Stevanato Group S.p.A 6-K, filed Mar 26, 2024
Stevanato Group S.p.A. (STVN)
About this 6-K
Stevanato Group S.p.A filed this 6-K on March 26, 2024.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of March 2024
Commission File Number: 001-40618
Stevanato Group S.p.A.
(Translation of registrant’s name into English)
Via Molinella 17
35017 Piombino Dese – Padua
Italy
(Address of principal executive office)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F ☒ Form 40-F ☐
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
This Form 6-K and the related exhibits are hereby incorporated by reference into the registration statement of Stevanato Group S.p.A. (the “Company”) on Form F-3 (Registration Number 333-278107) and into each prospectus outstanding under the foregoing registration statement, to the extent not superseded by documents or reports subsequently filed or furnished by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| Stevanato Group S.p.A. | ||||||
| Date: March 26, 2024 | By: | /s/ Franco Moro | ||||
| Name: | Franco Moro | |||||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |||||
Exhibit 1.1
STEVANATO GROUP S.P.A.
12,700,000 ORDINARY SHARES, WITHOUT PAR VALUE
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
March 21, 2024
March 21, 2024
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
William Blair & Company, L.L.C.
150 North Riverside Plaza
Chicago, IL 60606
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Stevanato Group S.p.A., an Italian joint stock company (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), and Stevanato Holding S.r.l. (the “Selling Shareholder”) proposes to sell to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of 12,700,000 ordinary shares, without par value, of the Company (the “Firm Shares”), of which 6,350,000 shares are to be issued and sold by the Company and 6,350,000 shares are to be sold by the Selling Shareholder.
The Company and the Selling Shareholder also propose to issue and sell to the several Underwriters up to 1,905,000 additional ordinary shares of the Company, of which (i) up to 952,500 additional ordinary shares are to be issued by the Company (the “Company’s Additional Shares”) and (ii) up to 952,500 additional ordinary shares are to be sold by the Selling Shareholder (the “Selling Shareholder’s Additional Shares” and, together with the Company’s Additional Shares, the “Additional Shares”) if and to the extent that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) and William Blair & Company, L.L.C. (“William Blair”), as representatives of the offering (together, the “Representatives”), shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to subscribe or purchase such Additional Shares granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The ordinary shares of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Ordinary Shares.” The Company and the Selling Shareholder are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the “Sellers.”
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an automatic shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333278107), including a prospectus, relating to the public offering and sale from time to time of certain securities (the “Shelf Securities”), including the Shares. Such registration statement as amended at the date of this Agreement, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the related prospectus covering the Shelf Securities dated March 20, 2024 in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter
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referred to as the “Basic Prospectus.” The Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Shares in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus,” and the term “preliminary prospectus” means any preliminary form of the Prospectus.
For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the documents and pricing information set forth opposite the caption “Time of Sale Prospectus” in Schedule II hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “Basic Prospectus,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof. The terms “supplement,” “amendment” and “amend” as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall include all documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act are pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.
(b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) the Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain as of the date of such amendment or supplement, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iv) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the
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Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (v) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (vi) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain, as of its date, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon the Underwriter Information (as defined in Section 11(b) below).
(c) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or, if filed after the date of this Agreement, will comply as of the date of such filing in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to the Representatives before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Representatives’ prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.
(d) The Company is a joint stock company (società per azioni) incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Italy, has the corporate power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct, in accordance with its constitutional documents, its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly authorized to transact business in each other jurisdiction in which such authorization is required and is in good standing except where the failure to be so authorized or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(e) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, organized or formed, is validly existing as a corporation or other business entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation (to the extent the concept of good standing is applicable in such jurisdiction), organization or
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formation, has the corporate or other business entity power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly authorized to transact business in each other jurisdiction in which such authorization is required and is in good standing except where the failure to be so authorized or be in good standing (to the extent the concept of good standing is applicable in such jurisdiction) would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued ordinary shares or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.
(f) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(g) The authorized share capital of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(h) The Ordinary Shares (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder) outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(i) The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of the Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
(j) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the deed of incorporation or the bylaws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.
(k) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development reasonably expected to determine a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.
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(l) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened in writing to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and proceedings that would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject or bound that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.
(m) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(n) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(o) The Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except in each case where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
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(p) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(q) (i) The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licences, approvals, consents and other authorisations (collectively, “Governmental Licences”) issued by any regulatory authorities such as the FDA, the MHRA, the EMA, Health Canada and any other comparable regulatory authority (the “Regulatory Authorities”) and any other appropriate regulatory agencies or bodies in the European Union, Italy, United States and other jurisdictions, as are necessary to conduct the business now operated by them; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licences; (iii) all of the Governmental Licences are valid and in full force and effect, and (iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licences, except where such failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(r) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(s) (i) None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or any director, officer thereof, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, unlawful gifts or other unlawful expense, directly or indirectly, to any government official (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) (“Government Official”) in order to influence official action, or to any person, in each case, in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (ii) the Company and each of its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates, and to the Company’s knowledge, its other affiliates, have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintained and will
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continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.
