EX-1.1 2 d310184dex11.htm UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 27, 2012 Underwriting Agreement dated as of February 27, 2012

Exhibit 1.1

Execution Version

WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.

12,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

Underwriting Agreement

February 27, 2012

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

    As Representative

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Waste Connections, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided; it being contemplated that no Underwriter will be listed in Schedule 1 other than Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), the term “Underwriters” as used herein shall mean Morgan Stanley and such term shall be deemed to be in the singular), for whom you are acting as representative (the “Representative”), an aggregate of 12,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), of the Company (the “Shares”).

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:

1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement (File No. 333-179724) including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the


term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

At or prior to the time when sales of the Shares were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Annex B, the “Time of Sale Information”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated February 27, 2012, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex B hereto, if any.

2. Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters. (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per share (the “Purchase Price”) of $30.83.

(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representative is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Shares purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

 

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(c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representative at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP at 10:00 A.M. New York City time on March 2, 2012, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment for the Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”.

Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date shall be made against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.

(d) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representative nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Time of Sale Information, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

 

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(b) Time of Sale Information. The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale, did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in such Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not made, used, prepared, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex B hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representative. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing

 

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Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representative as described in Section 4(e), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any Preliminary Prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.

(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and 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 in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date the Prospectus does 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 in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(e) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or

 

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necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(f) Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby. The interactive data in eXtensbile Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(g) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, long-term debt, notes payable or current portion of long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;

 

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and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(h) Organization and Good Standing. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with the corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus. Each of the subsidiaries of the Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with the power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus. The Company and each of its subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of their business requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified would not have a material adverse effect upon the financial condition, results of operations or business of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The outstanding shares of capital stock and limited partnership or limited liability company interests of each of its subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, except to the extent shown in Exhibit A hereto, are owned by the Company or another subsidiary free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims.

(i) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have

 

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been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying shares and except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

(j) Stock Options. With respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company Stock Plans”), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and any other exchange on which Company securities are traded, (iv) except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the per share exercise price of each Stock Option was equal to the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the applicable Grant Date and (v) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinate the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.

(k) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated thereby or by the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been duly and validly taken.

 

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

(m) The Shares. The Shares have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(n) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of or in default under its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as currently in effect, or its bylaws, as currently in effect (or in the case of an entity that is not a corporation, such entity’s governing documents), (ii) in default under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of its properties, is bound, or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(o) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance, authentication, sale and delivery of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not: (i) (A) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement 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, (B) result in any violation of the provisions of the Charter, By-laws, or equivalent constituent documents, of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (C) result in the violation of the provisions of any statute or any judgment, order, decree, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries except, in the case of clauses (i)(A) and (i)(C), for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(p) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the

 

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consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state and foreign securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters.

(q) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries before any court or administrative agency or otherwise which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or to prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

(r) Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

(s) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and each of its subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all of the material properties and assets reflected in the financial statements (or as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) hereinabove described, subject to no lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind except those reflected in such financial statements (or as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) or which are not material in amount to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. The Company and its subsidiaries occupy their leased properties under valid and binding leases.

(t) Title to Intellectual Property. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses, except where the failure to own or possess such rights would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and the Company has no reasonable basis to believe that the conduct of their businesses will conflict with any such rights of others which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse

 

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Effect, and other than as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any written notice of any claim of conflict with any such rights of others which, if such assertion of conflict were sustained, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(u) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Time of Sale Information.

(v) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

(w) Taxes. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has filed or caused to be filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns, except where the failure to so file such returns would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid or caused to be paid all taxes shown as due thereon; and other than tax deficiencies that the Company or any subsidiary is contesting in good faith and for which the Company or such subsidiary has provided adequate reserves, there is no tax deficiency that has been asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(x) Licenses and Permits. The Company and each of its subsidiaries hold all material licenses, certificates and permits from governmental authorities which are necessary to the conduct of their businesses, with such exceptions as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(y) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the best knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened.

