SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): December 7, 2004
PILGRIM’S PRIDE CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
| Delaware | 1-9273 | 75-1285071 | ||
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
| 110 South Texas Street Pittsburg, Texas |
75686-0093 | |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (ZIP Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (903) 855-1000
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On December 7, 2004, Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation (the “Company”) entered into an underwriting agreement with ConAgra Foods, Inc. and the underwriters named therein. Pursuant to the terms of this underwriting agreement, ConAgra Foods, Inc. agreed to sell to the underwriters an aggregate of 10,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for offering to the public. This public offering and sale of these shares of the Company’s common stock have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by a registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-117472) (the “Registration Statement”). A copy of this underwriting agreement is filed as Exhibit 1.1 hereto and is herein incorporated by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits. The following exhibit to the Registration Statement is filed as part of this report
| Exhibit Number |
Description | |
| 1.1 | Underwriting Agreement, dated as of December 7, 2004, by and among Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, ConAgra Foods, Inc. and the underwriters named therein. |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| PILGRIM’S PRIDE CORPORATION | ||||
| Date: December 7, 2004 |
By: | /s/ Richard A. Cogdill | ||
| Richard A. Cogdill | ||||
| Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, | ||||
| Secretary and Treasurer | ||||
Exhibit Index
| Exhibit Number |
Description | |
| 1.1 | Underwriting Agreement, dated as of December 7, 2004, by and among Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, ConAgra Foods, Inc. and the underwriters named therein. |
Exhibit 1.1
PILGRIM’S PRIDE CORPORATION
(a Delaware corporation)
10,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Dated: December 7, 2004
PILGRIM’S PRIDE CORPORATION
(a Delaware corporation)
10,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
December 7, 2004
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
Lehman Brothers Inc.
as Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
4 World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and ConAgra Foods Inc., a Delaware corporation, (the “Selling Shareholder”), confirm their respective agreements with Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”, which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Lehman Brothers Inc. are acting as Representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Selling Shareholder, and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) set forth in Schedule A hereto and (ii) the grant by the Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 1,500,000 additional shares of Common Stock to cover overallotments, if any. The aforesaid 10,000,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 1,500,000 shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are hereinafter called, collectively, the “Securities”.
The Company and the Selling Shareholder understand that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-117472), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus supplement in accordance with the provisions of Rules 415 and 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”). As filed, such final
prospectus supplement shall contain all Rule 430A Information, together with all other required information. “Rule 430A Information” means the information with respect to the Securities and the offering price thereof permitted by be omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A. Each prospectus used before such registration statement became effective, and any prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information, that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” Such registration statement, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto, at the time it became effective, and including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at such time, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein referred to as the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,” and after such filing the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at the time of the execution of this Agreement, is herein called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or prospectus supplement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”) which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Company meets the requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. The Registration Statement has become effective (other than any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the effectiveness of this Agreement); any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement filed after the effectiveness of this Agreement will become effective no later than 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement; and the Company has not received any notice that any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, nor that any proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission.
(ii) Incorporated Documents; Compliance with Registration Requirements. (i) Each document, if any, filed pursuant to the 1934 Act and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the 1934 Act; (ii) the Registration Statement (other than any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the effectiveness of this Agreement), when it became effective and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), did not contain and, as amended, 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, in light of
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the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement (other than any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to be filed by the Company after the effectiveness of this Agreement) and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the 1933 Act, (iv) if the Company is required to file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement after the effectiveness of this Agreement, such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments thereto, when they become effective (A) will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they will be made, not misleading and (B) will comply in all material respects with the 1933 Act 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 based upon information relating to the Underwriters furnished to the Company in writing by the Underwriters expressly for use therein.
Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act, complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act, and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, 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 any preliminary prospectus based upon information relating to the Underwriters furnished to the Company in writing by the Underwriters expressly for use therein.