(t) The Company (i) has adopted and will maintain in effect and enforce the policies and procedures designed to promote compliance by the Company and its directors, officers, employees and agents with the anti-money laundering laws, anti-corruption laws and applicable laws on sanctions and (ii) has adopted the internal organizational, management and control procedure, in each case pursuant to the Italian Legislative Decree No. 231/2001 (the “231 Model”).
(u) The operations of the Company and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including any applicable requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and each of its subsidiaries conduct business, and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(v) (i) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any director or officer thereof, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is 50 percent or more owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are:
(A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, 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 (including, without limitation, the Crimea region of Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria, each a “Sanctioned Jurisdiction”).
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(ii) The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:
(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions or in any Sanctioned Jurisdiction; or
(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise.
(iii) the Company and each of its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions or in any Sanctioned Jurisdiction.
(w) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding ordinary shares, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its share capital other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the share capital, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(x) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in the fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries.
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(y) Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (i) the Company and its subsidiaries own or have a valid license to all patents, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) reasonably necessary to the conduct of their businesses; (ii) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company and its subsidiaries, are valid, subsisting and enforceable, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any such Intellectual Property Rights; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any infringement, misappropriation or other violation of Intellectual Property Rights which, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, no third party is infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating, or has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (v) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates, or has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights; (vi) all employees engaged in the development of Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company have executed an invention assignment agreement, or by operation of law, such employees or contractors presently assign all of their right, title and interest in and to such Intellectual Property Rights to the Company or the applicable subsidiary, and to the Company’s knowledge no such agreement has been breached or violated; and (vii) the Company and its subsidiaries use, and have used, commercially reasonable efforts to appropriately maintain all information intended to be maintained as a trade secret.
(z) Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (i) the Company and its subsidiaries use and have used any and all software and other materials distributed under a “free,” “open source,” or similar licensing model (including but not limited to the MIT License, Apache License, GNU General Public License, GNU Lesser General Public License and GNU Affero General Public License) (“Open Source Software”) in compliance with all license terms applicable to such Open Source Software; and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries uses or distributes or has used or distributed any Open Source Software in any manner that requires or has required (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries to permit reverse engineering of any material proprietary software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (B) any material proprietary software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to be (1) disclosed or distributed in source code form, (2) licensed for the purpose of making derivative works or (3) redistributed at no charge.
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(aa) (i) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have materially complied and are presently in material compliance with all internal and external privacy policies, contractual obligations, and applicable laws relating to privacy or the processing or protection of personal data, including the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (“GDPR”), the UK GDPR, any national legislation supplementing the GDPR or UK GDPR, and any predecessor, successor or implementing legislation in respect of the foregoing, and any amendments or re-enactments of the foregoing (“Data Security Obligations”, and such data, “Personal Data”); (ii) the Company has not received any notification of or complaint regarding material non-compliance with its Data Security Obligations and is unaware of any other facts that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably indicate non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation; and (iii) there is no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened alleging non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation.
(bb) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have taken appropriate technical and organizational measures designed to protect the information technology systems and Personal Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company and its subsidiaries have used reasonable efforts to establish and maintain, and have established, maintained, implemented and complied with, reasonable information technology, information security, cyber security and data protection controls, policies and procedures, including oversight, access controls, encryption, technological and physical safeguards and business continuity/disaster recovery and security plans that are designed to protect against and prevent breach, destruction, loss, unauthorized distribution, use, access, disablement, misappropriation or modification, or other compromise or misuse of or relating to any information technology system or Personal Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses (collectively, a “Breach”). In the five (5) years prior to the date of this Agreement, there has been no material Breach, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any material Breach.
(cc) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(dd) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its
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subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(ee) Except where failure to possess such certificates, authorizations, licenses or permits would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, the Company and each of its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(ff) The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates shown and its results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with international financial reporting standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby except for any normal year-end adjustments in the Company’s quarterly financial statements. The other financial information included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate and such data is consistent with the sources from which they are derived, in each case in all material respects.
(gg) EY S.p.A., who have certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2022 and delivered its report with respect to such audited consolidated financial statements and schedules filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included or
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incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, has confirmed to the Company that as of May 24, 2023, and during the period covered by the financial statements on which they reported, was an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).
(hh) PricewaterhouseCoopers S.p.A. who have certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2023 and delivered its report with respect to such audited consolidated financial statements and schedules filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, has confirmed to the Company that it is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).
(ii) Except as disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement is accurate. 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) other than those disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus 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.
(jj) The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(kk) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any Ordinary Shares during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.
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(ll) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not reasonable be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole) and have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not reasonably be expected to, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by IFRS have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, singly or in the aggregate, has had (nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have) a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(mm) Since July 15, 2021, the Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication with any person other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are reasonably believed to be accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) or Rule 163B of the Securities Act.
