Exhibit 1.1
SALES AGENCY
AGREEMENT
Sales Agency Agreement, dated as of
December 22, 2006 (this “Agreement”), between
AVISTA CORPORATION, a Washington corporation (the
“Company”), and BNY CAPITAL MARKETS, INC., a registered
broker-dealer organized under the laws of New York
(“BNYCMI”).
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, the Company has authorized
and proposes to issue and sell in the manner contemplated by this
Agreement up to 2,000,000 Shares upon the terms and subject to the
conditions contained herein; and
WHEREAS, BNYCMI has been appointed
by the Company as its agent to sell the Shares and agrees to use
its commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Shares offered by
the Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained
herein.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of
the premises, representations, warranties, covenants and agreements
contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged,
intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.01 Certain
Definitions . For purposes of this Agreement, capitalized terms
used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the following
respective meanings:
“Actual Sold Amount”
means the number of Issuance Shares that BNYCMI has sold during the
Selling Period.
“Affiliate” of a Person
means another Person that directly or indirectly, through one or
more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common
control with, such first-mentioned Person. The term
“control” (including the terms
“controlling,” “controlled by” and
“under common control with”) means the possession,
direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction
of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the
ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
“Closing” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.02.
“Closing Date” means the
date on which the Closing occurs.
“Commission” means the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Commitment Period”
means the period commencing on March 12, 2007 and expiring on
the earliest to occur of (w) the date on which BNYCMI shall
have sold the Maximum Program Amount pursuant to this Agreement,
(x) the third anniversary of the date of this Agreement,
(y) the effective time of the Share Exchange and (z) the
date this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Article
VII.
“Common Stock” shall
mean the Company’s Common Stock, without par
value.
“Effective Date” has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.03.
“Exchange Act” means the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Floor Price” means the
greater of (a) the minimum price set by the Company in the
Issuance Notice below which BNYCMI shall not sell Shares during the
Selling Period, which may be adjusted by the Company at any time
during the Selling Period and which in no event shall be less than
$1.00 without the prior written consent of BNYCMI, which may be
withheld in BNYCMI’s sole discretion and (b) $0.25 below
the last sale price at which the Company’s Common Stock were
quoted on the record of composite transactions reported by The Wall
Street Journal on the business day immediately preceding the day
for fixing the price of such Shares.
“Issuance” means each
occasion on which the Company elects to exercise its right to
deliver an Issuance Notice requiring BNYCMI to use its commercially
reasonable efforts to sell the Shares as specified in such Issuance
Notice, subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement.
“Issuance Amount” means
the number of Issuance Shares to be sold by BNYCMI with respect to
any Issuance, which may not exceed 500,000 Shares during any
Selling Period without the prior written consent of BNYCMI, which
may be withheld in BNYCMI’s sole discretion.
“Issuance Date” means
any Trading Day during the Commitment Period that an Issuance
Notice is deemed delivered pursuant to Section 2.03(b)
hereof.
“Issuance Notice” means
a written notice to BNYCMI delivered in accordance with this
Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.
“Issuance Price” means
the Sales Price less the Selling Commission.
“Issuance Shares” means
all Shares issued or issuable pursuant to an Issuance that has
occurred or may occur in accordance with the terms and conditions
of this Agreement.
“Issuance Supplement”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.
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“Material Adverse
Effect” means a material adverse effect on the business,
financial condition, shareholders’ equity or results of
operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as a
whole, or any development reasonably expected to result in such
material adverse change.
“Material Subsidiary”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05.
“Maximum Program Amount”
means 2,000,000 Shares (or, if less, the aggregate amount of Shares
registered under the Registration Statement).
“NYSE” means the New
York Stock Exchange.
“Person” means an
individual or a corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint
venture, joint stock company, governmental authority or other
entity of any kind.
“Principal Market” means
the NYSE.
“Prospectus” has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.01.
“Registration Statement”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.
“Representation Date”
has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of Article
III.
“Rights” means the
preferred share purchase rights issued pursuant to the Rights
Agreement.
