UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 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) July 28, 2016

 

CARBO Ceramics Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Delaware

001-15903

72-1100013

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

575 North Dairy Ashford, Suite 300

 

 

Houston, Texas

 

77079

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

(281) 921-6400

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions ( see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

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))

 

 

 


 

I tem 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On July 28, 2016, CARBO Ceramics Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a sales agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with Cowen and Company, LLC (the “Sales Agent”), pursuant to which the Company may sell, from time to time, the Company’s common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $75,000,000 through the Sales Agent (the “Offering”).

The Common Shares sold in the Offering, if any, will be issued pursuant to the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-211519) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 23, 2016 and declared effective on May 31, 2016, and related prospectus supplement filed with the SEC on July 28, 2016.  Sales of the Common Shares made pursuant to the Sales Agreement, if any, may be sold by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which includes sales made directly on the New York Stock Exchange, the existing trading market for the Company’s Common Shares, or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange.  The Company intends to use the proceeds from any sales in the Offering for general corporate purposes and working capital needs.

The Company made certain customary representations, warranties and covenants concerning the Company and the Common Shares in the Sales Agreement and also agreed to indemnify the Sales Agent against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.  A copy of the Sales Agreement is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, and the description of the material terms of the Sales Agreement in this Item 1.01 are qualified in their entirety by reference to such Exhibit, which is incorporated herein by reference.

This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

 

 

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

The following information, including the Exhibit to this Form 8-K, is being furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 — Results of Operations and Financial Condition of Form 8-K. This information is not deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is not incorporated by reference into any Securities Act of 1933 registration statements.

On July 28, 2016, CARBO Ceramics Inc. issued a press release, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, announcing second quarter 2016 earnings.

 

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)

Exhibits.

Pursuant to General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the following exhibits are furnished with this Form 8-K.

 

10.1

 

Sales Agreement between CARBO Ceramics Inc. and Cowen and Company, LLC, dated July 28, 2016.

99.1

  

Press Release, dated July 28, 2016.

 

 


 

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.

 

 

 

CARBO CERAMICS INC.

Date: July 28, 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Ernesto Bautista III

 

 

 

 

Ernesto Bautista III

 

 

 

 

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 


 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

10.1

 

Sales Agreement between CARBO Ceramics Inc. and Cowen and Company, LLC, dated July 28, 2016.

99.1

  

Press Release, dated July 28, 2016.

 

 

Exhibit 10.1

CARBO CERAMICS INC.

$75,000,000


COMMON STOCK

SALES AGREEMENT

July 28 , 2016

 

Cowen and Company, LLC

599 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10022

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

CARBO Ceramics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”) confirms its agreement (this “ Agreement ”) with Cowen and Company, LLC (“ Cowen ) , as follows:

1.   Issuance and Sale of Shares .  The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through Cowen, acting as agent and/or principal, shares (the “ Placement Shares ”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Common Stock ”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $75,000,000.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitation set forth in this Section 1 on the number of shares of Common Stock issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company, and Cowen shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance.  The issuance and sale of Common Stock through Cowen will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed by the Company and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement (as defined below) to issue the Common Stock.    

2.   The Company has filed with the Commission, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “ Securities Act ”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-211519), including a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the Placement Shares, to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “ Exchange Act ”). The Company has prepared a prospectus supplement, specifically relating to the Placement Shares (the “ Prospectus Supplement ”), to the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement.  The Company has furnished to Cowen, for use by Cowen, copies of the prospectus included as part of such registration statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, relating to the Placement Shares.  Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, as amended when it became effective, including all documents filed as part thereof or

 


 

incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be part of such registration statement pursuant to Rules 430B or 462(b) of the Securities Act, is herein called the “ Registration Statement .”  The base prospectus, inc luding all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which such prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the C ompany with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, together with any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act regulations (“ Rule 433 ”), relating to the Placement Shares that (a) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company or (b) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i), in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s recor ds pursuant to Rule 433(g), is herein called the “ Prospectus .” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein , and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission deem ed to be incorporated by reference therein. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include any copy filed with the Commission pursuant to the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System (“ EDGAR ”).  

3.   Placements .  

(a)  Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell the Placement Shares hereunder (each, a “ Placement ”), it will notify Cowen by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) (a “ Placement Notice ”) containing the parameters in accordance with which it desires the Placement Shares to be sold, which shall at a minimum include (i) the number of Placement Shares to be issued, (ii) the time period during which such sales are requested to be made, (iii) any limitations on the number of such Placement Shares that may be sold in any one Trading Day (as defined below) and (iv) any minimum price below which such sales may not be made, a form of which containing such minimum sales parameters necessary is attached hereto as Schedule 1 .  The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 2 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from Cowen set forth on Schedule 2 , as such schedule may be amended from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be effective upon receipt by Cowen unless and until (i) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 5 , Cowen declines to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole discretion, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares have been sold, (iii) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 5 , the Company suspends or terminates the Placement Notice, (iv) the Company issues a subsequent Placement Notice with parameters superseding those on the earlier dated Placement Notice or (v) the Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 12 .   The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to Cowen in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 3 .   It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor Cowen will have any

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obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice t o Cowen and Cowen does not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein.  In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will control.  

4.   Sale of Placement Shares by Cowen .  Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon the Company’s delivery of a Placement Notice, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, Cowen, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (the “ NYSE ”) to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice.  Cowen will provide written confirmation to the Company (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the Company set forth on Schedule 2 , if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder, setting forth (a) the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, (b) the volume-weighted average price of the Placement Shares sold and (c) the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company. Subject to the terms of the Placement Notice (as amended, if applicable), Cowen may sell Placement Shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415(a)(5) of the Securities Act, including without limitation sales made through NYSE, on any other existing trading market for the Common Stock or to, or through, a market maker.  If expressly authorized by the Company in a Placement Notice, Cowen may also sell Placement Shares in negotiated transactions.  Cowen shall not purchase Placement Shares for its own account as principal unless expressly authorized to do so by the Company in a Placement Notice.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) there can be no assurance that Cowen will be successful in selling Placement Shares and (b) Cowen will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if Cowen does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by Cowen to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Section 4 .  For the purposes hereof, “ Trading Day ” means any day on which the Company’s Common Stock is purchased and sold on the principal market on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted.

5.   Suspension of Sales .  

(a) The Company or Cowen may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 2 , if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 2 ), suspend any sale of Placement Shares; provided, however , that such suspension shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice.  Each of the parties agrees that no such

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notice under this Section 5 shall be effective against the other unless it is m ade to one of the individuals named on Schedule 2 hereto, as such schedule may be amended from time to time.  

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, during any period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public informat ion, the Company shall not request the sale of any Placement Shares.

 

6.   Settlement .

(a)  Settlement of Placement Shares .  Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the third (3 rd ) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “ Settlement Date ” and the first such settlement date, the “ First Delivery Date ”).  The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “ Net Proceeds ”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by Cowen at which such Placement Shares were sold, after deduction for (i) Cowen’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 3 hereof, (ii) any other amounts due and payable by the Company to Cowen hereunder pursuant to Section 8(f) (Expenses) hereof, and (iii) any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.  