(nn) As of the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, none of (i) the Time of Sale Prospectus, (ii) any free writing prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, and (iii) any individual Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits 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, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon the Underwriter Information (as defined in Section 11(b) below).
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(oo) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any affiliate has any securities rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.
(pp) Under the current laws and regulations of the Republic of Italy all dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the Shares in cash may be freely remitted out of the Republic of Italy and may be paid in, or freely converted into, United States dollars, in each case without there being required any consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any court or governmental agency or body in the Republic of Italy; and except as disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, all such dividends and other distributions paid by the Company will not be subject to withholding under the laws and regulations of the Republic of Italy.
(qq) With the exception of the Italian financial transaction tax (“FTT”) set forth by Article 1, paragraphs 491-500 of Law 24 December 2012, No. 228, as implemented by Ministerial Decree dated 21 February 2013 and Ministerial Decree dated 16 September 2013 due by the Underwriters upon the purchase of the Shares from the Selling Shareholder, no stamp, documentary, issuance, registration, transfer, withholding, capital gains, income or other taxes or duties are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters, the Company or any of its subsidiaries in the Republic of Italy or to any taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or consummation of this Agreement, (ii) the creation, allotment and issuance of the Shares, (iii) the sale and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters, or (iv) the resale and delivery of the shares by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein.
(rr) The Company believes that it was not a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes for its most recent taxable year and it does not expect to be a PFIC for its current taxable year or in the foreseeable future.
(ss) Any waiver, relief, concession or preferential treatment relating to taxes granted to the Company or any subsidiary by any Italian taxing authority is valid and in full force and effect.
(tt) It is not necessary under the laws of the Republic of Italy (i) to enable the Underwriters to enforce their rights under this Agreement, provided that they are not otherwise engaged in business in the Republic of Italy, or (ii) solely by reason of the execution, delivery or consummation of this Agreement or the offering or sale by the Selling Shareholder of the Shares, for any of the Underwriters to be qualified or entitled to carry out business in the Republic of Italy.
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(uu) This Agreement is in proper form under the laws of the Republic of Italy for the enforcement thereof against the Company, and to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility into evidence in the Republic of Italy of this Agreement.
(vv) The Company is a “foreign private issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
(ww) The courts of the Republic of Italy would recognize as a valid judgment any final monetary judgment obtained against the Company in the courts of the State of New York except as disclosed as disclosed in the Registration Statement.
(xx) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of its or their properties or assets has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution or otherwise) under the laws of the Republic of Italy. The irrevocable and unconditional waiver and agreement of the Company contained in Section 20(a) not to plead or claim any such immunity in any legal action, suit or proceeding based on this Agreement is valid and binding under the laws of the Republic of Italy.
(yy) The choice of law of the State of New York as the governing law of this Agreement is a valid choice of law under the laws of the Republic of Italy and will be honored by the courts of the Republic of Italy provided, however, that (i) such law is proven to the satisfaction of the courts of the Republic of Italy, (ii) the application of New York law would not be illegal or contrary to public policy or any applicable mandatory laws in the Republic of Italy, or (iii) matters of procedure including questions of set-off and counter-claim, interest chargeable on judgment debts, priorities, measure of damages, limitation of actions and submissions to the jurisdiction of foreign courts would as a general rule be governed by the laws of the Republic of Italy. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 20(a) has, to the extent permitted by law, legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the jurisdiction of the Specified Courts (as defined in Section 20(a)), and has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to Section 20(b), has legally, validly and effectively designated, appointed and empowered an agent for service of process in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any of the Specified Courts.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Shareholder. The Selling Shareholder represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:
(a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder.
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(b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) the Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iv) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (v) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (vi) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the date of such amendment or supplement, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph are limited solely to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Selling Shareholder furnished in writing to the Company or the Representatives by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any broadly available road show or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, it being understood and agreed that the only information furnished to the Company in writing by the Selling Shareholder consists only of the legal name, address and the number of shares owned by the Selling Shareholder and the other information (excluding percentages) with respect to the Selling shareholder which appears in the table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption “Selling Shareholder” in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus (the “Selling Shareholder Information”).
(c) The execution and delivery by the Selling Shareholder of, and the performance by the Selling Shareholder of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law, or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of such Selling Shareholder (if such Selling Shareholder is a corporation), or any agreement or other instrument binding upon such Selling Shareholder or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency
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or court having jurisdiction over the Selling Shareholder, except for such conflict that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Selling Shareholder to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by the Selling Shareholder of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as (i) may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares or (ii) have already been obtained.
(d) The Selling Shareholder has, and on the Closing Date will have, valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code in respect of, the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder or a security entitlement in respect of such Shares.
(e) Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Shares, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Shares on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”)) to such Shares), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (C) no action based on any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Shares may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, the Selling Shareholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.