“Rights Agreement” means
the Rights Agreement, dated November 15, 1999, between the
Company and The Bank of New York, as Rights Agent.
“Sales Price” means the
actual sale execution price of each Share sold by BNYCMI on the
Principal Market hereunder in the case of ordinary brokers’
transactions, or as otherwise agreed by the parties in other
methods of sale.
“Securities Act” means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Selling Commission”
means 1.0% of the Sales Price.
“Selling Period” means
the period of one to twenty consecutive Trading Days (as determined
by the Company in the Company’s sole discretion and specified
in the applicable Issuance Notice) following the Trading Day on
which an Issuance Notice is delivered or deemed to be delivered
pursuant to Section 2.03(b) hereof.
“Settlement Date” means
the third (3rd) Trading Day following the sale of any Issuance
Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
“Share Exchange” means
the proposed statutory share exchange contemplated in the Plan of
Share Exchange, dated as of February 13, 2006, between the
Company and AVA Formation Corp.
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“Shares” shall mean
shares of the Company’s Common Stock issued or issuable
pursuant to this Agreement.
“Subsidiary” has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.05.
“Trading Day” means any
day which is a trading day on the NYSE, other than a day on which
trading is scheduled to close prior to its regular weekday closing
time.
“Voting Stock” of any
Person as of any date means the capital stock of such Person that
is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the Board of
Directors of such Person.
ARTICLE II
ISSUANCE AND SALE OF
SHARES
Section 2.01 (a) General .
Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the
Company may sell Shares through BNYCMI and BNYCMI shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to sell Shares, up to the Maximum
Program Amount, based on and in accordance with such Issuance
Notices as the Company, in its sole discretion, shall choose to
deliver during the Commitment Period until the aggregate number of
Shares sold under this Agreement equals the Maximum Program Amount
or this Agreement is otherwise terminated. In no event will the
Company, directly or indirectly, distribute a Prospectus to any
prospective investors or sell any shares pursuant to this Agreement
prior to March 12, 2007. The Company acknowledges and agrees
that (i) there can be no assurance that BNYCMI will be
successful in selling Issuance Shares and (ii) BNYCMI will
incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other Person
if it does not sell Issuance Shares for any reason other than a
failure by BNYCMI to use its commercially reasonable efforts
consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such
Issuance Shares as required under this Section 2.01. In acting
hereunder, BNYCMI will be acting as agent for the Company and not
as principal.
(b) Issuances . Upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, on any
Trading Day as provided in Section 2.03(b) hereof during the
Commitment Period on which the conditions set forth in
Section 5.01 and 5.02 hereof have been satisfied, the Company
may exercise an Issuance by the delivery of an Issuance Notice,
executed by the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the
Executive Vice President, the Treasurer or the Assistant Treasurer
of the Company, to BNYCMI. Upon the delivery of an Issuance Notice,
and unless the sale of the Issuance Shares described therein has
been suspended, cancelled or otherwise terminated in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, BNYCMI shall use its commercially
reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales
practices, to sell pursuant to such Issuance not more than the
Issuance Amount. Each sale of Issuance Shares will be settled on
the applicable Settlement Date following such sale. BNYCMI will
provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the
opening of the Trading Day next following
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the Trading Day on which it has made sales of
Issuance Shares hereunder setting forth the portion of the Actual
Sold Amount for such Trading Day, the corresponding Sales Price and
the Issuance Price payable to the Company in respect
thereof.
(c) Method of Offer and Sale
. The Shares may be offered and sold by any method permitted by law
and deemed to be an “at-the-market offering” as defined
in Rule 415 of the Securities Act, including sales made directly on
the Principal Market or through an electronic communications
network, or sales made, if and only if the parties hereto have so
agreed in writing, to or through a market maker or in privately
negotiated transactions. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed
to require either party to agree to the offering and sale of Shares
to or through a market maker or in privately negotiated
transactions, and either party may withhold its consent thereto in
its sole discretion.
Section 2.02 Effectiveness .