(iii) Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries is a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership or business trust that has been duly formed, is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and has the power and authority to carry on its business as described in the Prospectus and to own, lease and operate its properties, and each is duly qualified and is in good standing as a foreign corporation, limited partnership or business trust authorized to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(iv) Capitalization. All the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Selling Shareholder, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and not subject to any preemptive or similar rights. There are no outstanding subscriptions, rights, warrants, options, calls, convertible securities, commitments of sale or liens granted or issued by the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to or entitling any person to purchase or otherwise to acquire any ownership interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement.
(v) Subsidiaries. The entities listed on Schedule C hereto are the only subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company in which the Company controls greater than 50% of the voting power of such entity. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock, limited liability company or partnership interests or other ownership interests, as applicable, of each of the Company’s
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subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and are owned by the Company, directly or indirectly (except as set forth on Schedule C hereto) through one or more subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, claim, lien, encumbrance or adverse interest of any nature (each, a “Lien”), except as disclosed in the Prospectus.
(vi) Description of Securities. The Securities conform as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(vii) No Violation. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or in default in the performance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound.
(viii) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the compliance by the Company with all the provisions hereof, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or qualification with, any court or governmental body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or its subsidiaries (except (x) such as may be required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states or (y) any consent under the 1933 Act which has already been obtained), (ii) conflict with or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a default under, (A) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (B) any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound except for breaches or defaults that would not be material to the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (iii) (assuming compliance with all applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws, rules and regulations) violate or conflict with any applicable law or any rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court or any governmental body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company, any of its subsidiaries or their respective property, (iv) result in the imposition or creation of (or the obligation to create or impose) a Lien under any 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 or their respective property is bound or (v) result in the suspension, termination or revocation of any Authorization (as defined below) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Authorization.
(ix) Absence of Proceedings. There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or could be a party or to which any of their respective property is or could be subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described as required; nor are there any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so described or filed as required.
(x) No Violation of Certain Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has violated any foreign, federal, state or local law or regulation relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), any provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or any provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, except for such violations which, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operation of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
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(xi) Possession of Licenses and Permits. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has such permits, licenses, consents, exemptions, franchises, authorizations and other approvals (each, an “Authorization”) of, and has made all filings with and notices to, all governmental or regulatory authorities and self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, including, without limitation, under any applicable Environmental Laws, as are necessary to own, lease, license and operate its respective properties and to conduct its business, except where the failure to have any such Authorization or to make any such filing or notice would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Each such Authorization is valid and in full force and effect and each of the Company and its subsidiaries is in compliance with all the terms and conditions thereof and with the rules and regulations of the authorities and governing bodies having jurisdiction with respect thereto; and no event has occurred (including, without limitation, the receipt of any notice from any authority or governing body) which allows or, after notice or lapse of time or both, would allow, revocation, suspension or termination of any such Authorization or results or, after notice or lapse of time or both, would result in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Authorization; and such Authorizations contain no restrictions that are burdensome to the Company or any of its subsidiaries; except where such failure to be valid and in full force and effect or to be in compliance, the occurrence of any such event or the presence of any such restriction would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(xii) Environmental Clean-Up Costs. There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any Authorization, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(xiii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xiv) Title to Property. Except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus or such as are not material to the business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens and defects; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its 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 proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case except as described in the Prospectus.
(xv) Insurance. Except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) has received notice from
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any insurer or agent of such insurer that substantial capital improvements or other material expenditures will have to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers at a cost that would not have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, financial conditions or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(xvi) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP are independent public accountants with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries as required by the 1933 Act.
(xvii) Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements included (or otherwise incorporated by reference) in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto), together with related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position, results of operations and changes in financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries on the basis stated therein at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply; such statements and related schedules and notes have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein; and the other financial and statistical information and data set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) are, in all material respects, accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with such financial statements and the books and records of the Company.
(xviii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities, will not be, an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(xix) No Other Registration Rights. Except for the Selling Shareholder or as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(xx) No Adverse Reports. No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act has indicated to the Company that it is considering (i) the downgrading, suspension or withdrawal of, or any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change in, any rating assigned to the Company or any securities of the Company or (ii) any change in the outlook for any rating of the Company or any securities of the Company.
(xxi) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus other than as set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement), (i) there has not occurred any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business, management or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) there has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the capital stock or in the long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent.
