UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549


FORM 8-K


CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):   April 23, 2007

THE TORO COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

 

1-8649

 

41-0580470

(State of Incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

 

8111 Lyndale Avenue South

 

 

Bloomington, Minnesota

 

55420

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code  (952) 888-8801

Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 




Section 1  —  Registrant’s Business and Operations

Item 1.01       Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On April 23, 2007, The Toro Company (the “Company”) entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Banc of America Securities LLC, as representative of the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”), with respect to the offer and sale of $125,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.625% Notes due May 1, 2037 (the “Notes”), pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-142282, filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 23, 2007.  The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements by the Company, customary conditions to closing, indemnification rights and obligations of the Company and the Underwriters and termination provisions.  Some of the Underwriters and/or their affiliates have provided and in the future may continue to provide investment banking, commercial banking and/or other financial services, including the provision of credit facilities, to the Company in the ordinary course of business for which they have received and will receive customary compensation.  Bank of America, N.A., an affiliate of Banc of America Securities LLC, is the administrative agent and a lender under the Company’s revolving credit facility and is a lender under another Company credit facility, and each of the other Underwriters (other than Piper Jaffray & Co.) and/or an affiliate of such Underwriter is a lender under the Company’s revolving credit facility.  A copy of the Underwriting Agreement is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Report, and is incorporated by reference herein.

The closing of the sale of the Notes occurred on April 26, 2007.  The Notes were sold to the public at an initial public offering price of 98.513% of the Notes’ principal amount of $125 million.  The net proceeds to the Company from the sale of the Notes, after the underwriting discount, but before transaction expenses, will be approximately $122,047,500.

The Notes are governed by and were issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of April 20, 2007 (the “Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended and supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture between the Company and the Trustee dated as of April 26, 2007 (the “Supplemental Indenture”).  The Notes are represented by a global note, executed by the Company, dated April 26, 2007.  The Notes are unsubordinated and unsecured obligations of the Company ranking equally with all of the Company’s existing and future unsubordinated and unsecured obligations.  The Notes bear interest at an annual rate of 6.625%, payable by the Company on May 1 and November 1 of each year, beginning on November 1, 2007.  The Notes mature on May 1, 2037.  Upon 30 days’ notice to holders of the Notes, the Company may redeem the Notes for cash, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, prior to maturity, at redemption prices that include accrued and unpaid interest and a make-whole premium, as specified in the Supplemental Indenture.  The Indenture also contains customary event of default provisions.  In the event of the occurrence of both (i) a change of control of the Company and (ii) a downgrade of the Notes below an investment grade rating by both Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services within a specified period, the Company will be required to make an offer to purchase the Notes at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of repurchase.  The terms of the Notes, the Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture are further described in the prospectus supplement of the Company dated April 23, 2007, together with the related prospectus dated April 23, 2007, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Rule 424(b)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 on April 24, 2007, which descriptions are incorporated by reference herein.  The Trustee or its affiliates have provided and may in the future provide commercial banking, brokerage or other services to the Company and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business for which they have received and will receive customary compensation. The Trustee also may serve as a trustee under other indentures entered into by the Company.

The forms of the Supplemental Indenture and the Note are filed as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, to this Report, and are incorporated by reference herein.

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Section 2  —  Financial Information

Item 2.03       Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

The information described above under “Section 1 – Registrant’s Business and Operations – Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement” is incorporated herein by this reference.

Section 7  —  Regulation FD

Item 7.01       Regulation FD Disclosure

On April 24, 2007, the Company issued a press release announcing a public offering of $125 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes.  A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information in this Item 7.01, including the exhibit attached hereto, is furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 and shall not be deemed “filed” for any other purpose, including for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section.  The information in this Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

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Section 9  —  Financial Statements and Exhibits

Item 9.01       Financial Statements and Exhibits

Exhibit 99.1 is furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 hereof and should not be deemed to be “filed” under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  The Company hereby files the following exhibits (other than Exhibit 99.1 below) to, and incorporates such exhibits (other than Exhibit 99.1 below) by reference in, the Registration Statement which was filed on April 23, 2007 and supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 24, 2007, or otherwise pursuant to requirements of Form 8-K.

(c)                       Exhibits.

Exhibit No.

 

Description

1.1

 

Underwriting Agreement, dated as of April 23, 2007, between the Company and Banc of America Securities LLC, as representative of the several underwriters named therein.

4.1

 

First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 26, 2007, between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.

4.2

 

Form of The Toro Company 6.625% Notes due May 1, 2037.

5.1

 

Opinion of Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP

99.1

 

Press Release dated April 24, 2007.

 

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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.

THE TORO COMPANY

 

(Registrant)

 

 

Date: April 26, 2007

By

/s/ Stephen P. Wolfe

 

 

 Stephen P. Wolfe

 

 Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer

 

 (duly authorized officer and principal financial officer)

 

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THE TORO COMPANY

CURRENT REPORT ON FORM 8-K

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.

 

Description

 

 

 

1.1

 

Underwriting Agreement, dated as of April 23, 2007, between the Company and Banc of America Securities LLC, as representative of the several underwriters named therein.

 

 

 

4.1

 

First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 26, 2007, between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.

 

 

 

4.2

 

Form of The Toro Company 6.625% Notes due May 1, 2037.

 

 

 

5.1

 

Opinion of Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press Release dated April 24, 2007.

 

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Exhibit 1.1

THE TORO COMPANY

$125,000,000

6.625% Notes due 2037


UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
April 23, 2007




Underwriting Agreement

April 23, 2007

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
9 West 57
th  Street
New York , NY 10019

As Representative of the several Underwriters

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Introductory. The Toro Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters”), acting severally and not jointly, the respective amounts set forth in such Schedule A of $125,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.625% Notes due 2037 (the “Notes”). Banc of America Securities LLC has agreed to act as representative of the

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several Underwriters (in such capacity, the “Representative”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes.

The Notes will be issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of April 20, 2007 (the “Base Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. , as trustee, as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, to be dated as of April 26, 2007 (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), Certain terms of the Notes will be established pursuant to the Supplemental Indenture. Notes issued in book-entry form will be issued in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”), pursuant to a Letter of Representations, to be dated on or before the Closing Date (as defined in Section 2 below) (the “DTC Agreement”), among the Company, the Trustee and the Depositary.

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-142282), which contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of debt securities, including the Notes, of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), and the offering thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act. Such registration statement, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form in which it became effective under the Securities Act, including any required information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, is called the “Registration Statement.” The term “Prospectus” shall mean the final prospectus supplement relating to the Notes, together with the Base Prospectus, that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the date and time that this Agreement is executed (the “Execution Time”) by the parties hereto. The term “Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Notes, together with the Base Prospectus, that is first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) . Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents that are or are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act prior to 5:53 p.m. (New York City time) on April 23, 2007 (the “Initial Sale Time”). All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”).

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “described,” “disclosed,” “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which are or are deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Initial Sale Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus shall be deemed to include

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the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus, as the case may be, after the Initial Sale Time.

The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as follows:

Section 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company

The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Initial Sale Time and as of the Closing Date (in each case, a “Representation Date”), as follows:

a)              Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with. In addition, the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Trust Indenture Act”).

At the respective times the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became effective and at each Representation Date, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto (i) complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, and (ii) did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the date of the Prospectus and at the Closing Date, neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any of the Underwriters through the Representative expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representative consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof .

Each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the SEC, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Notes will, at the time of such delivery, be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof

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filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

b)             Disclosure Package. The term “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Preliminary Prospectus dated April 23, 2007, (ii) the issuer free writing prospectuses as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (each, an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), if any, identified in Annex I hereto and (iii) any other free writing prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package. As of the Initial Sale Time, the Disclosure Package did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representative consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof .

c)              Incorporated Documents . The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (i) at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and (ii) when read together with the other information in the Disclosure Package, at the Initial Sale Time, and when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the date of the Prospectus and at the Closing Date, did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

d)             Company is a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer . (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 Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the time the Company 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 Notes in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 of the Securities Act, and (iv) as of the Execution Time, the Company was and is a “well known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, that automatically became effective not more than three years prior to the Execution Time; the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form and the Company has not otherwise ceased to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration form.

e)              Company is not an Ineligible Issuer . (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act), without taking account of any determination by the

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Commission pursuant to Rule 405 of the Securities Act that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

f)              Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses . Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus , as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the offering of Notes under this Agreement or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representative as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representative and has promptly amended or supplemented or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict. The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representative consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof .

g)             Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Date and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Notes, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes other than the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representative and included in Annex I hereto or the Registration Statement.

h)             No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.

i)               The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

j)               Authorization of the Indenture . The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company 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.

k)              Authorization of the Notes. The Notes to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company are in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and the Indenture and, at the Closing Date, will

6




have been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their 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 will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

l)               Description of the Notes and the Indenture. The Notes and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

m)             Accuracy of Statements in Prospectus. The statements in each of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of the Notes” and “Description of Debt Securities,” in each case insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present and summarize, in all material respects, the matters referred to therein.

n)             No Material Adverse Change . Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package, there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, management, business, properties, results of operations or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity (any such change is called a “Material Adverse Change”).

o)             Independent Accountants. KPMG LLP, who has expressed its opinion with respect to the Company’s audited financial statements for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2006, October 31, 2005 and October 31, 2004, respectively, and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and are an independent registered public accounting firm with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

p)             Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements together with the related notes thereto incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements comply as to form with the accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto and subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements, to year-end adjustments. No other financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis

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consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

q)             Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.

r)              Organization and Good Standing of the Company’s Subsidiaries . Each of the Company’s significant subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X, the “Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated or formed and are validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other legal entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, and each has corporate, limited liability company, partnership or other power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Each Significant Subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each Significant Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim. The Company does not have any subsidiary not listed on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2006 which is required to be so listed. Each of the Company’s Significant Subsidiaries is listed on Schedule C hereto.

s)              Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries is (i) in violation or in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, would be in default) (“Default”) under its charter or by-laws, (ii) in Default under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, deed of trust, note, contract, franchise, lease or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”) or (iii) in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any of its or their properties, as applicable, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii) only, for such Defaults or

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violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Disclosure Package and by the Prospectus (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any Default under the charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, and (iii) will not result in any violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Disclosure Package and by the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Trust Indenture Act, applicable state securities or blue sky laws and from the NASD, Inc. (the “NASD”). As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) issued by the Company, the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

t)              No Material Actions or Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, there are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened (i) against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director (in their capacity as such director or officer) of, or property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) relating to environmental or discrimination matters related to the Company or its subsidiaries, where any such action, suit or proceeding, if determined adversely, would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change or adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

u)             Labor Matters. No material dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

v)             Intellectual Property Rights. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, the Company or its subsidiaries own or possess a valid right to use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patentable inventions, trade secret, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) used by the Company or its subsidiaries in, and material to, the conduct of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ business as now conducted or as proposed in the Disclosure

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Package and the Prospectus to be conducted, except as such failure to own or possess a valid right to use such rights would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change and the expected expiration of any of such Intellectual Property Rights would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material infringement by third parties of any of the Company’s material Intellectual Property and there are no legal or governmental actions, suits, proceedings or claims pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, against the Company (i) challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property, (ii) challenging the validity or scope of any Intellectual Property owned by the Company, or (iii) alleging that the operation of the Company’s business as now conducted infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of a third party, which, if successfully prosecuted against the Company, would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Change.

w)             All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company and each Significant Subsidiary possess such valid and current certificates, authorizations, permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to so possess would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, and neither the Company nor any Significant Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization, permit, license, approval, consent or other authorization which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

x)              Title to Properties. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 1(p) above (or elsewhere in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other defects, except to the extent that equipment leases to which the Company is a party might be characterized as capital leases or leases intended for security and except such as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

y)             Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof and have paid all taxes due thereon and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them, except for any taxes, assessments, fines or penalties as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, and except where a default to make such filings or payments would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company has made appropriate provisions in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(p) above in respect of all

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federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise taxes for all current or prior periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined.

z)              Company Not an Investment Company. ” The Company is not, and after receipt of payment for the Notes and the application of the proceeds thereof as contemplated under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Investment Company Act”)

aa)            Insurance. The Company and its Significant Subsidiaries are insured with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as the Company believes adequate and customary for its businesses. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any Significant Subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change.

bb)           No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Notes.

cc)            Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any subsidiary or any other person required to be described in the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

dd)           No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate (as defined in the Exchange Act) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the FCPA, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA, and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates (as defined in the Exchange Act) have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

“FCPA” means Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

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ee)            No Conflict with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

ff)             No Conflict with OFAC Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate (as defined in the Exchange Act) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds, to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

gg)           Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change and except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any applicable federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation, order, permit or other requirement relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including without limitation, applicable laws and regulations relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum and petroleum products (collectively, “Materials of Environmental Concern”), or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Materials of Environmental Concern (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), which violation includes, but is not limited to, noncompliance with any permits or other governmental authorizations required for the operation of the business of the Company or its subsidiaries under applicable Environmental Laws, or noncompliance with the terms and conditions thereof, nor has the Company or any of its subsidiaries received any written communication, whether from a governmental authority, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that alleges that the Company or any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any applicable Environmental Law; (ii) there is no claim, action or cause of action filed with a court or governmental authority with respect to which the Company has received written notice, no investigation with respect to which the Company has received written notice, and no written notice by any person or entity alleging potential liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental responses costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, attorneys’ fees or penalties arising out of, based on or resulting from the presence, or release into the environment, of any Material of Environmental Concern at any location owned, leased or operated by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, now or in the past (collectively, “Environmental Claims”), pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any person or entity whose liability

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for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (iii) to the best of the Company’s knowledge, there are no past, present or anticipated future actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including, without limitation, the release, emission, discharge, presence or disposal of any Material of Environmental Concern, that reasonably could result in a violation of any Environmental Law, require expenditures to be incurred pursuant to Environmental Law, or form the basis of a potential Environmental Claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or against any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company or any of its subsidiaries has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change; and (iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is subject to any pending or threatened proceeding under Environmental Law to which a governmental authority is a party and which is reasonably likely to result in monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more.

hh)           Periodic Review of Costs of Environmental Compliance. In the ordinary course of its business, the Company conducts a periodic review of the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review and the amount of its established reserves, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

ii)              ERISA Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance with ERISA, expect where the failure to be so in compliance would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or a subsidiary, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Internal Revenue Code”), of which the Company or such subsidiary is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, except where such occurrence would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA), except where such liabilities would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any material liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan,” (ii) Sections 412, 4971 or 4975

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of the Internal Revenue Code, except where such liabilities would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, or (iii) Section 4980B of the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the excise tax imposed thereunder, except where such tax would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which is reasonably likely to cause disqualification of any such employee benefit plan under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

jj)              Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance . The Company has complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”).

kk)            Company’s Accounting System. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act.

ll)              Internal Controls and Procedures. The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

mm)          No Material Weakness in Internal Controls. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or in any document incorporated by reference therein, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

nn)           Accuracy of Exhibits . There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required

Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the issuance of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters set forth therein.

