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Exhibit 1.2
EXECUTION
COPY
171,111,112
Shares
AMBAC FINANCIAL GROUP,
INC.
Common
Stock
UNDERWRITING
AGREEMENT
March 6, 2008
C REDIT S
UISSE S ECURITIES (USA)
LLC
Eleven Madison Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10010-3629
C ITIGROUP G
LOBAL M ARKETS I NC
.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, N.Y. 10013
B ANC OF A
MERICA S ECURITIES LLC
9 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
UBS S ECURITIES
LLC
299 Park Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10171
As Representatives of the Several
Underwriters
named in Schedule A hereto
c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA)
LLC
Eleven Madison Avenue
New York, N. Y. 10010-3629
Dear Sirs:
1. Introductory .
Ambac Financial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“
Company ”), agrees with the several Underwriters named
in Schedule A hereto (“ Underwriters ”),
for whom you are acting as representatives (“
Representatives ”), to issue and sell to the several
Underwriters 171,111,112 shares (“ Firm Securities
”) of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“
Securities ”), and also agrees to issue and sell to
the Underwriters, at the option of the Underwriters, an aggregate
of not more than 25,666,667 additional shares (“ Optional
Securities ”) of its Securities as set forth below. The
Firm Securities and the Optional Securities are herein collectively
called the “ Offered Securities ”.
Concurrently herewith, the
Company also proposes to issue and sell, pursuant to a separate
underwriting agreement (“ Equity Unit Underwriting
Agreement ”) to be entered into by and among the Company
and the underwriters named therein (“ Equity Unit
Underwriters ”), 5,000,000 Equity Units of the Company
(the “ Equity Unit Offering ”), and the Company
also proposes to issue and sell to the Equity Unit Underwriters, at
the option of the Equity Unit Underwriters, an aggregate of not
more than 750,000 additional Equity Units to cover over-allotments
in connection therewith.
As part of the offering
contemplated by this Agreement, Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
(“ Citi ”) has agreed to reserve out of the
Offered Securities set forth opposite its name on the Schedule II
to this Agreement, up to one percent (1%) of the shares of
Offered Securities, for sale to the Company’s officers,
directors and managing directors (collectively, “
Participants ”), as set forth in the General
Disclosure Package and Final Prospectus (each as defined below)
under the heading “Underwriting” therein (the
“Directed Share Program”). The Offered Securities to be
sold by Citi pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the
“Directed Shares”) will be sold by Citi pursuant to
this Agreement at the public offering price. Any Directed Shares
not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participants by 7:30 A.M.
New York City time on the business day following the date on which
this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the
Representatives as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
2. Representations and
Warranties of the Company . The Company represents and warrants
to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that, as of the date
hereof and as of each Closing Date:
(a) Filing and
Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Certain Defined Terms
. The Company has filed with the Commission a registration
statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-131888), as amended by
Post-Effective Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 thereto, including a related
prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the
Offered Securities under the Act (as defined herein), which has
become effective. “ Registration Statement ” at
any particular time means such registration statement in the form
then filed with the Commission (as defined herein), including any
amendment thereto, any document incorporated by reference therein
and all 430B Information with respect to such registration
statement, that in any case has not been superseded or modified.
“ Registration Statement ” without reference to
a time means the Registration Statement as of the Effective Time.
For purposes of this definition, 430B Information shall be
considered to be included in the Registration Statement as of the
time specified in Rule 430B.
For purposes of this
Agreement:
“ 430B
Information ” means information included in a prospectus
then deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to
Rule 430B(e) or retroactively deemed to be a part of the
Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B(f).
“ Act ”
means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“ Applicable
Time ” means 7:30 am (Eastern time) on March 7,
2008.
“ Closing Date
” has the meaning defined in Section 3
hereof.
“ Commission
” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“ Effective Time
” of the Registration Statement relating to the Offered
Securities means the time of the first contract of sale for the
Offered Securities.
“ Exchange Act
” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
“ Final
Prospectus ” means the Statutory Prospectus that
discloses the public offering price, other 430B Information and
other final terms of the Offered Securities and otherwise satisfies
Section 10(a) of the Act.