(z) Compliance With Environmental Laws. (i) Except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries (x) have been and are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules,

 

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regulations, requirements, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, natural resources, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (y) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (z) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, and (iii) except as described in each of the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (x) there are no proceedings that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, (y) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants and (z) none of the Company and its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws, except in the case of each of (i), (ii), and (iii) as would not individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(aa) Hazardous Substances. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to or caused by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or, to the best knowledge of the Company, and other entity (including any predecessor) for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may reasonably be expected to be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned, operated or leased by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or upon any other property, in violation of any statute or any ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any statute or any ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any violation or liability which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such violations and liabilities, a Material Adverse Effect; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company has knowledge, except for any such disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such discharges and other releases, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(bb) Compliance With ERISA. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “single employer plan” (as defined in ERISA) and the Company has not received any notice of a “reportable event” with respect to any “multiemployer plan” (as defined in ERISA), in each case for which the Company would have any liability; the Company has not incurred liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”).

(cc) Disclosure Controls. The Company employs disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

(dd) Accounting Controls. The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences and (v) interactive data in eXtensbile Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (x) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (y) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(ee) Insurance. The Company and each of its subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for companies engaged in a similar business.

 

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(ff) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor, to the best knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; or (iii) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence, payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

(gg) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of governmental or regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the Company and its subsidiaries, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(hh) Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

(ii) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than pursuant to this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

(jj) No Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Prospectus, no person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares.

 

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(kk) No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.

(ll) Margin Rules. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries owns any “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulations G and U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of the sale of the Shares will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Shares to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation G, T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.

(mm) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, 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 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(nn) Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” and is a well-known seasoned issuer, in each case as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company has paid the registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act or will pay such fees within the time period required by such rule (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.

4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the

 

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Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the first business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will pay the registration fees for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.

(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representative, four signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representative may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.

(c) Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, whether before or after the time that the Registration Statement becomes effective, the Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably object.

(d) Notice to the Representative. During the Prospectus Delivery Period the Company will advise the Representative promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of

 

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any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Time of Sale Information is delivered to a

 

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purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the statements in the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.

(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(g) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representative as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

(h) Clear Market. For a period of 75 days after the date of the initial public offering of the Shares, the Company will not offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock or enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representative, other than (a) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (b) employee or director stock options granted in the ordinary course of business, (c) equity compensation awards granted pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or employee benefit plan, dividend reinvestment plan or warrants existing as of the date of this Agreement and (d) the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 relating to the offering of securities in accordance with the terms of a plan in effect on the date hereof.

 

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(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.

(j) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.

(k) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”).

(l) Reports. So long as the Shares are outstanding, the Company will furnish or otherwise make available to the Representative, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system.

(m) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

(a) It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex B or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).

 

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(b) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex C hereto without the consent of the Company; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Company, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Company, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.

6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Shares on the Closing Date is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative.

(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct in all material respects on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing Date.

(c) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(g) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Time of Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representative makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(d) Officer’s Certificate. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representative (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and, to the best knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii)

 

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confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a) and (c) above.

(e) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date.

(f) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect set forth in Annex A-1 hereto.

(g) Opinion of In-House Counsel for the Company. Patrick J. Shea, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, his written opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect set forth in Annex A-2 hereto.

(h) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion and 10b-5 statement of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representative may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(i) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares.

 

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(j) Good Standing. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(k) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.

(l) Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, between you and certain officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

(m) Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. The Representative shall have received on and as of the date hereof and the Closing Date a certificate, executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representative.

(n) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date the Company shall have furnished to the Representative such further certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

7. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make

 

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the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) or any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) or any Time of Sale Information (including any Time of Sale Information that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the information contained in the fifth paragraph on the cover relating to the sale of the Shares and commissions; the information contained in the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” relating to market making, the information contained in the fourth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” relating to the sale of the Shares, and the information contained in the eleventh and twelfth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” relating to stabilization and market making by the Underwriters.

(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to

 

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notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary or (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

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(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

 

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(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

8. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representative, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Market or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representative, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

10. Defaulting Underwriter. (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

 

26


(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date exceeds 10% of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

11. Payment of Expenses. (a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing this Agreement; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and

 

27


expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Shares under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority; (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; and (x) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange.

(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9(ii), (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company to perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition of this Agreement or to comply with any of the terms hereof, unless such failure to satisfy said condition or to comply with said terms be due to the default or omission of the Underwriters, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.

14. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; and (d) the term “significant subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.

