EX-99.1 2 y15161exv99w1.htm EX-99.1: UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT EX-99.1
 

EXHIBIT 99.1
THE ST. PAUL TRAVELERS COMPANIES, INC.
$ 400,000,000
5.50% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2015
Underwriting Agreement
November 22, 2005
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
     As Representatives of the
     several Underwriters listed
     in Schedule 1 hereto
     
c/o
  Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
 
  388 Greenwich Street
 
  New York, New York, 10013
 
   
 
  J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
 
  270 Park Avenue
 
  New York, NY 10017
Ladies and Gentlemen:
     The St. Paul Travelers Companies, Inc. (formerly known as The St. Paul Companies, Inc.), a Minnesota 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 representatives (the “Representatives”), $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 5.50% Senior Securities due 2015 having the terms set forth in Schedule 2 hereto (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of March 12, 2002 (the “Indenture”) between the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly known as JPMorgan Chase Bank), as trustee (the “Trustee”).
          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 on Form S-3 (File No. 333-98525), which constitutes a Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-92466), including a prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), relating to the debt securities to be issued from time to time by the Company. The Company has also filed, or proposes to file, with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities (the “Prospectus Supplement”). The registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, 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 “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus as supplemented by the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities in the form first used to confirm sales of the Securities and the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities together with the Base Prospectus. 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. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. References herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein. The terms “supplement,” “amendment” and “amend” as used herein as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed by the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) subsequent to the date of this Agreement which are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Effective Time” means the date and time the Registration Statement became effective, and, if later, the date of filing of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.
     2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters. (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.35% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from November 28, 2005 to the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.

 


 

     (b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.
     (c) Payment for and delivery of the Securities shall be made at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on November 28, 2005, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing.
     (d) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company. The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.
     3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents, warrants and agrees (i) on and as of the date hereof, and (ii) on the Closing Date, that:
     (a) The Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission, includes a Base Prospectus relating to the Securities and has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act;
     (b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and no such document contained or will contain when so filed an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit when so filed to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not

 


 

misleading, (ii) each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, did not contain and each such part, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”) and the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the Commission thereunder, and (iv) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriters expressly for use therein;
     (c) Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries (as such term is defined under Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) has sustained since the date of the latest financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, which is material to the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than issuances of common stock upon the exercise of stock options outstanding on the date hereof or pursuant to existing employee compensation plans) or long-term debt of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, business, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;
     (d) Each of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries has good and marketable title in fee simple to all material real property and good and marketable title to all material personal property owned by it, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, except such as are described in the Prospectus or such as would not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries; and any material real property

 


 

and material buildings held under lease by the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and currently proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries;
     (e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Minnesota, with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, business, prospects, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”); and each Significant Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect; None of the Company’s subsidiaries other than those listed on Annex I hereto are Significant Subsidiaries;
     (f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non assessable; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non assessable and (except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;
     (g) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and this Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus;
     (h) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of

 


 

general applicability relating or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and the Indenture conforms to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus;
     (i) The Securities have been duly authorized and have been duly issued, executed and delivered by the Company against payment therefor as provided in the Indenture and constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general applicability relating or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles, and entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; the Securities conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities;
     (j) The issuance and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture and this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in (i) a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject, (ii) any violation of the provisions of the Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or By-laws of the Company or (iii) any law, statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters;
     (k) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its organizational documents or in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its

 


 

properties is or may be bound, which default might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
     (l) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions “Description of the Senior Notes” and “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the captions “Underwriting” (other than the last three paragraphs thereunder) and “Plan of Distribution”, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate and complete in all material respects; the statements set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference into the Prospectus under the captions “Item 1. Business — Regulation”, “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” (as updated in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2005 and Form 8-K filed on November 22, 2005) and in the Registration Statement under Item 15, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein and the Company’s Restated Articles of Incorporation and By-laws, are accurate and complete in all material respects;
     (m) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party, or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject or which could reasonably be expected to individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
     (n) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated or as described in the Prospectus and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company”, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);
     (o) KPMG LLP, which has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, and has reviewed the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and management’s assessment thereof, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
     (p) The financial statements of the Company, together with the related schedules, notes and supplemental information set forth or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and

 


