or Cash Settlement of the Transaction, Party A shall use commercially reasonable efforts to conduct its activities, or cause its affiliates to conduct their activities, in a manner consistent with the requirements of the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, as if such provisions were applicable to such purchases and taking into account any applicable Securities and Exchange Commission no-action letters as appropriate, and subject to any delays between the execution and reporting of a trade of the Shares on the Exchange and other circumstances beyond Party A’s control. |
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17. |
Staggered Settlement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Party A may, by prior notice to Party B, satisfy its obligation to deliver any Shares or other securities on any date due (an “Original Delivery Date”) by making separate deliveries of Shares or such securities, as the case may be, at more than one time on or prior to such Original Delivery Date, so long as the aggregate number of Shares and other securities so delivered on or prior to such Original Delivery Date is equal to the number required to be delivered on such Original Delivery Date. |
18. |
Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury. EACH OF PARTY A AND PARTY B HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES (ON SUCH PARTY’S OWN BEHALF AND, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ON BEHALF OF SUCH PARTY’S STOCKHOLDERS) ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS CONFIRMATION OR THE ACTIONS OF PARTY A, PARTY B OR THEIR AFFILIATES IN THE NEGOTIATION, PERFORMANCE OR ENFORCEMENT HEREOF. |
19. |
Jurisdiction. THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND THE UNITED STATES COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK IN CONNECTION WITH ALL MATTERS RELATING HERETO AND WAIVE ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE IN, AND ANY CLAIM OF INCONVENIENT FORUM WITH RESPECT TO, THESE COURTS. |
20. |
Counterparts. This Confirmation may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument, and any party hereto may execute this Confirmation by signing and delivering one or more counterparts. Counterparts may be delivered via electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. |
21. |
Delivery of Cash. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Confirmation shall be interpreted as requiring Party B to deliver cash or other assets in respect of the settlement of the Transaction, except in circumstances where the required cash or other asset settlement thereof is permitted for classification of the contract as equity by ASC 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity, as in effect on the Trade Date. |
22. |
Adjustments. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the Calculation Agent, the Hedging Party or the Determining Party is called upon to make an adjustment pursuant to the terms of this Confirmation or the Equity Definitions to take into account the effect of an event, the Calculation Agent, the Hedging Party or the Determining Party, as applicable, shall make such adjustment by reference to the effect of such event on the Hedging Party, assuming that the Hedging Party maintains a commercially reasonable hedge position at the time of the event. |
23. |
Ownership Limit. Party B represents and undertakes to Party A that Party A, solely in its capacity as Forward Counterparty or Forward Seller (each as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) and solely with respect to its entering into and consummating the transactions contemplated by this Confirmation and the Underwriting Agreement, will not, either individually or collectively with any other Forward Purchasers or Forward Sellers, |
21
be subject to the ownership limitations set forth in clauses (1) and (2) of Section 6.2.1(a)(i) of Party B’s Amended and Restated Articles of Amendment and Restatement. |
24. |
Matters Relating to Agent. Each of Party A and Party B acknowledges to and agrees with the other party hereto and to and with the Agent that (i) the Agent is acting as agent for Party A under the Transaction pursuant to instructions from such party, (ii) the Agent is not a principal or party to the Transaction, and may transfer its rights and obligations with respect to the Transactions, (iii) the Agent shall have no responsibility, obligation or liability, by way of issuance, guaranty, endorsement or otherwise in any manner with respect to the performance of either party under the Transaction (including arising from any failure by Party A or Party B to pay or perform any obligation under the Transaction), (iv) Party A and the Agent have not given, and Party B is not relying (for purposes of making any investment decision or otherwise) upon, any statements, opinions or representations (whether written or oral) of Party A or the Agent, other than the representations expressly set forth in this Confirmation or the Agreement and (v) each party agrees to proceed solely against the other party, and not the Agent, to collect or recover any money or securities owed to it in connection with the Transaction. Each party hereto acknowledges and agrees that the Agent is an intended third party beneficiary hereunder. Party B acknowledges that the Agent is an affiliate of Party A. Party A will be acting for its own account in respect of this Confirmation and the Transactions contemplated hereunder. |
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(a) |
For the purpose of Section 3(f) of the Agreement: |
|
(i) |
Party A makes the following representation: |
|
A. |
It is a “foreign person” (as that term is used in section 1.6041-4(a)(4) of the United States Treasury Regulations) for U.S. federal income tax purposes and each payment received or to be received by it in connection with this Confirmation is effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the United States. |
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(ii) |
Party B makes the following representations: |
|
A. |
It is a “U.S. person” (as that term is used in Treasury Regulation section 1.1441-4(a)(3)(ii)) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
|
B. |
It is a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is organized under the laws of the State of Maryland, and is an exempt recipient under Treasury Regulation section 1.6049-4(c)(1)(ii)(J). |