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Section 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Notes.

a)      The Notes. Upon the terms herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, severally and not jointly, $125,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the aggregate principal amount of Notes set forth opposite their names on Schedule A. The purchase price of the Notes, payable on the Closing Date by the Underwriters to the Company, shall be 97.638% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes.

b)     The Closing Date. Delivery of certificates for the Notes in global form to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Shearman & Sterling, 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022 (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Representative) at 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on April 26, 2007, or such other time and date as the Representative and the Company shall mutually agree (the time and date of such closing are called the “Closing Date”).

c)      Public Offering of the Notes. The Representative hereby advises the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Notes as soon after the Execution Time as the Representative, in its sole judgment, has determined is advisable and practicable.

d)     Payment for the Notes. Payment for the Notes shall be made at the Closing Date by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company.

It is understood that the Representative has been authorized, for its own account and for the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Notes that the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. The Representative may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Notes to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representative by the Closing Date for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.

e)      Delivery of the Notes. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Representative for the accounts of the several Underwriters certificates for the Notes at the Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The certificates for the Notes shall be in such denominations and registered in such names and denominations as the Representative shall have requested at least two full business days prior to the Closing Date and shall be made available for inspection on the business day preceding the Closing Date at a location in New York City, as the Representative may designate. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.

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Section 3. Covenants of the Company.

The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

a)      Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B of the Securities Act, and will promptly notify the Representative, and confirm the notice in writing, of (i) the effectiveness during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below) of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of any supplement or amendment to the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, (ii) the receipt of any comments from the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period, (iii) any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Notes for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424 and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424 was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such document. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

b)     Filing of Amendments . During such period beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date as, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of the Notes by an Underwriter or dealer, including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 of the Securities Act (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act), or any amendment, supplement or revision to the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

c)      Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

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d)     Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of the Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, such number of copies of the Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

e)      Continued Compliance with Securities Laws . The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Notes as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the Initial Sale Time or at the time it is delivered or conveyed to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of either such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, the Company will (1) notify the Representative of any such event, development or condition and (2) promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

f)      Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters to qualify or register the Notes for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Representative, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Notes. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Company shall not be required to qualify to transact business or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign business. The Company will advise the Representative promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Notes for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption,

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the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.

g)     Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

h)     Depositary. The Company will cooperate with the Underwriters and use its commercially reasonable efforts to permit the Notes to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of the Depositary.

i)       Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and The New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act.

j)       Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Securities. During the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of the Representative), directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any debt securities of the Company similar to the Notes or securities exchangeable for or convertible into debt securities similar to the Notes (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Notes).

k)      Final Term Sheet . The Company will prepare a final term sheet containing only a description of the Notes, in a form approved by the Representative and attached as Schedule B hereto, and will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act within the time required by such rule (such term sheet, the “Final Term Sheet”). Any such Final Term Sheet is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus for purposes of this Agreement.

l)       Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses . The Company represents that it has not made, and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not make, any offer relating to the Notes that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act; provided that the prior written consent of the Representative shall be deemed to have been given in respect of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in Annex I to this Agreement. Any such free writing prospectus consented to or deemed to be consented to by the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 of the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping. The

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Company consents to the use by any Underwriter of a free writing prospectus that (a) is not an “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433, and (b) contains only (i) information describing the preliminary terms of the Notes or their offering, (ii) information permitted by Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (iii) information that describes the final terms of the Notes or their offering and that is included in the Final Term Sheet of the Company contemplated in Section 3(k).

m)     Registration Statement Renewal Deadline. If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Notes remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will prior to the Renewal Deadline file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representative. If the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representative, and will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Notes. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.

n)     Notice of Inability to Use Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Form . If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Representative, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representative, (iii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement of post-effective amendment to be declared effective and (iv) promptly notify the Representative of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

o)     Filing Fees . The Company agrees to pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Notes within the time required by and in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1) and 457(r) of the Securities Act.

p)     Compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley Act. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Company’s directors and officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with such laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

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q)     No Manipulation of Price. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Notes.

The Representative, on behalf of the several Underwriters may, in its sole discretion, waive in writing the performance by the Company of any one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.

Section 4. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Notes (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes to the Underwriters, (iii) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors engaged by the Company, (iv) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, the Indenture, the DTC Agreement and the Notes, (v) all filing fees, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Notes in accordance with Section 3(f) for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws, and, if requested by the Representative, preparing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (vi) the filing fees incident to the review, if any, by the NASD of the terms of the sale of the Notes, (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Notes, (viii) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Notes with the ratings agencies, (ix) all fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) of the Company in connection with approval of the Notes by the Depositary for “book-entry” transfer, (x) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement, and (xi) all other fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. Except as provided in this Section 4 and Sections 6, 8 and 9 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.

Section 5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Notes as provided herein on the Closing Date shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof, as of the Initial Sale Time, and as of the Closing Date as though then made and to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:

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a)      Effectiveness of Registration Statement . The Registration Statement shall have become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending or threatened by the Commission, any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters and the Company shall not have received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form. The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) (or any required post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and of the Securities Act declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act).

b)     Accountants’ Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Representative shall have received from KPMG LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company, a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

c)      Bring-down Comfort Letter . On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received from KPMG LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section 5, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

d)     No Objection. If the Registration Statement and/or the offering of the Notes has been filed with the NASD for review, the NASD shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

e)      No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

(i) in the judgment of the Representative there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change;

(ii) there shall not have been any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section 5 which is, in the sole judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Notes as contemplated by the Prospectus; and

(iii) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized

21




statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act.

f)      Opinion of In-house Counsel for the company . On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of J. Lawrence McIntyre, General Counsel of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A.

g)     Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, the form of which is attached as Exhibit B.

h)     Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriter. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated as of such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as may be reasonably requested by the Underwriters.

i)       Officers’ Certificate. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer or a Vice President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company, on behalf of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i) the Company has received no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or threatened by the Commission;

(ii) the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form;

(iii) the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such Closing Date; and

(iv) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date.

j)       Additional Documents. On or before the Closing Date, the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Notes as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.

22




If any condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Sections 4, 6, 8, 9 and 17 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

Section 6. Reimbursement of the Underwriters’ Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative pursuant to Section 5, 10 or 11, or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Notes on the Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representative and the other Underwriters (or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves), severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Representative and the other Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Notes, including but not limited to reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.

Section 7. Effectiveness of this Agreement. This Agreement shall not become effective until the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto.

Section 8. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and to reimburse each Underwriter and each such officer, employee and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representative, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 8(c)) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however , that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage,

23




liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto). The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have; provided , further , that the foregoing indemnity shall not inure to the benefit of the Underwriters or any person controlling any Underwriter, where it shall have been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment that (i) prior to the Initial Sale Time the Company shall have notified the Underwriters through the Representative in writing in accordance with Section 14 hereof that the Preliminary Prospectus or any other part of the Disclosure Package contains an untrue statement of material fact or omits to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein in order to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) such untrue statement or omission of a material fact was corrected in a Disclosure Package and such corrected Disclosure Package was provided to the Underwriters at least 24 hours prior to the Initial Sale Time and, to the extent that physical delivery is required, in sufficient quantity so that such corrected Disclosure Package could have been conveyed to such person prior to the Initial Sale Time, (iii) the information contained in such corrected Disclosure Package was not conveyed to such person at or prior to the Initial Sale Time with respect to such person and (iv) such loss, claim, damage or liability would not have occurred had such corrected Disclosure Package been conveyed to such person.