(b)  Delivery of Placement Shares .  On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting Cowen’s or its designee’s account (provided Cowen shall have given the Company written notice of such designee prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradeable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form.  On each Settlement Date, Cowen will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date.  The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver duly authorized Placement Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 10 (Indemnification and Contribution) hereto, it will (i) hold Cowen harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company and (ii) pay to Cowen any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.

7.   Representations and Warranties of the Company .  The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, Cowen that as of (a) the date of this Agreement, (b) each Representation Date (as defined in Section 8(l) ), (c) each date on which a Placement Notice is given and (d) any date on which Placement Shares are sold hereunder:

(a)  Compliance with Registration Requirements .  The Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act.  The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of

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the Commission for additional or supplemental information.  No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Sta tement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, contemplated or threatened by the Commission.   The Company meets the requirement s for use of Form S ‑3 under the Securities Act.  The sale of the Placement Shares hereunder meets the requirements or General Instruction I.B.1 of Form S-3.  

(b)  No Misstatement or Omission .  The Prospectus when filed complied and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act.  Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any post-effective amendments or supplements thereto, at the time it became effective or its date, as applicable, complied and, as of each of the Settlement Dates, if any, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and, as of its date, did not and, as of each Settlement Date, if any, 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. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to Cowen furnished to the Company in writing by Cowen expressly for use therein.  There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required.

(c)  Offering Materials Furnished to Cowen . The Company has delivered to Cowen one complete copy of the Registration Statement and a copy of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits) and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as Cowen has reasonably requested.

(d)  T he Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in 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 the State of Texas and each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to (i) have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties or business of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (“ Material Adverse Effect ”) or (ii) subject the Company to any material liability or disability. The Company has all corporate power and authority, as applicable, necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged in all material respects as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.  Except as described in the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Significant Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim.

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The Company doe s not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year and other than (i) those subsi diaries not required to be listed on Exhibit 21.1 by Item 601 of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act and (ii) those subsidiaries formed since the last day of the most recently ended fiscal year.                 

(e)  The Organizational Documents have been duly authorized, executed and delivered, by the Company. “ Organizational Documents ” shall mean the charter, bylaws or other organizational document, as applicable, of the Company and its subsidiaries, as amended from time to time and in effect as of the date hereof.

(f)  The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, as applicable, to execute, deliver and perform its respective obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(g)  There are no preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any equity securities of the Company other than as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, except such rights as have been waived or satisfied. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding options or warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock or other equity interests in the Company.

(h)  The offering and sale of the Placement Shares by the Company, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, impose any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except for such liens, charges, encumbrances or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Organizational Documents; or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any judgment, order, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets, except for such violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

(i)  No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets is required for the offer and sale of the Placement Shares, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for the registration of the Placement Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications (i) as may be required under the Exchange Act, applicable

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state securities laws or the by-laws in connection with the purchase and sale of the Placement Shares by Cowen , (ii) as have been, or prior to the First Delivery Date will be, obtained or (iii) that, if not obtained, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse E ffect or materially impair the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(j)  The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated, except to the extent disclosed therein.

(k)  Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company, whose reports appear in or are incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 8(n) hereof, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act.

(l)  The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the financial statements of the Company in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to maintain accountability for its assets, (iii) access to the assets of the Company is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for the assets of the Company is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. As of the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by Ernst & Young LLP, there were no material weaknesses in the internal controls of the Company.

(m)  (i) To the extent required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act, the Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company is accumulated and communicated to management of the Company and its subsidiaries, including their respective principal executive officers and principal financial officers, as appropriate and (iii) to the extent required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act, such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.

(n)  Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by Ernst & Young LLP, (i) the Company has not been advised of or become aware of (A) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that are reasonably likely to adversely affect the ability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to record, process, summarize and report financial data, (B) any material weakness in internal controls or (C) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other

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employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company and its subsidiaries; and (ii) there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that are reasonably likely to materially affect internal contr ols, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

(o)  There is not, and has not been, any failure on the part of the Company to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.

(p)  Except as described in the Prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference therein, since the date of the latest audited financial statements incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, the Company has not (i) sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, (ii) issued or granted any securities, other than pursuant to the Company’s long-term incentive plan as in effect on the date hereof, (iii) incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business or (iv) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business, and since such date, there has not been any change in corporate interests of the Company or any adverse change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, properties, management or business of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case except as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(q)  The Company and its subsidiaries have such permits, licenses, patents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“ Permits ”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or except as described in the Prospectus. The Company and its subsidiaries have fulfilled and performed all of their obligations with respect to the Permits, and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder or any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or except as described in the Prospectus. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such Permits or has any reason to believe that any such Permits will not be renewed in the ordinary course except in each case, that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(r)  Intellectual Property .  The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess the valid right to use all (i) patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark registrations, service marks, service mark registrations, Internet domain name registrations, copyrights, copyright registrations, licenses and trade secret rights (“ Intellectual Property Rights ”) and (ii) inventions, software, works of authorships, trademarks, service marks, trade names, databases, formulae, know how, Internet domain names and other intellectual property (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, “ Intellectual Property Assets ”) necessary to conduct their

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respective businesses as currently conducted, and as proposed to be conducted and described in the Prospectus, except to the extent that the failure to own or possess rights to use such Intellectual Proper ty Rights or  Intellectual Property  Assets would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a  Material Adverse   Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries have not received any opinion from their legal counsel concluding that any act ivities of their respective businesses infringe, misappropriate, or otherwise violate, valid and enforceable Intellectual Property Rights of any other person, and have not received written notice of any challenge, which is to their knowledge still pending, by any other person to the rights of the Company and its subsidiaries with respect to any Intellectual Property Rights or Intellectual Property Assets owned or used by the Company or its subsidiaries.  To the knowledge of the Company, the Company and its subsidiaries’ respective businesses as now conducted do not give rise to any infringement of, any misappropriation of, or other violation of, any valid and enforceable Intellectual Property Rights of any other person. All licenses for the use of the Intell ectual Property Rights described in the Prospectus are valid, binding upon, and enforceable by or against the parties thereto in accordance to its terms. The Company has complied in all material respects with, and is not in breach nor has received any asse rted or threatened claim of breach of any Intellectual Property license, and the Company has no knowledge of any breach or anticipated breach by any other person to any Intellectual Property license. Except as described in the Prospectus or as would not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no claim has been made against the Company alleging the infringement by the Company of any patent, trademark, service mark, trade name, copyright, trade secret, license in or other intellectual p roperty right or franchise right of any person.  The Company has taken all reasonable steps to protect, maintain and safeguard its Intellectual Property Rights, including the execution of appropriate nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements.  The consu mmation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not result in the loss or impairment of or payment of any additional amounts with respect to, nor require the consent of any other person in respect of, the Company's right to own, use, or hol d for use any of the Intellectual Property Rights as owned, used or held for use in the conduct of the business as currently conducted.  

(s)  Except as described in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject that could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; and to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened by governmental authorities or others.

(t)  There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company, or to which the Company is a party, or to which any of its properties is subject, that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein but are not described as required.

(u)  There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or any document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement that are not described and filed as required. The statements made or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the contracts and other documents described and

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filed, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such contracts and documents in all material respects. The Company has no knowledge that the other parties to any such contract or other docu ment have any intention not to render full performance as contemplated by the terms thereof.