“ General Use Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus ” means any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective
investors, as evidenced by its being so specified in
Schedule B to this Agreement.
“ Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus ” means any “issuer free writing
prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the
Offered Securities in the form filed or required to be filed with
the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form
retained in the Company’s records pursuant to
Rule 433(g).
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“ Limited Use Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus ” means any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus that is not a General Use Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus.
“ Rules and
Regulations ” means the rules and regulations of the
Commission.
“ Securities
Laws ” means, collectively, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 (“ Sarbanes-Oxley ”), the Act, the Exchange
Act, the Rules and Regulations, the auditing principles, rules,
standards and practices applicable to auditors of
“issuers” (as defined in Sarbanes-Oxley) promulgated or
approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the
rules of the New York Stock Exchange (“ Exchange Rules
”).
“ Statutory
Prospectus ” with reference to any particular time means
the prospectus relating to the Offered Securities that is included
in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time,
including all 430B Information with respect to the
Registration Statement. For purposes of the foregoing definition,
430B Information shall be considered to be included in the
Statutory Prospectus only as of the actual time that form of
prospectus (including a prospectus supplement) is filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and not
retroactively.
“ Trust Indenture
Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
Unless otherwise specified, a
reference to a “rule” is to the indicated rule under
the Act.
(b) Compliance with
Securities Act Requirements. (i) (A) At the time that the
Registration Statement initially became effective, (B) at the
time of each amendment thereto for purposes of complying with
Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether by post-effective
amendment, incorporated report or form of prospectus), (C) at
the time that the Company or another offering participant made a
bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Act)
of the Offered Securities, (D) at the Effective Time relating
to the Offered Securities and (E) on the Closing Date, the
Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and
Regulations and did not and will not include any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading and (ii) (A) on its date, (B) at the time
of filing the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) and
(C) on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus will conform in
all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules
and Regulations, and will not include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to (x) that
part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the
Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) under the
Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee, or (y) statements in or
omissions from any such document based upon written information
furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the
Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood
and agreed that the only such information referred to in this
clause (y) is that information described as such in
Section 8(b) hereof.
(c) Automatic Shelf
Registration Statement . (i) Well-Known Seasoned
Issuer Status . (A) At the time of initial filing of the
Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent
amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with
Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by
post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of
prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting
on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of
Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Offered Securities
in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163, and (D) at the
Effective Time, the Company was a “well known seasoned
issuer” as defined in Rule 405.
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(ii) Effectiveness of
Automatic Shelf Registration Statement . The Registration
Statement is an “automatic shelf registration
statement,” as defined in Rule 405, that initially
became effective no earlier than three years prior to the date of
this Agreement. Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the
Registration Statement was effective upon filing it with the
Commission. If immediately prior to the Renewal Deadline (as
defined herein), any of the Offered Securities remain unsold by the
Underwriters, the Company will prior to the Renewal Deadline file,
if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new
automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Offered
Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives. If the
Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf
registration statement, the Company will prior to the Renewal
Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf
registration statement relating to the Offered Securities, in a
form satisfactory to the Representatives, and will use its best
efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared
effective within 180 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company
will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the
public offering and sale of the Offered Securities to continue as
contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the
Offered Securities. References herein to the Registration Statement
shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or
such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be. “
Renewal Deadline ” means the third anniversary of
the initial effective time of the Registration
Statement.
(iii) Eligibility to Use
Automatic Shelf Registration Form . The Company has not
received from the Commission any notice pursuant to
Rule 401(g)(2) objecting to use of the automatic shelf
registration statement form. If at any time when Offered Securities
remain unsold by the Underwriters the Company receives from the
Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or otherwise
ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration
statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the
Representatives in writing, (ii) promptly file a new
registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper
form relating to the Offered Securities, in a form satisfactory to
the Representatives, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared
effective as soon as practicable, and (iv) promptly notify the
Representatives of such effectiveness. The Company will take all
other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering
and sale of the Offered Securities to continue as contemplated in
the registration statement that was the subject of the
Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise
become ineligible. References herein to the Registration Statement
shall include such new registration statement or post-effective
amendment, as the case may be.