 

28


15. Miscellaneous. (a) Authority of the Representative. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representative shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representative at 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Waste Connections, Inc., Waterway Plaza Two, 10001 Woodloch Forest Drive, Suite 400, The Woodlands, TX 77380 (fax: (832) 442-2291); Attention: Worthing F. Jackman, Chief Financial Officer with a copy to Latham & Watkins LLP, 505 Montgomery Street, Suite 2000, San Francisco, California 94111 (fax: (415) 395-8095); Attention Keith Benson, Esq.

(c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

29


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

Very truly yours,

 

WASTE CONNECTIONS, INC.

By:   /s/ Worthing Jackman
  Name:   Worthing Jackman
  Title:  

Executive Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer

 

30


Accepted as of the date first written above:

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

By:

  /s/ John Tyree
 

Name: John Tyree

Title: Managing Director

 

31


Schedule 1

 

Underwriter

   Number of Shares  

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

     12,000,000   
  

 

 

 

Total:

     12,000,000   

 

Sch-1-1


Annex A-1

Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company

1. The Company is a corporation under the DGCL, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. With your consent, based solely on certificates from public officials, such counsel shall confirm that the Company is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and is qualified to do business in the State of Texas.

2. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and, when issued to and paid for by you and the other Underwriters in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of preemptive rights arising from the Governing Documents or the DGCL.

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

4. The execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company to you and the other Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement do not on the date hereof:

(i) violate the Company’s Governing Documents; or

(ii) result in the breach of or a default under any of the Specified Agreements set forth on Schedule I; or

 

Ann-A-1-1


(iii) violate the DGCL or any federal or Texas statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company; or

(iv) require any consents, approvals, or authorizations to be obtained by the Company from, or any registrations, declarations or filings to be made by the Company with, any governmental authority under the DGCL or any federal or Texas statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company on or prior to the date hereof that have not been obtained or made.

5. The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act. With your consent, based solely on a telephonic confirmation by a member of the Staff of the Commission, such counsel shall confirm that no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Act and no proceedings therefor have been initiated by the Commission. The Preliminary Prospectus has been filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the Act, the Prospectus has been filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and 430B under the Act.

6. The Registration Statement, at the time it became effective on February 27, 2012, including the information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Act, and the Prospectus, as of its date, each appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the applicable form requirements for registration statements on Form S-3 under the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; it being understood, however, that such counsel need express no view with respect to Regulation S-T or the financial statements, schedules, or other financial data, included in, incorporated by reference in, or omitted from, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. For purposes of this paragraph, such counsel may assume that the statements made in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are correct and complete.

7. Each of the Incorporated Documents, as of its respective filing or effective date, appeared on its face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the applicable form requirements for reports on Forms 10-K and 8-K, as the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; it being understood, however, that such counsel need express no opinion with respect to Regulation S-T or the financial statements, schedules, or other financial data, included in, incorporated by reference in, or omitted from such reports and proxy statement. For purposes of this paragraph, such counsel may assume that the statements made in the Incorporated Documents are correct and complete.

8. The statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Description of capital stock,” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Common Stock, are accurate descriptions or summaries in all material respects.

 

Ann-A-1-2


9. The statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus under the caption “Material United States federal income tax consequences to non-United States holders of our common stock,” insofar as such statements purport to constitute summaries of United States federal income tax law and regulations or legal conclusions with respect thereto, constitute accurate summaries of the matters described therein in all material respects.

10. Based solely on a certificate of an officer of the Company as to factual matters, the Company is not, and after giving effect to the sale of the Shares in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement and the application of the proceeds as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds,” will not be required to be registered as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

In addition, such counsel shall state that, in the course of acting as special counsel to the Company in connection with the preparation by the Company of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Information Annex and the Prospectus, such counsel reviewed the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Information Annex, and the Prospectus, and the Incorporated Documents, and participated in conferences and telephone conversations with officers and other representatives of the Company, the independent public accountants for the Company, the Underwriters representatives, and the Underwriters counsel, during which conferences and conversations the contents of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Information Annex, and the Prospectus (and portions of certain of the Incorporated Documents) and related matters were discussed, and that such counsel also reviewed and relied upon certain corporate records and documents, letters from counsel and accountants, and oral and written statements of officers and other representatives of the Company and others as to the existence and consequence of certain factual and other matters.

