Norfolk Southern Corp 8-K, filed Apr 29, 2025
Norfolk Southern Corp (NSC)
About this 8-K
Norfolk Southern Corp filed this 8-K on April 29, 2025, reporting on events of April 28, 2025.
Items reported
- Item 1.01: Entered into a material agreement
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 29, 2025 (
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification Number) |
| |
||
| (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code) | (Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) |
No Change
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class |
Trading |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
| Item 1.01. | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
On April 28, 2025, Norfolk Southern Corporation (the “Registrant”) entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with BofA Securities, Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein, to issue and sell (i) $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Registrant’s 5.100% Senior Notes due 2035 (the “Notes”) at a public offering price equal to 99.830% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (the “Offering”).
The Registrant estimates that the net proceeds from the Offering will be approximately $395.75 million, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated Offering expenses payable by the Registrant. The Registrant intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes for general corporate purposes. The Offering is expected to close on or about May 2, 2025, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants among the parties. These representations, warranties and covenants are not representations of factual information to investors about the Registrant or its subsidiaries, and the sale of any Notes pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement is not a representation that there has not been any change in the condition of the Registrant. A copy of the Underwriting Agreement is attached as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference. The description of the material terms of the Underwriting Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibit.
The Notes have been offered pursuant to a prospectus supplement, dated April 28, 2025 (the “Prospectus Supplement”), to the prospectus dated December 20, 2023, that form part of the Registrant’s effective Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-276166) filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibits |
The following exhibits are filed as part of this Current Report on Form 8-K:
| Exhibit Number |
Description | |
| 1.1 | Underwriting Agreement, dated April 28, 2025, among the Registrant and BofA Securities, Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). | |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORPORATION (Registrant) | ||
| By: | /s/ Jeremy Ballard | |
| Name: | Jeremy Ballard | |
| Title: | Corporate Secretary | |
Date: April 29, 2025
Exhibit 1.1
Execution Version
Norfolk Southern Corporation
$400,000,000 5.100% Senior Notes due 2035
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
April 28, 2025
BofA Securities, Inc.
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
April 28, 2025
BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.
277 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10172
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Norfolk Southern Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.100% Senior Notes due 2035 (the “Notes”).
The Notes will be issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of February 28, 2018, between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (successor to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a Thirteenth Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of May 2, 2025, between the Company and the Trustee (as so supplemented, the “Indenture”). The Notes will be issued in book-entry form in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”), pursuant to a Blanket Letter of Representations on file with the Depositary (the “DTC Agreement”), between the Company and the Depositary.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-276166), which includes a base prospectus, dated December 20, 2023 (the “Base Prospectus”), to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of debt securities, including the Notes, and other securities of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), and the offering thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act. Such registration statement, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form in which it became effective under the Securities Act, including any required information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, is called the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act is called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” and from and after the date and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The term “Prospectus” shall mean the final
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prospectus supplement relating to the Notes, together with the Base Prospectus, that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act after the date and time that this Agreement is executed (the “Execution Time”) by the parties hereto. The term “Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Notes, together with the Base Prospectus, that is first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents that are or are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act prior to 2:00 p.m. on April 28, 2025 (the “Initial Sale Time”). All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof 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” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Initial Sale Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”), which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus, as the case may be, after the Initial Sale Time.
The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as follows:
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company.
The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Initial Sale Time and as of the Closing Date (in each case, a “Representation Date”), as follows:
a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with. In addition, the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”).
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At the respective times the Registration Statement became effective and at each Representation Date, the Registration Statement (i) complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, and (ii) did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At the date of the Prospectus and at the Closing Date, neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with Underwriter Information (as defined in Section 9(a) hereof).
The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Notes will, at the time of such delivery, be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
b) Disclosure Package. The term “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Preliminary Prospectus dated April 28, 2025, (ii) any issuer free writing prospectuses as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (each, an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) identified in Exhibit B hereto and (iii) any other free writing prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package. As of the Initial Sale Time, the Disclosure Package did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with Underwriter Information.
c) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (i) at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and (ii) when read together with the other information in the Disclosure Package, at the Initial Sale Time, and when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the date of the Prospectus and at the Closing Date, did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
d) Company is a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the Securities Act) made any offer relating to the Notes in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the Securities Act,
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and (iv) as of the Execution Time, the Company was and is a “well known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, that automatically became effective not more than three years prior to the Execution Time; the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form and the Company has not otherwise ceased to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration form.
e) Company is not an Ineligible Issuer. (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.
f) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the offering of Notes under this Agreement or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representatives as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representatives and has promptly amended or supplemented or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict. The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with Underwriter Information.
g) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Date and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Notes, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes other than the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representatives and included in Exhibit B hereto or the Registration Statement.
h) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
i) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
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j) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. The Indenture has been duly authorized and, prior to the issuance of the Notes at the Closing Date, the Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, upon such execution and delivery, shall constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.
k) Authorization of the Notes. The Notes to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company are in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and the Indenture and, at the Closing Date, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
l) Description of the Notes and the Indenture. The Notes and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
m) Accuracy of Statements in Prospectus. The statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of the Notes”, “Description of Debt Securities” and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders,” in each case insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present and summarize, in all material respects, the matters referred to therein.
n) No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has not been any material adverse change in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
o) Independent Accountants. KPMG LLP, who have certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and supporting schedules incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and are an independent registered public accounting firm with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
p) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements together with the related notes thereto, incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements comply as to form with the accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis
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throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. No other financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. In addition, if any pro forma financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and the related notes thereto are included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, such pro forma financial statements and related notes present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
r) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or the ownership of its property requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in Section 1(t) hereof) or adversely affect its ability to perform its obligations with respect to, or the enforceability of, the Notes or its business or financial condition.
s) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of Norfolk Southern Railway Company (“NSR”) owned by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except for directors’ qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims other than agreements relating to joint venture companies.
t) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. The issue and sale of the Notes and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Notes, the Indenture and this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of the Company or NSR pursuant to the terms of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or NSR is a party or by which the Company or NSR is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or NSR is subject, other than those conflicts, breaches or defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or
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not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), or violate any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or NSR or any of their properties other than those violations that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Notes or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Disclosure Package or by the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act, applicable state securities or blue sky laws and from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
u) Absence of Proceedings. There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject which is required to be described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the Securities Act which is not described in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus; the legal or governmental proceedings not so described are proceedings incidental to the kind of business conducted by the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise which will not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.
v) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or to the knowledge of the Company indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of either (i) the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA or (ii) the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 (the “Bribery Act”), and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company, its subsidiaries and its other affiliates have conducted their respective businesses in a manner that would not violate the FCPA or the Bribery Act.
w) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all relevant jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”) (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”). No action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
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x) OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is (A) an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”) or (B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the sale of the Notes, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.
z) Internal Controls and Procedures. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act. The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
aa) No Material Weakness in Internal Controls. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or in any document incorporated by reference therein, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
bb) USA Patriot Act Acknowledgement. The Company acknowledges that in accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
cc) Cybersecurity. Except for security breaches, incidents, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromises that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, during the past three years, there has been no security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data
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and databases (including the data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained, processed or stored by the Company and its subsidiaries, and any such data processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”). During the past three years, neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would result in, any security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data, except for such events or conditions that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented appropriate controls, policies, procedures, and technological safeguards to maintain and protect the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of their IT Systems and Data reasonably consistent with industry standards and practices, or as required by applicable regulatory standards. The Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters set forth therein.
SECTION 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Notes.
a) The Notes. The Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, severally and not jointly, all of the Notes upon the terms herein set forth. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the aggregate principal amount of the Notes set forth opposite their names on Schedule A at a purchase price of 99.180% of the principal amount of the Notes, payable on the Closing Date.
b) The Closing Date. Delivery of certificates for the Notes in global form to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019 (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Representatives) at 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on May 2, 2025, or such other time and date as the Underwriters and the Company shall mutually agree (the time and date of such closing are called the “Closing Date”).
c) Public Offering of the Notes. The Representatives hereby advise the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Notes as soon after the Execution Time as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have determined is advisable and practicable.
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d) Payment for the Notes. Payment for the Notes shall be made at the Closing Date by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company. It is understood that the Representatives have been authorized, for their own accounts and for the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Notes that the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. The Representatives may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Notes to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representatives by the Closing Date for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.
e) Delivery of the Notes. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters certificates for the Notes at the Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The certificates for the Notes shall be in such denominations and registered in such names and denominations as the Representatives shall have requested at least two full business days prior to the Closing Date and shall be made available for inspection on the business day preceding the Closing Date at a location in New York City, as the Representatives may designate. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company.