(iv) Filing Fees . The
Company has paid or shall, prior to the First Closing Date, pay the
required Commission filing fees relating to the Offered Securities
within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) without regard to
the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b)
and 457(r).
(d) Ineligible Issuer
Status . (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the
Registration Statement that the Company or another offering
participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of
Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Offered Securities and (ii) at the
date of this Agreement, the Company was not and is not an
“ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405,
including (x) the Company or any other subsidiary in the
preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or
misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or
administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 and
(y) the Company in the preceding three years not having been
the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar
proceeding, not having had a
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registration statement be the
subject of a proceeding under Section 8 of the Act and not
being the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Act
in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities, all as
described in Rule 405.
(e) General Disclosure
Package . As of the Applicable Time, neither (i) the
General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior
to the Applicable Time, the preliminary prospectus supplement,
dated March 5, 2008, including the base prospectus, dated
January 16, 2008 (which is the most recent Statutory
Prospectus distributed to investors generally), and the other
information, if any, stated in Schedule B to this Agreement to
be included in the General Disclosure Package, all considered
together (collectively, the “ General Disclosure
Package ”), nor (ii) any individual Limited Use
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “road show” (as
defined in Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations) not constituting
an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in each case when considered
together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions
from any Statutory Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the
Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood
and agreed that the only such information furnished by any
Underwriter consists of the information described as such in
Section 8(b) hereof.
(f) (i) Issuer Free
Writing Prospectuses . Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as
of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the
completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Securities
or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the
Representatives as described in the next sentence, did not, does
not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts
or will conflict with the information then contained in the
Registration Statement, including any prospectus supplement deemed
to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. If
at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of
which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would
conflict with the information then contained in the Registration
Statement, including any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part
thereof that has not been superseded or modified, or as a result of
which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished
immediately following such event or development, 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 under which they were
made, not misleading, (A) the Company has promptly notified or
will promptly notify the Representatives in writing and
(B) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or
supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or
correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
(ii) Incorporated
Documents . The documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, at the time
they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and
will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the
Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations thereunder, and, when
read together with the other information in the General Disclosure
Package or the Final Prospectus, as of their respective dates and
at the Closing Date, did not and will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
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(iii) Independent
Accountants . KPMG LLP, the accounting firm that certified the
financial statements and supporting schedules included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and audited the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting and
management’s assessment thereof, is an independent registered
public accounting firm as required by the Act and the Rules and
Regulations thereunder.
(iv) Exhibits . There
are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package (or any
part thereof) or the Final Prospectus or the documents incorporated
by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have
not been so described or filed as required.
(v) Financial
Statements . The financial statements of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, together
with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial
position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the
dates shown and their results of operations, stockholder’s
equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries for the periods shown, and, except as otherwise
disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, such financial
statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles in the United States (“ GAAP
”), applied on a consistent basis. The schedules included in
the Registration Statement present fairly in accordance with GAAP
the information required to be stated therein. The selected
consolidated financial data of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries and the summary financial information of the Company
and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the General
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus present fairly the
information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis
consistent with that of the audited financial statements included
in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Final Prospectus.
(g) Good Standing of the
Company . The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own,
lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as
described in the General Disclosure Package and Final Prospectus
and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement,
the Equity Unit Agreement and the Private Placement Agreement
(defined below); and the Company is duly qualified to do business
as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other
jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the
conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where
the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not,
individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to result in
a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or
prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole
(“ Material Adverse Effect ”).
(h) Subsidiaries .
Each subsidiary of the Company that is a “significant
subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X (each,
a “ Subsidiary ” and, collectively, the “
Subsidiaries ”) has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct
its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the
Final Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in
which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the
ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except
where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would
not, individually or in the
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aggregate, be reasonably
likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise
disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Final Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding
capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and
validly issued and is fully paid and non-assessable; each such
Subsidiary is wholly owned by the Company, directly or through
subsidiaries; all of the outstanding capital stock of such
Subsidiaries which is owned by the Company, directly or through
subsidiaries, is owned free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, and none of
the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was
issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any
securityholder of such Subsidiary. Each direct or indirect
insurance company subsidiary of the Company is duly organized and
licensed as an insurance company in its jurisdiction of
incorporation and is duly licensed or authorized as an insurer in
each other jurisdiction where it is required to be so licensed or
authorized to conduct its business.