(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director,

24




officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 8(c). The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth in (i) the last paragraph on the front cover of the Preliminary Prospectus regarding delivery of the Notes, and (ii) the third full paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.

(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 8 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, such indemnified party shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party, unless: (i) the employment of such counsel has been specifically authorized in writing by the indemnifying party; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed promptly to assume the defense and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; or (iii) the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both such indemnified party and the indemnifying party or any affiliate of the indemnifying party, and such indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that either (x) there may be one or more legal defenses available to it which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party or such affiliate of the indemnifying party or (y) a conflict may exist between such indemnified party and the indemnifying party or such affiliate of the indemnifying party (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to a single firm of local counsel) for all such indemnified parties, which firm shall be designated in writing by the Representative and that all such reasonable fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred). Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying

25




party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence, in which case the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.

(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 8 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 8(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

Section 9. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 8 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Notes as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined

26




by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 8(c), any reasonable legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 8(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 9; provided; however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 8(c) for purposes of indemnification.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 9.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discount received by such Underwriter in connection with the Notes underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several and not joint, in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their names in Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 9, each officer and employee of an Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

Section 10. Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters. If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Notes that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate principal amount of Notes, which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally, in the proportion to the aggregate principal amounts of such Notes set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate principal amount of such Notes set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the Representative with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase such Notes which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date. If,

27




on the Closing Date, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase such Notes and the aggregate principal amount of such Notes with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representative and the Company for the purchase of such Notes are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Sections 4, 6, 8, 9 and 17 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case, either the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected.

As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section 10. Any action taken under this Section 10 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

Section 11. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the Closing Date, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice given to the Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or the NYSE, or trading in securities generally on either the NYSE or the Nasdaq Stock Market shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the NASD; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity involving the United States, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Representative is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to market the Notes in the manner and on the terms described in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the judgment of the Representative there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change; or (v) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services. Any termination pursuant to this Section 11 shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Sections 4 and 6 hereof, and provided further that Sections 4, 6, 8, 9 and 17 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

Section 12 . No Fiduciary Duty . The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the purchase and sale of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Notes and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and several Underwriters, on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) in connection with each transaction contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary of the Company or its affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees

28




or any other party; (iii) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement; (iv) the several Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the several Underwriters have no obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the several Underwriters with respect to the subject matter hereof. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the several Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.

Section 13. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement (i) will remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any (A) investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the officers or employees of any Underwriter, or any person controlling the Underwriter, the Company, the officers or employees of the Company, or any person controlling the Company, as the case may be or (B) acceptance of the Notes and payment for them hereunder and (ii) will survive delivery of and payment for the Notes sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

Section 14. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:

If to the Representative:

Banc of America Securities LLC
40 West 57
th  Street
New York, NY 10019
Facsimile: 646-313-4803
Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal

with a copy to:

Shearman & Sterling LLP
599 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Facsimile: (646) 848-4813
Attention: Michael J. Schiavone

29




If to the Company:

The Toro Company
8111 Lyndale Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55420-1196
Facsimile:
(952) 887-8920
Attention: General Counsel

with a copy to:

Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP
Plaza VII, Suite 3300
45 South Seventh Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Facsimile:
(612) 607-7267
Attention: Bruce A. Machmeier

Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.

Section 15. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and to the benefit of the directors, officers, employees and controlling persons referred to in Sections 8 and 9, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Notes as such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.

Section 16. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

Section 17. Governing Law Provisions. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 18. General Provisions. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

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Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 8 and the contribution provisions of Section 9, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

THE TORO COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Stephen P. Wolfe

 

 

 

Name:  Stephen P. Wolfe

 

 

Title:  CFO

 

 




The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Representative as of the date first above written.

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

Acting as the Representative of the
several Underwriters named in
the attached Schedule A.

By:

/s/ Joseph A. Crowley

 

 

Name:  Joseph A. Crowley

 

Title:  Vice President

 

 




SCHEDULE A

Underwriters

 

Aggregate Principal
Amount of 
Notes to be Purchased

 

Banc of America Securities LLC

 

$

112,500,000

 

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

 

2,500,000

 

BNY Capital Markets, Inc.

 

2,500,000

 

Piper Jaffray & Co.

 

2,500,000

 

SunTrust Capital Markets, Inc.

 

2,500,000

 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

 

2,500,000

 

Total

 

$

125,000,000

 

 




SCHEDULE B

THE TORO COMPANY
Final Term Sheet
April 23, 2007

Issuer:

The Toro Company

 

 

Size:

$125,000,000

 

 

Maturity:

May 1, 2037

 

 

Coupon (Interest Rate):

6.625% per annum

 

 

Yield to Maturity:

6.741%

 

 

Spread to Benchmark Treasury:

T + 190 basis points

 

 

Benchmark Treasury:

4.500% due 02/15/36

 

 

Benchmark Treasury Price and Yield:

94-23, 4.841%

 

 

Interest Payment Dates:

The 1st day of each May and November, commencing November 1, 2007

 

 

Optional Redemption:

Make-Whole Call + 30 basis points (0.30%)

 

 

Price to Public:

98.513% of face amount

 

 

Trade Date:

April 23, 2007

 

 

Settlement Date:

T+3 (April 26, 2007)

 

 

Sole Bookrunning Manager:

Banc of America Securities LLC

 

 

Co-Managers:

BMO Capital Markets Corp.
BNY Capital Markets, Inc.
Piper Jaffray & Co.
SunTrust Capital Markets, Inc.
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

 

 

Ratings:

We expect that the notes will be rated Baa3 and BBB- by Moody’s Investor Services and Standard & Poor’s, respectively. Neither of these ratings is a recommendation to buy, sell or hold these notes. Each rating may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time, and should be evaluated independently of any other rating.

 

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus and preliminary prospectus supplement) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and preliminary prospectus supplement in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov . Alternatively, Banc of America Securities LLC can arrange to send you the prospectus and preliminary prospectus supplement if you request it by calling or e-mailing Banc of America Securities LLC at 1-800-294-1322 or dg.prospectus_distribution@bofasecurities.com.




SCHEDULE C

Significant Subsidiaries of the Company

Exmark Manufacturing Company Incorporated
Hayter Limited
Toro Credit Company
Toro Manufacturing LLC




ANNEX I

Final Term Sheet, dated April 23, 2007 (see Schedule B).