(v)  The Company and its subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance from insurers of recognized financial responsibility in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonably adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. All policies of insurance of the Company and its subsidiaries are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance; there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instruments as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause that if not paid could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue their business at a cost that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(w)  No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, shareholders, customers or suppliers of the Company, on the other hand, that is required to be described in the Prospectus which is not so described.

(x)  Except as described in the Prospectus, no labor disturbance by or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(y)  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) are in violation of their organizational documents, (ii) are in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant, condition or other obligation contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which they are a party or by which they are bound or to which any of their properties or assets is subject or (iii) are (or, to the knowledge of the Company with respect to non-U.S. subsidiaries, are) in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over any of them or their property or assets or has failed to obtain any license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of their property or to the conduct of their business, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such conflict, breach, violation or default could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(z)  Except as otherwise described in the Prospectus, and except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, the Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all laws, regulations,

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ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including without limitation any international, foreign, federal, state, provincial, regional or local authority, relating to the protec tion of human health or safety, the environment, or natural resources, or the use, handling, storage, manufacturing, transportation, treatment, discharge, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“ Environm ental Laws ”) applicable to such entity, which compliance includes, without limitation, obtaining, maintaining and complying with all permits and authorizations and approvals required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (ii) ha ve not received notice or otherwise have knowledge of any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws, or of any actual or potential liability for or other obligation concerning the presence, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wa stes, pollutants or contaminants, except in the case of clause (i) or (ii) where such non-compliance, violation, liability, or other obligation could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in th e Prospectus, (x) there are no proceedings that are pending, or known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (y) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, including any pending or proposed Environmental Laws, or li abilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive posi tion of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (z) the Company does not anticipate material capital expenditures relating to Environmental Laws. The terms “hazardous wastes”, “toxic wastes” and “hazardous substances” shall have the meanings specified in any applicable local, state, federal and foreign laws or regulations with respect to environmental protection.

(aa)  The Company has filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due, and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company, nor does the Company have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that have been, or could reasonably be expected to be asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, that could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(bb)  Except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect:  (i) each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”)) for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”)) would have any liability (each a “ Plan ”) has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan for which the Company or any member of its Controlled Group would have any liability, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (A) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (B) no “accumulated funding deficiency” (within

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the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (C) the fair market value of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accru ed under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan), and (D) neither the Company or any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributio ns to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in the ordinary course) in respect of a Plan (including a “ multiemployer plan ,” within the meaning of Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA); and (iv) each Plan that is intended to be qualified u nder Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(cc)  The statistical and market-related data included in the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable in all material respects.

(dd)  The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Placement Shares and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus, will not be (i) an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Investment Company Act ”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, or (ii) a “business development company” (as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act).

(ee)  The Company currently is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 of the rules and regulation of the Commission.  The Company agrees to notify Cowen promptly upon the Company becoming an “ineligible issuer.”

(ff)  The statements set forth in each of the Prospectus under the captions “Description of the Common Stock,” “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Plan of Distribution” insofar as they purport to summarize the provisions of the laws referred to therein, are accurate summaries in all material respects.

(gg)  Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.

(hh)  Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company is not a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or Cowen for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares.

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(ii)  The Company has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the offering of the Placement Shares contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Secur ities Act or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.

(jj)  The Company and its affiliates have not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the Placement Shares.

(kk)  The Common Stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange.

(ll)  The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of the Settlement Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares other than the Prospectus and any issuer free writing prospectus to which Cowen have consented in accordance with Section 8(a) .

(mm)  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of or has received notice of any violation with respect to any federal or state law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, nor any applicable federal or state wage and hour laws, nor any state law precluding the denial of credit due to the neighborhood in which a property is situated, the violation of any of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(nn)  None of the Company, nor any officer, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company, has (i) used any corporate funds for any material unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other material unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect material unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any material bribe or kickback. The Company and its affiliates have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.

(oo)  The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (the “ BSA ”), as amended, the money laundering statutes of all 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.  The Company is not aware of any subpoenas being issued to the Company or any of its employees by any government agency seeking records pursuant to the government’s administrative subpoena power under the BSA.

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(pp)  (i) Neither the Company nor any officer, agent, employee, director or affiliate of th e Company is (a) a person with whom dealings are prohibited under any U.S. sanctions (“ Sanctions ”) administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“ OFAC ”) including but not limited to any person identified on the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals list and any such person (a “ Sanctioned Person ”) nor (b) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit or restrict dealings in such country or territory (curre ntly, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria); and (ii) 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 (a) the purpose of financing the activities of any Sanctioned Person or (b) in any other manner, in each case as would result in a violation of Sanctions by any person or entity (including any person or entity participating in the off ering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to Cowen or to counsel for Cowen shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to Cowen as to the matters set forth therein.

The Company acknowledges that Cowen and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 8 hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to Cowen, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

8.   Covenants of the Company .  The Company covenants and agrees with Cowen that:

(a)  Registration Statement Amendments .  After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by Cowen under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), (i) the Company will notify Cowen promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (ii) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon Cowen’s request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in Cowen’s reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Shares by Cowen ( provided, however , that the failure of Cowen to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect Cowen’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement); (iii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, relating to the Placement Shares or a security convertible into the Placement Shares unless a copy thereof has been submitted to Cowen within a reasonable period of time before the filing and Cowen has not reasonably objected thereto ( provided, however , that the failure of Cowen to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect Cowen’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement, and provided further, however, that the Company shall not be required to provide

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Cowen with any copy of any such document in advance if the filing does not name Cowen, does not relate to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or is being filed in connection with a separate offering pursuant to the same Registration Statement) and the Company will furnish to Cowen at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the R egistration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (iv) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act.  

(b)  Notice of Commission Stop Orders .  The Company will advise Cowen, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued.

(c)  Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes .  During any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by Cowen under the Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Placement Shares, (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act.  If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify Cowen to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, provided, however, that the Company may elect in its sole discretion to delay the filing of any such amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement if it determines it is in the best interest of the Company to do so.

(d)  Listing of Placement Shares .  During any period in which the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by Cowen under the Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Placement Shares (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the NYSE and to qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as Cowen reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be

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required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities or file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.  

(e)  Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus .  The Company will furnish to Cowen and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as Cowen may from time to time reasonably request and, at Cowen’s request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to Cowen to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.  

(f)  Expenses .  The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 hereunder, will pay the following expenses all incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including, but not limited to, expenses relating to (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement and each amendment and supplement thereto, of each Prospectus and of each amendment and supplement thereto, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Placement Shares, (iii) the qualification of the Placement Shares under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 8(d) of this Agreement, including filing fees (provided, however, that any fees or disbursements of counsel for Cowen in connection therewith shall be paid by Cowen except as set forth in (vii) below), (iv) the printing and delivery to Cowen of copies of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and of this Agreement, (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing or qualification of the Placement Shares for trading on the NYSE, (vi) the filing fees and expenses, if any, of the Commission, and (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of Cowen’s counsel in an amount not to exceed $50,000.

(g)  Use of Proceeds .  The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”

(h)  Notice of Other Sales .  During the pendency of any Placement Notice given hereunder, and for five (5) trading days following the termination of any Placement Notice given hereunder, the Company shall provide Cowen notice as promptly as reasonably possible before it offers to sell, contracts to sell, sells, grants any option to sell or otherwise disposes of any shares of Common Stock (other than Placement Shares offered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Stock; provided , that such notice shall not be required in connection with the (i) issuance, grant or sale of Common Stock, options to purchase shares of Common Stock or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus, (ii) the issuance of securities in connection with an acquisition, merger or sale or purchase of assets, (iii) the issuance or sale of Common Stock pursuant to any dividend

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reinvestment plan that the Company may adopt from time to time provided the implementation of such is disclosed to Cowen in advance or (iv) any shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exchange, conversion or redemption of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding.