 

interpretations thereof and present fairly in all material respects the financial position, the results of operations and the changes in cash flows of such entities in conformity with GAAP at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply; such statements and related schedules, notes and supplemental information have been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods involved except for any normal year-end adjustments and except as described therein; the pro forma financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and the related notes thereto incorporated by reference in the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information contained therein, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder and are based on assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein;
     (q) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting;
     (r) Since the date of the latest financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, except as disclosed in Item 4 of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2005, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;
     (s) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; such disclosure controls and procedures are effective;

 


 

     (t) There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which are not described or filed as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and
     (u) The Company possesses such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct in all material respects the business now operated by it, except where the failure to possess such Governmental Licenses would not have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company is 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, result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the failure to have such Governmental Licenses in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company has not 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 have a Material Adverse Effect.
     4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the Underwriters:
     (a) To prepare the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in relation to the Securities in a form approved by the Underwriters and to file or cause to be filed with the Commission such Prospectus, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second Business Day following the date of the Prospectus; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus as amended or supplemented after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date which shall be disapproved by the Underwriters promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Underwriters promptly of any such amendment or supplement after such Closing Date and furnish the Underwriters with copies thereof and to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of such Securities, and during such same period to advise the Underwriters, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed with the Commission, of the

 


 

issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of such Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Securities or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;
     (b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Underwriters may reasonably request to qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the issuance and sale of the Securities, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation, to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or to become subject to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise subject;
     (c) To furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and on such locations as the Underwriters may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the public offering of the Securities and if at such time any event shall have occurred 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 any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify the Underwriters and upon the Underwriters’ request to file such document and to prepare and furnish, subject to Section 4(a) hereof, without charge to the Underwriters and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with the sales of the Securities at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon such Underwriter’s request, to prepare and

 


 

deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as such Underwriter may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
     (d) To make generally available to security-holders of the Company as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Securities Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
     (e) During the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing to and including the Closing Date, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the Company without the prior consent of the Underwriters;
     (f) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”; and
     (g) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
     5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The respective obligations of the Underwriters hereunder shall be subject, in the discretion of the Underwriters, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements by the Company herein are, and as of the Closing Date will be, true and correct, and to the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
     (a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the Securities shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Securities Act and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Underwriters’ reasonable satisfaction;
     (b) Davis Polk & Wardwell, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to the Underwriters their written opinion, dated the Closing

 


 

Date, with respect to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and such other related matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
     (c) Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, outside counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Underwriters a written opinion to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-1 hereto, and the letter related to certain matters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-2 hereto, each dated the Closing Date.
     (d) Bruce A. Backberg, Esq., Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the Company, shall have furnished to the Underwriters his written opinion to the effect set forth in Exhibit B-1 hereto, and the letter related to certain matters to the effect set forth in Exhibit B-2 hereto, each dated as of the Closing Date.
     (e) On the date hereof and on the Closing Date, KPMG LLP shall have furnished to the Underwriters letters, dated such respective dates, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants “comfort letters” to Underwriters with respect to the financial statements and schedules and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date;
     (f) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than issuances of common stock upon the exercise of stock options outstanding on the date hereof or pursuant to existing employee compensation plans) or long term debt of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs, business, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the Underwriters so material and adverse as

 


 

to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
     (g) On or after the date hereof, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any debt security of the Company or the financial strength or claims paying ability of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary by A.M. Best & Co. or any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as that 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 or otherwise given notice to the Company that it has under surveillance, review or watch, with possible negative implications, its rating of any debt security or the financial strength or the claims paying ability of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, or of any review for a possible change therein that does not indicate the direction of the possible change;
     (h) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in the judgment of the Underwriters makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus and this Agreement;
     (i) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 4(a) hereof with respect to the filing of prospectuses on the second Business Day next succeeding the date of the Prospectus;
     (j) No injunction, judgment, order, decree or other legal or governmental action prohibiting the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been issued and remain in effect or shall have been publicly announced by any court or announced, or threatened in writing, by a regulatory agency or other governmental body; and
     (k) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Underwriters on the Closing Date certificates of officers

 


 

of the Company satisfactory to the Underwriters as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at such Closing Date, as to the performance by the Company of all of its respective obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Closing Date, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a), (f) and (g) of this Section and as to such other matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
     6. Indemnification and Contribution.
     (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon the failure to have an effective Registration Statement relating to the Securities or the failure to satisfy the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act because the Company failed to provide the Underwriters with a Prospectus for delivery, or arise out of are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or the offering of the Securities or the engagement of the Underwriters pursuant to, or the performance of the Underwriters of their respective services (including any such services performed on or prior to the date hereof) contemplated by, this Agreement, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter expressly for use therein. The Underwriters shall incur no liability to and shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company for, or in respect of, any actions taken, omitted to be taken or suffered to be taken in the absence of bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct by the Underwriters in reasonable reliance upon the advice of counsel satisfactory to it or instructions from the Trustee (pursuant to the Indenture) or the Company.
     (b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or