(i) No Material Adverse
Change in Business . Except as disclosed in the General
Disclosure Package, since the end of the period covered by the
latest audited financial statements included in the General
Disclosure Package (i) there has been no change or any
development in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of
operations, business prospects or properties of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that is material and adverse,
(ii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind
declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital
stock and (iii) there has been no material adverse change in
the capital stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness,
net current assets or net assets of the Company and its
subsidiaries.
(j) Offered Securities
. The Offered Securities, the shares of Common Stock to be issued
and sold under the Private Placement Agreement and all other issued
and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been
duly authorized; the authorized equity capitalization of the
Company is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the
Final Prospectus; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company are, and when the Offered Securities have been delivered
and paid for in accordance with this Agreement on each Closing
Date, such Offered Securities will have been, validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable, and do or will, as the case may be, conform
in all material respects to the respective statements relating
thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and in the
Final Prospectus. The stockholders of the Company have no
preemptive rights with respect to the Securities. None of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued
in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security
holder.
(k) The Private Placement
Agreement . The private placement agreement between the Company
and the purchasers named therein (the “ Private Placement
Purchasers ” dated the date hereof (the “
Private Placement Agreement ”) has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and (assuming
due authorization, execution and delivery by the Private Placement
Purchasers) constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the
Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or
affecting creditors’ rights generally and except as
enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law). At the time of execution and delivery, the
Private Placement Agreement conforms in all material respects to
the respective statements relating thereto contained in the General
Disclosure Package and in the Final Prospectus and will be in
substantially the form to be filed or incorporated by reference, as
the case may be, as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement.
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(l) Listing . The
Offered Securities have been approved for listing on the New York
Stock Exchange (“ Exchange ”), subject to notice
of issuance, and at each Closing Date, the Offered Securities
issued at or prior to such Closing Date will be listed on the
Exchange.
(m) No Finder’s
Fee . There are no contracts, agreements or understandings
between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid
claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage
commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection
with this offering.
(n) Absence of Further
Requirements . No filing with, or authorization, approval,
consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of,
any court or governmental agency or body (including, without
limitation, any insurance regulatory agency or body) is required
for the execution by the Company of this Agreement or the
Securities Agreements, or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby, or for the performance by the
Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Securities
Agreement or the Offered Securities (including the issuance and
sale of the Offered Securities), except as disclosed in the General
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and such as have been
already obtained or as may be required under the Act or the Rules
and Regulations thereunder or state securities laws.
(o) Absence of Defaults
and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction . The execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement and compliance with the
terms and provisions hereof will not violate, conflict with, result
in a breach of, or constitute a default (or an event which with the
giving of notice or the lapse of time or both would be reasonably
likely to constitute a default) under (a) the charter or
by-laws of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, (b) any
order, law, treaty, rule, regulation, judgment or determination
applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries of any court,
governmental agency or body (including, without limitation, any
insurance regulatory agency or body) or arbitrator having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (other
than any violation of or conflict with any such order, law, treaty,
rule, regulation, judgment or determination that would not,
individually or in the aggregate with any other violation or
conflict, be reasonably likely to adversely affect the performance
by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement and would
not, individually or in the aggregate with all such other
violations or conflicts, be reasonably likely to have a Material
Adverse Effect) or (c) the terms of any bond, debenture, note,
other evidence of indebtedness, agreement, indenture, lease or
other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party or by which any of them is bound or by which any of their
respective properties is subject, or result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the
assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries pursuant to the
terms of any such bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness, agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument
(other than any conflict, breach or default or lien, charge or
encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be
reasonably likely to adversely affect the performance by the
Company of its obligations under this Agreement and would not,
individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to result in
a Material Adverse Effect).