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(xxii) Internal Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(xxiii) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(xxiv) Approval of Listing. The Securities have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
(b) Representations and Warranties and Covenants by the Selling Shareholder. The Selling Shareholder represents and warrants to each Underwriter, as of each such Date of Delivery, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Accurate Disclosure. The Selling Shareholder has reviewed and is familiar with the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the foregoing representation and warranty shall only apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement and the Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with the information furnished in writing to the Company or the Underwriters by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or any supplement thereto (it being agreed and understood by the parties that the only information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any supplement thereto are the statements relating to the name and number of shares held by the Selling Shareholder set forth under the caption “Selling Stockholder” therein (the “Selling Shareholder Information”); the Selling Shareholder is not prompted to sell the Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder hereunder by any material non-public information concerning the Company or any subsidiary of the Company which is not set forth or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus.
(ii) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder.
(iii) Authorization of Custody Agreement. The Custody Agreement, in the form heretofore furnished to the Representatives (the “Custody Agreement”), has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Shareholder and is the valid and binding agreement of the Selling Shareholder.
(iv) Noncontravention. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Custody Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and compliance by
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the Selling Shareholder with its obligations hereunder do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder or any property or assets of the Selling Shareholder pursuant to any material contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Selling Shareholder is a party or by which the Selling Shareholder may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Selling Shareholder is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or other organizational instrument of the Selling Shareholder, if applicable, or (assuming compliance with all applicable federal securities laws or Blue Sky laws, rules and regulations) any applicable treaty, law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Selling Shareholder or any of its properties.
(v) Certificates Suitable for Transfer. The Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement are certificated securities in registered form and are not held in any securities account or by or through any securities intermediary within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York (the “UCC”). Certificates for all of the Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, in suitable form for transfer by delivery or accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in blank with signatures guaranteed, have been placed in custody with Computershare Investor Services LLC (the “Custodian”) with irrevocable conditional instructions to deliver such Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.
(vi) Valid Title. The Selling Shareholder has, and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are purchased, on the Date of Delivery) will have, valid title to the Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and the Custody Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder.
(vii) Delivery of Securities. Upon the Underwriters’ acquiring possession of the Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder, indorsed to the Underwriters, the Custodian or in blank, and paying the purchase price therefor pursuant to this Agreement, the Underwriters (assuming that no such Underwriter has notice of any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, to such Securities) will acquire their respective interests in such Securities (including, without limitation, all rights that the Selling Shareholder had or has the power to transfer in such Securities) free and clear of any adverse claim within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code.
(viii) Absence of Manipulation. The Selling Shareholder has not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(ix) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the performance by the Selling Shareholder of its obligations hereunder or in the Custody Agreement, or in connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities hereunder or the consummation by the Selling Shareholder of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as may be required under the federal securities laws or the Blue Sky laws of the various states.
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(x) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Selling Shareholder will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any share of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the Securities to be sold hereunder.
(xi) No Association with NASD. Neither the Selling Stockholder nor any of its affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, or is a person associated with (within the meaning of Article I (dd) of the By-laws of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.), any member firm of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(xii) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP are independent public accountants with respect to ConAgra Foods, Inc. and its subsidiaries as required by the 1933 Act.
(c) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any certificate signed by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder as such and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Selling Shareholder agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Selling Shareholder, at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, that proportion of the total number of Initial Securities, which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional securities.
(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Selling Shareholder hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 shares of Common Stock at the price per share set forth in Schedule B, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable
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on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering overallotments which may be made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by Merrill Lynch to the Selling Shareholder setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by Merrill Lynch, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in each case to such adjustments as Merrill Lynch in its discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, 200 Crescent Court, Suite 300, Dallas, Texas 75201, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Shareholder, at 9:00 A.M. (Central time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Shareholder (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Shareholder, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company and the Selling Shareholder.
Payment shall be made to the Selling Shareholder by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Custodian pursuant to the Selling Shareholder’s Custody Agreement against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
(d) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least two full business days before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representatives on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.