(f) The Selling Shareholder and each of the Company’s directors and executive officers has delivered to the Representatives an executed lock-up agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Lock-up Agreement”).
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(g) The Selling Shareholder has no reason to believe that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 are not true and correct, is familiar with the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and has no knowledge of any material fact, condition or information not disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus that has had, or may have, a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. The Selling Shareholder is not prompted by any material information concerning the Company or its subsidiaries which is not set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus to sell its Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
(h) (i) Neither the Selling Shareholder nor any of its subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Selling Shareholder, any director, officer, employee, agent, representative of the Selling Shareholder, or affiliate thereof, is a Person that is, or is 50 percent or more owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are:
(A) the subject of any Sanctions, or
(B) located, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Jurisdiction.
(ii) The Selling Shareholder will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:
(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions or in any Sanctioned Jurisdiction; or
(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise.
(iii) For the past five years, the Selling Shareholder has not knowingly engaged, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in any dealings or transactions with any Person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions or in any Sanctioned Jurisdiction.
(iv) (a) Neither the Selling Shareholder nor any of its subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Selling Shareholder, any director, officer, employee, agent, representative of the Selling Shareholder, or affiliate thereof, have taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment giving or receipt of money, property, unlawful
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gifts or any other unlawful expense, directly or indirectly, to any Government Official in order to influence official action, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (b) the Selling Shareholder has conducted its businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; and (c) the Selling Shareholder will not use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.
(v) The operations of the Selling Shareholder and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable Anti-Money Laundering Laws, and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Selling Shareholder, threatened.
(i) The Selling Shareholder represents and warrants that it is not (i) an employee benefit plan subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), (ii) a plan or account subject to Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended or (iii) an entity deemed to hold “plan assets” of any such plan or account under Section 3(42) of ERISA, 29 C.F.R. 2510.3-101, or otherwise.
(j) Except for the FTT due by the Underwriters upon the purchase of the Shares from the Selling Shareholders, no stamp, documentary, issuance, registration, transfer, withholding, capital gains, income or other taxes or duties are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters, the Company or any of its subsidiaries in the Republic of Italy or to any taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or consummation of this Agreement, (ii) the sale and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters, or (iii) the resale and delivery of the Shares by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein.
(k) The Selling Shareholder has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 20(a) has, to the extent permitted by law, legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the jurisdiction of the Specified Courts (as defined in Section 20(a)), and has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to Section 20(c), has legally, validly and effectively designated, appointed and empowered an agent for service of process in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any of the Specified Courts.
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3. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from such Seller at $25.4280 a share (the “Purchase Price”) the number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the number of Firm Shares to be sold by such Seller as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, each of the Company and the Selling Shareholder agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 1,905,000 Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, of which up to 952,500 Additional Shares may be issued and sold by the Company and up to 952,500 Additional Shares may be sold by the Selling Shareholder, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. The Representatives may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters, in whole or in part, from time to time, by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be subscribed or purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be subscribed or purchased. Each subscription or purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares or later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be subscribed or purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be subscribed or purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to subscribe or purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be subscribed or purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
4. Terms of Public Offering. The Sellers are advised by the Representatives that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in the Representatives’ judgment is advisable. The Sellers are further advised by the Representatives that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $26.00 a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by the Representatives at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $0.3432 a share under the Public Offering Price.
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5. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by each Seller shall be made to such Seller in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on March 26, 2024, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than April 2, 2024, as shall be designated in writing by the Representatives. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”
Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company and the Selling Shareholder in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 3 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than May 3, 2024, as shall be designated in writing by the Representatives.
The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to the Representatives on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters. The Purchase Price payable by the Underwriters shall be reduced by (i) any transfer taxes paid by, or on behalf of, the Underwriters in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid and (ii) any withholding required by law.
6. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations.
The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following conditions:
(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:
(i) no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission;
(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in the Representatives’ judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the Representatives’ judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.
(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Sections 6(a)(i) and 6(a)(ii) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.
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The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Chiomenti Studio Legale, outside Italian counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other Underwriters.
(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP, outside U.S. counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other Underwriters.
(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins LLP, U.S. and Italian counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other Underwriters.
(f) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, from EY S.p.A. and Pricewaterhouse Coopers S.p.A., independent registered public accounting firms, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information relating to the respective periods during which they acted as auditors for the Company contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.
(g) The Lock-up Agreements between the Representatives and the Selling Shareholder and officers and directors of the Company shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.