(i)  Change of Circumstances .  The Company will, at any time during a fiscal quarter in which the Company intends to tender a Placement Notice or sell Placement Shares, advise Cowen promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document provided to Cowen pursuant to this Agreement.

(j)  Due Diligence Cooperation .  The Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by Cowen or its agents in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as Cowen may reasonably request.

(k)  Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares .  The Company agrees that on such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (each and every filing under Rule 424(b), a “ Filing Date ”), which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold through Cowen, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to Cowen with respect to such Placement Shares provided that the Company may satisfy this requirement by reporting such information in its filings made under the Exchange Act, and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.

(l)  Representation Dates; Certificate .  On or prior to the First Delivery Date and each time the Company (i) files the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or amends or supplements the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares (other than a prospectus supplement filed in accordance with Section 8(k) of this Agreement) by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of document(s) by reference to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares; (ii) files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act; (iii) files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or (iv) files a report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than an earnings release) under the Exchange Act (each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “ Representation Date ”); the Company shall furnish Cowen with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 8(l) within three (3) Trading Days of any Representation Date if requested by Cowen.  The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 8(l) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date; provided , however , that such waiver shall not apply for any Representation Date on which the Company files its annual report

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on Form 10-K.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placemen t Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide Cowen with a certificate under this Section 8(l) , then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or Cowen sells any Placement Shares, the Company sha ll provide Cowen with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 8(l) , dated the date of the Placement Notice.  

(m)  Legal Opinion .  On or prior to the First Delivery Date and within three (3) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 8(l) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause to be furnished to Cowen a written opinion of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP (“ Company Counsel ”), or other counsel satisfactory to Cowen, in form and substance satisfactory to Cowen and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered, substantially similar to the form attached hereto as Exhibit 8(m)(i) and Exhibit 8(m)(ii) , respectively, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented; provided , however , that in lieu of such opinions for subsequent Representation Dates, counsel may furnish Cowen with a letter (a “ Reliance Letter ”) to the effect that Cowen may rely on a prior opinion delivered under this Section 8(m) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented at such Representation Date).  

(n)  Comfort Letter .  On or prior to the date of delivery of the first Placement Notice and within three (3) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 8(l) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause its independent accountants to furnish Cowen letters (the “ Comfort Letters ”), dated the date the Comfort Letter is delivered, in form and substance satisfactory to Cowen, (i) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the PCAOB, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to Cowen in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “ Initial Comfort Letter ”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.

(o)  Market Activities .  The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase the Placement Shares to be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than Cowen; provided, however, that the Company may bid for and purchase shares of its Common Stock in accordance with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act.

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(p)  Insurance .  The Company and its subsidiaries shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonable and customary for the business for which it is engaged.  

(q)  Compliance with Laws .  The Company and each of its subsidiaries shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, all material environmental permits, licenses and other authorizations required by federal, state and local law in order to conduct their businesses as described in the Prospectus, and the Company and each of its subsidiaries shall conduct their businesses, or cause their businesses to be conducted, in substantial compliance with such permits, licenses and authorizations and with applicable environmental laws, except where the failure to maintain or be in compliance with such permits, licenses and authorizations could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(r)  Investment Company Act .  The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor its subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act, assuming no change in the Commission’s current interpretation as to entities that are not considered an investment company.

(s)  Securities Act and Exchange Act .  The Company will use its best efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of, or dealings in, the Placement Shares as contemplated by the provisions hereof and the Prospectus.

(t)  No Offer to Sell .  Other than a free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) approved in advance by the Company and Cowen in its capacity as principal or agent hereunder, neither Cowen nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than Cowen in its capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), required to be filed with the Commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Common Stock hereunder.

(u)  Sarbanes-Oxley Act .  The Company and its subsidiaries will use their best efforts to comply with all effective applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

9.   Conditions to Cowen’s Obligations . The obligations of Cowen hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness in all material respects (other than in the case of representations and warranties qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in which case, in all respects) of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein, to the due performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by Cowen of a due diligence review satisfactory to Cowen in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing satisfaction (or waiver by Cowen in its sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:

(a)  Registration Statement Effective .  The Registration Statement shall be effective and shall be available for (i) all sales of Placement Shares issued pursuant to all prior Placement

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Notices and (ii) the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice.  

(b)  No Material Notices .  None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing:  (i) receipt by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; or (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any material document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, related Prospectus or such documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(c)  No Misstatement or Material Omission .  Cowen shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in Cowen’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in Cowen’s opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(d)  Material Changes .  Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any Material Adverse Effect, on a consolidated basis, in the authorized capital stock of the Company or any Material Adverse Effect or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or any downgrading in or withdrawal of the rating assigned to any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities) by any rating organization or a public announcement by any rating organization that it has under surveillance or review its rating of any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), the effect of which, in the case of any such action by a rating organization described above, in the reasonable judgment of Cowen (without relieving the Company of any obligation or liability it may otherwise have), is so material as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Placement Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

(e)  Company Counsel Legal Opinion .  Cowen shall have received the opinion of Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8(m) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion is required pursuant to Section 8(m) .

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(f)  Cowen’s Counsel Legal Opinion .  Cowen shall have received from D uane Morris LLP, counsel for Cowen, such opinion or opinions, on or before the date on which the delivery of the Company Counsel legal opinion is required pursuant to Section 8(m) , with respect to such matters as Cowen may reasonably require, and the Compa ny shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for enabling them to pass upon such matters.  

(g)  Comfort Letter .  Cowen shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8(n) on or before the date on which such delivery of such Comfort Letter is required pursuant to Section 8(n) .

(h)           Representation Certificate .  Cowen shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8(l) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 8(l) .

(i)  Secretary’s Certificate .  On or prior to the date of delivery of the first Placement Notice, Cowen shall have received a certificate, signed on behalf of the Company by its corporate Secretary, in form and substance satisfactory to Cowen and its counsel.

(j)  No Suspension .  Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended on the NYSE.

(k)  Securities Act Filings Made .  All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.

(l)  Approval for Listing .  The Placement Shares shall either have been (i) approved for listing on the NYSE, subject only to notice of issuance or (ii) the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on the NYSE at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.

(m)  No Termination Event .  There shall not have occurred any event that would permit Cowen to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 12(a) .

10.   Indemnification and Contribution .

(a)  Company Indemnification .  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Cowen, the directors, officers, partners, employees and agents of Cowen and each person, if any, who (i) controls Cowen within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with Cowen (a “ Cowen Affiliate ”) from and against any and all losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including, but not limited to, any and all reasonable investigative, legal and other expenses  incurred in connection with, and any and all amounts paid in settlement (in accordance with Section 10(c) ) of, any action, suit or proceeding between any of the indemnified parties and any indemnifying parties or between any indemnified party and any third party, or otherwise, or any claim asserted), as and when incurred, to which Cowen, or any such person, may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, liabilities, expenses or damages arise

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out of or are based, directly or i ndirectly, on (x) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any free writing prospectus or in any application or other document executed by or on behalf of the Company or based on written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Common Stock under the securities laws thereof or fi led with the Commission, (y) the omission or alleged omission to state in any such document a material fact required to be stated in it or necessary to make the statements in it not misleading or (z) any breach by any of the indemnifying parties of any of their respective representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement; provided , however , that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to the extent that such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage arises from the sale of the Placemen t Shares pursuant to this Agreement and is caused directly or indirectly by an untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Agent’s Information.  This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Compan y might otherwise have.  