The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:
a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B under the Securities Act, and will promptly notify the Representatives, and confirm the notice in writing, of (i) the effectiveness during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined in Section 3(b) hereof) of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of any supplement or amendment to the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, (ii) the receipt of any comments from the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period, (iii) any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) 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 the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Notes 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 under the Securities Act and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424 under the Securities Act was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such document. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts 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. During such period beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date as, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of the Notes by an Underwriter or dealer, including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), the Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to
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the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act), or any amendment, supplement or revision to the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the Securities Act, the Exchange 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. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all 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 Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of the Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, such number of copies of the Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Notes as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, 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 in order that the Registration Statement will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the Initial Sale Time or at the time it is delivered or conveyed to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of either such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of any law, the Company will (1) notify the Representatives of any such event, development or condition and (2) promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such law, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
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f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters to qualify or register the Notes for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Representatives, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Notes. The Company shall not be required to qualify to transact business or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Notes for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
g) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
h) Depositary. The Company will cooperate with the Underwriters and use its best efforts to permit the Notes to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of the Depositary.
i) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) all reports and documents required to be filed under the Exchange Act.
j) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Securities. During the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of the Representatives), directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any debt securities of the Company substantially similar to the Notes or securities exchangeable for or convertible into debt securities substantially similar to the Notes (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Notes).
k) Final Term Sheet. The Company will prepare a final term sheet containing only a description of the Notes, in a form approved by the Underwriters and substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C hereto (but including the expected ratings of the Notes), and will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act within the time required by such rule (such term sheet, the “Final Term Sheet”). Any such Final Term Sheet is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus for purposes of this Agreement.
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l) Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents that it has not made, and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make, any offer relating to the Notes that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 under the Securities Act; provided that the prior written consent of the Representatives shall be deemed to have been given in respect of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in Exhibit B to this Agreement. Any such free writing prospectus consented to or deemed to be consented to by the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping. The Company consents to the use by any Underwriter of a free writing prospectus that (a) is not an “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, and (b) contains only (i) information describing the preliminary terms of the Notes or their offering, (ii) information permitted by Rule 134 under the Securities Act, (iii) information that describes the final terms of the Notes or their offering and that is included in the Final Term Sheet of the Company contemplated in Section 3(k) hereof, or (iv) customary pricing terms.
m) Registration Statement Renewal Deadline. If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Notes remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will prior to the Renewal Deadline file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives. If the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, and will use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Notes. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.
n) Notice of Inability to Use Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Form. If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Representatives, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement of post-effective amendment to be declared effective, and (iv) promptly notify the Representatives of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of such notice pursuant to the Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.
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o) Filing Fees. The Company agrees to pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Notes within the time required by and in accordance with Rules 456(b)(1) and 457(r) under the Securities Act.
The Representatives, on behalf of the several Underwriters, may, in their sole discretion, waive in writing the performance by the Company of any one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Notes (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes, (iii) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent registered public accountants and other advisors to the Company, (iv) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, the Indenture, the DTC Agreement and the Notes, (v) all filing fees, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Notes for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws, and, if requested by the Representatives, preparing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (vi) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, the review, if any, by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Notes, (vii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Notes on the New York Stock Exchange (if applicable), (viii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Notes, (ix) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Notes with the ratings agencies, (x) all fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) of the Company in connection with approval of the Notes by the Depositary for “book-entry” transfer, (xi) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement, and (xii) all other fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section 4. Except as provided in this Section 4 and Sections 7, 9 and 10 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.
SECTION 5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter represents to and agrees with the Company that all sales of Notes by such Underwriter will comply with the selling restrictions set forth in the Prospectus relating to the Notes.
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SECTION 6. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Notes as provided herein on the Closing Date shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof, as of the Initial Sale Time, and as of the Closing Date as though then made and to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:
a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement shall have become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending or threatened by the Commission, any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel for the Underwriters and the Company shall not have received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form. The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) (or any required post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A under the Securities Act).
b) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received from KPMG LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company, a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
c) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received from KPMG LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section 6, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.
d) No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:
(i) in the judgment of the Representatives there shall not have occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;
(ii) there shall not have been any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in subsection (b) of this Section 6 which is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Notes as contemplated by the Prospectus; and
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(iii) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change with possible negative implications, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and S&P Global Ratings.
e) Opinions of Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion of Jason Morris, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A-1, and the opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, counsel for the Company, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A-2.
f) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated as of such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as may be reasonably requested by the Underwriters.
g) Officers’ Certificate. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer or the President or an Executive Vice President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, to the effect that:
(i) the Company has received no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or threatened by the Commission;
(ii) the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form;
(iii) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such Closing Date; and
(iv) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date.
h) Additional Documents. On or before the Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Notes as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
If any condition specified in this Section 6 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Sections 4, 7, 9, 10 and 18 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
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SECTION 7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 6, 11 or 12, or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Notes on the Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other Underwriters (or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves), severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Notes, including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.