This Agreement shall be deemed to become effective (the
“Closing”) concurrently with the execution and delivery
of this Agreement by the parties hereto and the completion of the
closing transactions set forth in the immediately following
sentence. At the Closing, the following closing transactions shall
take place, each of which shall be deemed to occur simultaneously
with the Closing: (i) the Company shall deliver to BNYCMI a
certificate executed by the Corporate Secretary or an Assistant
Corporate Secretary of the Company, signing in such capacity, dated
the date of the Closing (A) certifying that attached thereto
are true and complete copies of the resolutions duly adopted by the
Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of
the Shares pursuant to this Agreement), which authorization shall
be in full force and effect on and as of the date of such
certificate and (B) certifying and attesting to the office,
incumbency and specimen signatures of each Person who executed the
Agreement for or on behalf of the Company; (ii) the Company
shall deliver to BNYCMI a certificate executed by the Chief
Executive Officer, the President, the Executive Vice President, the
Treasurer or the Assistant Treasurer of the Company, signing in
such capacity, dated the date of the Closing, confirming that the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this
Agreement are true and correct in all material respects and that
the Company has performed in all material respects all of its
obligations hereunder to be performed on or prior to the Closing
Date and as to the matters set forth in Section 5.01(a)
hereof; (iii) Marian M. Durkin, Esq., Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company, shall
deliver to BNYCMI an opinion, dated the date of the Closing and
addressed to BNYCMI, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B attached
hereto; (iv) Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Company,
shall deliver to BNYCMI an opinion (relying for matters of
Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon law on the opinion of Marian
M. Durkin, Esq.), dated the date of the Closing and addressed to
BNYCMI, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B attached hereto; and
(v) Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent registered
public accounting firm for the Company, shall deliver to BNYCMI a
letter, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to BNYCMI covering such matters as are customarily
covered in “comfort letters” delivered by independent
auditors in public offerings of securities.
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Section 2.03 Mechanics of
Issuances . (a) Issuance Notice . On any Trading
Day during the Commitment Period, the Company may deliver an
Issuance Notice to BNYCMI, subject to the satisfaction of the
conditions set forth in Sections 5.01 and 5.02; provided, however,
that (1) the Issuance Amount for each Issuance as designated
by the Company in the applicable Issuance Notice shall in no event
exceed 500,000 Shares without the prior written consent of BNYCMI,
which may be withheld in BNYCMI’s sole discretion, and
(2) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, BNYCMI shall have no further obligations with respect to
any Issuance Notice if and to the extent the number of Issuance
Shares to be sold pursuant thereto, together with the aggregate
number of Shares previously sold under this Agreement, shall exceed
the Maximum Program Amount.
(b) Delivery of Issuance
Notice . An Issuance Notice shall be deemed delivered on the
Trading Day that it is received by facsimile, e-mail or otherwise
(and the Company confirms such delivery by e-mail notice or by
telephone (including voicemail message)) by BNYCMI. No Issuance
Notice may be delivered other than on a Trading Day during the
Commitment Period. BNYCMI shall comply with such other restrictions
and instructions as shall be reasonably requested on the applicable
Issuance Notice.
(c) Floor Price . BNYCMI
shall not sell Shares below the Floor Price during any Selling
Period, and such Floor Price may be adjusted by the Company at any
time during any Selling Period upon notice to BNYCMI and
confirmation to the Company.
(d) Trading Guidelines .
BNYCMI may, to the extent permitted under the Securities Act and
the Exchange Act, purchase and sell Common Stock for its own
account while this Agreement is in effect provided that (i) no
such purchase or sale shall take place while an Issuance Notice is
in effect, (ii) in no circumstances shall BNYCMI have a short
position in the Common Stock for its own account and (iii) the
Company shall not be deemed to have authorized or consented to any
such purchases or sales by BNYCMI. In addition, the Company hereby
acknowledges and agrees that BNYCMI’s affiliates, subject to
compliance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, may make
markets in the Common Stock or other securities of the Company, in
connection with which they may buy and sell, as agent or principal,
for long or short account, shares of Common Stock or other
securities of the Company, at the same time BNYCMI is acting as
agent pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 2.04 Use of Free Writing
Prospectus . Neither the Company nor BNYCMI has prepared, used,
referred to or distributed, or will prepare, use, refer to or
distribute without the other party’s prior written consent,
any “written communication” which constitutes a
“free writing prospectus” as such terms are defined in
Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
Section 2.05 Settlements .
