-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, I/2tkLWH7qttfibb4Y5HdwbZVssVwSN9pRI0/EFELGTfJq29OtRji3vQaw3knqFz tjIJdevzHbc5fy8ZmpmN/w== 0000912057-00-011773.txt : 20000316 0000912057-00-011773.hdr.sgml : 20000316 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000912057-00-011773 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20000314 ITEM INFORMATION: ITEM INFORMATION: FILED AS OF DATE: 20000315 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001063744 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: BOOKS: PUBLISHING OR PUBLISHING AND PRINTING [2731] IRS NUMBER: 061518007 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-14371 FILM NUMBER: 570766 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2777 SUMMER STREET STREET 2: SUITE 209 CITY: STAMFORD STATE: CT ZIP: 06905 BUSINESS PHONE: 2034665055 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2777 SUMMER STREET STREET 2: SUITE 209 CITY: STAMFORD STATE: CT ZIP: 06905 8-K 1 FORM 8-K SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 14, 2000 INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Exact Name of Registrant as specified in its Charter) Delaware 1-14371 06-1518007 - ----------------------------- --------------------- ------------------- (State or other jurisdiction (Commission File No.) (I.R.S. Employer of corporation) Identification No.) 2777 Summer Street, Stamford, Connecticut 06905 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Address of Principal (Zip Code) Executive Offices) Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (203) 961-9106 --------------- N/A - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Former name or former address, if changed since last report) Item 5. Other Events On March 14, 2000, Information Holdings Inc. (the "Company") entered into a Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") with the representatives of the underwriters named therein in connection with the offering (the "Offering") of 4,500,000 shares of the Company's common stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"). An additional 675,000 shares of Common Stock are subject to an over-allotment option granted to the underwriters in the Purchase Agreement. A copy of the Purchase Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. On March 15, 2000, the Company announced the pricing of the Common Stock issued in the Offering. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. Item 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS (a) Financial Statements of Business acquired: None (b) Pro Forma Financial Information: None (c) Exhibits: 1.1 Purchase Agreement, dated March 14, 2000, among the Company and the representatives of the underwriters named therein 99.1 Press Release, dated March 15, 2000 -2- Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Current Report on Form 8-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. By: /s/ Vincent A. Chippari ---------------------------------- Name: Vincent A. Chippari Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Date: March 15, 2000 -3- EXHIBIT INDEX ------------- The following Exhibits are filed herewith. Exhibit Number Description - -------------- ----------- 1.1 Purchase Agreement dated March 14, 2000 99.1 Press Release dated March 15, 2000. -4- EX-1.1 2 EXHIBIT 1.1 ================================================================================ INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. (a Delaware corporation) 4,500,000 Shares of Common Stock PURCHASE AGREEMENT Dated: March 14, 2000 ================================================================================ TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE PURCHASE AGREEMENT...........................................................1 SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties....................................3 (a) Representations and Warranties by the Company.................................................................3 (i) Compliance with Registration Requirements.....................................................3 (ii) Independent Accountants..........................................4 (iii) Financial Statements.............................................4 (iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business...........................5 (v) Good Standing of the Company.....................................5 (vi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries....................................6 (vii) Capitalization...................................................6 (viii) Authorization of Agreement.......................................7 (ix) Authorization and Description of Securities.......................................................7 (x) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts................................7 (xi) Absence of Labor Dispute.........................................8 (xii) Absence of Proceedings...........................................8 (xiii) Accuracy of Exhibits.............................................9 (xiv) Possession of Intellectual Property..............................9 (xv) Absence of Further Requirements..................................9 (xvi) Possession of Licenses and Permits..............................10 (xvii) Title to Property...............................................10 (xviii) Compliance with Cuba Act........................................11 (xix) Investment Company Act..........................................11 (xx) Environmental Laws..............................................11 (xxi) Registration....................................................12 (b) Officer's Certificates.................................................12 SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to the Underwriters; Closing............................................12 (a) Initial Securities.....................................................12 (b) Option Securities......................................................13 (c) Payment................................................................13 (d) Denominations; Registration............................................14 SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company..........................................................14 (a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests.........14 (b) Filing of Amendments...................................................15 (c) Delivery of Registration Statements....................................15 (d) Delivery of Prospectus.................................................16 (e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws..............................16 (f) Blue Sky Qualifications................................................16 (g) Rule 158...............................................................17 (h) Use of Proceeds........................................................17 (i) Listing................................................................17
-i- PAGE (j) Restriction on Sale of Securities.......................................17 (k) Reporting Requirements..................................................18 (l) Compliance with NASD Rules..............................................18 (m) Compliance with Rule 463................................................18 SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses...............................................19 (a) Expenses................................................................19 (b) Termination of Agreement................................................19 SECTION 5. Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations.......................20 (a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement.................................20 (b) Opinion of Counsel for the Company......................................20 (c) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters.................................20 (d) Officers' Certificate...................................................21 (e) Accountant's Comfort Letter.............................................21 (f) Bring-down Comfort Letter...............................................22 (g) Approval of Listing.....................................................22 (h) No Objection............................................................22 (i) Lock-up Agreements......................................................22 (j) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities.............................22 (k) Additional Documents....................................................23 (l) Termination of Agreement................................................23 SECTION 6. Indemnification...................................................24 (a) Indemnification of the Underwriters.....................................24 (b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers..............26 (c) Actions against Parties; Notification...................................26 (d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse......................27 SECTION 7. Contribution......................................................27 SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery....29 SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement..........................................29 (a) Termination; General....................................................29 (b) Liabilities.............................................................30 SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters.......................30 SECTION 11. Notices..........................................................31 SECTION 12. Parties..........................................................31 SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME...........................................31
-ii- PAGE SECTION 14. Effect of Headings...............................................31 SCHEDULES Schedule A - List of Underwriters..............................Sch A-1 Schedule B - Pricing Information...............................Sch B-1 Schedule C - List of Persons subject to Lock-up................Sch C-1 Schedule D - List of Subsidiaries..............................Sch D-1 EXHIBITS Exhibit A - Form of Opinion of Company's Counsel...................A-1 Exhibit B - Form of Lock-up Letter.................................B-1
-iii- INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. (a Delaware corporation) 4,000,000 Shares of Common Stock (Par Value $.01 Per Share) PURCHASE AGREEMENT March 14, 2000 MERRILL LYNCH & CO. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED THOMAS WEISEL PARTNERS LLC as Representatives of the several Underwriters c/o Merrill Lynch & Co. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated North Tower World Financial Center New York, New York 10281-1209 Ladies and Gentlemen: Information Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch"), Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Thomas Weisel Partners LLC and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the "Underwriters," which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and Thomas Weisel Partners LLC are acting as Representatives (in such capacity, the "Representatives"), with respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company ("Common Stock") set forth in said Schedule A, and with respect to the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 675,000 additional shares of Common Stock solely to cover over-allotments, if any. The aforesaid 4,500,000 shares of Common Stock (the "Initial Securities") to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 675,000 shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the "Option Securities") are hereinafter called, collectively, the "Securities." -2- The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered. The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-30202) covering the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), including the related preliminary prospectus. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will either (i) prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A ("Rule 430A") of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the "1933 Act Regulations") and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule 424(b)") of the 1933 Act Regulations or (ii) if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 434 ("Rule 434") of the 1933 Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a "Term Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b). The information included in any prospectus or Term Sheet, as the case may be, that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred to as "Rule 430A Information" or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is referred to as "Rule 434 Information." Each prospectus used before such registration statement became effective, and any prospectus that omitted, as applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434 Information, that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a "preliminary prospectus." Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto and schedules thereto, at the time it became effective and including the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434 Information, as applicable, is herein called the "Registration Statement." Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein referred to as the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement," and after such filing the term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities is herein called the "Prospectus." If Rule 434 is relied on, the term "Prospectus" shall refer to the preliminary prospectus dated February 18, 2000, together with the applicable Term Sheet and all references in this Agreement to the date of such Prospectus shall mean the date of the applicable Term Sheet. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary -3- prospectus, the Prospectus or any Term Sheet or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR"), as well as all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein. SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. (a) REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES BY THE COMPANY. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery (if any) referred to in Section 2(b), hereof and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows: (i) COMPLIANCE WITH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS. Each of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with. At the respective times the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became effective and at the Closing Time (as defined below) (and, if any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments or supplements thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus and any supplement thereto or prospectus wrapper prepared in connection therewith, at their respective times of issuance and at the Closing Time, complied and will comply in all material respects with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus and such preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the offer and sale of Reserved Securities. Neither -4- the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto including any prospectus wrapper, at the time the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto was issued and at the Closing Time (as defined below) (and, if any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If Rule 434 is used, the Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 434 and the Prospectus shall not be "materially different," as such term is used in Rule 434, from the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective. The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. (ii) INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. (iii) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. The financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting -5- principles ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement. The pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. (iv) NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE IN BUSINESS. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock. (v) GOOD STANDING OF THE COMPANY. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of -6- business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. (vi) GOOD STANDING OF SUBSIDIARIES. Each "significant subsidiary" of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each a "Subsidiary" and, collectively, the "Subsidiaries") has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has the power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign limited liability company to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding equity interests of each such Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding equity interests of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only Subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Schedule D of this Agreement. (vii) CAPITALIZATION. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus in the column entitled "Actual" under the caption "Capitalization" (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Prospectus). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. -7- (viii) AUTHORIZATION OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. (ix) AUTHORIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES. The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same; no holder of the Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. (x) ABSENCE OF DEFAULTS AND CONFLICTS. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter, by-laws or limited liability company agreement, as the case may be, or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, "Agreements and Instruments") except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds") and compliance by the Company with its obligations under this Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments -8- (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, by-laws or limited liability company agreement, as the case may be, of the Company or any subsidiary or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations. As used herein, a "Repayment Event" means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any subsidiary. (xi) ABSENCE OF LABOR DISPUTE. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiary's principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, may reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. (xii) ABSENCE OF PROCEEDINGS. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any subsidiary, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder or thereunder; the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. -9- (xiii) ACCURACY OF EXHIBITS. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required. (xiv) POSSESSION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, domain names, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, "Intellectual Property") necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect. (xv) ABSENCE OF FURTHER REQUIREMENTS. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities under this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except (i) such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations and state securities or blue sky laws and (ii) such as have been obtained under the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside the United States in which the Reserved Securities are offered. (xvi) POSSESSION OF LICENSES AND PERMITS. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued by the appropriate federal, state or local regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them; the -10- Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect. (xvii) TITLE TO PROPERTY. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are described in the Prospectus or (b) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease. (xviii) COMPLIANCE WITH CUBA ACT. The Company has complied with, and is and will be in compliance with, the provisions of that certain Florida act relating to disclosure of doing business with Cuba, codified as Section 517.075 of the Florida statutes, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the "Cuba Act") or is exempt therefrom. -11- (xix) INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be, an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company" as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). (xx) ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS. Except as described in the Registration Statement and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state or local statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, published policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, "Hazardous Materials") or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, "Environmental Laws"), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) to the Company's knowledge, there are no events or circumstances that might reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws. (xxi) REGISTRATION. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or -12- otherwise registered by the Company under the 1933 Act, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement. (b) OFFICER'S CERTIFICATES. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Coordinator, the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby. SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to the Underwriters; Closing. ----------------------------------------------- (a) INITIAL SECURITIES. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof. (b) OPTION SECURITIES. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 675,000 shares of Common Stock at the price per share set forth in Schedule B hereto, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions, if any, declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date of the Prospectus and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Coordinator to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery for the Option Securities (a "Date of Delivery") shall be determined by the Coordinator, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time (as defined below). If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, -13- each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in each case to such adjustments as the Coordinator in its discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares. (c) PAYMENT. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Cahill Gordon & Reindel, 80 Pine Street, New York, New York 10005 or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Coordinator and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Coordinator and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the "Closing Time"). In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Coordinator and, Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Coordinator to the Company. Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder. -14- (d) DENOMINATIONS; REGISTRATION. Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representatives in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. SECTION 3. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows: (a) COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES REGULATIONS AND COMMISSION REQUESTS. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify the Coordinator immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. (b) FILING OF AMENDMENTS. The Company will give the Coordinator notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)), any Term Sheet or any amendment, supplement or revision to either the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective or to the Prospectus, -15- will furnish the Coordinator with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Coordinator or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. (c) DELIVERY OF REGISTRATION STATEMENTS. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. (d) DELIVERY OF PROSPECTUS. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"), such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. (e) CONTINUED COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAWS. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a material -16- fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. (f) BLUE SKY QUALIFICATIONS. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Coordinator may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the later of the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for a period of not less than one year from the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. (g) RULE 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act. (h) USE OF PROCEEDS. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Prospectus under "Use of Proceeds." -17- (i) LISTING. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to effect the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange. (j) RESTRICTION ON SALE OF SECURITIES. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, 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 any share of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, (B) any options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to the 1998 Stock Option Plan, as such term is defined in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, (C) the exercise of the options referred to in clause (B) immediately above, (D) the exchange of equity interests referred to in Section 5(j) below, (E) securities issued pursuant to Dennis Buda's employment agreement or (E) any securities issued as consideration for a merger or acquisition; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any recipient of securities under clauses (E) and (F) immediately above shall be bound by the restrictions of this Section 3(j) and shall enter into an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto. (k) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods and rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. (l) COMPLIANCE WITH NASD RULES. The Company hereby agrees that it will ensure that the Reserved Securities will be restricted as required by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or the NASD rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of this Agreement. The Underwriters will notify the Company as to which persons will need -18- to be so restricted. At the request of the Underwriters, the Company will direct the transfer agent to place a stop transfer restriction upon such securities for such period of time. Should the Company release, or seek to release, from such restrictions any of the Reserved Securities, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for any reasonable expenses (including, without limitation, legal expenses) they incur in connection with such release. (m) COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 463. The Company will report such information as may be required pursuant to Rule 463 of the 1933 Act Regulations. SECTION 4. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. (a) EXPENSES. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale and the issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Term Sheet and of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (ix) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, the review by the NASD of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (x) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange and (xi) all costs and expenses of the Underwriters, including the fees and disbursements -19- of counsel for the Underwriters, in connection with matters related to the Reserved Securities which are designated by the Company for sale to certain eligible employees and certain persons having business relationships with the Company. (b) TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters. SECTION 5. CONDITIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions: (a) EFFECTIVENESS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and at the Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel for the Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) (or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 434, a Term Sheet shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b). (b) OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Willkie Farr & Gallagher, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel for the Underwriters may reasonably request. -20- (c) OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE UNDERWRITERS. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Cahill Gordon & Reindel, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the federal law of the United States and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials. (d) OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct in all material respects with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied in all material respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, are contemplated by the Commission. (e) ACCOUNTANT'S COMFORT LETTER. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young, LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such -21- letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. (f) BRING-DOWN COMFORT LETTER. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young, LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than five business days prior to the Closing Time. (g) APPROVAL OF LISTING. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance. (h) NO OBJECTION. The NASD shall have confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements. (i) LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule C hereto. (j) CONDITIONS TO PURCHASE OF OPTION SECURITIES. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received: (i) OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery. -22- (ii) OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY. The favorable opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof. (iii) OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE UNDERWRITERS. The favorable opinion of Cahill Gordon & Reindel, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof. (iv) BRING-DOWN COMFORT LETTER. A letter from Ernst & Young, LLP in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof, except that the "specified date" in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior to such Date of Delivery. (k) ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters. (l) TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives -23- by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect. SECTION 6. INDEMNIFICATION. (a) INDEMNIFICATION OF THE UNDERWRITERS. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows: (i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of (A) the violation of any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Reserved Securities have been offered and (B) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in the supplement or prospectus wrapper material distributed in foreign jurisdictions in connection with the reservation and sale of the Reserved Securities to certain eligible employees and persons having business relationships with the Company or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, when considered in conjunction with the Prospectus or preliminary prospectus, not misleading; -24- (iii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission or in connection with any violation of the nature referred to in Section 6(a)(ii)(A) hereof; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and (iv) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission or in connection with any violation of the nature referred to in Section 6(a)(ii)(A) hereof, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i), (ii) or (iii) above; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto); and PROVIDED, FURTHER, HOWEVER, that Company shall not be liable to any indemnified party with respect to any preliminary prospectus (or supplement thereto) if the Prospectus corrected any such untrue statement or omission, was delivered to such indemnified party and such indemnified party failed to furnish a copy of the Prospectus at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of Securities to the applicable purchaser. (b) INDEMNIFICATION OF THE COMPANY, ITS DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and -25- all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto). (c) ACTIONS AGAINST PARTIES; NOTIFICATION. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel for the indemnified parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that counsel for the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel for the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability -26- arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. (d) SETTLEMENT WITHOUT CONSENT IF FAILURE TO REIMBURSE. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(iii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, an indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(iii) effected without its consent if such indemnifying party (i) reimburses the indemnified party in accordance with such request to the extent it consider such request to be reasonable and (ii) provides written notice to the indemnified party which fully explains the indemnifying party's belief that any unpaid balance of such request is unreasonable, in each case prior to the date of such settlement. SECTION 7. CONTRIBUTION. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement 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) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions, which resulted in such losses, -27- liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, or, if Rule 434 is used, the corresponding location on the Term Sheet, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. 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 which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. -28- No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters' respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint. SECTION 8. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE DELIVERY. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters. SECTION 9. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. (a) TERMINATION; GENERAL. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities -29- of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities. (b) LIABILITIES. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect. SECTION 10. DEFAULT BY ONE OR MORE OF THE UNDERWRITERS. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then: (a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or (b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter. -30- No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default. In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term "Underwriter" includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10. SECTION 11. NOTICES. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives at North Tower, World Financial Center, New York, New York 10281-1201, attention of David Weil; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 2777 Summer Street, Suite 209, Stamford, Connecticut 06905, Facsimile No. (203) 961-1431, attention of Mason P. Slaine, with a copy to Willkie Farr & Gallagher, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York 10019, facsimile no. (212) 728-8111, attention Steven J. Gartner. SECTION 12. PARTIES. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities -31- from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase. SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. SECTION 14. EFFECT OF HEADINGS. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof. -32- If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms. Very truly yours, INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. By: /s/ Mason P. Slaine ------------------------ Title: President and Chief Executive Officer CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written: MERRILL LYNCH & CO. MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED THOMAS WEISEL PARTNERS LLC By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED By: /s/ David Weil ------------------------------------------ Authorized Signatory For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto. SCHEDULE A
Number of Initial Name of Underwriter Securities - ------------------- ---------- Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated........................................................ 2,250,000 Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated............................................... 1,575,000 Thomas Weisel Partners LLC...................................................... 675,000 Total........................................................................... 4,500,000
Schedule A-1 SCHEDULE B INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. 4,500,000 Shares of Common Stock (Par Value $.01 Per Share) 1. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities, determined as provided in said Section 2, shall be $36.50. 2. The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $34.59, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $1.91 per share; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the purchase price per share for any Option Securities purchased upon the exercise of the over-allotment option described in Section 2(b) shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. Schedule B-1 SCHEDULE C Warburg, Pincus Ventures, L.P. Mason P. Slaine Vincent A. Chippari David R. Haas Michael E. Danziger Schedule C-1 SCHEDULE D Subsidiaries of Information Holdings Inc:
NAME STATE OF ---- ORGANIZATION OR INCORPORATION ---------------- CRC Press LLC Delaware MicroPatent LLC Delaware Master Data Center Michigan
Schedule D-1 Exhibit A FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b) (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. (ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Purchase Agreement. (iii) The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. (iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus in the column entitled "Actual" under the caption "Capitalization" (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to the Purchase Agreement or pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Prospectus); the shares of issued and outstanding capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or, to our knowledge, other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. (v) The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to the Purchase Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth in the Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and no holder of the Securities is or will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder. EXHIBIT A-1 (vi) The issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or, to our knowledge, other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. (vii) Each Subsidiary has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has the power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign limited liability company to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding equity interests of each Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, to the best of our knowledge, are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding equity interests of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or, to our knowledge, similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. (viii) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. (ix) To our knowledge, based solely on a telephone conversation with a member of the staff of the Commission, the Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has been declared effective under the 1933 Act; any required filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and, to the best of our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the Commission. (x) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, as applicable, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of its respective effective or issue dates (other than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we need EXHIBIT A-2 express no opinion) appear on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. (xi) If Rule 434 has been relied upon, the Prospectus was not "materially different," as such term is used in Rule 434, from the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective. (xii) The form of certificate used to evidence the Common Stock complies in all material respects with the Delaware General Corporation Law, with any applicable requirements of the charter and by-laws of the Company and the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange. (xiii) To the best of our knowledge and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, there is not pending or threatened any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party, or to which the property of the Company or any subsidiary is subject, before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder. (xiv) The information in the Prospectus under "Description of Capital Stock -- Common Stock," "Business -- Facilities," "Business -- Litigation," "Description of Capital Stock -- Preferred Stock" and in the Registration Statement under Item 14, to the