SECTION 8. Effectiveness of this Agreement. This Agreement shall not become effective until the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto.
SECTION 9. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such director, officer, employee, agent or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon 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 (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the 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; and to reimburse each Underwriter and each such director, officer, employee, agent and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such director, officer, employee, agent or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with Underwriter Information. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have. The term “Underwriter Information” shall mean written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration
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Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus and/or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto). The Company hereby acknowledges that Underwriter Information shall consist only of the statements set forth in the third, sixth and seventh paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon 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 (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the 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, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with Underwriter Information; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 9, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 9 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, such indemnified party shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party, unless: (i) the employment of such counsel has been specifically authorized in writing by the indemnifying party; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed promptly to assume the defense and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; or (iii)
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the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both such indemnified party and the indemnifying party or any affiliate of the indemnifying party, and such indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that either (x) there may be one or more legal defenses available to it which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party or such affiliate of the indemnifying party or (y) a conflict may exist between such indemnified party and the indemnifying party or such affiliate of the indemnifying party (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to a single firm of local counsel) for all such indemnified parties, which firm shall be designated in writing by the Representatives and that all such reasonable fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred). Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 9 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence, in which case the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 9 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 9(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (x) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (y) 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.
SECTION 10. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 9 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (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 Notes pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by
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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 the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities 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 Notes pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Notes as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9(c), any reasonable legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 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 in this Section 10.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Notes underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 10 are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their names in Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 10, each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
SECTION 11. Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters. If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Notes that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate principal amount of Notes which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally, in the proportion to the aggregate principal
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amounts of such Notes set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate principal amount of such Notes set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the Representatives with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase such Notes which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date. If, on the Closing Date, any one of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase such Notes and the aggregate principal amount of such Notes with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be purchased on such date and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Notes are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Sections 4, 7, 9, 10 and 18 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section 11. Any action taken under this Section 11 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
SECTION 12. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the Closing Date, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or the NYSE, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq Stock Market or the NYSE shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity involving the United States, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Representatives is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to market the Notes in the manner and on the terms described in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives there shall have occurred any material adverse change; or (v) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services. Any termination pursuant to this Section 12 shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Sections 4 and 7 hereof, and provided further that Sections 4, 7, 9, 10 and 18 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 13. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the purchase and sale of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Notes and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and
22
accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) in connection with each transaction contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary of the Company or its affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other party; (iii) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement; (iv) the several Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the several Underwriters have no obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the several Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the several Underwriters with respect to the subject matter hereof. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the several Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in conjunction with any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto.
SECTION 14. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement (i) will remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any (A) investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the officers or employees of any Underwriter, or any person controlling the Underwriter, the Company, the officers or employees of the Company, or any person controlling the Company, as the case may be or (B) acceptance of the Notes and payment for them hereunder and (ii) will survive delivery of and payment for the Notes sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
SECTION 15. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered, transmitted via electronic mail or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:
23
If to the Representatives:
BofA Securities, Inc.
114 West 47th Street, NY8-114-07-01
New York, New York 10036
Facsimile: (212) 901-7881
Attention: High Grade Debt Capital Markets Transaction Management/Legal
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.
277 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10172
Email: prospectus@smbcnikko-si.com
Attention: Debt Capital Markets
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Email: tmgcapitalmarkets@wellsfargo.com
Attention: Transaction Management
with a copy to:
Sidley Austin LLP
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
Facsimile: (212) 839-5599
Attention: Daniel A. O’Shea
If to the Company:
Norfolk Southern Corporation
650 West Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30308-1925
Email: jeremy.ballard@nscorp.com
Attention: Jeremy Ballard
with a copy to:
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
One Manhattan West
New York, New York 10001
Email: david.goldschmidt@skadden.com
Attention: David J. Goldschmidt
24
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.
SECTION 16. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant to Section 11 hereof, and to the benefit of the directors, officers, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Sections 9 and 10, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Notes as such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.
SECTION 17. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
SECTION 18. Governing Law Provisions and Waiver of Jury Trial. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN THAT STATE. THE COMPANY AND EACH OF THE UNDERWRITERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
SECTION 19. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime.
In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime.