Subject to the provisions of Article V, on or before each
Settlement Date, the Company will cause The Bank of New York, N.A.,
its transfer agent, to electronically transfer the Issuance Shares
being sold by crediting BNYCMI or its designee’s account at
The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) through
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its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian System, or
by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by
the parties hereto, and concurrently with the receipt of such
Issuance Shares, which in all cases shall be freely tradable,
transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form, BNYCMI
will deliver the related Issuance Price in same day funds to an
account designated by the Company. If the Company defaults in its
obligation to deliver Issuance Shares on a Settlement Date, the
Company agrees that it will (i) hold BNYCMI harmless against
any loss, claim, damage or expense (including, without limitation,
penalties, interest and reasonable legal fees and expenses), as
incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the
Company, and (ii) pay to BNYCMI any Selling Commission to
which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.
The individuals listed on Schedule 1 hereto shall be the contact
persons for all matters related to the settlement of the transfer
of Issuance Shares through the Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian
System for purposes of this Section 2.05.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
THE COMPANY
The Company represents and warrants
to, and agrees with, BNYCMI that as of the Closing Date, as of each
Issuance Date, as of each Settlement Date and as of any time that
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or
supplemented (each of the times referenced above is referred to
herein as a “Representation Date”), except as may be
disclosed in the Prospectus on or before a Representation
Date:
Section 3.01 Registration .
(a) The Common Stock is registered pursuant to
Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is currently listed and
quoted on the Principal Market under the trading symbol
“AVA”, and the Shares have been listed on the Principal
Market, subject to notice of issuance. The Company (i) meets
the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and
the rules and regulations thereunder for the registration of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) has been
subject to the requirements of Section 12 of the Exchange Act
and has timely filed all the material required to be filed pursuant
to Sections 13 and 14 of the Exchange Act for a period of more than
12 calendar months. A registration statement on Form S-3 (File
No. 333-139239) in respect of the Shares and certain other
securities was filed with the Commission in accordance with the
provisions of the Securities Act and became effective automatically
upon filing; and no other document with respect to the registration
statement or documents incorporated by reference therein has
heretofore been filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission
(other than (x) prospectuses filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) or
Rule 433 of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the
Securities Act, and (y) Current Reports on Form 8-K, each in
the form heretofore delivered to BNYCMI and other than the
registration statements referred to in paragraph (b) below).
Such registration statement, in the form in which it became
effective (including the exhibits thereto, but excluding the
Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1) is hereinafter called the
“Registration Statement”; and the prospectus relating
to the Shares in the form in which it was included in the
Registration Statement at the time it became effective, as
supplemented by the prospectus supplement containing the plan of
distribution of the Shares, in the form in which it is filed with
the Commission pursuant
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to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and any
pricing supplement relating to a particular issuance of the
Issuance Shares (each, an “Issuance Supplement”) is
hereinafter called the “Prospectus”, except that if any
revised prospectus is provided to BNYCMI by the Company for use in
connection with the offering of the Shares that is not required to
be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) promulgated by the
Commission under the Securities Act, the term
“Prospectus” shall refer to such revised prospectus
from and after the time it is first provided to BNYCMI for such
use.
(b) Any reference herein to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein
pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as
of the effective date or the date thereof, as the case may be; any
reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be
deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company
filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act,
after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and any
reference to any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date
of such Prospectus, under the Exchange Act and incorporated by
reference in such Prospectus.
(c) Promptly after the execution and
delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file the
Prospectus Supplement relating to the Issuance Shares pursuant to
Rule 424(b) promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act,
as contemplated by Section 5.01(l) of this
Agreement.
Section 3.02 Incorporated
Documents . The documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 (collectively, the
“Incorporated Documents”), as of the date filed with
the Commission under the Exchange Act, conformed and will conform
in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
thereunder, and none of such documents contained or will contain at
such time an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will
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.