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SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will notify the Representatives immediately (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein or for additional information, and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(b) Filing of Amendments. The Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)) or any amendment, supplement or revision to either the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective or to the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. At the request of the Representatives, the Company will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the signed Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and copies of all signed consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of
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a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the later of the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
(g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any share of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Prospectus or (D) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan.
(i) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any
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Agreement among Underwriters and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the transfer and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters (other than stamp duties, capital duties and stock transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters, and their transfer between the Underwriters pursuant to an agreement among such Underwriters, which are subject to Section 4(b) below), (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto and (viii) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities.
(b) Expenses of the Selling Shareholder. Except as otherwise agreed by the Company above, the Selling Shareholder will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including (i) any stamp duties, capital duties and stock transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters, and their transfer between the Underwriters pursuant to an agreement between such Underwriters, and (ii) the fees and disbursements of its counsel and other advisors.
(c) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or Section 11 hereof, the Company and the Selling Shareholder shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out of pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
(d) Allocation of Expenses. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Shareholder may have or make for the sharing of such costs and expenses.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholder contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b).
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Baker & McKenzie LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.
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(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholder. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of McGrath North Mullen & Kratz, PC LLO, counsel for the Selling Shareholder, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters.
(e) Officers’ Certificate. At Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied in all material respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time, and (iv) the Company has not received any notice that any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued or that any proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated by the Commission.
(f) Certificate of Selling Shareholder. At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of an executive officer of the Selling Shareholder, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of the Selling Shareholder contained in Section 1(b) hereof are true and correct in all respects with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time and (ii) the Selling Shareholder has complied in all material respects with all agreements and all conditions on its part to be performed under this Agreement at or prior to Closing Time.
(g) Accountant’s Comfort Letters.
(i) At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(ii) At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company dated January 13, 2004.
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(h) Bring-down Comfort Letters.
(i) At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g)(i) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
(ii) At Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g)(ii) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing Time.
(i) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.
(j) Maintenance of Rating. Since the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the 1933 Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.
(k) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholder contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company, any subsidiary of the Company and the Selling Shareholder hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:
(i) Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii) Certificate of Selling Shareholder. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of an executive officer of the Selling Shareholder confirming that the certificate delivered at Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(f) remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. The favorable opinion of Baker & McKenzie LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.
(iv) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholder. The favorable opinion of McGrath North Mullen & Kratz, PC LLO, counsel for the Selling Shareholder, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.
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(v) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The favorable opinion of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.
(vi) Bring-down Comfort Letters. (A) a letter from Ernst & Young LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(g)(i) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior to such Date of Delivery and (B) a letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(g)(ii) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than five days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(l) Additional Documents. At Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company and the Selling Shareholder in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
(m) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholder at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
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(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto); provided, further, that the foregoing indemnity with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of the Underwriter to the extent that such loss, claim, damage, liability or judgment arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the preliminary prospectus, or caused by the omission or alleged omission to state in the preliminary prospectus a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading if and only if: (i) the person asserting such loss, claim, damage, liability or judgment purchased Securities from the Underwriters and a copy of the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, was not sent or given by or on behalf of the Underwriter to such person in any case where delivery to such person is required under the 1933 Act; (ii) the Company furnished to the Underwriters sufficient copies of the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, on a timely basis to permit delivery of the Prospectus by the Underwriters to all persons at or prior to the delivery of the written confirmation of the sale of the Securities to such persons; and (iii) the disclosure contained in the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, cured the defect in the preliminary prospectus giving rise to such loss, claim, damage, liability or judgment.
(b) The Selling Shareholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its Affiliates and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 34 Act to the extent and in the manner set forth in clauses (a)(i), (ii) and (iii) above, but only with respect to the Selling Shareholder Information.
(c) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling Shareholder. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and the Selling Shareholder against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
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(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case 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 (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, 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 will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. An indemnified party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(e) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholder with respect to indemnification.
SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Shareholder and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.
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The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Shareholder with respect to contribution.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Selling Shareholder submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or any person controlling the Selling Shareholder and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.