(b)  Cowen Indemnification . Cowen agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and each officer of the Company that signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the Company (a “ Company Affiliate ”) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 10(a) , as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Agent’s Information.

(c)  Procedure .  Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 10 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 10 , notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 10 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this Section 10 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the

22

 


 

expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counse l by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are diff erent from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifyi ng party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in conne ction with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly as they are incurred. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters co ntemplated by this Section 10 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising or that may arise out of such clai m, action or proceeding.  

(d)  Contribution .  In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 10 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable from the Company or Cowen, the Company and Cowen will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than Cowen, such as persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act , officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the Company and Cowen may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Cowen on the other. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Cowen on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total Net Proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by Cowen from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company.  If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and Cowen, on the other, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement

23

 


 

of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or Cowen, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and Cowen agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 10(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expens e, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 10(d) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 10(d) , any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigatin g or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 10(c) hereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 10(d) , Cowen shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it un der this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act ) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 10(d) , any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act , and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of Cowen, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each offic er of the Company who signed the Registration Statement will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any act ion against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 10(d) , will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 10(d) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contr ibution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 10(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required purs uant to Section 10(c) hereof.  

11.   Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery .  The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 9 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of Cowen, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.

12.   Termination.

(a)  Cowen shall have the right by giving notice as hereinafter specified at any time to terminate this Agreement if (i) any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect has occurred that, in the reasonable judgment of Cowen, may materially impair the ability of Cowen to sell the Placement Shares hereunder, (ii) the Company shall have failed, refused or been unable to perform any agreement on its part to be performed hereunder; provided, however, in the case of any failure of the Company to deliver (or cause another person to deliver) any certification, opinion, or letter

24

 


 

required under Sections 8(l) , 8(m) , or 8(n) , Cowen’s right to terminate shall not arise unless such failure to deliver (or cause to be delivered) continues for more than thirty (30) days from the date such delivery was required or (iii) any other condition of Cowen’s obligations hereunder is not fulfilled.  Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any o ther party except that the provisions of Section 8(f) (Expenses), Section 10 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 11 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 17 (Applicable Law; Consent to Jurisdiction) and Section 18 (Waiver of Jury Trial) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If Cowen elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 12(a) , Cowen shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 13 (Notices).  

(b)  The Co mpany shall have the right, by giving notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement .  Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8(f) , Section 10 , Section 11 , Section 17 and Section 18 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

(c)  Cowen shall have the right, by giving notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Ag reement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement .  Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 8(f) , Section 10 , Section 11 , Section 17 and Section 18 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

(d)  Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 12 , this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of the Placement Shares through Cowen on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein; provided that the provisions of Section 8(f) , Section 10 , Section 11 , Section 17 and Section 18 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

(e)  This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 12(a) , (b) , (c) or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 8(f) , Section 10 , Section 11 , Section 17 and Section 18 shall remain in full force and effect.

(f)  Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by Cowen or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

13.   Notices .  All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, and if sent to Cowen, shall be delivered to Cowen at: Cowen and Company, LLC, 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022, fax no. 646-562-1124, Attention:  General Counsel, with a copy to Duane Morris LLP, Attention:  James T. Seery, e-mail jtseery@duanemorris.com; or if sent to the Company, shall be delivered to the

25

 


 

Company at:  CARBO Ceramics Inc., 575 North Dairy Ashford, Suite 300, Houston, Texas 77079 , Attention:  John R. Bakht, e-mail:   john.bakht@carboceramics.com, with a copy to Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP, attention:  Christopher E. Austin, Esq., e-mail:  caustin@cgsh.com. Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose.   Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally or by verifiable facsimile transmission (with an original to follow) on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day (as defined below) , or, if such day is not a Business Day on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (cer tified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “ Business Day ” shall mean any day on which the NYSE and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.  

14.   Successors and Assigns .  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and Cowen and its respective successors and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 10 hereof. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither party may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party; provided , however , that Cowen may assign its rights and obligations hereunder to an affiliate of Cowen without obtaining the Company’s consent.

15.   Adjustments for Share Splits .  The parties acknowledge and agree that all share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any share split, share dividend or similar event effected with respect to the Common Stock.

16.   Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability .  This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto) constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and Cowen.  In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction , then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement .

17.   Applicable Law; Consent to Jurisdiction . This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan,

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for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection with any transaction contemplated he reby, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper.  Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law.  

18.   Waiver of Jury Trial .  The Company and Cowen each hereby irrevocably waives any right it may have to a trial by jury in respect of any claim based upon or arising out of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby.

19.   Absence of Fiduciary Relationship .   The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

(a)  Cowen has been retained solely to act as sales agent in connection with the sale of the Common Stock and that no fiduciary, advi sory or agency relationship between the Company and Cowen has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether Cowen has advised or is advising the Company on other matters;

(b)  the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(c)  the Company has been advised that Cowen and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which m ay involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that Cowen has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and

(d)  the Company waives, to the fullest exte nt permitted by law, any claims it may have against Cowen, for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that Cowen shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, partners, employees or creditors of the Company.

20.   Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile transmission.

21.   Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following term has the meaning set forth below:

(a)  Applicable Time ” means the date of this Agreement, each Representation Date, the date on which a Placement Notice is given, and any date on which Placement Shares are sold hereunder.

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(b) Agent’s Information” means, solely the following information; the third sentence of the eighth paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus.  

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]

 

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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and Cowen, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and Cowen.  

Very truly yours,

 

COWEN AND COMPANY, LLC

 

 

By:  /s/ Robert Sine

Name: Robert Sine

Title: Managing Director

 

 

ACCEPTED as of the date

first-above written:

 

CARBO CERAMICS INC.

 

 

By:   /s/ Ernesto Bautista, III

Name: Ernesto Bautista, III

Title: Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

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SCHEDULE 1

form of PLACEMENT NOTICE

 

From:

[                              ]

Cc:

[                              ]

To:

[ ]

Subject: Cowen at the Market Offering—Placement Notice

Date: _______________, 20___

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Sales Agreement between CARBO Ceramics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”) and Cowen and Company, LLC (“ Cowen ”) dated as of July 28, 2016 (the “ Agreement ”), I hereby request on behalf of the Company that Cowen sell up to [  ] shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share, at a minimum market price of $_______ per share.  Sales should begin on the date of this Notice and shall continue until [[●], 20[●]] / [all shares are sold].