(p) Absence of Existing
Defaults and Conflicts . Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws
or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would
be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant
or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage,
lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a
party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the
properties of any of them is subject, except such defaults that
would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely
to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(q) Authorization of this
Agreement and the Equity Units Underwriting Agreement . Each of
this Agreement and the Equity Units Underwriting Agreement has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(r) Possession of Licenses
and Permits . The Company and its Subsidiaries possess such
certificates, permits, licenses, approvals, franchises, consents
and other authorizations (collectively, “ Licenses
”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign
regulatory agencies or bodies (including, without limitation, any
Licenses from any insurance regulatory agencies or bodies)
necessary to own their respective properties or to conduct the
business now conducted by them or disclosed in the General
Disclosure Package to be conducted by them, except such as would
not, individually or in the aggregate with all such other Licenses
that have not been obtained, be reasonably likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its Subsidiaries are in
compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Licenses,
except where the failure so to comply would not, individually or in
the aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect; all of the Licenses (including, without limitation, any
Licenses from any insurance regulatory agencies or bodies) are
valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of
such Licenses or the failure of such Licenses to be in full force
and effect would not, individually or in the aggregate, be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of
proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such
Licenses (including, without limitation, any Licenses from any
insurance regulatory agencies or bodies) which would, individually
or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision,
ruling or finding, be reasonably likely to result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(s) Leaseholds .
Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and Final
Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real
or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no
terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use
made thereof by them.
(t) Accurate
Disclosure . The statements in or incorporated by reference
into the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the
Final Prospectus under the headings (i) “Description of
Our Capital Stock”, “Business—Business
Segments—Insurance Regulatory Matters”,
“Business—Business Segments—Reinsurance”
and “Certain United States Federal Income Tax
Considerations”, insofar as such statements summarize legal
matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein,
are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements,
documents or proceedings and present the information required to be
shown, and (ii) “Recent Developments—Rating
Agencies”, “Recent Developments—Business
Restructuring,” and “Recent Developments—Certain
First Quarter 2008 Financial Developments” are accurate, true
and complete in all material respects, reflect the most material
recent information known to the Company and do not omit to state
any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
(u) Absence of
Manipulation . The Company has not taken, directly or
indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted
or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the
Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered
Securities.
(v) Internal Controls and
Compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley; Disclosure Controls .
(i) Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, the
Company, its subsidiaries and the Company’s Board of
Directors (the “ Board ”) and officers are in
compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley, the Rules and Regulations
promulgated in connection therewith, including
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without limitation
Section 402 relating to loans and Sections 302 and 906
relating to certifications, and all applicable Exchange Rules. The
Company maintains a system of internal controls (collectively,
“ Internal Controls ”) that comply with the
Securities Laws and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances
that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorizations,
(B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to
maintain accountability for assets, (C) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management’s general or
specific authorization and (D) the recorded accountability for
assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals
and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
The Internal Controls are overseen by the Audit Committee (the
“ Audit Committee ”) of the Board in accordance
with Exchange Rules. The Company has not publicly disclosed or
reported to the Audit Committee or the Board a significant
deficiency, material weakness, change in Internal Controls or fraud
involving management or other employees who have a significant role
in Internal Controls (each, an “ Internal Control
Event ”), any violation of, or failure to comply with,
the Securities Laws, which in each case would, individually or in
the aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(ii) The Company and its
subsidiaries maintain “disclosure controls and
procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under
the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are
effective.
(w) Litigation .
Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and Final
Prospectus, there are no pending or, to the best knowledge of the
Company, threatened or contemplated actions, suits or proceedings
(including any inquiries or investigations by any court,
governmental agency or body, or arbitrator having jurisdiction over
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, domestic or foreign)
against or affecting the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would, individually or in the
aggregate, be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect,
or would, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably likely to
materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to
perform its obligations under this Agreement, or which are
otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Offered
Securities, or which are of a character required to be disclosed in
the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the
Final Prospectus.