19
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholder, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the good faith judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or (iv) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, or (v) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24 hour period, then:
(i) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non defaulting Underwriters, or
(ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the
20
case may be, either (i) the Representatives or (ii) the Company and the Selling Shareholder shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11. Default by the Selling Shareholder. If the Selling Shareholder shall fail at the Closing Time or at a Date of Delivery to sell and deliver the Securities which the Selling Shareholder is obligated to sell hereunder, then the Underwriters may, at the option of the Representatives, by notice from the Representatives to the Company, terminate this Agreement without any liability on the fault of any non-defaulting party except that the provisions of Sections 1,4,6,7 and 8 shall remain in full force and effect. No action taken pursuant to Section 11 shall relieve the Selling Shareholder from liability, if any, in respect of such default.
In the event of a default by the Selling Shareholder as referred to in this Section 11, each of the Representatives and the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or Date of Delivery for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required change in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.
SECTION 12. Tax Disclosure. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, from the commencement of discussions with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company (and each employee, representative or other agent of the Company) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure (as such terms are used in Sections 6011, 6111 and 6112 of the U.S. Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder) of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided relating to such tax treatment and tax structure.
SECTION 13. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives at 4 World Financial Center, New York, New York 10080, attention of Marcelo Cosma; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 110 South Texas Street, Pittsburg, Texas 75686, attention of Richard A. Cogdill; and notices to the Selling Shareholder shall be directed to it at One ConAgra Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68102, attention of Treasurer.
SECTION 14. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholder and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholder and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholder and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 15. Limitation on Future Sales of Common Stock by Selling Shareholder. In addition to the restrictions contained in that certain Registration Rights and Transfer Restriction Agreement dated as of November 23, 2003 among the Company, the Selling Shareholder and the parties
21
thereto, the Selling Shareholder acknowledges and agrees, for the benefit of the Company only, that, without the written consent of the Company, the Selling Shareholder shall not, except pursuant to a third party tender offer, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, grant or otherwise transfer or dispose of, or enter into any swap, short position or other arrangement that transfers all or a portion of the economic consequences associated with the ownership of (regardless of whether any of the transactions described are to be settled by the delivery of Common Stock, or other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, in cash or otherwise) (collectively, “Sell”) any shares of Common Stock (except as expressly provided in this Agreement) until one year following the Closing, at which time, unless the Company otherwise agrees, the Selling Shareholder may sell a number of shares not to exceed the difference between 16,962,036 shares and the total number of shares of Common Stock sold pursuant to the express provisions of this Agreement, and the Selling Shareholder shall not sell the remaining 8,481,018 shares of Common Stock held by the Selling Shareholder until two years following the Closing. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company consents to the sale of the Securities by the Selling Shareholder as expressly provided by this Agreement and waives any restrictions to such sale under the Registration Rights and Transfer Restriction Agreement.
SECTION 16. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
SECTION 17. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
SECTION 19. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
[The Remainder of this Page Is Intentionally Left Blank]
22
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Selling Shareholder a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholder in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| PILGRIM’S PRIDE CORPORATION | ||
| By |
/s/ Richard A. Cogdill | |
| Title |
Chief Financial Officer | |
| CONAGRA FOODS, INC. | ||
| By |
/s/ Dwight Goslee | |
| Title |
Executive Vice President, Strategic Development | |
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
| By: |
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED | |
| By |
/s/ Brian Callaci | |
| Authorized Signatory | ||
| By: |
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC. | |
| By |
/s/ Michael Millman | |
| Authorized Signatory | ||
| By: |
LEHMAN BROTHERS INC. | |
| By |
/s/ Peter Moses | |
| Authorized Signatory | ||
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
23
SCHEDULE A
| Name of Underwriter |
Number of Initial Securities | |
| Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated |
2,900,000 | |
| J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. |
2,200,000 | |
| Lehman Brothers Inc. |
2,200,000 | |
| Credit Suisse First Boston LLC |
900,000 | |
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
600,000 | |
| Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated |
600,000 | |
| Banc of America Securities LLC |
200,000 | |
| Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
200,000 | |
| Harris Nesbitt Corp. |
200,000 | |
| Total |
10,000,000 | |
Schedule A-1
SCHEDULE B
PILGRIM’S PRIDE CORPORATION
10,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
1. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities, determined as provided in said Section 2, shall be $29.50.