 

 

 


 

SCHEDULE 2

Notice Parties

The Company

Ernesto Bautista, III

Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

 

John R. Bakht

Vice President, General Counsel

 

 

Cowen

Robert Sine

Managing Director

 

William Follis

Director

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

SCHEDULE 3

Compensation

Cowen shall be paid compensation of up to 3% of the gross proceeds from the sales of Common Stock pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 


 

Exhibit 8(l)

 

OFFICER CERTIFICATE

 

 

The undersigned, the duly qualified and elected _______________________ of CARBO Ceramics Inc. (the “ Company ”), a Delaware corporation, does hereby certify in such capacity and on behalf of the Company, pursuant to Section 8(l) of the sales agreement, dated as of               July 28, 2016, between the Company and Cowen and Company, LLC (the “ Sales Agreement ”), that to the best of the knowledge of the undersigned:

 

(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in Section 7 of the Sales Agreement (A) to the extent such representations and warranties are subject to qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, are true and correct on and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly made on and as of the date hereof, except for those representations and warranties that speak solely as of a specific date and which were true and correct as of such date, and (B) to the extent such representations and warranties are not subject to any qualifications or exceptions, are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof as if made on and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly made on and as of the date hereof except for those representations and warranties that speak solely as of a specific date and which were true and correct as of such date; and

(ii) The Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied pursuant to the Sales Agreement at or prior to the date hereof.

 

CARBO CERAMICS INC.

 

 

By:

Name:

Title:

 

 

Date:

 


 


 

Exhibit 8(m)(i)

Matters to be covered by initial OPINION OF

COMPANY COUNSEL

 

(i)

The Company is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation.  

 

(ii)

The Company has corporate power to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Final Prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, and the Company has corporate power to issue the Securities, to enter into the Sales Agreement and to perform its obligations thereunder.

 

(iii)

The Securities have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and, when issued and delivered by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth therein, will be validly issued by the Company, fully paid and nonassessable; and the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to any preemptive rights to subscribe for the Securities under the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Second Amended and Restated By‑Laws of the Company or the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

(iv)

The statements under the headings “Description of our Capital Stock” in the Base Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Securities and the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, provide a fair summary of such provisions.

 

(v)

The execution and delivery of the Sales Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and the Sales Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(vi)

The issuance and sale of the Securities to the Sales Agent pursuant to the Sales Agreement do not, and the performance by the Company of its obligations in the Sales Agreement and the Securities will not, (a) require any consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification of or with any governmental authority of the United States or the State of New York that in our experience normally would be applicable to general business entities with respect to such issuance, sale or performance, except such as have been obtained or effected under the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (but we express no opinion relating to any state securities or Blue Sky laws), (b) result in a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any of the agreements of the Company identified in Schedule I hereto, or a violation of the Articles of Incorporation or By‑Laws of the Company, or (c) result in a violation of any United States federal or New York State law or

 


 

 

published rule or regulation that in our experience normally would be applicable to general business entities with respect to such issuance, sale or performance (but we express no opinion relating to the United States federal securities laws or any state securities or Blue Sky laws) .  

 

(vii)

The Registration Statement (except the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein, as to which we express no view), at the time it became effective, and the Final Prospectus (except as aforesaid), as of the date hereof, appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder

 

(viii)

No registration of the Company under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, is required for the offer and sale of the Securities by the Company in the manner contemplated by the Sales Agreement and the Final Prospectus and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Final Prospectus.

 

 

(ix)

The Registration Statement became effective under the Securities Act on May 31, 2016 and, to our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission.

 

(x)

Nothing has come to our attention that leads us to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time such Registration Statement became effective and as of the date of the Sales Agreement, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus, as of the date of the Sales Agreement or the date hereof, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits 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 (it being understood that we express no belief with respect to the financial statements, financial schedules and other financial or statistical data included or incorporated by reference in, or excluded from, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus).

 

2


 

Exhibit 8(m)(ii)

 

Matters to be covered by subsequent Company Counsel Opinions

The Registration Statement, when it became effective, and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of filing thereof with the Commission, appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements for registration statements on Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and each of the documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of filing thereof with the Commission, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; it being understood, however, that we express no opinion with respect to the financial statements, schedules or other financial or statistical data included or incorporated by reference in, or omitted from, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any other document.  In passing upon the compliance as to form of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any other document, we have assumed that the statements made and incorporated by reference therein are correct and complete.

(a) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and, to the best of our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted by the Commission.

In addition, we have participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent public accountants for the Company, and your representatives, at which the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and related matters were discussed and, although we are not passing upon, and do not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, during the course of such participation, no facts came to our attention that caused us to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective and as of the date hereof, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus (including the Incorporated Documents), as of its date and as of the date hereof, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; it being understood that we express no belief with respect to the financial statements, schedules and other financial and statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

*  Note: “Registration Statement” and “Prospectus” will be defined to include documents incorporated by reference therein (“ Incorporated Documents ”).

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

#16-08

 

CARBO® Announces Second Quarter 2016 Results

Conference Call Scheduled for Today, 10:30 a.m. Central Time

·

Ceramic proppant sales volumes increased as the quarter progressed.

·

Continued to significantly reduce cost base.

·

Positive trends in KRYPTOSPHERE® and SCALEGUARD® technologies.

·

Quarterly revenues of $20.7 million, with GAAP net loss of $20.3 million, or a loss of $0.88 per share.

·

GAAP net loss included $8.7 million, or $0.38 per share, of after-tax costs associated with slowing and idling production.

HOUSTON, TX (July 28, 2016) – CARBO Ceramics Inc. (NYSE: CRR) today reported a GAAP net loss of $20.3 million, or a loss of $0.88 per share, on revenues of $20.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2016.  The GAAP net loss includes $8.7 million, or $0.38 per share, of after-tax costs associated with slowing and idling production.

CEO Gary Kolstad commented, “The operating environment within the oil and gas industry remained extremely challenging in the second quarter of 2016.  The North American rig count declined 35% sequentially.  However, we believe the second quarter likely marked the bottom for activity levels as both oil and natural gas commodity prices and the North American rig count started to recover.  Sales volumes began to improve as the quarter progressed.  In addition, with the increasing commodity prices, we have received increasing customer inquiries about procuring ceramic proppant for completions in the second half of 2016.  

“We remain committed to developing industry-leading fracture technologies that increase well production and estimated ultimate recovery (EUR).  As the industry recovers, we believe that E&P operators will be even more receptive to technology that lowers their cost per Barrel of Oil Equivalent (BOE).

“SCALEGUARD® and KRYPTOSPHERE® technologies continue to gain new clients.  SCALEGUARD, the industry’s most effective in-fracture, long-term scale prevention technology, is designed to improve the economic value of wells by both improving production and EUR, as well as lowering lease operating expense (LOE).  KRYPTOSPHERE, the industry’s most durable and highest conductivity proppant, is designed to improve production and EUR in the industry’s most challenging, high stress well completions.  We are pleased that another major E&P operator will utilize KRYPTOSPHERE HD in the prolific, but challenging, Lower Tertiary play in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Some analysts have pointed out that productivity gains (production/rig) are leveling off in the U.S.  Some of this is likely due to the drilling of the better prospects first, and also the leveling off of rig efficiency gains.  There are still opportunities to change this trend with technology.  The fact remains that over 50% of the wells drilled in the Lower 48 will see stresses that crush the best white sand.  Often, the best engineered approach to maximizing EUR will not be to just pump higher volumes of sand, but rather design the fracs with a durable, high conductivity proppant that lasts the life of the well.

CARBO Ceramics Inc.