For purposes of foregoing two paragraphs, “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k); “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b), (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b) or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b); “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable; and “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
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SECTION 20. General Provisions. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Agreement or in any other certificate, agreement or document related to this Agreement, the Indenture or the Notes shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf”, “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including, without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign). The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based recordkeeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code.
This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 9 and the contribution provisions of Section 10, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 9 and 10 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORPORATION | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael T. Barr | |
| Name: Michael T. Barr | ||
| Title: Vice President Treasurer, Investor Relations and Integrated Resource Planning | ||
[Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Representatives as of the date first above written.
| BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Shawn Cepeda | |
| Name: Shawn Cepeda | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| SMBC NIKKO SECURITIES AMERICA, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Thomas Bausano | |
| Name: Thomas Bausano | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Carolyn Hurley | |
| Name: Carolyn Hurley | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
Acting as Representatives of the
several Underwriters named in
the attached Schedule A.
[Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE A
| Underwriters |
Aggregate Principal Amount of Notes to be Purchased |
|||
| BofA Securities, Inc. |
$ | 133,334,000 | ||
| SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. |
$ | 133,333,000 | ||
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
$ | 133,333,000 | ||
|
|
|
|||
| Total |
$ | 400,000,000 | ||
|
|
|
|||
Sch-A
EXHIBIT A-1
Form of Opinion of Jason Morris,
Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the Company
(i) The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or the ownership of its property requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(iii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, except that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements, related schedules and other financial data, and such counsel need not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the documents incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(iv) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of the Company under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
(v) Each of the Transaction Documents has been duly executed and delivered by the Company.
(vi) The issuance and sale of the Notes have been duly authorized by the Company, and, when executed, issued and delivered by the Company, authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture (the conditions precedent to which as provided for therein, including, without limitation, Section 2.02 thereof, having been complied with) and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Underwriting Agreement, the Notes will be valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, except (a) to the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity) and (b) that such counsel need express no opinion as to Section 6.12 of the Indenture.
Exhibit A-1-1
(vii) The Indenture, when executed and delivered by the Trustee (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee), will be a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (a) to the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity) and (b) that such counsel need express no opinion as to Section 6.12 of the Indenture.
(viii) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge: (a) there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which would be required to be described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (b) no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others.
(ix) Neither the execution and delivery by the Company of the Transaction Documents nor the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby, including the issuance and sale of the Notes, conflicts or will conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of the Company or NSR pursuant to the terms of, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or NSR is a party or by which the Company or NSR is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or NSR is subject, other than those conflicts, breaches, defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, or violate any statute or any order, rule or regulation known to such counsel of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or NSR or any of their properties, other than those violations that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, nor will such actions result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company, except that such counsel need express no opinion with respect to state securities or blue sky laws or the laws of any foreign jurisdiction or with respect to the rights to indemnity and contribution under this Underwriting Agreement.
(x) No authorization, approval, consent or order of, and no filing, qualification or registration with, any court or governmental authority under any law, rule or regulation of the Commonwealth of Virginia is required on the part of the Company for the execution, delivery or performance by the Company of each Transaction Document, including without limitation the issuance and sale of the Notes, other than registration or qualification under state securities or blue sky laws in connection with the offer and sale of the Notes.
In rendering the opinion required under this Exhibit A-1, counsel for the Company need not express any opinion concerning the laws of any jurisdiction other than those of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States of America, provided that such counsel states that he is aware of no difference between the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the laws of the State of New York which would cause him to believe that his opinion would be inapplicable if it were furnished in connection with the laws of the State of New York. In addition, in rendering the opinion required under this Exhibit A-1, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact, to the extent such counsel deems it proper, on certificates of responsible officials of the Company and public officials.
For purposes of this opinion, “Note Certificates” shall mean the global certificates evidencing the Notes.
Exhibit A-1-2
EXHIBIT A-2
Form of Opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP,
Counsel for the Company
(i) The Indenture constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms under the laws of the State of New York.
(ii) The Note Certificates, when duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of this Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms under the laws of the State of New York.
(iii) Neither the execution and delivery by the Company of the Transaction Documents nor the consummation by the Company of the issuance and sale of the Notes contemplated thereby: (i) violates any law, rule or regulation of the State of New York or the United States of America, or (ii) requires the consent, approval, licensing or authorization of, or any filing, recording or registration with, any governmental authority under any law, rule or regulation of the State of New York or the United States of America except for those consents, approvals, licenses and authorizations already obtained and those filings, recordings and registrations already made.
(iv) The Company is not and, solely after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Notes and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(v) The statements in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 6 under the caption “Underwriting,” insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of this Underwriting Agreement, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects.