extent that it constitutes matters of law, summaries of legal matters, the Company's charter and bylaws, legal proceedings or legal conclusions, fairly summarize the matters described therein. (xv) To the best of our knowledge, there are no franchises, contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other instruments required to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other than those described or referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto. (xvi) To the best of our knowledge, the Company is not in violation of its charter or by-laws. EXHIBIT A-3 (xvii) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency (other than under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be required under the securities or blue sky laws of the various states, as to which we need express no opinion) is necessary or required in connection with the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Purchase Agreement or for the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the Securities. (xviii) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities) and compliance by the Company with its obligations under the Purchase Agreement do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined in Section 1(a)(x) of the Purchase Agreement) under or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or any other agreement or instrument, known to us, to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not have a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or limited liability company agreement of any Subsidiary, or any applicable New York, Delaware or federal law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree, known to us, of any government, government instrumentality or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their respective properties, assets or operations. (xix) To the best of our knowledge, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the 1933 Act, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement. (xx) The Company is not an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company," as such terms are defined in the 1940 Act. EXHIBIT A-4 Because the primary purpose of our professional engagement was not to establish factual matters and because of the wholly or partially non-legal character of many of the determinations involved in the preparation of the Registration Statement and Prospectus, we are not passing upon and do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (except to the extent expressly set forth above) and make no representations that we have independently verified the accuracy, completeness or fairness of such statements. However, in the course of our acting as counsel to the Company in connection with its preparation of the Registration Statement and Prospectus, we participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors of the Company, the Representatives and counsel to the Underwriters, at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and related matters were discussed. Based on our participation in the above-referenced conferences and our review of the Registration Statement and Prospectus, we advise you that nothing has come to our attention that caused us to believe that at the time the Registration Statement became effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act), the Registration Statement contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that as of its date and the date hereof, the Prospectus contained or contains, as the case may be, an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood that in each such case we express no belief or statement with respect to the financial statements, related notes and schedules, the pro forma financial information, or the other financial, numerical or statistical data found in or derivable from the internal accounting, financial or other records of the Company and its subsidiaries set forth or referred to in the Prospectus). In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact (but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. Such opinion shall not state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is otherwise subject to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to legal opinions, including, without limitation, EXHIBIT A-5 the Legal Opinion Accord of the ABA Section of Business Law (1991). EXHIBIT A-6 Exhibit B FORM OF LOCK-UP FROM DIRECTORS, OFFICERS OR OTHER STOCKHOLDERS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(I) [ ], 2000 MERRILL LYNCH & CO. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated Thomas Weisel Partners LLC as Representatives of the several Underwriters to be named in the within-mentioned Purchase Agreement c/o Merrill Lynch & Co. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated North Tower World Financial Center New York, New York 10281-1209 Re: PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING BY INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. Dear Sirs: The undersigned, a stockholder [and an officer and/or director] of Information Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), understands that Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch"), Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and Thomas Weisel Partners LLC propose to enter into a Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") with the Company providing for the public offering of shares (the "Securities") of the Company's common stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a stockholder of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Purchase Agreement that, during a period commencing from the date of the execution of this agreement and ending 90 days after the date of the final Prospectus relating to the offering of the Common Stock, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any Exhibit B-1 option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of the Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, in each case, except as expressly contemplated by the Prospectus (as defined in the Purchase Agreement). Very truly yours, --------------------------- Signature: --------------------------- Print Name: Exhibit B-2 EX-99.1 3 EXHIBIT 99.1 EXHIBIT 99.1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. PRICES COMMON STOCK OFFERING NEW YORK, MARCH 14, 2000 -- INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. (NYSE:IHI) announced today that it has priced a public offering of 4,500,000 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $36.50 per share. The Company has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 675,000 shares to cover over-allotments. The net proceeds to the Company totaling approximately $155 million will be used to develop and market the Company's CorporateIntelligence.com web site, to finance future acquisitions and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Company expects to complete the offering on March 20, 2000. Merrill Lynch & Co., Morgan Stanley Dean Witter and Thomas Weisel Partners LLC are acting as managing underwriters for the offering. For a copy of the prospectus relating to this offering, contact Merrill Lynch & Co. at (212) 449-3107. Information Holdings Inc. is a leading provider of information products and services, primarily to the intellectual property and scientific markets. Through its CorporateIntelligence.com unit, which includes MicroPatent and Master Data Center, the Company provides a broad array of databases, information products and complementary services for intellectual property professionals. The Company is recognized as a leading provider of intellectual property information over the Internet. In addition, the Company's CRC Press(R) business publishes professional and academic books, journals, newsletters and electronic databases covering areas such as life sciences, environmental sciences, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences and business. Information Holdings Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol IHI. For further information contact: Vincent A. Chippari Chris Plunkett Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Brainerd Communicators Information Holdings Inc. (212) 986-6667 (203) 961-9208 -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----