(h) The several obligations of the Underwriters to subscribe or purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to the Representatives on the applicable Option Closing Date of the following:
(i) a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, confirming that the certificate delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof remains true and correct as of such Option Closing Date;
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(ii) an opinion of Chiomenti Studio Legale, Italian counsel for the Company and the Selling Shareholder, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be subscribed or purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise in the form and substance of the opinion required by Section 6(c) hereof;
(iii) an opinion and negative assurance letter of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP, outside US counsel for the Company and the Selling Shareholder, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be subscribed or purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise in the form and substance of the opinion required by Section 6(d) hereof;
(iv) an opinion and negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be subscribed or purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise in the form and substance of the opinion required by Section 6(e) hereof;
(v) a letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from EY S.p.A. and PricewaterhouseCoopers S.p.A., independent registered public accounting firms, substantially in the same form and substance as the letters furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6(f) hereof; provided that the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than two business days prior to such Option Closing Date; and
(vi) such other documents as the Underwriters may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of each of the Company and the Selling Shareholder, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be issued or sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance or sale of such Additional Shares.
7. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) To furnish to the Representatives, without charge, upon request signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto but including documents incorporated by reference) and to furnish to the Representatives in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and
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during the period mentioned in Section 7(e) or 7(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to the Representatives a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
(c) To furnish to the Representatives a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which the Representatives reasonably object.
(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.
(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.
(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any
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event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Representatives will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.
(g) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall require the Company to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction, execute a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or to subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise subject.
(h) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(i) The Company will promptly notify the Underwriters if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the period referred to in Section 3.
(j) If at any time following the distribution of any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.
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(k) The Company shall pay, and shall indemnify and hold the Underwriters harmless against, any stamp, issue, registration, documentary, sales, transfer income, capital gains or other similar taxes or duties imposed under the laws of the Republic of Italy or any political sub-division or taxing authority thereof or therein that is payable in connection with (i) the execution, delivery, consummation or enforcement of this Agreement, (ii) the creation, allotment and issuance of the Shares, (iii) the sale and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters, or (iv) the resale and delivery of the Shares by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein.
(l) The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending 60 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Restricted Period”), (a) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or (b) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Ordinary Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (a) or (b) above is to be settled by delivery of Ordinary Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (c) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares.
The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (a) the Shares to be issued or sold hereunder (including, for the sake of clarity, the Additional Shares), (b) facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a shareholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Ordinary Shares, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Ordinary Shares during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Ordinary Shares may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period.
8. Covenants of the Sellers. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Each Seller will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8 (or other applicable form or statement specified by the Treasury Regulations in lieu thereof), as appropriate, together with all required attachments to such form.
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(b) Each Seller will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), on the date of execution of this Agreement, a properly completed and executed Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers, together with copies of identifying documentation, and each Seller undertakes to provide such additional supporting documentation as each Underwriter may reasonably request in connection with the verification of the foregoing Certification.
(c) All sums payable by the Company or the Selling Shareholder under this Agreement shall be paid free and clear of and without deductions or withholdings of any present or future taxes or duties, unless the deduction or withholding is required by law, in which case the Company or the Selling Shareholder, as the case may be, shall pay such additional amount as will result in the receipt by each Underwriter of the full amount that would have been received had no deduction or withholding been made.
(d) All sums payable to an Underwriter shall be considered exclusive of any value added or similar taxes. Where the Company or, as the case may be, a Selling Shareholder is obliged to pay value added or similar tax on any amount payable hereunder to an Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Shareholder, as the case may be, shall in addition to the sum payable hereunder pay an amount equal to any applicable value added or similar tax.
9. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Sellers agree to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, the Company’s accountants and counsel for the Selling Shareholder in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (provided, that, the amount payable by the Company with respect to such fees and disbursements shall not exceed $40,000 in the aggregate), (v) all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the NYSE, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the
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costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement, and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 11 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution” and the last paragraph of Section 14 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
The provisions of this Section shall not supersede or otherwise affect any agreement that the Sellers may otherwise have for the allocation of such expenses among themselves.
10. Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.
11. Indemnity and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any “road show” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, including any electronic road show (a “road show”), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication or
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arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriters through the Representatives consists of the information described as such in paragraph (c) below. The Company agrees and confirms that references to “affiliates” of Morgan Stanley that appear in this Agreement shall be understood to include Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd.
(b) The Selling Shareholder, severally and not jointly with the Company, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers and employees of each Underwriter, each person, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any road show, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, or that arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only with respect to statements or omissions made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Selling Shareholder Information. The aggregate liability of the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this paragraph and Section 11(e) shall be limited to an amount equal to the net proceeds (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but without deducting expenses) received by the Selling Shareholder for the Shares sold by the Selling Shareholder under this Agreement (the “Selling Shareholder Proceeds”).
(c) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Shareholder, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
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material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, road show, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the name of the Underwriter and the information set forth in the fourteenth paragraph and the first sentence of the fifteenth paragraph under the heading “Underwriting” in the Registration Statement furnished on behalf of each Underwriter (the “Underwriter Information”).
(d) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the
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Selling Shareholder and all persons, if any, who control the Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representatives. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for the Selling Shareholder and such control persons of the Selling Shareholder, such firm shall be designated in writing by the persons named as attorneys-in-fact for the Selling Shareholder under the Powers of Attorney. The indemnifying party 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 from and against any loss or liability 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 the second and third sentences of this paragraph, 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 of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
(e) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 11(e)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 11(e)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the
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same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by each Seller and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Sellers or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.