B- 1



Exhibit 4.1

THE TORO COMPANY, as Issuer

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee


 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

Dated as of April 26, 2007


 

Creating a series of Securities
Designated
6.625% Notes due May 1, 2037

Supplemental to Indenture
Dated as of April 20, 2007




TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

 

1

 

 

 

Section 1.01

Definitions

 

1

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE NOTES

 

4

 

 

 

Section 2.01

Designation and Principal Amount

 

4

 

 

 

 

Section 2.02

Stated Maturity

 

4

 

 

 

 

Section 2.03

Form, Denominations and Payment

 

4

 

 

 

 

Section 2.04

Interest

 

5

 

 

 

 

Section 2.05

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

5

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III REDEMPTION OF THE NOTES

 

5

 

 

 

Section 3.01

Optional Redemption

 

5

 

 

 

 

Section 3.02

No Sinking Fund

 

6

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV CHANGE OF CONTROL

 

6

 

 

 

Section 4.01

Repurchase Upon Change of Control Triggering Event

 

6

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V FORM OF NOTE

 

7

 

 

 

Section 5.01

Form of Note

 

7

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI MISCELLANEOUS

 

15

 

 

 

Section 6.01

Ratification of Indenture

 

15

 

 

 

 

Section 6.02

Governing Law

 

15

 

 

 

 

Section 6.03

Separability

 

15

 

 

 

 

Section 6.04

Counterparts

 

15

 

 

 

 

Section 6.05

Recitals

 

15

 




FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of April 26, 2007 (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ”), by and between The Toro Company, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Company ”), and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “ Trustee ”).

WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered its Indenture, dated as of April 20, 2007 (the “ Base Indenture ”) to the Trustee to provide for the future issuance of the Company’s unsecured debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness (the “ Securities ”), to be issued from time to time in one or more series and unlimited as to principal amount;

WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the establishment of a new series of its Securities to be known as its 6.625% Notes due May 1, 2037 (the “ Notes ”), which shall be in the form of unsecured and unsubordinated notes, with specific terms and provisions, the form and substance of such Notes and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided herein and in the Base Indenture;

WHEREAS, Section 9.01 of the Base Indenture provides that, without the consent of the Holders, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental to the Base Indenture, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, to establish the form and terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01 thereof; and

WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this First Supplemental Indenture, and all requirements necessary to make this First Supplemental Indenture a valid instrument in accordance with its terms, and to make the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the valid obligations of the Company, have been done and performed, and the execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture have been duly authorized in all respects.

NOW THEREFORE, the Company and the Trustee, in consideration of the premises and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, hereby covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of Notes, as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01           Definitions .  For all purposes of the Base Indenture and this First Supplemental Indenture relating to the series of Securities (consisting of the Notes) established hereby, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

(a)           a term not defined herein that is defined in the Base Indenture has the same meaning when used in this First Supplemental Indenture;

(b)           the definition of any term in this First Supplemental Indenture that is also defined in the Base Indenture shall supersede the definition of such term in the Base Indenture;




(c)           a term defined anywhere in this First Supplemental Indenture has the same meaning throughout;

(d)           the singular includes the plural and vice versa;

(e)           headings are for convenience of reference only and do not affect interpretation;

(f)            the following terms have the meanings given to them in this Section 1.01(f):

Below Investment Grade Rating Event ” means the Notes are rated below an Investment Grade Rating by both of the Rating Agencies (as defined below) on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could reasonably be expected to result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of the Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by either of the Rating Agencies).

Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than the Company or one of its subsidiaries; (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares of the Company’s voting stock; or (3) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Company’s Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors; provided , however , that a transaction will not be deemed to involve a Change of Control if the Company becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of a holding company and the holders of the voting stock of such holding company immediately following that transaction are substantially the same as the holders of the Company’s voting stock immediately prior to that transaction.  For purposes of the foregoing definition, “voting stock” means capital stock of any class or kind the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of the Company, even if the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

Change of Control Triggering Event ” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

Company ” means the Person named as the “Company” in the preamble of this First Supplemental Indenture until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Base Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.

Continuing Directors ” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the

2




date of the issuance of the Notes; or (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election (either by a specific vote or by approval of the Company’s proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director, without objection to such nomination).

Depositary ” means, with respect to the Notes, The Depository Trust Company or any successor clearing agency.

First Supplemental Indenture ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Interest Payment Period ” means any semi-annual period during which interest accrues on the Notes in accordance with Section 2.04(b) hereof.

Investment Grade Rating ” means a rating by Moody’s equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent under any successor rating category of Moody’s) and a rating by S&P equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent under any successor rating category of S&P).

Make-whole Amount ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.01 hereof.

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service Inc.

Notes ” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals of this First Supplemental Indenture.

Rating Agencies ” means (1) both of Moody’s and S&P (to the extent each of them is then rating the Notes); and (2) if either or both Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Company’s Board of Directors) as a replacement agency for either of Moody’s or S&P, or both of them, as the case may be.

Reinvestment Rate ” means .30% plus the arithmetic mean of the yields under the headings “Week Ending” published in the most recent statistical release under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities” for the maturity, rounded to the nearest month, corresponding to the remaining life to maturity, as of the payment date of the Notes being redeemed.  If no maturity exactly corresponds to such maturity, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to such maturity will be calculated pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence and the Reinvestment Rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight-line basis, rounding in each of the relevant periods to the nearest month.  For purposes of calculating the Reinvestment Rate, the most recent statistical release published prior to the date of determination of the Make-whole Amount will be used.

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.

3




Statistical release ” means the statistical release designated “H.15(519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States government securities adjusted to constant maturities or, if such statistical release is not published at the time of any determination, then such other reasonably comparable index which shall be designated by us.

Trustee ” means the Person named as “Trustee” in the preamble of this First Supplemental Indenture until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Base Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee under the Base Indenture, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Notes shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Notes.

ARTICLE II

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE NOTES

Pursuant to Section 3.01 of the Base Indenture, the Notes are hereby established with the following terms and other provisions:

Section 2.01           Designation and Principal Amount .  (a)  There is hereby established a new series of Securities designated the 6.625% Notes due May 1, 2037, which shall be unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Company initially limited to an aggregate principal amount of $125,000,000, subject to Section 2.01(b) below and excluding any Notes which may be authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 9.06 or 11.07 of the Base Indenture.

(b)           The Company may, from time to time, subject to compliance with any other applicable provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture but without the consent of the Holders, create and issue pursuant to this First Supplemental Indenture an unlimited principal amount of additional Securities (in excess of any amounts theretofore issued) having the same terms and conditions as those of the other outstanding Securities, except that any such additional Securities (i) may have a different issue date and issue price from other outstanding Securities and (ii) may have a different amount of interest payable on the first Interest Payment Date after issuance than the amount payable on other outstanding Securities.  Such additional Securities shall constitute part of the same series of Securities hereunder, unless any such adjustment pursuant to this Section 2.01(b) shall cause such additional Securities to constitute, as determined pursuant to an opinion of counsel, a different class of securities than the original series of Securities for United States federal income tax purposes.

Section 2.02           Stated Maturity .  The date on which the principal of the Notes shall become due and payable is May 1, 2037.

Section 2.03           Form, Denominations and Payment .  The Notes shall be issued only in registered form without coupons and shall be initially issued in the form of one or more permanent Global Securities, in the form as set forth in Article IV hereof.  The Notes shall be issued in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.  Payment

4




of any principal (and premium, if any) and interest on Notes issued as Global Securities shall be payable by the Company through the Trustee or another Paying Agent to the Depositary in immediately available funds.

Section 2.04           Interest .

(a)           The Notes will bear interest at the per annum rate of 6.625%, payable semi-annually in arrears on each May 1 and November 1, commencing November 1, 2007 (each, an “ Interest Payment Date ”).

(b)           Interest will accrue from and including April 26, 2007 or the last Interest Payment Date in respect of which interest has been paid or duly provided for, as applicable, to, but not including, the next succeeding Interest Payment Date or, if earlier, an applicable Redemption Date or the Stated Maturity, as the case may be.  Otherwise than in connection with the Stated Maturity of, early redemption of, or the payment in whole or in part of Defaulted Interest on, the Notes, interest on the Notes may be paid only on an Interest Payment Date.