Based on such counsel’s participation, review and reliance as described above, such counsel shall advise the Underwriters that, although they are not passing upon and do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in, or incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Information Annex, the Prospectus, or the Incorporated Documents (except to the extent expressly provided in numbered paragraphs 8 and 9 above), and have not made an independent check or verification thereof (except as aforesaid), no facts came to such counsel’s attention that caused such counsel to believe that:

 

Ann-A-1-3


   

the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective on February 27, 2012, including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Act (together with the Incorporated Documents at that time), 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;

 

   

the Preliminary Prospectus, as of February 27, 2012 (together with the Incorporated Documents at that date), when taken together with the Pricing Information Annex, 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; or

 

   

the Prospectus, as of its date or as of the Closing Date, (together with the Incorporated Documents at those dates), contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

it being understood that such counsel need express no belief with respect to the financial statements, schedules, or other financial data included or incorporated by reference in, or omitted from, the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Information Annex, the Prospectus, or the Incorporated Documents.

 

Ann-A-1-4


Schedule I

1. Master Note Purchase Agreement, dated July 15, 2008

2. Amendment No. 1 to Master Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 20, 2009

3. First Supplement to Master Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2009

4. Amendment No. 2 to Master Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 24, 2010

5. Second Supplement to Master Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2011

6. Amendment No. 3 to Master Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 12, 2011

7. Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 11, 2011

 

Ann-A-1-5


Annex A-2

Form of Opinion of In-House Counsel for the Company

(a) Based on certificates from officers of the Company, public officials and the Subsidiaries, each of the Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation, limited partnership or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with corporate, limited partnership or limited liability power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; the Company and each of the Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of their business requires such qualification and in which the failure to qualify would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) To my knowledge, there are no material legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) The execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement by the Company, the issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus on the date hereof do not result in the breach of or a violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed or trust or other agreements to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject, that is filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 (the “Material Agreements”).

(d) The statements in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus incorporated by reference from Item 3 of Part I of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of documents referred to therein or matters of law, accurately summarize in all material respects the information required to be set forth thereunder under the Securities Act with respect to such documents and matters.

 

Ann-A-2-1


In rendering the opinions in paragraph (c) insofar as they require interpretation of the Material Agreements, with your consent, (i) I have assumed that all courts of competent jurisdiction would enforce the Material Agreements in accordance with their plain meaning but would apply the internal laws of the State of California without giving effect to any choice of law provisions contained therein or any choice of law principles which would result in the application of the internal laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of California, (ii) to the extent that any questions of legality or legal construction have arisen in connection with my review, I have applied the internal laws of the State of California in resolving such questions, (iii) I have assumed that the Company will comply with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, and (iv) I express no opinion with respect to any matters which would require me to perform a mathematical calculation or make a financial or accounting determination. I advise you that certain of the Material Agreements are governed by other laws, that such laws may vary substantially from the law assumed to govern for purposes of this opinion, and that this opinion may not be relied upon as to whether or not a breach or default would occur under the law actually governing such Material Agreements.

 

Ann-A-2-2


Annex B

a. Time of Sale Information

b. Pricing Information Provided Orally by Underwriters

Number of Shares Offered: 12,000,000

 

Ann-B-1-1


Annex C

Waste Connections, Inc.

Pricing Term Sheet

Not Applicable.

 

Ann-C-1-1


Exhibit A

The Company owns majority interests in West Valley Collection & Recycling, LLC and EcoSort, L.L.C. and a 50% interest in Russell Sweepers, LLC.

 

Exh A-1


Exhibit B

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

February 27, 2012

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

As Representative

 

  Re: Waste Connections, Inc.—Public Offering

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Waste Connections, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) of common stock of the Company (the “Securities”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

In consideration of Morgan Stanley’s agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Securities, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley, the undersigned will not, during the period ending 60 days after the date of the prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock, $0.01 per share par value, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; provided, however, that the undersigned, along with certain other officers and directors of the Company, may sell in the aggregate up to 200,000 shares of Common Stock, with such number of

 

Exh B-1


shares permitted to be sold by the undersigned pursuant to this proviso to be determined by the Company in its sole discretion. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending 60 days after the date of the Prospectus, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the undersigned’s Common Stock (a) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (b) to any trust, limited partnership or other entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family member or spouse of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of the trust or the authorized officer of the partnership or other entity agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, and (c) to any third party granted an interest in the will or under the laws of descent, provided that the donee agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that Morgan Stanley is entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.

This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

 

Exh B-2


 

Very truly yours,
By:    
 

Name:

Title:

 

Exh B-3