(f) The Sellers and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 11 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 11(e). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 11(e) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim it being understood that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 11, the liability of the Selling Shareholder (as indemnifying party pursuant to this Section 11) shall not exceed the Selling Shareholder Proceeds. Furthermore, notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 11 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 11 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Shareholder contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, by or on behalf of any Selling Shareholder or any person controlling any Selling Shareholder, or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.
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12. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by the Representatives to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to or on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, the Italian stock exchange (Borsa Italiana S.p.A.), or other relevant exchanges, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States, the Republic of Italy or other relevant jurisdiction shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State or the Italian authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets, currency exchange rates or controls or any calamity or crisis that, in the Representatives’ judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in the Representatives’ judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.
13. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Representatives may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 13 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Shareholder for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Shareholder. In any such case
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either the Representatives or the relevant Sellers 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, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to subscribe or purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be subscribed or purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to subscribe or purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) subscribe or purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of any Seller to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason any Seller shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Sellers will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonably incurred fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.
14. Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Selling Shareholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.
(b) The Company and the Selling Shareholder acknowledge that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm’s length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company, the Selling Shareholder or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company and the Selling Shareholder only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement, any contemporaneous written agreements and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company and the Selling Shareholder, and (iv) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice, or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person. The Company and the Selling Shareholder waive to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.
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(c) The Selling Shareholder further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide the Selling Shareholder with certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation in connection with the offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to the Selling Shareholder to participate in the offering or sell any Shares at the Purchase Price, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.
15. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. (a) 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 if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(b) 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 if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
For purposes of this Section a “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. “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.
16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. For the purposes of using an electronic signature, the parties authorize each other to the lawful processing of personal data of the signers for contract performance and their legitimate interests including contract management.
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17. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.
18. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.
19. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Morgan Stanley at in case of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department and to William Blair & Company, L.L.C. at 150 North Riverside Plaza Chicago, IL 60606, Attention: Equity Capital Markets, with a copy to: Legal; if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Via Molinella 17, Piombino Dese 35017, Italy and if to the Selling Shareholder shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Via Niccolo Tommaseo 69/D, Padua 35131, Italy.
20. Submission to Jurisdiction; Appointment of Agents for Service. (a) The Company and the Selling Shareholder irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or United States Federal court sitting in The City of New York (the “Specified Courts”) over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the offering of the Shares (each, a “Related Proceeding”). The Company and the Selling Shareholder irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any Related Proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such Related Proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. To the extent that any of the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates and the Selling Shareholder have or hereafter may acquire any immunity (on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise) from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process with respect to itself or its property, the Company, such subsidiary or affiliate and the Selling Shareholder irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such immunity in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding.
(b) The Company hereby irrevocably appoints Ompi of America, Inc., with offices at 41 University Drive No. 400, Newton, PA – 18940, as its agent for service of process in any Related Proceeding and agrees that service of process in any such Related Proceeding may be made upon it at the office of such agent. The Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. The Company represents and warrants that such agent has agreed to act as the Company’s agent for service of process, and the Company agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents and instruments, that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect.
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(c) The Selling Shareholder hereby irrevocably appoints Ompi of America, Inc., with offices at 41 University Drive No. 400, Newton, PA – 18940, as its agent for service of process in any Related Proceeding and agrees that service of process in any such Related Proceeding may be made upon it at the office of such agent. The Selling Shareholder waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. The Selling Shareholder represents and warrants that such agent has agreed to act as the Selling Shareholder’s agent for service of process, and the Selling Shareholder agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents and instruments, that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect.
21. Judgment Currency. If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder into any currency other than United States dollars, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Underwriters could purchase United States dollars with such other currency in The City of New York on the business day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of the Company or the Selling Shareholder with respect to any sum due from it to any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first business day following receipt by such Underwriter or controlling person of any sum in such other currency, and only to the extent that such Underwriter or controlling person may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency. If the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to such Underwriter or controlling person hereunder, the Company and the Selling Shareholder agrees as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Underwriter or controlling person against such loss. If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to such Underwriter or controlling person hereunder, such Underwriter or controlling person agrees to pay to the Company or the Selling Shareholder, as applicable, an amount equal to the excess of the dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to such Underwriter or controlling person hereunder.
Taxes. If any sum payable by the Company or the Selling Shareholder under this Agreement is subject to tax in the hands of an Underwriter or taken into account as a receipt in computing the taxable income of that Underwriter (excluding net income taxes on underwriting commissions payable hereunder), the sum payable to the Underwriter under this Agreement shall be increased to such sum as will ensure that the Underwriter shall be left with the sum it would have had in the absence of such tax.