(c)           The amount of interest payable for any full Interest Payment Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve thirty-day months.

(d)           In the event that any Interest Payment Date is not a Business Day, payment of the interest payable on such Interest Payment Date shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day without any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay.

(e)           Interest shall be payable on each Interest Payment Date to the person in whose name the Note is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest payment, which shall be the April 15th or October 15th (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date.

Section 2.05           Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance .  The Notes shall be defeasible pursuant to Section 13.02 (Defeasance and Discharge) and Section 13.03 (Covenant Defeasance) of the Base Indenture.

ARTICLE III

REDEMPTION OF THE NOTES

Section 3.01           Optional Redemption .  The Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, upon notice given by mail not less than 30 nor more than 60 days before the Redemption Date, at a Redemption Price equal to the sum of the principal amount of the Notes called for redemption, accrued interest on that principal amount to the Redemption Date, and the Make-whole Amount, if any, with respect to the Notes.  “Make-whole Amount” means, in connection with any redemption at the option of the Company, the excess, if any, of (a) the aggregate present value as of the date of such redemption of each dollar of principal being redeemed and the amount of interest, exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date, that would have been payable in respect of each such dollar if such

5




redemption had not been made, determined by discounting, on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months), such principal and interest at the Reinvestment Rate, determined on the third Business Day preceding the date notice of such redemption is given, from the respective dates on which such principal and interest would have been payable if such redemption had not been made, to the Redemption Date, over (b) the aggregate principal amount of the Notes being redeemed.  The Company may, at its option, designate any third party to act as calculation agent with respect to the Make-whole Amount; provided , however, that the Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for the calculation of any Make-whole Amount. In case the Company shall elect to redeem less than all of the Notes, the Company shall, not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date fixed by the Company, notify the Trustee in writing of such redemption date, and of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed.

The Company shall give prior written notice of any Make-Whole Amount prior to the date of payment thereof.  The Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for the calculation of any Make-Whole Amount.

Section 3.02           No Sinking Fund .  The Notes shall not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

ARTICLE IV

CHANGE OF CONTROL

Section 4.01           Repurchase Upon Change of Control Triggering Event .  (a) If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Notes as described in Article III above, it will make an offer to each holder (the “Change of Control Offer”) to repurchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, to the date of repurchase.  Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Company will mail a notice to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase the Notes on the payment date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “Change of Control Payment Date”), pursuant to the procedures required by the Notes and described in such notice.

(b) The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder, to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event.  To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control repurchase provisions of the Notes, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control repurchase provisions of the Notes by virtue of such conflicts.

6




(c) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful:

(i)    accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

(ii)   deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

(iii)  deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted, together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes being purchased.

ARTICLE V

FORM OF NOTE

Section 5.01           Form of Note .  The Notes and the Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication to be endorsed thereon are to be substantially in the following forms:

[FORM OF NOTE]

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF.  THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR A SECURITY REGISTERED, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN WHOLE OR IN PART MAY BE REGISTERED, IN THE NAME OF ANY PERSON OTHER THAN SUCH DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation (the “Depositary”), to the Company (as defined below) or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL since the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

6.625% NOTE DUE May 1, 2037

THE TORO COMPANY

No.

 

 

CUSIP No.

 

 

7




PRINCIPAL AMOUNT:   $125,000,000.00

The Toro Company, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE MILLION U.S. Dollars (U.S.$125,000,000.00) on May 1, 2037 and to pay interest thereon from April 26, 2007 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on May 1 and November 1 in each year, commencing November 1, 2007 at the rate of 6.625% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, provided that any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the rate of 6.625% per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be payable on demand. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the April 15th or October 15th (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date.  Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided , however , that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of April 20, 2007 (herein called the “Indenture”, which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), as amended and supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture dated as of April 26, 2007, between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the

8




terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof.

The Company may, at its option, redeem this Security, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, upon notice given by mail not less than 30 nor more than 60 days before the Redemption Date, at a Redemption Price equal to the sum of the principal amount of this Security, accrued interest on that principal amount to the Redemption Date, and the Make-whole Amount, if any, with respect to this Security.

For purposes of the immediately preceding paragraph, the following defined terms shall have the meanings specified:

“Make-whole Amount” means, in connection with any redemption at the option of the Company, the excess, if any, of the (a) aggregate present value as of the date of such redemption of each dollar of principal being redeemed and the amount of interest, exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date, that would have been payable in respect of each such dollar if such redemption had not been made, determined by discounting, on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months), such principal and interest at the Reinvestment Rate, determined on the third Business Day preceding the date notice of such redemption is given, from the respective dates on which such principal and interest would have been payable if such redemption had not been made, to the Redemption Date, over (b) the aggregate principal amount of Securities with like tenor and terms to this Security being redeemed.  In case the Company shall elect to redeem less than all of the Securities with like tenor and terms to this Security, the Company shall, not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date fixed by the Company, notify the Trustee in writing of such redemption date, and of the principal amount of such Securities to be redeemed.

“Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to the Indenture.

“Redemption Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to the Indenture.

If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Securities as described above, the Company shall make an offer to each Holder (the “Change of Control Offer”) to repurchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such Holder’s Securities at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, to the date of repurchase.  Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Company shall mail a notice to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase the Securities on the payment date specified in the notice, which date shall be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “Change of Control Payment Date”), pursuant to the procedures required by the Securities and described in such notice.

9




The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder, to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Securities as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event.  To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control repurchase provisions of the Securities, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control repurchase provisions of the Securities by virtue of such conflicts.

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:

(i)              accept for payment all Securities or portions of Securities properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

(ii)           deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Securities or portions of Securities properly tendered; and

(iii)        deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Securities properly accepted, together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Securities being purchased.

“Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Securities are rated below an Investment Grade Rating by both of the Rating Agencies (as defined below) on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could reasonably be expected to result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of the Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Securities is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by either of the Rating Agencies).

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than the Company or one of its subsidiaries; (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares of the Company’s voting stock; or (3) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Company’s Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors; provided , however , that a transaction will not be deemed to involve a Change of Control if the Company becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of a holding company and the holders of the voting stock of such holding company immediately following that transaction are substantially the same as the holders of the Company’s voting stock immediately prior to that transaction.  For purposes of the foregoing definition, “voting stock” means capital stock of any class or kind the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of the Company, even if the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

10




“Change of Control Triggering Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

“Continuing Directors” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of the issuance of the Securities; or (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election (either by a specific vote or by approval of the Company’s proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director, without objection to such nomination).

“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating by Moody’s equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent under any successor rating category of Moody’s) and a rating by S&P equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent under any successor rating category of S&P).

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service Inc.

“Rating Agencies” means (1) both of Moody’s and S&P (to the extent each of them is then rating the Securities); and (2) if either or both of Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Securities or fails to make a rating of the Securities publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Company’s Board of Directors) as a replacement agency for either of Moody’s or S&P, or both of them, as the case may be.

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.

The Indenture contains provisions for Defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected.  The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences.  Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer of this

11




Security or in exchange for or in lieu of this Security, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.  As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.  Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Company, the Trustee, and any Paying Agent may deem and treat the registered Holder hereof as the absolute owner of this Security at his, her or its address as it

12




appears on the register books of the Company as kept by the Trustee or duly authorized agent of the Company (whether or not this Security shall be overdue), for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account hereof and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Paying Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.  All payments made to or upon the order of such registered Holder shall, to the extent of the sum or sums paid, effectively satisfy and discharge liability for moneys payable on this Security.