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(b) |
Withholding Tax imposed on payments to non-US counterparties under the United States Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. “Indemnifiable Tax”, as defined in Section 14 of the Agreement, shall not include any U.S. federal withholding tax imposed or collected pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b) of the Code, or any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such Sections of the Code (a “FATCA Withholding Tax”). For the avoidance of doubt, a FATCA Withholding Tax is a Tax the deduction or withholding of which is required by applicable law for the purposes of Section 2(d) of the Agreement. |
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(c) |
871(m) Protocol. The parties agree that the definitions and provisions contained in the ISDA 2015 Section 871(m) Protocol, as published by ISDA and as may be amended, supplemented, replaced or superseded from time to time shall be incorporated into and apply to the Agreement solely for purposes of this Confirmation as if set forth in full herein. |
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(d) |
Tax documentation. For the purposes of Sections 4(a)(i) and 4(a)(ii) of the Agreement, Party B shall provide to Party A valid and duly executed U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form W-9, or any |
22
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successor thereto, and Party A shall provide to Party B a properly completed Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI “Certificate of Foreign Person’s Claim That Income Is Effectively Connected With the Conduct of a Trade or Business in the United States” (or successor thereto) (i) on or before the date of execution of this Confirmation; (ii) promptly upon reasonable demand by Party A; and (iii) promptly upon learning that any such tax form previously provided has become invalid, obsolete, or incorrect. Additionally, Party B or Party A shall, promptly upon reasonable request by the other party, provide such other tax forms and documents reasonably requested by such other party. |
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(e) |
Change of Account. Section 2(b) of the Agreement is hereby amended by the addition of the following after the word “delivery” in the first line thereof: “to another account in the same legal and tax jurisdiction”. |
23
Party B hereby agrees (a) to check this Confirmation carefully and immediately upon receipt so that errors or discrepancies can be promptly identified and rectified and (b) to confirm that the foregoing (in the exact form provided by Party A) correctly sets forth the terms of the agreement between Party A and Party B with respect to the Transaction, by signing this Confirmation or this page hereof as evidence of agreement to such terms and providing the other information requested herein and immediately returning an executed copy to us.
Yours faithfully,
BANK OF MONTREAL |
|
By: |
/s/ Sue Henderson |
Name: |
Sue Henderson |
Title: |
Director, Derivatives Operations |
BMO CAPITAL MARKETS CORP., as agent for BANK OF MONTREAL |
|
By: |
/s/ Matthew Coley |
Name: |
Matthew Coley |
Title: |
Manager, Derivatives Operations |
[Signature Page to Forward Confirmation]
Agreed and accepted by:
EASTERLY GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES, INC.
By: |
/s/ Meghan G. Baivier |
Name: |
Meghan G. Baivier |
Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer |
[Signature Page to Forward Confirmation]
ANNEX A
If Party B delivers Unregistered Settlement Shares pursuant to Section 12 above (a “Private Placement Settlement”), then:
(a)all Unregistered Settlement Shares shall be delivered to Party A (or any affiliate of Party A designated by Party A) pursuant to the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Section 4(a)(2) thereof;
(b)as of or prior to the date of delivery, Party A and any potential purchaser of any such shares from Party A (or any affiliate of Party A designated by Party A) identified by Party A shall be afforded a commercially reasonable opportunity to conduct a due diligence investigation with respect to Party B customary in scope for private placements of equity securities of similar size (including, without limitation, the right to have made available to them for inspection all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and other information reasonably requested by them);
(c)as of the date of delivery, Party B shall enter into an agreement (a “Private Placement Agreement”) with Party A (or any affiliate of Party A designated by Party A) in connection with the private placement of such shares by Party B to Party A (or any such affiliate) and the private resale of such shares by Party A (or any such affiliate), substantially similar to private placement purchase agreements customary for private placements of equity securities of similar size, in form and substance commercially reasonably satisfactory to Party A, which Private Placement Agreement shall include, without limitation, provisions substantially similar to those contained in such private placement purchase agreements relating, without limitation, to the indemnification of, and contribution in connection with the liability of, Party A and its affiliates and obligations to use best efforts to obtain customary opinions, accountants’ comfort letters and lawyers’ negative assurance letters, and shall provide for the payment by Party B of all commercially reasonable fees and expenses in connection with such resale, including all commercially reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for Party A, and shall contain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of Party B reasonably necessary or advisable to establish and maintain the availability of an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for such resales; and
(d)in connection with the private placement of such shares by Party B to Party A (or any such affiliate) and the private resale of such shares by Party A (or any such affiliate), Party B shall, if so requested by Party A, prepare, in cooperation with Party A, a private placement memorandum in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Party A.