* * *
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth your understanding, please reproduce the content of this Agreement in its entirety in a new letter, which should be returned to us duly signed in a sign of full and unconditional acceptance.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| Stevanato Group S.p.A. | ||
| By: |
/s/ Franco Moro | |
| Name: Franco Moro | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
| Stevanato Holding S.r.l. | ||
| By: |
/s/ Franco Stevanato | |
| Name: Franco Stevanato | ||
| Title: Director | ||
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| Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
By: Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Chirag D. Surti | |
| Name: Chirag D. Surti | ||
| Title: Executive Director | ||
| BY: WILLIAM BLAIR & COMPANY L.L.C. | ||
| By: | /s/ Steve Maletzky | |
| Name: Steve Maletzky Title: Head of Capital Markets | ||
cc: Company
SCHEDULE I
| Underwriter |
Number of Firm Shares To Be Purchased |
|||
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC |
5,368,636 | |||
| William Blair & Company, L.L.C. |
5,368,636 | |||
| BofA Securities, Inc. |
785,091 | |||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
785,091 | |||
| KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. |
392,546 | |||
| Total: |
12,700,000 | |||
|
|
|
|||
I-1
SCHEDULE II
Time of Sale Prospectus
| 1. | Preliminary Prospectus issued March 20, 2024 |
Pricing information:
| 2. | The initial price to the public of the Shares: $26.00 |
| 3. | The Sellers are selling 12,700,000 ordinary shares |
| 4. | The Sellers have granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 1,905,000 ordinary shares |
II-1
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
, 2024
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
William Blair & Company, L.L.C.
150 North Riverside Plaza
Chicago, IL 60606
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) and William Blair & Company, L.L.C. (“William Blair”) (the “Representatives”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Stevanato Group S.p.A., an Italian joint stock company (the “Company”) and Stevanato Holding S.r.l. (the “Selling Shareholder”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several underwriters, including the Representatives (the “Underwriters”) of ordinary shares, without par value, of the Company(the “Ordinary Shares”).
To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 60 days after the date of the final prospectus (the “Restricted Period”) relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Ordinary Shares beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), by the undersigned or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Ordinary Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Ordinary Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to Ordinary Shares or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Ordinary Shares or other securities acquired in such open market transactions, (b) transfers of Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into Ordinary Shares as a bona fide gift or charitable contribution, (c) transfers of Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into Ordinary Shares by will or intestacy
or to any immediate family or to a trust whose beneficiaries consist exclusively of one or more of the undersigned and/or any immediate family, (d) distributions of shares of Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into Ordinary Shares to limited partners or shareholders of the undersigned, (e) transfers to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned, and such is such transfer is designed for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (b), (c), (d) or (e), (i) each recipient shall sign and deliver a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this agreement and (ii) no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Ordinary Shares, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the Restricted Period, (f) the transfer or disposition of Ordinary Shares or any other securities, or sales or disposition of Ordinary Shares to the Company, solely upon a vesting or settlement event of the Company’s securities or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s securities on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis, in each case pursuant to any equity incentive plan of the Company described in the Prospectus (any transfer to the Company to be solely for the payment of taxes as a result of such transaction), (g) transfers related to facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a shareholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Ordinary Shares, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Ordinary Shares during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Ordinary Shares may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period, or (h) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be
permissible pursuant to any of the above clauses.
For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin, and anyone who shares the undersigned’s home.
In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the Restricted Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s Ordinary Shares except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction designed or intended, or which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition of any Ordinary Shares, or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Ordinary Shares, even if any such sale or disposition transaction or transactions would be made or executed by or on behalf of someone other than the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the Underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Public Offering of the Ordinary Shares and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation to you in connection with the Public Offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to you to participate in the Public Offering or sell any Ordinary Shares at the price determined in the Public Offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.
Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.
This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
| Very truly yours, |
| (Name) |
| (Address) |
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF WAIVER OF LOCK-UP
, 20__
[Name and Address of
Officer or Director
Requesting Waiver]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]:
This letter is being delivered to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and William Blair & Company, L.L.C. (together, the “Representatives”) in connection with the offering by Stevanato Group S.p.A. (the “Company”) of _____ ordinary shares, without par value, of the Company and the lock-up agreement dated ____, 2024 (the “Lock-up Agreement”), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated ____, 2024, with respect to ____ ordinary shares (the “Shares”).
The Representatives hereby agree to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Agreement, but only with respect to the Shares, effective _____, 20__. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].
Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
| Very truly yours, |
| Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC |
| William Blair & Company, L.L.C. |
| Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
cc: Company
Exhibit 5.1
Stevanato Group S.p.A.
Via Molinella 17
35017 Piombino Dese – Padua
Italy
Milan, March 26, 2024
Dear Sirs,
Re: Stevanato Group S.p.A.