Energy Center II, 575 N. Dairy Ashford, Suite 300, Houston, Texas 77079  |  +1 281 921 6400  |   carboceramics.com


CARBO Ceramics Second Quarter 2016 Earnings Release

 

July 28, 2016

Page 2

 

“We significantly lowered our cost base in the quarter , and we remain focused on cost reductions and cash preservation.  We were able to renegot iate contracts associated with some of our leased railcars and also reduced SG&A expenses sequentially.  As announced in May, we bolstered our cash reserves through a $25 million placement of subordinated notes on attractive terms.  Maintaining financial f lexibility remains essential,” Mr. Kolstad said.

 

Second Quarter 2016 Results

Revenues for the second quarter of 2016 decreased 72%, or $52.6 million, compared to the same period in 2015.  The decrease was primarily attributable to a 53% reduction in the average North American rig count, which resulted in a decrease in proppant sales volumes (as specified in the Proppant Sales Volumes table below), associated reductions in the average proppant selling prices, and a move to lowest-cost completions.

Operating loss for the second quarter of 2016 was $30.0 million as compared to $24.9 million in the same period in 2015, primarily due to the revenue decline explained above, and was partially offset by cost cutting measures implemented beginning in early 2015.

Net loss for the second quarter of 2016 was $20.3 million, compared to $17.0 million in the same period in 2015.

 

Proppant Sales Volumes

(in million lbs)

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

June 30,

 

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

Ceramic

 

 

71

 

 

 

190

 

Northern White Sand

 

 

41

 

 

 

258

 

Total

 

 

112

 

 

 

448

 

 

Technology and Business Highlights

·

The second field trial with QUANTUM™, a proprietary Propped Reservoir Volume™ (PRV™) imaging service, was completed in the Marcellus basin.  The test was conducted for an active, independent operator and utilized iON™ detectable proppant to visualize the location of the propped length and height on each perf cluster within each frac stage.  Once the analysis is complete, the iON detectable proppant will provide information for the operator to improve decision-making in well spacing and stimulation design.  Several more field trials are planned in the second half of 2016.  QUANTUM has the potential to unlock tremendous value for E&Ps to develop their resource plays more economically.

·

Two ultra-deep wells previously completed in the Lower Tertiary with KRYPTOSPHERE SCALEGUARD have been on production for several months.  Water production samples verify the scale inhibitor residual levels are as engineered.  The SCALEGUARD treatments were engineered to treat millions of barrels of water on the deep subsea wells.  Combining KRYPTOSPHERE and KRYPTOSPHERE SCALEGUARD has become the standard completion design for the operator of these wells.

·

SCALEGUARD proppant-delivered, scale-inhibiting technology continues to gain market acceptance.  This Production Assurance technology was used by several new clients in the Permian, Bakken and Uinta basins during the quarter.  To date, SCALEGUARD has alleviated long-term scaling issues on hundreds of applications with several wells now experiencing over two years of scale-free production.  

·

A recently completed StrataGen® analysis of several deep Utica wells drilled from the same pad indicates that completion and frac designs utilizing CARBOECONOPROP® have a 36% higher return on investment and will

 


CARBO Ceramics Second Quarter 2016 Earnings Release

 

July 28, 2016

Page 3

 

generate almost 50% more value after one year of production compared to completions incorporating resin - coated sand.  

·

Following the introduction of FUSION® in the Gulf of Mexico during the first half of 2016, numerous jobs have been engineered and are scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2016.  FUSION is a proppant pack consolidation technology which creates a bonded proppant pack without closure stress.  FUSION provides long-term well integrity for production and injector wells, which has not been possible before in certain reservoir and production conditions.  The integrity of the proppant pack can also be verified for the life of the well.

·

CARBONRT® continues to provide an understanding of near-wellbore proppant placement in various applications.  This technology was recently utilized in a vertical completion in Russia to successfully measure propped fracture height growth to develop a better understanding of the stress layers and bounding zones in the formation.

·

CARBONRT enabled a Middle East client to enhance completion effectiveness by providing insight on achieving zonal isolation when using diverting agents. The information gathered from multiple wells with varying diverter systems, in conjunction with the measurement of proppant placement and FRACTUREVISION™ evaluation services, led the operator to optimize the stimulation program in that particular field.

·

CARBONRT GP proppant was successfully deployed in two open-hole gravel pack installations in offshore Trinidad and Tobago.  The inert traceable detection technology provided critical information to the operator on whether channels or voids were present in the gravel pack, as well as the location of the top of gravel.  The proprietary method was developed to evaluate pack quality and became a key factor in determining the success of the gravel pack operation.

·

Announced at-the-market equity offering program of up to $75 million.

Outlook

CEO Gary Kolstad commented on the outlook for CARBO stating, “We are becoming more optimistic on the industry operating environment, given recent oil and natural gas commodity price levels.  Communications with our clients lead us to believe third quarter 2016 ceramic proppant sales will increase from second quarter 2016 levels.  In addition, the third quarter typically sees an increase in industry activity due to coming out of Canadian spring breakup and fewer weather-associated issues in the northern regions. We anticipate an environment where E&P operators gradually step back in to using more durable, high conductivity proppants, likely concentrated on tail-in applications.

“On the technology front, KRYPTOSPHERE and SCALEGUARD continue to see acceptance in this challenging market.  We now have wells using SCALEGUARD producing scale-free for over two years.  We also believe there is untapped value residing in other areas of our technology suite.  We continue to explore ways to accelerate the value of these technologies.

“Efforts to reduce our cost base continue, including the reduction of our railcar lease expense and SG&A costs.  In addition, higher natural gas commodity prices provide a cash benefit relating to our excess natural gas commitments as these contracts are net settled.  As a result of these cost reduction efforts, coupled with our efforts to further lower inventory levels, we anticipate our quarterly cash burn to improve next quarter.

“We are looking forward to the second half of 2016 which should see improved overall industry activity levels due to the improvement in the commodity price environment from the first quarter of 2016.  We will continue our focus on deriving additional value from our technology platforms and strengthening our balance sheet to afford us financial flexibility to capitalize on opportunities during the next up cycle,” Mr. Kolstad concluded.  

 


CARBO Ceramics Second Quarter 2016 Earnings Release

 

July 28, 2016

Page 4

 

Conference Call

As previously announced, a conference call to discuss CARBO’s second quarter 2016 results is scheduled for today at 10:30 a.m. Central Time (11:30 a.m. Eastern).  Due to historical high call volume, CARBO is offering participants the opportunity to register in advance for the conference by accessing the following website:

http://dpregister.com/10089017

Registered participants will immediately receive an email with a calendar reminder and a dial-in number and PIN that will allow them immediate access to the call.

Participants who do not wish to pre-register for the call may dial in using (877) 232-2832 (for U.S. callers), (855) 669-9657 (for Canadian callers) or (412) 542-4138 (for international callers) and ask for the “CARBO Ceramics” call.  The conference call also can be accessed through CARBO’s website, www.carboceramics.com.

A telephonic replay of the earnings conference call will be available through August 4, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time.  To access the replay, please dial (877)-344-7529 (for U.S. callers), (855) 669-9658 (for Canadian callers) or (412) 317-0088 (for international callers).  Please reference conference number 10089017.  Interested parties may also access the archived webcast of the earnings teleconference through CARBO’s website approximately two hours after the end of the call.

About CARBO

CARBO® focuses on integrating technologies to produce engineered solutions in its Design, Build, and Optimize the Frac® technology businesses, delivering important value to E&P operators by increasing well production and EUR.