In the case of a Private Placement Settlement, Party A shall, in its good faith discretion, adjust the amount of Unregistered Settlement Shares to be delivered to Party A hereunder in a commercially reasonable manner to reflect the fact that such Unregistered Settlement Shares may not be freely returned to securities lenders by Party A and may only be saleable by Party A at a discount to reflect the lack of liquidity in Unregistered Settlement Shares.
If Party B delivers any Unregistered Settlement Shares in respect of the Transaction, Party B agrees that (i) such Shares may be transferred by and among Party A and its affiliates and (ii) after the minimum “holding period” within the meaning of Rule 144(d) under the Securities Act has elapsed after the applicable Settlement Date (or earlier, if applicable), Party B shall promptly remove, or cause the transfer agent for the Shares to remove, any legends referring to any transfer restrictions from such Shares upon delivery by Party A (or such affiliate of Party A) to Party B or such transfer agent of seller’s and broker’s representation letters customarily delivered by Party A or its affiliates in connection with resales of restricted securities pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, each without any further requirement for the delivery of any certificate, consent, agreement, opinion of counsel, notice or any other document, any transfer tax stamps or payment of any other amount or any other action by Party A (or such affiliate of Party A).
ANNEX B
FORWARD PRICE REDUCTION AMOUNTS
REGULAR DIVIDEND AMOUNTS
Exhibit 5.1
[LETTERHEAD OF GOODWIN PROCTER LLP]
August 16, 2021
Easterly Government Properties, Inc.
2001 K Street NW, Suite 775 North
Washington, D.C. 20006
|
Re: |
Securities Registered under Registration Statement on Form S-3 |
We have acted as counsel to you in connection with your filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-253480) (as amended or supplemented, the “Registration Statement”) filed on February 25, 2021 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration of the offering by Easterly Government Properties, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), of any combination of securities of the types specified therein. The Registration Statement became effective upon filing with the Commission on February 25, 2021.
Reference is made to our opinion letter dated February 25, 2021 and included as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. We are delivering this supplemental opinion letter in connection with the prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) filed on August 13, 2021 by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. The Prospectus Supplement relates to the offering by the Company of up to 7,245,000 shares (the “Total Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), covered by the Registration Statement, which amount includes an over-allotment option granted to the underwriters to purchase 945,000 shares of Common Stock. The Total Shares are being offered and sold pursuant to (i) the underwriting agreement, dated as of August 11, 2021 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) by and among the Company, Easterly Government Properties LP, a Delaware limited partnership, RBC Capital Markets, LLC and BMO Capital Markets Corp., as underwriters, RBC Capital Markets, LLC and BMO Capital Markets Corp., in their capacities as agent for one of their affiliates (together, the “Forward Sellers”), and Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal (together, in their capacities thereunder, the “Forward Counterparties”), (ii) those certain letter agreements, dated August 11, 2021, by and between the Company and each of the Forward Counterparties (the “Initial Forward Sale Agreements”) and (iii) to the extent the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option, those certain letter agreements, dated as of such later date by and between the Company and each of the Forward Counterparties (collectively, the “Option Forward Sale Agreements” and, together with the Initial Forward Sale Agreements, the “Forward Sale Agreements”). Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Total Shares will consist of shares of Common Stock borrowed by the Forward Counterparties (or their affiliates) from third parties (the “Borrowed Shares”) and sold by the Forward Sellers pursuant to one or more forward transactions (the “Forwards”). The Forwards are to be governed by the terms of the relevant Forward Sale Agreement pursuant to which the Forward Counterparties have agreed to purchase from the Company (subject to the Company’s right to elect cash settlement or net share settlement), a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Borrowed Shares sold by the relevant Forward Seller pursuant to the Underwriting
Easterly Government Properties, Inc.
August 16, 2021
Page 2
Agreement (the “Forward Settlement Shares”), subject to adjustment as set forth therein, for a purchase price equal to the price set forth in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement.
We have reviewed such documents and made such examination of law as we have deemed appropriate to give the opinion set forth below. We have relied, without independent verification, on certificates of public officials and, as to matters of fact material to the opinion set forth below, on certificates of officers of the Company.
For purposes of the opinion set forth below, we have assumed that no event occurs that causes the number of authorized shares of Common Stock available for issuance by the Company to be less than the number of Forward Settlement Shares subject to the Forwards that have not then settled.
The opinion set forth below is limited to the Maryland General Corporation Law.
Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Forward Settlement Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement and the relevant Forward Sale Agreement (including in net share settlement of a Forward Sale Agreement), will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated August 16, 2021, which is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement and Prospectus Supplement. In giving our consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.