 


 

liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
     (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party (or such other

 


 

release of the indemnified party as shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party) from all liability arising out of such action 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) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits 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 which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), 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 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 Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the offering of the Securities, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault 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 on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) 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 subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection

 


 

with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall 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 Securities exceeds the amount of any damages which 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 in this subsection (d) to contribute are several and not joint.
     (e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 6 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each director and officer of each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of any successors, assigns, heirs and personal representatives of the Company, the Underwriters; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 6 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to 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.
     7. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Prospectus.
     8. Defaulting Underwriter. (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange

 


 

 

for the purchase of such Securities 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 Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in this Agreement that, pursuant to this Section 8, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
     (b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities 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 Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 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 6 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) The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriters that, whether or not the transactions contemplated herein are consummated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters; (ii) the cost of printing or producing this Agreement, any Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters preparing such Blue Sky Memorandum; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws and insurance securities laws as provided in Section 4(b) hereof; (iv) the filing fees in connection with securing any required review by the NASD of the terms of the issuance and sale of the Securities; (v) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vi) fees, expenses and disbursements of the Trustee, any transfer agent or registrar, any agent of or counsel to any of the foregoing, in connection with the Securities or this Agreement; (vii) any travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any other expenses of the Company in connection with attending or hosting meetings with prospective purchasers of the Securities; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section; provided that the Underwriters will reimburse the Company for up to $200,000 of the Company’s expenses related to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section and Sections 6 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters other than fees and expenses to be borne by the Company as specified in subsection (ii) above.
     (b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
     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 herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 6 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 Securities 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 Securities 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; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
     13. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making their own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.
     14. Miscellaneous. (a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives 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 Representatives at the address set forth in this Agreement. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at 385 Washington

 


 

Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102, (fax: (651) 310-5853); Attention: General Counsel.
     (c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
     (d) 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.
     (e) 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 correctly sets forth the agreement among the Company, and the Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.
             
    THE ST. PAUL TRAVELERS    
         COMPANIES, INC.    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Douglas K. Russell    
 
           
 
      Name: Douglas K. Russell    
 
      Title: Senior Vice President,    
 
                Corporate Controller and    
 
                Treasurer    

 


 

         
Accepted:    
 
       
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.    
 
       
By:
  /s/ Richard Spiro    
 
       
 
  Name: Richard Spiro    
 
  Title: Managing Director    
 
       
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.    
 
       
By:
  /s/ Robert Bottamedi    
 
       
 
  Name: Robert Bottamedi    
 
  Title: Vice President    
 
       
For themselves and as    
Representatives of the Underwriters    

 


 

Schedule 1 
                 
Underwriters           Principal Amount  
 
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
          $ 170,000,000  
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
            170,000,000  
Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.
            20,000,000  
UBS Securities LLC
            20,000,000  
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
            20,000,000  
 
             
 
  Total   $ 400,000,000  

24


 

Schedule 2 
         
Representatives and Addresses for Notices:
 
       
Certain Terms of the Securities:
 
       
    Title of Securities: 5.50% Senior Notes due 2015
 
       
    Aggregate Principal Amount of Securities: $400,000,000
 
       
 
  Maturity Date: December 1, 2015    
 
       
 
  Interest Rate: 5.50%    
 
       
 
  Interest Payment Dates:   June 1 and December 1, commencing June 1, 2006
 
       
 
  Record Dates:   May 15 and November 15
 
       
 
  Redemption Provisions:   The Securities may be redeemed at the Company’s option on not less
 
      than 30 days, but not more than 60 days’ prior written notice, in whole or in part, at the redemption price set forth in the Prospectus.

25


 

EXHIBIT A-1 
[Form of Simpson Thacher corporate opinion]

26


 

EXHIBIT A-2
[Form of Simpson Thacher 10b-5 opinion]

27


 

EXHIBIT B-1 
[Form of Bruce Backberg’s corporate opinion]

28


 

EXHIBIT B-2 
[Form of Bruce Backberg’s 10b-5 opinion]