2. The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $28.2462, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $1.2538 per share; provided that the purchase price per share for any Option Securities purchased upon the exercise of the overallotment option described in Section 2(b) shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.
Schedule B-1
SCHEDULE C
[List of subsidiaries]
| 1. | COMERCIALIZADORA DE CARNES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V. |
| 2. | COMPANIA INCUBADORA HIDALGO S.A. DE C.V. |
| 3. | INMOBILIARIA AVICOLA PILGRIM’S PRIDE, S. DE R.L. |
| 4. | PILGRIM’S PRIDE S.A. DE C.V. |
| 5. | GALLINA PESADA S.A. DE C.V. (52.6% owned by Compania Incubadora Hidalgo S.A. de C.V.) |
| 6. | PILGRIM’S PRIDE FUNDING CORPORATION |
| 7. | PPC OF DELAWARE BUSINESS TRUST |
| 8. | PILGRIM’S PRIDE MKTG, LTD. |
| 9. | PILGRIM’S PRIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CORPORATION |
| 10. | GRUPO PILGRIM’S PRIDE FUNDING HOLDINGS S. DE R.L. DE C.V. |
| 11. | GRUPO PILGRIM’S PRIDE FUNDING S. DE R.L. DE C.V. |
| 12. | VALLEY RAIL SERVICE, INC. |
| 13. | PILGRIM’S PRIDE OF NEVADA, INC. |
| 14. | PILGRIM’S PRIDE DUTCH FUNDING B.V. |
| 17. | SERVICIOS ADMINISTRATIVOS PILGRIM’S PRIDE S.A. DE C.V. |
| 18. | PFS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY |
| 19. | MAYFLOWER INSURANCE COMPANY |
| 20. | TO-RICOS, INC. |
| 21. | PILGRIM’S PRIDE CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA, INC. |
| 22. | PPC TRANSPORTATION COMPANY |
Schedule C-1
SCHEDULE D
[List of persons and entities
subject to lock-up]
Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim
Patricia R. Pilgrim
Lonnie K. Pilgrim
Pilgrim Interests Ltd.
PFCP, Ltd.
Schedule D-1
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY’S COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
(i) each of the Company and its subsidiaries that are listed on Schedule C to the Agreement and that are organized under the laws of the United States or Mexico is a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership or business trust validly existing and, in the case of any such corporation or business trust, in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation and has the power and authority to carry on its business as described in the Prospectus and to own, lease and operate its properties;
(ii) the Company is duly qualified and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia;
(iii) all of the Securities have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and were not issued in violation of any preemptive rights pursuant to statute or the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or, to this firm’s knowledge, other rights to subscribe for or purchase any of the Securities;
(iv) the authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus;
(v) to this firm’s knowledge, all of the outstanding shares of capital stock, limited liability company or partnership interests or other ownership interests, as applicable, of each of the Company’s subsidiaries that are listed on Schedule C to the Agreement are owned by the Company (except as indicated on Schedule C to the Agreement), directly or indirectly through one or more subsidiaries free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, or claim, and all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Company’s corporate subsidiaries that are listed on Schedule C to the Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(vi) the Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(vii) the Registration Statement has been declared effective under the 1933 Act; any required filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and, to this firm’s knowledge, no stop order suspending its effectiveness has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending before or threatened by the Commission;
(viii) the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated by reference therein, and each amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated by reference therein, as of their respective effective or issue dates (other than the financial statements and financial data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we express no opinion) complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations;
A-1
(ix) the documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (other than the financial statements and financial data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(x) the form of certificate used to evidence the Securities complies in all material respects with Delaware corporate law and any applicable requirements of the charter and bylaws of the Company and the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange;
(xi) the information in the Prospectus under “Description of Equity Securities – Common Stock,” “Important U.S. Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders” and in the Registration Statement under Item 15, insofar as such information constitutes a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings.