For more information, please visit www.carboceramics.com .

 


CARBO Ceramics Second Quarter 2016 Earnings Release

 

July 28, 2016

Page 5

 

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this news release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding our future financial and operating performance and liquidity and capital resources, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results or strategies and can often be identified by the use of terminology such as “may”, “will”, “estimate”, “intend”, “continue”, “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “should”, “could”, “potential”, “opportunity”, or other similar terminology.  All forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and estimates, which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements.  Among these factors are changes in overall economic conditions, changes in the demand for, or price of, oil and natural gas, changes in the cost of raw materials and natural gas used in manufacturing our products, risks related to our ability to access needed cash and capital, our ability to meet our current and future debt service obligations, including our ability to maintain compliance with our debt covenants, our ability to manage distribution costs effectively, changes in demand and prices charged for our products, risks of increased competition, technological, manufacturing and product development risks, our dependence on and loss of key customers and end users, changes in foreign and domestic government regulations, including environmental restrictions on operations and regulation of hydraulic fracturing, changes in foreign and domestic political and legislative risks, risks of war and international and domestic terrorism, risks associated with foreign operations and foreign currency exchange rates and controls, weather-related risks and other risks and uncertainties.  Additional factors that could affect our future results or events are described from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  Please see the discussion set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, our Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2016, and similar disclosures in subsequently filed reports with the SEC.  We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

-tables follow -

 


CARBO Ceramics Second Quarter 2016 Earnings Release

 

July 28, 2016

Page 6

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

Six months ended

 

 

 

June 30,

 

 

June 30,

 

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

 

 

(In thousands except per share)

 

 

(In thousands except per share)

 

Revenues

 

$

20,651

 

 

$

73,252

 

 

$

53,753

 

 

$

146,999

 

Cost of sales

 

 

40,663

 

 

 

83,554

 

 

 

97,406

 

 

 

183,299

 

Gross loss

 

 

(20,012

)

 

 

(10,302

)

 

 

(43,653

)

 

 

(36,300

)

SG&A expenses

 

 

10,034

 

 

 

14,746

 

 

 

21,509

 

 

 

31,292

 

(Gain) loss on disposal or impairment of assets

 

 

(23

)

 

 

(131

)

 

 

925

 

 

 

(163

)

Operating loss

 

 

(30,023

)

 

 

(24,917

)

 

 

(66,087

)

 

 

(67,429

)

Other expense, net

 

 

(1,615

)

 

 

(4

)

 

 

(2,336

)

 

 

(136

)

Loss before income taxes

 

 

(31,638

)

 

 

(24,921

)

 

 

(68,423

)

 

 

(67,565

)

Income tax benefit

 

 

(11,342

)

 

 

(7,917

)

 

 

(23,443

)

 

 

(21,959

)

Net loss

 

$

(20,296

)

 

$

(17,004

)

 

$

(44,980

)

 

$

(45,606

)

Loss per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

(0.88

)

 

$

(0.74

)

 

$

(1.95

)

 

$

(1.98

)

Diluted

 

$

(0.88

)

 

$

(0.74

)

 

$

(1.95

)

 

$

(1.98

)

Average shares outstanding:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

 

23,109

 

 

 

22,999

 

 

 

23,086

 

 

 

22,987

 

Diluted

 

 

23,109

 

 

 

22,999

 

 

 

23,086

 

 

 

22,987

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

$

12,157

 

 

$

14,012

 

 

$

24,448

 

 

$

27,006

 


 


CARBO Ceramics Second Quarter 2016 Earnings Release

 

July 28, 2016

Page 7

 

Supplemental Income Statement

(Break-out of other production costs and miscellaneous charges)

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

Six months ended

 

 

 

June 30,

 

 

June 30,

 

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

 

 

(In thousands)

 

 

(In thousands)

 

Revenues

 

$

20,651

 

 

$

73,252

 

 

$

53,753

 

 

$

146,999

 

Cost of sales

 

 

28,489

 

 

 

72,130

 

 

 

68,610

 

 

 

141,900

 

Slowing and idling production

 

 

13,515

 

 

 

11,208

 

 

 

23,222

 

 

 

19,629

 

(Gain) loss on derivative instruments

 

 

(824

)

 

 

58

 

 

 

(597

)

 

 

12,605

 

Other (gains) charges

 

 

(517

)

 

 

158

 

 

 

6,171

 

 

 

9,165

 

Gross loss

 

 

(20,012

)

 

 

(10,302

)

 

 

(43,653

)

 

 

(36,300

)

SG&A expenses

 

 

10,251

 

 

 

14,586

 

 

 

21,270

 

 

 

29,812

 

(Gain) loss on disposal or impairment of assets

 

 

(23

)

 

 

(131

)

 

 

925

 

 

 

(163

)

Other (gains) charges

 

 

(217

)

 

 

160

 

 

 

239

 

 

 

1,480

 

Operating loss

 

 

(30,023

)

 

 

(24,917

)

 

 

(66,087

)

 

 

(67,429

)

Other expense, net

 

 

(1,615

)

 

 

(4

)

 

 

(2,336

)

 

 

(136

)

Loss before income taxes

 

 

(31,638

)

 

 

(24,921

)

 

 

(68,423

)

 

 

(67,565

)

Income tax benefit

 

 

(11,342

)

 

 

(7,917

)

 

 

(23,443

)

 

 

(21,959

)

Net loss

 

$

(20,296

)

 

$

(17,004

)

 

$

(44,980

)

 

$

(45,606

)

Summary of Other Production Costs and Miscellaneous (Gains) Charges

 

Other Production Costs

 

Three Months Ended

 

(In thousands)

 

June 30,

 

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

Slowing and idling production

 

$

13,515

 

 

$

11,208

 

Tax effect

 

 

(4,838

)

 

 

(3,923

)

After-tax Total

 

$

8,677

 

 

$

7,285

 

 

Miscellaneous (Gains) Charges - Cost of Sales

 

Three Months Ended

 

(In thousands)

 

June 30,

 

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

(Gain) loss on derivative instruments

 

$

(824

)

 

$

58

 

Other (gains) charges

 

 

(517

)

 

 

158

 

Tax effect

 

 

480

 

 

 

(21

)

After-tax Total

 

$

(861

)

 

$

195

 


 


CARBO Ceramics Second Quarter 2016 Earnings Release

 

July 28, 2016

Page 8

 

Balance Sheet Information

 

 

 

June 30,

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2016

 

 

2015

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

80,723

 

 

$

78,866

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

 

 

 

49,495

 

Other current assets

 

 

130,621

 

 

 

156,916

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

 

 

517,159

 

 

 

537,731

 

Goodwill

 

 

3,500

 

 

 

3,500

 

Intangible and other assets, net

 

 

10,675

 

 

 

9,861

 

Total assets

 

$

742,678

 

 

$

836,369

 

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt, current

 

$

12,566

 

 

$

33,000

 

Derivative instruments (current)

 

 

4,014

 

 

 

6,240

 

Other current liabilities

 

 

17,506

 

 

 

31,050

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

28,428

 

 

 

63,858

 

Other long-term liabilities

 

 

77,333

 

 

 

59,915

 

Shareholders’ equity

 

 

602,831

 

 

 

642,306

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

$

742,678

 

 

$

836,369

 

 

Contact:

Mark Thomas, Director, Investor Relations

(281) 921-6458