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.

Dated:

 

 

 

THE TORO COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

The Trustee’s certificates of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated:

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK
TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

13




ABBREVIATIONS

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations.

TEN COM -

as tenants

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - . . .Custodian..

 

in common

 

(Cust) (Minor)

TEN ENT -

as tenants by

 

Under Uniform Gifts to

 

the entireties

 

Minor Act

JT TEN -

as joint tenants

 

 

with right of

 

 

survivorship and

 

 

 

 

not as tenants in

 

(State)

 

Common

 

 

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.


 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

 

 

 

 

 

(Please insert Social Security or other identifying number of Assignee)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Please print or typewrite name and address including postal zip code of Assignee)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the within Security of THE TORO COMPANY and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                                                                                  attorney to transfer the said Security on the books of the Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:

 

 

 

 

 

[NOTICE:  The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.]

14




ARTICLE VI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 6.01           Ratification of Indenture .  The Base Indenture as amended and supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and this First Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed part of the Base Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided.

Section 6.02           Governing Law .  This First Supplemental Indenture and each Note shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said State applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within said State.

Section 6.03           Separability .  In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this First Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture or of the Notes; this First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be construed as if such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein or therein.

Section 6.04           Counterparts .  This First Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 6.05           Recitals .  The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture or of the Notes.  The recitals and statements herein and in the Notes (except in the Trustee’s certificate of authentication) are deemed to be those of the Company and not those of the Trustee, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness.

15




IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this First Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, on the date or dates indicated in the acknowledgments and as of the day and year first above written.

THE TORO COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/  Stephen P. Wolfe

 

 

 

Name:  Stephen P. Wolfe

 

 

Title:    Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST
COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ D. G. Donovan

 

 

 

Name:  D.G. Donovan

 

 

Title:    Vice President

 



Exhibit 4.2

[FORM OF NOTE]

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF.  THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR A SECURITY REGISTERED, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN WHOLE OR IN PART MAY BE REGISTERED, IN THE NAME OF ANY PERSON OTHER THAN SUCH DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation (the “Depositary”), to the Company (as defined below) or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL since the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

6.625% NOTE DUE May 1, 2037

THE TORO COMPANY

No.

 

 

CUSIP No.

 

 

PRINCIPAL AMOUNT:   $125,000,000.00

The Toro Company, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE MILLION U.S. Dollars (U.S.$125,000,000.00) on May 1, 2037 and to pay interest thereon from April 26, 2007 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on May 1 and November 1 in each year, commencing November 1, 2007 at the rate of 6.625% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, provided that any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the rate of 6.625% per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be payable on demand. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the April 15th or October 15th (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may




be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date.  Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided , however , that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of April 20, 2007 (herein called the “Indenture”, which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), as amended and supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture dated as of April 26, 2007, between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof.

The Company may, at its option, redeem this Security, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, upon notice given by mail not less than 30 nor more than 60 days before the Redemption Date, at a Redemption Price equal to the sum of the principal amount of this Security, accrued interest on that principal amount to the Redemption Date, and the Make-whole Amount, if any, with respect to this Security.

For purposes of the immediately preceding paragraph, the following defined terms shall have the meanings specified:

“Make-whole Amount” means, in connection with any redemption at the option of the Company, the excess, if any, of the (a) aggregate present value as of the date of such redemption of each dollar of principal being redeemed and the amount of interest, exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date, that would have been payable in respect of each such dollar if such redemption had not been made, determined by discounting, on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months), such principal and interest at the Reinvestment Rate, determined on the third Business Day preceding the date notice of such




redemption is given, from the respective dates on which such principal and interest would have been payable if such redemption had not been made, to the Redemption Date, over (b) the aggregate principal amount of Securities with like tenor and terms to this Security being redeemed.  In case the Company shall elect to redeem less than all of the Securities with like tenor and terms to this Security, the Company shall, not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date fixed by the Company, notify the Trustee in writing of such redemption date, and of the principal amount of such Securities to be redeemed.

“Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to the Indenture.

“Redemption Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to the Indenture.

If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Securities as described above, the Company shall make an offer to each Holder (the “Change of Control Offer”) to repurchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such Holder’s Securities at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, to the date of repurchase.  Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Company shall mail a notice to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase the Securities on the payment date specified in the notice, which date shall be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “Change of Control Payment Date”), pursuant to the procedures required by the Securities and described in such notice.

The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder, to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Securities as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event.  To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control repurchase provisions of the Securities, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control repurchase provisions of the Securities by virtue of such conflicts.

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:

(i)              accept for payment all Securities or portions of Securities properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

(ii)           deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Securities or portions of Securities properly tendered; and




(iii)        deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Securities properly accepted, together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Securities being purchased.

“Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Securities are rated below an Investment Grade Rating by both of the Rating Agencies (as defined below) on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could reasonably be expected to result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of the Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Securities is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by either of the Rating Agencies).

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than the Company or one of its subsidiaries; (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares of the Company’s voting stock; or (3) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Company’s Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors; provided , however , that a transaction will not be deemed to involve a Change of Control if the Company becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of a holding company and the holders of the voting stock of such holding company immediately following that transaction are substantially the same as the holders of the Company’s voting stock immediately prior to that transaction.  For purposes of the foregoing definition, “voting stock” means capital stock of any class or kind the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of the Company, even if the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

“Change of Control Triggering Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

“Continuing Directors” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of the issuance of the Securities; or (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election (either by a specific vote or by approval of the Company’s proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director, without objection to such nomination).

“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating by Moody’s equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent under any successor rating category of Moody’s) and a rating by S&P equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent under any successor rating category of S&P).




“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service Inc.

“Rating Agencies” means (1) both of Moody’s and S&P (to the extent each of them is then rating the Securities); and (2) if either or both of Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Securities or fails to make a rating of the Securities publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Company’s Board of Directors) as a replacement agency for either of Moody’s or S&P, or both of them, as the case may be.

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.

The Indenture contains provisions for Defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected.  The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences.  Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer of this Security or in exchange for or in lieu of this Security, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the




Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.  As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.  Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Company, the Trustee, and any Paying Agent may deem and treat the registered Holder hereof as the absolute owner of this Security at his, her or its address as it appears on the register books of the Company as kept by the Trustee or duly authorized agent of the Company (whether or not this Security shall be overdue), for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account hereof and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Paying Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.  All payments made to or upon the order of such registered Holder shall, to the extent of the sum or sums paid, effectively satisfy and discharge liability for moneys payable on this Security.

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.




IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.

Dated:   April 26, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE TORO COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Stephen P. Wolfe

 

 

Name:

Stephen P. Wolfe

 

Title:

Chief Financial Officer

 

The Trustee’s certificates of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated:   April 26, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST
COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ D. G. Donovan

 

 

Authorized Signatory: D. G. Donovan

 




ABBREVIATIONS

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations.

TEN COM -

as tenants

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - . . .Custodian..

 

in common

 

(Cust) (Minor)

TEN ENT -

as tenants by

 

Under Uniform Gifts to

 

the entireties

 

Minor Act

JT TEN -

as joint tenants

 

 

with right of

 

 

survivorship and

 

 

 

 

not as tenants in

 

(State)

 

Common

 

 

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.


FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

 

 

 

 

 

(Please insert Social Security

 

 

or other identifying

 

 

number of Assignee)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Please print or typewrite name and address including postal zip code of Assignee)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the within Security of THE TORO COMPANY and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                                                                             attorney to transfer the said Security on the books of the Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:

 

 

 

 

 

[NOTICE:  The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.]



Exhibit 5.1

Plaza VII, Suite 3300

45 South Seventh Street

Minneapolis, MN  55402-1609

www.Oppenheimer.com

Main:      (612) 607-7000

Fax:         (612) 607-7100

April 26, 2007

The Toro Company

8111 Lyndale Avenue South

Bloomington, Minnesota 55420-1196

Re: The Toro Company — Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-142282)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to The Toro Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-142282) (the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”).  The Registration Statement relates to the issuance and sale from time to time by the Company, pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act, of an indeterminate amount of the Company’s debt securities (the “Debt Securities”).

Pursuant to the Registration Statement, the Company is offering $125,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.625% Notes due 2037 (the “Notes”), issuable pursuant to an Indenture dated April 20, 2007 entered into between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, as supplemented by a first supplemental indenture dated April 26, 2007 (as so supplemented, the “Indenture”).  On April 23, 2007, the Company entered into an Underwriting Agreement, with the several underwriters named in Schedule A thereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom Banc of America Securities LLC is acting as representative, relating to the sale by the Company to the Underwriters of the Notes.

In acting as counsel for the Company and arriving at the opinion expressed below, we have examined the Registration Statement, the prospectus, dated April 23, 2007, included in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated April 23, 2007, relating to the offering of the Notes, the prospectus supplement, dated April 23, 2007, relating to the offering of the Notes, the term sheet containing the final terms of the Notes, dated April 23, 2007, the Indenture and the charter and bylaws of the Company as in effect on the date hereof.  We also have examined such certificates of public officials, corporate documents and records and other certificates, opinions and instruments, and have made such other investigation, as we have deemed necessary in connection with this opinion.

In our examination of such documents, we have assumed, in addition to the other assumptions set forth herein, that all signatures on all documents submitted to us are genuine, all documents submitted to us as originals are accurate and complete, all documents submitted to us as copies are true, correct and complete copies of originals thereof, and the legal capacity of all natural persons.  In making our examination of documents executed by parties other than the Company, we have assumed that such parties have all necessary corporate or other power, authority and legal right to execute and deliver such documents and perform their respective obligations thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action of the execution and delivery of such documents by such parties.




As to questions of fact relevant to this opinion, without any independent investigation or verification we have relied upon, and assumed the accuracy of, the representations and warranties of each party made in the Indenture and the other documents and certificates delivered in connection therewith, certificates of officers of the Company and certificates and records of public officials.

Based on the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, qualifications and limitations contained herein, we are of the opinion that, when the terms of the Notes and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Indenture so as not to violate any applicable law or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and the Notes have been duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the Indenture and issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Notes will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

Our opinion that any document is legal, valid and binding is qualified as to:

(a)  limitations imposed by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or other laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally;

(b)  rights to indemnification and contribution which may be limited by applicable law or equitable principles; and

(c)  general principles of equity, including without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief, and limitation of rights of acceleration regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

This opinion is limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law, the federal laws of the United States of America and the internal laws of the State of New York, and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or, in the case of Delaware, any other laws.  We express no opinion as to the applicable choice of law rules that may affect the interpretation or enforcement of the Notes.  We further disclaim any opinion as to any statute, rule, regulation, ordinance, order or other promulgation of any regional or local governmental body or as to any related judicial or administrative opinion.  For purposes of our opinions herein, we have assumed, without independent investigation, that the internal laws of the State of New York are identical in all relevant respects to the laws of the State of Minnesota.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Form 8-K, to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.  We also hereby consent to the reference to us under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement.  In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission issued thereunder.  This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof unless otherwise expressly stated, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes of the facts stated or assumed herein or any subsequent changes in applicable law.

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP

 

 

2



Exhibit 99.1

Investor Relations

John Wright

Director, Investor Relations

(952) 887-8865

Media Relations

Connie Kotke

Manager, Corporate Communications

(952) 887-8984, pr@toro.com

www.thetorocompany.com

For Immediate Release

The Toro Company Announces Public Offering Of Senior Notes

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (April 24, 2007) – The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) today announced that it has agreed to sell $125 million aggregate principal amount of 6.625% unsecured senior notes due May 1, 2037 in an underwritten public offering.  Toro intends to use the proceeds of the offering to pay at maturity its $75 million outstanding principal amount of 7.125% notes due June 15, 2007, as well as for general corporate purposes.  The offering is expected to close on April 26, 2007.

Banc of America Securities LLC is acting as sole book-running manager for this offering.  Co-managers for this offering include SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, BMO Capital Markets, Piper Jaffray, Wells Fargo Securities and BNY Capital Markets, Inc.

This offering was made pursuant to a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 23, 2007, which has become effective.  A copy of the prospectus and the related prospectus supplements may be obtained from Banc of America Securities LLC, 9 West 57th Street, 6th floor, New York, New York 10019, by telephone at (800) 294-1322, or prospectus_distributions@bofasecurities.com .

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any of the notes or any other security.  Any such offers, or solicitations to buy, will be made solely by means of a prospectus and related prospectus supplements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About The Toro Company

The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) is a leading worldwide provider of outdoor beautification products, support services and integrated solutions.

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Safe Harbor

Statements made in this news release, which are forward-looking, are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied. These uncertainties include factors that affect all businesses operating in a global market as well as matters specific to Toro. Particular risks and uncertainties that may affect the company’s operating results or overall financial position at the present include: slow growth rates in global and domestic economies, resulting in rising unemployment and weakened consumer confidence; the threat of further terrorist acts and war, which may result in contraction of the U.S. and worldwide economies; fluctuations in the cost and availability of raw materials, including steel and other commodities; rising costs of transportation; the impact of abnormal weather patterns and natural disasters; level of growth in the golf market; reduced government spending for grounds maintenance equipment due to reduced tax revenue and tighter government budgets; dependence on The Home Depot as a customer for the residential segment; elimination of shelf space for our products at retailers; unforeseen inventory adjustments or changes in purchasing patterns by our customers; market acceptance of existing and new products; increased competition; our ability to achieve the goals for the new three-year growth and profit improvement initiative which is intended to improve our revenue growth and after-tax return on sales; the company’s ability to achieve net sales and net earnings per diluted share growth in fiscal 2007; our increased dependence on international sales and the risks attendant to international operations; interest rates and currency movements including, in particular, our exposure to foreign currency risk; financial viability of distributors and dealers; our ability to successfully achieve our plans for and integrate acquisitions and manage alliances; the costs and effects of complying with changes in tax, fiscal, government and other regulatory policies, including rules relating to environmental, health and safety matters; unforeseen product quality problems in the development, production and usage of new and existing products; loss of or changes in executive management; ability of management to manage around unplanned events; the occurrence of litigation or claims, including the previously disclosed pending litigation against the company and other defendants that challenges the horsepower ratings of lawnmowers, of which the company is currently unable to assess whether the litigation would have a material adverse effect on the company’s consolidated operating results or financial condition, although an adverse result might be material to operating results in a particular reporting period.  In addition to the factors set forth in this paragraph, market, economic, financial, competitive, weather, production and other factors identified in Toro’s quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could affect the forward-looking statements in this press release. Toro undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements made in this release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this statement.

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