Section 3.03 The Registration
Statement . No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that
purpose has been initiated or, to the best knowledge of the
Company, threatened by the Commission. The Registration Statement,
as of the Effective Date, conformed or will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Securities Act, and the rules
and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder and, as of
the Effective Date, does not and will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and the Prospectus, as of its original
issue date, as of the date of any filing of an Issuance Supplement
thereto pursuant to Rule 424(b) promulgated by the Commission under
the Securities Act and as of the date of any other amendment or
supplement thereto, conforms or will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the
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Securities Act and the rules and regulations of
the Commission promulgated thereunder and, as of such respective
dates, does not and will not contain an 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, however, that this
representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or
omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by BNYCMI expressly for use in
the Prospectus. As used herein, with respect to the Registration
Statement, the term “Effective Date” means, as of a
specified time, the later of (i) the date that the
Registration Statement or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereto was or is declared effective by the Commission under the
Securities Act, (ii) the date that the Company’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for its most recently completed fiscal year is
filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act and
(iii) each deemed effective date for the Registration
Statement with respect to the Company and BNYCMI for the Shares
pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the Securities Act.
Section 3.04 Changes . Since
the date of the latest audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus there has not been any
material adverse change in or affecting the business, financial
condition, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of
the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as a whole, or any
development reasonably expected to result in such a material
adverse change except as set forth in or contemplated by the
Prospectus.
Section 3.05 Organizational
Matters . The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
State of Washington, with corporate power and authority to own or
lease its properties and conduct its business in all material
respects as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus; the Company is duly qualified to transact business and
is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the failure to so
qualify would have a Material Adverse Effect and, except as set
forth in or contemplated by the Prospectus, has all material
required approvals and authorizations to own, lease and operate its
properties, and to transact an electric and/or gas public utility
business in such jurisdictions. Each Material Subsidiary of the
Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation and to the extent such concept is applicable, is in
good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation.
As used in this Agreement, the term “Subsidiary” means
any Person (other than a natural person), at least a majority of
the outstanding Voting Stock of which is owned by the Company, by
one or more Subsidiaries or by the Company and one or more
Subsidiaries. As of the date of this Agreement, the only Material
Subsidiaries of the Company are Avista Capital, Inc. (“Avista
Capital”), Avista Energy, Inc. (“Avista Energy”)
and Advantage IQ, Inc. (“Advantage IQ”) (each, a
“Material Subsidiary”).
Section 3.06 Authorization;
Enforceability . The Company has duly authorized, executed and
delivered this Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the valid and
binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company
in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights
generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of
whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law)
and by limitations imposed by law and public policy on
indemnification, contribution or other exculpation.
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Section 3.07 Capitalization .
The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of
the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable.
Section 3.08 Capitalization of
Material Subsidiaries . All of the issued shares of capital
stock of Avista Capital, Avista Energy and Advantage IQ have been
duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable; 1,715,000 shares of Avista Capital’s capital
stock are issued and outstanding and the Company is the record and
beneficial owner of all shares of such capital stock; 11,822,899
shares of Avista Energy’s capital stock are issued and
outstanding and Avista Capital is the record and beneficial owner
of 11,801,728 shares of such capital stock; and 29,591,434 shares
of Advantage IQ’s capital stock are issued and outstanding
(which consist of (i) 2,031,814 shares of non-voting preferred
stock and (ii) 27,559,620 shares of common stock) and Avista
Capital is the record and beneficial owner of 1,849,698 shares of
such preferred stock and 27,540,570 shares of such common stock;
and the shares of capital stock of Avista Capital, Avista Energy
and Advantage IQ that are owned directly or indirectly by the
Company are owned free and clear of all security interests, liens,
encumbrances, equities and claims.