We have acted as Italian legal counsel to Stevanato Group S.p.A. (the “Company”), an Italian joint stock company (“societa per azior”) organized under the laws of Italy, with registered office in Piombino Dese (Padua), Via Molinella 17, in connection with the offering by the Company and Stevanato Holding S.r.l (the “Selling Shareholder”) of no. 14,605,000 ordinary shares of the Company, with no par value (the “Offered Shares”), pursuant to:
| (i) | the resolution of the board of directors of the Company held on March 21, 2024 (the “Board Resolution”), in partial exercise of the delegation, pursuant to Article 2443, of the Italian Civil Code, of authority to increase the Company’s share capital, with exclusion of the existing shareholders’ pre-emptive right pursuant to Article 2441, Paragraph 4, second sentence, of the Italian Civil Code, resolved upon by the extraordinary shareholders’ meeting of the Company held on October 4, 2023 (the “Shareholders Resolution”); |
| (ii) | the underwriting agreement dated March 21, 2024 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and among the Company, the Selling Shareholder and the underwriters named in Schedule I therein; |
| (iii) | the registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-278107) (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 20, 2024, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, pursuant to which the Offered Shares are registered; |
| (iv) | the prospectus, which forms a part of and is included in the Registration Statement dated March 20, 2024 (the “Base Prospectus”); and |
| (v) | the prospectus supplement, dated March 21, 2024 (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). |
We have examined and relied on such corporate records, certificates and other documents in relation to the Company made available to us as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion, including:
| 1. | the Board Resolution; |
| 2. | the Shareholders Resolution; |
| 3. | the Underwriting Agreement; |
| 4. | the Registration Statement; |
| 5. | the Prospectus; |
| 6. | the by-laws (“statuto”) of the Company currently in force; |
| 7. | the certificate of registration of the Company filed with the Chamber of Commerce of Padua dated March 26, 2024. |
|
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Assumptions
We have assumed:
| (a) | the genuineness of all signatures, stamps and seals, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity, the exhaustiveness and completeness of all documents submitted to us as originals, the exhaustiveness, completeness and conformity to the original documents of all specimen and/or all documents submitted to us as certified or photocopies or transmitted to us by fax or e-mail, and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents; |
| (b) | that where a document has been examined by us in draft or specimen form, it will be or has been executed in the form of that draft or specimen; |
| (c) | the truthfulness, accuracy, completeness and reliability of any statements, of any directors, officers, employees and/or representatives of the Company, certifying or disclosing or otherwise dealing with any matter or fact which is material to the opinions expressed herein; |
| (d) | that there are no facts, documents, circumstances or matters which may be material to the opinions set out herein and which have not been disclosed to us; |
| (e) | that the copies of the organizational documents (i.e., “atto costitutivo” and “statuto”) of the Company and other documents provided to us, that we have examined for the purposes of this opinion, (i) are true and complete as of the date of this opinion and (ii) are in full force and effect as of the date of this opinion; and |
| (f) | that no law (including, without limitation, any public policy) of any jurisdiction outside the Republic of Italy is relevant to or affects the opinions herein or the conclusions stated in this opinion. |
Opinion
The opinion expressed below is being furnished to you at your request to enable you to satisfy the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, in connection with the Registration Statement.
This opinion is limited to the laws of the Republic of Italy as enforced and interpreted at the date hereof and is given on the basis that it will be governed by and construed in accordance with, and any liability which may arise in respect of it is governed by, the laws of the Republic of Italy.
We have made no investigation as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than those of the Republic of Italy and we do not express or imply any opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than those of the Republic of Italy. Specifically, with your approval, we express no opinion with respect to any matter as to the Federal laws of the United States of America and to the laws of any State of the United States of America.
As to the facts material to the opinion expressed herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied upon statements and representations of the officers and other representatives of the Company.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing and the assumptions and qualifications contained herein, we are of the opinion that the Offered Shares have been duly authorized, and when issued and paid up for by the underwriters in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, and upon registration of such issue with the Chamber of Commerce of Padua, will be validly issued, fully paid-up and non-assessable (subject in each case to the receipt of valid consideration by the Company for the issue thereof).
2
Qualifications
The opinions expressed above are subject to the following qualifications:
| (a) | the opinions expressed herein are based on our best interpretation and analysis of the relevant legal or contractual provision and of the rules of interpretation applicable to contracts and legal matters normally applicable in the Republic of Italy; |
| (b) | Italian courts may refuse to apply the law of another jurisdiction if it is deemed to be contrary to public policy (ordine pubblico) or if submission to a foreign law is deemed to have been made with the purpose of avoiding provisions of Italian law of mandatory application (norme imperative); |
| (c) | by issuing this opinion we do not assume any obligations to notify or inform you of any facts or circumstances, or changes in applicable law, occurring, or if which we learn, subsequent to its date that may render its content untrue or inaccurate in whole or in part. |
This opinion letter speaks as of its day and is addressed solely to you for the matters stated in it. It is issued solely for the purposes of the filing of the Registration Statement and the issuance of the Ordinary Shares by the Company as described in the Registration Statement and is not to be relied upon in respect of any other matter.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC.
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ Chiomenti |
| CHIOMENTI |
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