EX-1.2 4 l93286aexv1w2.txt EX-1.2 FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT COMMON STOCK EXHIBIT 1.2 FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT FOR COMMON STOCK The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company _____Shares of Common Stock Underwriting Agreement ________________________, 200__ ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- Ladies and Gentlemen: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, an Ohio corporation (the "Company"), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you are acting as representative (the "Representative"), an aggregate of _______ shares of Common Stock, without par value, of the Company (the "Underwritten Shares") and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional ________ shares of Common Stock of the Company (the "Option Shares"). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the "Shares". The shares of Common Stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are herein referred to as the "Stock". The Stock, including the Shares, will have attached thereto rights (the "Rights") to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Series B Preferred Stock at a purchase price of $250.00, subject to adjustment. The Rights are to be issued pursuant to an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") dated as of April 15, 2002 between the Company and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A. The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows: 1. REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the "Securities Act"), a registration statement (File No. ______________) including a prospectus, relating to the Shares and Rights. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness ("Rule 430 Information"), is referred to herein as the "Registration Statement"; and as used herein, the term "Preliminary Prospectus" means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before it became effective, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430A Information, and the term "Prospectus" means the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the "Rule 462 Registration Statement"), then any reference herein to the term "Registration Statement" shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be and any reference to "amend", "amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the "Exchange Act") that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. 2. PURCHASE OF THE SHARES BY THE UNDERWRITERS. (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter's name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per share of $__________ (the "Purchase Price"). In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price. If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 8 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make. The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase the Option Shares at any time (but not more than once) on or before the thirtieth day following the date of this Agreement, by written notice from the Representative to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the 2 Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 8 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two Business Days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein. (b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representative is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. (c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representative in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of _______________at 10:00 A.M. New York City time on _____ , 200_, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representative in the written notice of the Underwriters' election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the "Closing Date" and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, are herein referred to as the "Additional Closing Date". Delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date in definitive form registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representative shall request in writing not later than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against payment for the Shares to be purchased, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be. The certificates for the Shares will be made available for inspection and packaging by the Representative at the office of _________________ set forth above not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be. 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that: (a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus. 3 (b) Registration Statement and Prospectus. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and, to the best knowledge of the Company, no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the applicable filing date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto. (c) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they become effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulation of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the "Exchange Act"), as applicable, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. (d) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. (e) Organization and Good Standing. Each Company and the subsidiaries listed on Schedule A hereto (each an "Enumerated Subsidiary" and collectively, the "Enumerated Subsidiaries") have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or 4 hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect"). (f) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus under the heading "Capitalization"; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive rights. The capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each Enumerated Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors' qualifying shares and except as otherwise described in the Prospectus) and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party. (g) The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights. (h) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Amended Articles of Incorporation or Code of Regulations of the Company or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. (i) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters. 5 (j) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; to the best knowledge of the Company, no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others. (k) Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries are each independent public accountants with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries as required by the Securities Act. 4. FURTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that: (a) Filing. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A under the Securities Act and will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares. (b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representative, one signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits filed therewith; and (ii) to each Underwriter during the Prospectus Delivery Period, as many copies of the Prospectus as the Representative may reasonably request. As used herein, the term "Prospectus Delivery Period" means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer. (c) Amendments or Supplements. Before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will afford the Representative reasonable opportunity to comment on any such proposed amendment or supplement. (d) Notice to the Representative. The Company will advise the Representative promptly, (i) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the 6 qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued to use promptly its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof. (e) Ongoing Compliance of the Prospectus. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law. (f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; PROVIDED that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject. (g) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representative as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder. (h) Clear Market. For a period of [90] days after the date of the initial public offering of the Shares, the Company will not offer, sell, contract to sell, or otherwise dispose any shares of Stock without the prior written consent of the Representative, other than the Shares to be sold hereunder or pursuant to the Company's Dividend Reinvestment Plan or Stock Purchase Plan and any shares of Stock of the Company issues upon the exercise of options granted under existing employee stock option plans or upon the conversion of securities convertible into shares of stock outstanding on the date hereof. (i) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange"). 7 (j) Reports. So long as the Shares are outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Representative, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system. 5. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions: (a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. The Registration Statement (or if a post-effective amendment thereto is required to be filed under the Securities Act, such post-effective amendment) shall have become effective, and the Representative shall have received notice thereof, not later than 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date hereof; no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative. (b) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization", as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading). (c) Contingencies. Subsequent to the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any suspension or limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, or any setting of minimum prices for trading on such exchange, or any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (ii) any banking moratorium declared by Federal or New York authorities; or (iii) any outbreak or escalation of major hostilities in which the United States is involved, any declaration of war by Congress or any other substantial national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of a majority in interest of the Underwriters, including any Representatives, the effect of any such outbreak, escalation, declaration, calamity or emergency makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with completion of the sale of and payment for the Shares. (d) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, no event or condition of a type described in Section 3(d) hereof shall have occurred 8 or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representative makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Prospectus. (e) Officer's Certificate. The Representative shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, of the President or any Vice-President and a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company in which such officers, to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, shall state that the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, that no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any part thereof has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are contemplated by the Commission and that, subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or results of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries except as set forth in or contemplated by the Prospectus or as described in such certificate. (f) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. (g) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. The Representative shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, of C. Thomas Harvie, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Company, to the effect that: (i) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act, the Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to the subparagraph of Rule 424(b) specified in such opinion on the date specified therein, and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any part thereof has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or contemplated under the Act, and the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and notes thereto and supporting schedules and other financial and statistical information contained therein as to which such counsel need express no opinion) complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations; 9 (ii) The Company and the Enumerated Subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. (iii) The Company has authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. (iv) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. (v) The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized, and when delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights. (vi) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares being delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and compliance by the Company with the terms of, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of incorporation or code of regulations of the Company or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. (vii) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares being delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be 10 required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters. (viii) To the best knowledge of such counsel, except as described in the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject which, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and to the best knowledge of such counsel, no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others. (ix) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to believe that any of such documents, when such documents became effective or were so filed, as the case may be, contained in the case of a registration statement which became effective under the Securities Act, any untrue statement of material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or, in the case of other documents which were filed under the Exchange with the Commission, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statement therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such documents were so filed, not misleading. Such counsel shall also state that on the basis of their involvement in the preparation of the Registration Statement and although they have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the statements contained therein or in any amendment thereto, nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which causes them to believe that the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and notes thereto and supporting schedules and other financial and statistical information contained therein) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and such counsel does not know of any contracts or documents of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which are not described and filed as required; it being understood that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements or other financial data contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. In rendering any such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and 11 public officials and, as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the States of Ohio, New York or the United States, upon the opinion of local counsel. (h) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion of _______________, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representative may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters. (i) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares. (j) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance. 6. EFFECTIVENESS OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto. 7. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION. (a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Preliminary Prospectus, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein. (b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any 12 amendment or supplement thereto) or any Preliminary Prospectus, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Preliminary Prospectus. (c) Notice and Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Indemnifying Party under subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the Indemnifying Party of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the Indemnifying Party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any Indemnified Party otherwise than under subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any Indemnified Party and it notifies the Indemnifying Party of the commencement thereof, the Indemnifying Party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other Indemnifying Party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party and after notice from the Indemnifying Party to such Indemnified Party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnifying Party will not be liable to such Indemnified Party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. In any such action, any Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party unless (i) the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the Indemnifying Party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any Indemnified Party in connection with any action or related actions in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such Indemnified Parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action. (d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one 13 hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. (e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonable incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint. 8. DEFAULTING UNDERWRITER. (a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting 14 Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 8, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase. (b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter's pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made. (c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 9 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect. (d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default. 9. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. (a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the delivery of copies thereof to the Underwriters; (iii) the costs of producing any Agreement Among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Agreement between syndicates, the Blue Sky Memorandum and any other documents in connection with the offering, 15 purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company's counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Shares under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange. (b) If (i) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (ii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby. 10. PERSONS ENTITLED TO BENEFIT OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase. 11. SURVIVAL. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters. 12. CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term "affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term "business day" means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City. 13. MISCELLANEOUS. (a) Authority of the Representative. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by ______________ on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by ________________ shall be binding upon the Underwriters. (b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representative c/o ___________________, _______________________; Attention: ________________. Notices 16 to the Company shall be given to it at 1144 East Market Street, Akron, Ohio, 44316-0001; Attention: Secretary. (c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. (d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. (e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto. (f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement. If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below. Very truly yours, THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY By_______________________ Title: Accepted: __________, 200__ ___________________________ For itself and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto. By________________________________ Authorized Signatory 17 Schedule 1 Underwriter Number of Shares ----------- ---------------- _____________________ Total 18