Section 3.09 Shares . The
Shares have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
on the part of the Company and, when issued and delivered against
payment therefor as provided in this Agreement, the Shares will be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will not be subject
to any preemptive or similar rights and will be free and clear of
all claims, liens, charges, encumbrances and security interests of
any nature whatsoever. The Shares conform in all material respects
to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus under the
caption “Description of Common Stock.” Except as set
forth in the Prospectus, there are no outstanding options,
warrants, conversion rights, subscription rights, preemptive
rights, rights of first refusal or other rights or agreements of
any nature outstanding to subscribe for or to purchase any shares
of Common Stock of the Company or any other securities of the
Company of any kind binding on the Company (except pursuant to
dividend reinvestment, stock purchase or ownership, stock option,
director or employee benefit plans) and there are no outstanding
securities or instruments of the Company containing anti-dilution
or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the
Shares as described in this Agreement. There are no restrictions
upon the voting or transfer of any shares of the Company’s
Common Stock pursuant to the Company’s Restated Articles of
Incorporation or By-laws. There are no agreements or other
obligations (contingent or otherwise) that may require the Company
to repurchase or otherwise acquire any shares of its Common Stock.
No Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the
Company to issue to it, or to register pursuant to the Securities
Act, any shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company
upon the filing of the Registration Statement or the issuance or
sale of the Shares hereunder.
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Section 3.10 No Conflicts .
The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance
by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not
(a) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of
the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or
result in the imposition of a lien or security interest upon any
property or assets used in the conduct of the business of the
Company or any Material Subsidiary pursuant to, any material
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Material
Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Material
Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the property or assets used
in the conduct of the business of the Company or any Material
Subsidiary is subject, (b) result in any violation of the
provisions of the Restated Articles of Incorporation or the By-laws
of the Company or the organizational documents of any Material
Subsidiary, or (c) result in any violation of any applicable
statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or
any Material Subsidiary or any of their properties (except in each
case for conflicts, breaches, violations, defaults, liens or
security interests that would not have a Material Adverse
Effect).
Section 3.11 Consents, Approvals,
Authorizations . No consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any court or governmental
agency or body is required for the performance by the Company of
its obligations under this Agreement, except (1) such as have
been, or will have been prior to the Closing Date, obtained under
the Securities Act, (2) such consents, approvals,
authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be
required by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
(the “WUTC”), the Idaho Public Utilities Commission
(the “IPUC”) and the Public Utility Commission of
Oregon (the “OPUC”) and (3) for such consents,
approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications
as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws, as the
case may be.
Section 3.12 Legal
Proceedings . Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there
are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or of which any
property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject
which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a
Material Adverse Effect and, to the best of the Company’s
knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
governmental authorities or threatened by others.
Section 3.13 Sale of Shares .
Immediately after any sale of Shares by the Company hereunder, the
aggregate number of Shares that have been issued and sold by the
Company hereunder will not exceed the aggregate amount of Common
Stock (x) registered and available under the Registration
Statement or (y) that shall be authorized by the WUTC, IPUC
and OPUC from time to time (in this regard, the Company
acknowledges and agrees that BNYCMI shall have no responsibility
for maintaining records with respect to the aggregate number of
Shares sold, or of otherwise monitoring the availability of Common
Stock for sale, under the Registration Statement or the applicable
WUTC, IPUC or OPUC authorizations).
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Section 3.14 Investment
Company . The Company is not, and after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Shares, will not be, an “investment
company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
Section 3.15 Financial Condition;
No Adverse Changes . (a) The financial statements,
together with related schedules and notes, included or incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
present fairly the consolidated financial position, results of
operations and changes in financial position of the Company and the
Subsidiaries on the basis stated therein at the respective dates or
for the respective periods to which they apply; such statements and
related schedules and notes have been prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied
throughout the periods involved, subject to normal year-end
adjustments, except as disclosed therein; and the other financial
and statistical information and data included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are
accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with such
financial statements and the books and records of the Company and
the Subsidiaries. No other financial statements are required to be
set forth or to be incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus under the Securities Act.