(vi) The statements in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of the Notes” and “Description of Debt Securities” (other than the statements under the heading “Book-Entry System”), insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Indenture and the Note Certificates, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects.
(vii) Although the discussion set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders” does not purport to discuss all possible United States federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of the Notes to non-U.S. holders, such discussion constitutes, in all material respects, a fair and accurate summary of the United States federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of the Notes to non-U.S. holders.
Exhibit A-2-1
In addition, such counsel shall state that, assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Sections 1(d) and 1(e) of this Underwriting Agreement, the Registration Statement became effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act, and, pursuant to Section 309 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, and to its knowledge, based solely upon its review of the Commission’s website, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued.
In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, counsel for the Company, representatives of the independent registered public accountants of the Company and representatives of the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters at which the contents of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Disclosure Package and related matters were discussed. Such counsel has not participated in the preparation of the Incorporated Documents but has, however, reviewed such documents and discussed the business and affairs of the Company with officers and other representatives of the Company. Such counsel does not pass upon, or assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package and has made no independent check or verification thereof (except to the limited extent referred to in paragraphs (v), (vi) and (vii)). On the basis of the foregoing, (i) the Registration Statement, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement for purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act and the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement, appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act (except that in each case such counsel need not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom or the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 (the “Form T-1”)) and (ii) no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused it to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement for purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus, as of the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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 (except that in each case such counsel need not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom, the report of management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting or the auditors’ report on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting, or the statements contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1). In addition, on the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused it to believe that the Disclosure Package, as of the Initial Sale Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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 (except that such counsel need not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom, the report of management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting or the auditors’ report on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting, or the statements contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1, to the extent included or incorporated by reference therein).
For purposes of this opinion, “Note Certificates” shall mean the global certificates evidencing the Notes.
Exhibit A-2-2
EXHIBIT B
Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
Pricing Term Sheet dated April 28, 2025.
Exhibit B-1
EXHIBIT C
Pricing Term Sheet
Dated as of April 28, 2025
Norfolk Southern Corporation
$400,000,000 5.100% Senior Notes due 2035
The following information, which should be read in conjunction with the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated April 28, 2025 (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”), supplements, and to the extent it is inconsistent with replaces, the information set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.
| Issuer: | Norfolk Southern Corporation | |
| Format: | SEC Registered | |
| Denominations: | $2,000 x $1,000 | |
| Trade Date: | April 28, 2025 | |
| Settlement Date*: | May 2, 2025 (T+4) | |
| Principal Amount: | $400,000,000 | |
| Maturity Date: | May 1, 2035 | |
| Benchmark Treasury: | 4.625% due February 15, 2035 | |
| Benchmark Treasury Price / Yield: | 103-06+ / 4.222% | |
| Spread to Benchmark Treasury: | T + 90 basis points | |
| Yield to Maturity: | 5.122% | |
| Coupon: | 5.100% | |
| Interest Payment Dates: | May 1 and November 1, commencing November 1, 2025 | |
| Public Offering Price: | 99.830% of the principal amount | |
| Optional Redemption: | Any time at the following redemption price: (i) if the notes are redeemed prior to the date that is three months prior to the Maturity Date, the greater of 100% or the make-whole amount at a discount rate equal to the applicable Treasury Yield (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) plus 15 basis points, and (ii) if the notes are redeemed on or after the date that is three months prior to the Maturity Date, 100%. | |
| CUSIP / ISIN: | 655844 CV8 / US655844CV85 | |
| Joint Book-Running Managers: | BofA Securities, Inc. SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | |
| * | Pursuant to Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in one business day unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers of the notes who wish to trade the notes prior to the business day before delivery of the notes will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+4, to specify an alternative settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent failed settlement. |
Exhibit C-1
The Issuer has filed a registration statement and a prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and the related preliminary prospectus supplement and other documents the Issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the representatives of the underwriters can arrange to send you the prospectus and related preliminary prospectus supplement if you request it by calling BofA Securities, Inc. at 1-800-294-1322, SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. at 1-212-224-5135, or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC at 1-800-645-3751. This information does not purport to be a complete description of these securities or the offering. Please refer to the preliminary prospectus supplement for a complete description of the securities. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction.
Any disclaimer or other notice that may appear below is not applicable to this communication and should be disregarded. Such disclaimer or notice was automatically generated as a result of this communication being sent by Bloomberg or another electronic system.
Exhibit C-2