(xii) the execution, delivery and performance of the Agreement by the Company, the compliance by the Company with all the provisions of the Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby will not (A) require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or qualification with, any federal, Delaware corporate, New York or Texas court or governmental body or agency (except such as may be required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states), (B) violate or constitute a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or a default under, the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective property is bound and of which this firm is aware, except for violations, breaches or defaults which could not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties or financial condition of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (C) violate any applicable federal, Delaware corporate, New York or Texas law, rule or regulation (other than federal or state securities or Blue Sky laws, rules or regulations, as to which this firm expresses no opinion) or, to this firm’s knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any court or any governmental body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company, any of its subsidiaries or their respective property, or (D) to this firm’s knowledge, result in the imposition or creation of (or the obligation to create or impose) a security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, or claim under any 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 or their respective property is bound;
(xiii) this firm does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or could be a party or to which any of their respective property is or could be subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described as required, or of any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so described or filed as required;
(xiv) the Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities, will not be, an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(xv) except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus, to this firm’s knowledge, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement; and
A-2
This firm has participated in conferences with directors, officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent public accountants for the Company, representatives of the Underwriters, and counsel for the Underwriters, at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement, as amended, the Prospectus and related matters were discussed, and although this firm has not independently verified and is not passing upon and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement, as amended, or the Prospectus, no facts have come to this firm’s attention that lead this firm to believe that the Registration Statement, as amended, on the effective date thereof or the date hereof, 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 contained therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus, on the date thereof or on the Closing Date, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood that this firm expresses no view with respect to the financial statements and notes thereto, the financial statement schedules and the other financial and accounting data included in the Registration Statement, as amended, or the Prospectus).
In rendering the opinions set forth in Paragraphs (i) and (ii), this firm has relied solely on certificates of authorities in the States of Delaware, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia, copies of which have been furnished to you.
In rendering the opinions set forth above, this firm has relied (i) as to factual matters (including materiality) upon certificates of appropriate officers of the Company and (ii) as to matters governed by the federal laws of Mexico, on counsel in such jurisdiction. In rendering the opinion set forth in paragraph (xii), this firm has not conducted any analysis of compliance with any numeric or financial standards contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument and this firm expresses no opinion with respect thereto or the effects thereof.
The opinions expressed herein are limited to the federal laws of the United States of America, the laws of the State of Texas and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, except in the case of paragraphs (vi) and (xii) above, which include the laws of the State of New York. Insofar as any of the matters described in paragraphs (i) and (v) above are governed by federal or state laws of Mexico, such matters have been addressed in an opinion rendered by the law firm Von Wobeser y Sierra, S.C., a copy of which has been furnished to you, and this firm does not render any opinion with respect to such matters. You should be aware that this firm is not admitted to the practice of law in the State of Delaware and the opinions herein as to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware are based upon the unofficial compilation thereof contained in Aspen Law & Business Delaware Laws Affecting Business Entities Annotated, 2003 Fall Edition.
The qualification of any opinion or statement herein by the use of the words “to this firm’s knowledge,” “known to this firm,” “of which this firm is aware” or similar phrase means that during the course of representation as described in this opinion, no information has come to the attention of the attorneys of this firm involved in the transactions described which would give such attorneys current actual knowledge of the existence of the facts so qualified. Except as set forth herein, we have not undertaken any investigation to determine the existence of such facts, and no inference as to our knowledge thereof shall be drawn from the fact of our representation of any party or otherwise.
A-3
Although we have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with certain matters other than the offering of the Securities, our engagement is limited to certain matters as to which we have been consulted. Consequently, there exist matters of a factual or legal nature involving the Company or its subsidiaries in connection with which we have not been consulted and have not represented the Company.
Without this firm’s prior written consent, this opinion may not be relied upon by any person or entity other than you, may not be quoted in whole or in part or otherwise referred to in any report or document, and may not be furnished to any other person or entity (other than your legal counsel or employees).
This firm disclaims any duty to advise you regarding any changes in, or otherwise communicate with you with respect to, the matters addressed herein after the date hereof.