(b) Deloitte & Touche LLP,
who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and
its Subsidiaries and have audited the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting and management’s assessment
thereof, is a registered public accounting firm, and is independent
with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries, each within the
meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder and the rules and regulations of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board;
(c) The Company maintains disclosure
controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e)
of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the
Exchange Act and have been designed to ensure that material
information relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries is
communicated to the Company’s principal executive officer and
principal financial officer. The Company’s disclosure
controls and procedures were effective as of December 31,
2005.
(d) The Company and its Subsidiaries
maintain systems of internal control over financial reporting (as
such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act). The
Company’s internal control over financial reporting was
effective as of December 31, 2005, and the Company is not
aware of any material weaknesses therein. Since the date of the
latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, there has been no change that has
materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to
materially adversely affect, the Company’s internal control
over financial reporting.
Section 3.16 Use of Proceeds
. The Company will use the net proceeds from the offering of Shares
in the manner specified in the Prospectus under “Use of
Proceeds.”
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Section 3.17 Environmental
Matters . Other than as set forth in the Prospectus,
(a) the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable state and federal
environmental laws, except for instances of noncompliance that,
individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse
Effect, and (b) no event or condition has occurred that is
reasonably likely to interfere in any material respect with the
compliance by the Company and its Subsidiaries with any
environmental law or that is reasonably likely to give rise to any
liability under any environmental law, in each case that,
individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 3.18 Rights . The
Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Company; when the Rights shall have been issued in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement such Rights will
constitute legally issued and binding obligations subject to
regulatory approval and other conditions specified in the Rights
Agreement. The Rights conform in all material respects to the
description thereof contained in the Prospectus under the caption
“Description of Common Stock.”
Section 3.19 Officer’s
Certificate . Any certificate signed by the Chief Executive
Officer, the President, the Executive Vice President, the Treasurer
or the Assistant Treasurer of the Company and delivered to BNYCMI
or to counsel for BNYCMI in connection with an Issuance shall be
deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to BNYCMI as to
the matters covered thereby on the date of such
certificate.
Section 3.20 Finder’s
Fees . The Company has not incurred (directly or indirectly)
nor will it incur, directly or indirectly, any liability for any
broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or other
similar fee, charge or commission in connection with this Agreement
or the transactions contemplated hereby, except as set forth in
this Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
COVENANTS
The Company covenants and agrees
during the term of this Agreement with BNYCMI as
follows:
Section 4.01 Registration
Statement and Prospectus . (i) To make no amendment or
supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (other
than (x) an amendment or supplement relating solely to the
issuance or offering of securities other than the Shares and
(y) by means of an Annual Report on Form 10-K, a Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q or a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the
Commission under the Exchange Act and incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus) after the date of delivery of an Issuance Notice and
prior to the related Settlement Date(s) that is reasonably
disapproved by BNYCMI promptly after reasonable notice thereof;
(ii) to prepare, with respect to any Issuance Shares to be
sold pursuant to this Agreement, an Issuance Supplement with
respect to
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such Issuance Shares in a form previously
approved by BNYCMI and to file such Issuance Supplement pursuant to
Rule 424(b) promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act
within the time period required thereby, only if delivery and
filing of such an Issuance Supplement is required by applicable law
or by the rules and regulations of the Commission; (iii) to
make no amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus (other than (x) an amendment or supplement
relating solely to the issuance or offering of securities other
than the Shares and (y) by means of an Annual Report on Form
10-K, a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or a Current Report on Form
8-K filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act and
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus) at any time prior to
having afforded BNYCMI a reasonable opportunity to review and
comment thereon; (iv) to file within the time periods required
by the Exchange Act all reports and any definitive proxy or
information statements required to be filed by the Company with the
Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of
the Exchange Act so long as the delivery of a prospectus is
required under the Securities Act or under the blue sky or
securities laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the offering
or sale of the Shares, and during such period to advise BNYCMI,
promptly after the Company receives notice thereof, of the time
when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed
with the Commission or has become effective or any supplement to
the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed with the
Commission, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or
of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus
relating to the Shares, of the suspension of the qualification of
the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose,
of any request by the Commission for the amendment or supplement of
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional
information relating thereto, or the receipt of any comments from
the Commission with respect to the Registration S