(x) Investment Company
Act . The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of
the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package
and Final Prospectus, will not be an “investment
company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940
(the “ Investment Company Act ”).
(y) Ratings . Except
as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, no
“nationally recognized statistical rating organization”
as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2)
(i) has imposed (or has informed the Company in writing or
orally through any vice president, managing director or senior
officer of the Company (or any person holding any office more
senior to those levels), in either case, that it is considering
imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the
Company’s retaining any rating assigned to either the Company
or Ambac Assurance Corporation, a Wisconsin stock insurance
corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“
Ambac Assurance ”), or any securities of the Company
or (ii) has indicated to the Company or Ambac Assurance in
writing or orally through any vice president, managing director or
senior officer (or any person holding any office more senior to
those levels) of the Company or Ambac Assurance, in either case,
that it is considering any of the actions described in
Section 7(c)(ii) hereof.
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(z) Compliance with Cuba
Act . The Company has complied with, and is and will be in
compliance with, the provisions of that certain Florida act
relating to disclosure of doing business with Cuba, codified as
Section 517.075 of the Florida statutes, and the rules and
regulations thereunder or is exempt therefrom.
(aa) Reinsurance Treaties
and Arrangements . All reinsurance treaties and arrangements to
which Ambac Assurance is a party are in full force and effect and
Ambac Assurance is not in violation of, or in default in the
performance, observance or fulfillment of, any obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained therein, except to the
extent that any such violation or default would not, individually
or in the aggregate with all such other violations or defaults, be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; Ambac
Assurance has not received any notice from any of the other parties
to such treaties, contracts or agreements that such other party
intends not to perform in any material respect such treaty,
contract or agreement, and, to the best knowledge of the Company,
Ambac Assurance has no reason to believe that any of the other
parties to such treaties or arrangements will be unable to perform
such treaty, contract or arrangement.
(bb) Statutory Financial
Statements . The (i) audited statutory financial
statements of Ambac Assurance for the year ended December 31,
2006 that have been filed with Office of the Commissioner of
Insurance for the State of Wisconsin (“ Wisconsin OCI
”) have been prepared and fairly present the admitted assets,
liabilities, surplus, results of operations and cash flows of Ambac
Assurance at the dates and for the periods (as the case may be)
indicated, in accordance with statutory accounting practices
prescribed or permitted by the Wisconsin OCI consistently applied
throughout such period (excepted as specified therein); and
(ii) unaudited quarterly statutory financial statements of
Ambac Assurance for the periods ended March 31,
2007, June 30, 2007 and September 30, 2007 and the
unaudited annual statutory financial statements of Ambac Assurance
for the period ended December 31, 2007, each as filed with the
Wisconsin OCI, have been prepared using the same statutory
accounting principles applied on a basis consistent with Ambac
Assurance’s audited statutory financial statements referenced
in clause (i) above.
(cc) Absence of Dividend
Restrictions . Other than as described in the General
Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no
restrictions upon the declaration or payment of any dividend or
distribution on any shares of capital stock of any subsidiary
pursuant to the charter or by-laws of any of them, any agreement or
other instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of
them is bound, or any order, law, rule, regulation, judgment or
determination of any court, governmental agency or body (including,
without limitation, any insurance regulatory agency or body) or
arbitrator having jurisdiction over any of them.
(dd) Communications with
Rating Agencies . Except for those communications the material
content of which is disclosed in the General Disclosure Package,
the Final Prospectus or a written press release issued by the
Company or by any “nationally recognized statistical rating
organization”, as such term is defined for purposes of Rule
436(g)(2), the Company has either informed or provided copies to
the Representatives (or counsel to the Representatives, as the case
may be) of all material written communications and informed the
Representatives (or counsel to the Representatives, as the case may
be) of all material oral communications, to or from any
“nationally recognized statistical rating
organization”, as such term is defined for purposes of
Rule 436(g)(2) that have been made since November 1,
2007.
(ee) Financial Guaranty
Law . Ambac Assurance is in compliance in all material respects
with Article 69 of the Insurance Laws of the State of New York, and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
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(ff) Regulation M .
The shares of Common Stock of the Company are “act
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