Respectfully submitted,
BAKER & McKENZIE LLP
A-4
Exhibit B
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE SELLING SHAREHOLDER
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
(i) No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, (other than the issuance of the order of the Commission declaring the Registration Statement effective and such authorizations, approvals or consents as may be necessary under state securities laws, as to which we express no opinion) is necessary or required to be obtained by the Selling Shareholder for the performance by the Selling Shareholder of its obligations under the Agreement or in the Custody Agreement, or in connection with the offer, sale or delivery of the Securities.
(ii) the Custody Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Shareholder and constitutes the valid and binding agreement of the Selling Shareholder.
(iii) The Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder.
(iv) The execution, delivery and performance of the Agreement and the Custody Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Agreement and in the Registration Statement and compliance by the Selling Shareholder with its obligations under the Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Selling Shareholder and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Securities or any property or assets of the Selling Shareholder pursuant to, any material contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other instrument or agreement to which the Selling Shareholder is a party or by which it may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Selling Shareholder may be subject, in each case, of which we are aware, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Selling Shareholder, if applicable, or any law, administrative regulation, judgment or order of any governmental agency or body or any administrative or court decree having jurisdiction over the Selling Shareholder or any of its properties (other than (i) federal and state securities laws and (ii) insofar as performance by such Selling Shareholder of its obligations under this Agreement is concerned, bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights, as to which in each case we express no opinion).
(v) The Selling Shareholder is the sole record owner and, to our knowledge, the beneficial owner of the Securities, to our knowledge, free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities and other encumbrances, and the Selling Shareholder has the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into the Agreement and the Custody Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Securities.
(vi) Upon the Underwriters’ acquiring possession of stock certificates representing the Securities to be sold by the Selling Shareholder, endorsed to the Underwriters and paying the purchase price therefor pursuant to the Agreement, the Underwriters (assuming that no such Underwriter has notice of any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, to such Securities) will acquire their respective interests in such Securities (including, without limitation, all rights that the Selling Shareholder had or has the power to transfer in such Securities) free and clear of any adverse claim within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code.
B-1
The opinions expressed above are subject to the following assumptions, qualifications and exceptions:
| (A) | We have assumed that (i) all signatures on all documents reviewed by us are genuine, (ii) all documents submitted to us as originals are true and complete, (iii) all documents submitted to us as copies are true and complete copies of the originals thereof, (iv) each natural person signing any documents reviewed by us had the legal capacity to do so, and (v) each person signing any document reviewed by us in a representative capacity (other than officers of the Selling Shareholder) had authority to sign in such capacity. |
| (B) | The term “to our knowledge” and other terms of similar import used in this opinion shall mean a verification only to the extent of the existing actual knowledge of lawyers in this firm that have actual knowledge of the subject matter to which such terms apply; accordingly, except as may be otherwise noted herein, we have not made any independent verification of or inquiry with respect to any facts relevant to this opinion, whether for purposes of rendering this opinion to you or in the course of our representation of the Selling Shareholder. |
We are members of the Bar of the State of Nebraska and do not purport to be experts on the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Nebraska, Delaware and the federal laws of the United States.
This opinion is limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinion is implied or may be incurred beyond the matters expressly stated herein. We assume no obligation to inform you of any events or changes to any laws occurring subsequent to the date hereof.
This opinion is rendered to you solely in connection with the above matter. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose or relied upon or furnished to any other person without our prior written consent.
B-2
Exhibit C
[Form of lock-up letters pursuant to Section 5(j)]
December 7, 2004
MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated,
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
Lehman Brothers Inc.
as Representatives of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within mentioned Purchase Agreement
c/o Merrill Lynch & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
4 World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
| Re: | Proposed Public Offering by Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, a stockholder [and an officer] of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), understands that Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”), J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Lehman Brothers Inc. propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Agreement”) with the Company and the Selling Shareholder providing for the public offering of shares (the “Securities”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $.01 per share (the “Common Stock”). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a stockholder [and an officer] of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Agreement that, during a period of 90 days from the date of the Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of the Company’s Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”) or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| Signature: |
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