UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (date of earliest event reported):
August 10, 2005
THE HERSHEY COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
| 1-183 | 23-0691590 | |
| (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | |
| 100 Crystal A Drive Hershey, Pennsylvania |
17033 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
(717) 534-6799
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN REPORT
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
On August 10, 2005, The Hershey Company (the “Registrant”) entered into an Underwriting Agreement with Banc of America Securities LLC and UBS Investment Bank (the “Underwriters”) with respect to the issuance by the Registrant of certain debt securities. On August 10, 2005, the Registrant entered into a Pricing Agreement with the Underwriters concerning the issuance and sale of $250 million aggregate principal amount of 4.850% Notes due August 15, 2015 (“Notes”).
In the ordinary course of their respective businesses, the Underwriters and their affiliates have engaged, and may in the future engage, in commercial banking and/or investment banking transactions with the Registrant and its affiliates for which they have in the past received, and may in the future receive, customary fees. Affiliates of some of the lenders under the Registrant’s five year credit agreement are acting as underwriters for the offering of the Notes.
Information concerning the Notes and related matters is set forth in the Registrant’s Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement, each dated August 10, 2005, which were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 11, 2005.
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers
On August 16, 2005, the Registrant announced that Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., Group President, American Express Company, has been elected to the Registrant’s Board of Directors (“Board”), effective August 11, 2005. A copy of the Registrant’s press release announcing the election of Mr. Kelly to the Board is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1. The Board has not yet determined the committees of the Board to which Mr. Kelly will be appointed and the Registrant will update this filing at the time such appointments are made.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
| (c) | Exhibits |
| 99.1 | Press release announcing the election of Alfred F. Kelly, Jr. to the Board (filed herewith) | |
The following Exhibits are incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-33507) as exhibits thereto and are filed as part of this Report.
| 1 | Underwriting Agreement, dated August 10, 2005, among the Registrant, Banc of America Securities LLC and UBS Investment Bank relating to the issuance by the Registrant of certain debt securities (filed herewith) | |
| 4(b) | Global Security representing the Registrant’s 4.850% Notes due August 15, 2015 (filed herewith) | |
| 99 | Pricing Agreement, dated August 10, 2005, among the Registrant, Banc of America Securities LLC and UBS Investment Bank relating to the issuance and sale of $250 million aggregate principal amount of 4.850% Notes due August 15, 2015 (filed herewith) | |
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| THE HERSHEY COMPANY | ||
| (Registrant) | ||
| By: | /s/ Burton H. Snyder | |
| Burton H. Snyder | ||
| Senior Vice President, General | ||
| Counsel and Secretary | ||
Date: August 16, 2005
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EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit No. |
Exhibit | |
| 1 | Underwriting Agreement, dated August 10, 2005, among the Registrant, Banc of America Securities LLC and UBS Investment Bank relating to the issuance by the Registrant of certain debt securities | |
| 4(b) | Global Security representing the Registrant’s 4.850% Notes due August 15, 2015 | |
| 99 | Pricing Agreement, dated August 10, 2005, among the Registrant, Banc of America Securities LLC and UBS Investment Bank relating to the issuance and sale of $250 million aggregate principal amount of 4.850% Notes due August 15, 2015 | |
| 99.1 | Press release announcing the election of Alfred F. Kelly, Jr. to the Registrant’s Board of Directors | |
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Exhibit 1
The Hershey Company
Debt Securities
Underwriting Agreement
August 10, 2005
Banc of America Securities LLC
9 West 57th Street
New York, New York 10019
UBS Securities LLC
677 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, Connecticut 06901
Ladies and Gentlemen:
From time to time The Hershey Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to enter into one or more Pricing Agreements (each a “Pricing Agreement”) in the form of Annex I hereto, with such additions and deletions as the parties thereto may determine, and, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and therein, to issue and sell to the firms named in Schedule I to the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms constituting the “Underwriters” with respect to such Pricing Agreement and the securities specified therein) certain of its debt securities (the “Securities”) specified in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement (with respect to such Pricing Agreement, the “Designated Securities”).
The terms and rights of any particular issuance of Designated Securities shall be as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto and in or pursuant to the indenture (the “Indenture”) identified in such Pricing Agreement.
1. Particular sales of Designated Securities may be made from time to time to the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, for whom the firms designated as representatives of the Underwriters of such Designated Securities in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto will act as representatives (the “Representatives”). The term “Representatives” also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of the Underwriters and to Underwriters who act without any firm being designated as their representative. This Underwriting Agreement shall not be construed as an obligation of the Company to sell any of the Designated Securities or as an obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase the Designated Securities. The obligation of the Company to issue and sell any of the Securities and the obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase any of the Securities shall be evidenced by the Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities specified therein. Each Pricing Agreement shall specify the aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities, the initial public offering price of such Designated Securities, the purchase price to the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the names of the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the names of the Representatives of
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such Underwriters and the principal amount of such Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter and shall set forth the date, time and manner of delivery of such Designated Securities and payment therefor. The Pricing Agreement shall also specify (to the extent not set forth in the Indenture and the registration statement and prospectus with respect thereto) the terms of such Designated Securities. A Pricing Agreement shall be in the form of an executed writing (which may be in counterparts), and may be evidenced by an exchange of telegraphic communications or any other rapid transmission device designed to produce a written record of communications transmitted. The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be several and not joint.
2. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement or registration statements in respect of the Securities; such registration statement or registration statements and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered or to be delivered to the Representatives and, excluding exhibits thereto but including all documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained therein, to the Representatives for each of the other Underwriters have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; no other document with respect to such registration statement or registration statements or document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or registration statements has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in such registration statement or registration statements or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), being hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of such registration statement or registration statements, including all exhibits thereto and the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the registration statement or registration statements at the time such part of the registration statement or registration statements became effective but excluding Form T-1, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement or registration statements became effective, being hereinafter called the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus relating to the Designated Securities, in the form in which it has most recently been filed, or transmitted for filing, with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, being hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any reference herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the applicable form under the Act, as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, 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
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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; any reference to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to only such registration statement or registration statements, as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto, pursuant to which the Designated Securities were registered; and any reference to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the applicable Designated Securities in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof, including any documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such filing);
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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 any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder 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 an Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Designated Securities;
(c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects, to the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date, 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 and any amendment or supplement thereto do not and will not, as of the applicable filing date, 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 an Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Designated Securities;
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(d) The Company maintains a consolidated system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences;
(e) The Company has established and maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that are designed to ensure that all information (both financial and non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and regulations of the Commission, and that all such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company required under the Exchange Act with respect to such reports;
(f) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than the conversion of less than 250,000 shares of the Company’s Class B Common Stock (the “Class B Common Stock”) to Common Stock or issuances or repurchases in connection with employee stock incentive plans or repurchases pursuant to the Company’s share repurchase programs announced during December 2002 and April 2005, respectively, or the repurchases of Common Stock from the Milton Hershey School Trust) or increases in the consolidated long-term debt of the Company and any of its subsidiaries (exclusive of increases of $50 million or less of long-term debt other than capitalized lease obligations, increases attributable to new capitalized lease obligations aggregating $5 million or less and increases related to the translation of foreign currency indebtedness at rates of exchange different from those in effect on the respective dates as of which information is so given) or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;
(g) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;
(h) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
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(i) The Indenture dated as of February 1, 1991 between the Company and Citibank, N.A. has been duly authorized and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and the Indenture constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; the Securities have been duly authorized, and, when Designated Securities are issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities, such Designated Securities will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and the Indenture conforms, and the Designated Securities will conform, to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented with respect to such Designated Securities;
(j) The issue and sale of the Designated Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Designated Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and any Pricing Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, the result of which will have a material adverse change or effect on the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Designated Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Pricing Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof), obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Designated Securities by the Underwriters;
(k) 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 on the consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others; and
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(l) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.
3. Upon the execution of the Pricing Agreement applicable to any Designated Securities and authorization by the Representatives of the release of such Designated Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer such Designated Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented.
4. Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in global form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours’ prior notice to the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by such Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor by certified or official bank check or checks or wire transfer, payable to the order of the Company in federal or other immediately available funds, all at the place and time and date specified in such Pricing Agreement or at such other place and time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time and date being herein called the “Time of Delivery” for such Designated Securities.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus as amended and supplemented in relation to the applicable Designated Securities in a form approved by the Representatives and the Company and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of the Pricing Agreement relating to the applicable Designated Securities or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b); to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus as amended or supplemented after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities and prior to the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities which shall be reasonably disapproved in writing by the Representatives for such Designated Securities promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Representatives promptly of any such amendment or supplement after such Time of Delivery and furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly 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 for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of such Designated Securities, and during such same period to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes 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 Designated Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of such Designated Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or
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Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Designated Securities or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify such Designated Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and secondary transactions therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of such Designated Securities, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) To furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in such quantities as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request, and if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time in connection with the offering or sale of the Designated Securities and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason, it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify the Representatives and upon their request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c)), consolidated statements of income of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including at the option of the Company Rule 158); and
(e) During the period beginning from the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated Securities and continuing to and including the earlier of (i) the termination of trading restrictions for such Designated Securities, as notified to the Company by the Representatives and (ii) the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the Company which mature more than one year after such Time of Delivery (other than borrowings under lines of credit existing on the date of such Pricing Agreement) and which are substantially similar to such Designated Securities, without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
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6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, any indenture, any Blue Sky Memorandum and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Designated Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Designated Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (iv) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the Designated Securities; (v) any filing fees incident to any required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Designated Securities; (vi) the cost of preparing the Designated Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of any Trustee and any agent of any Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for any Trustee in connection with any Indenture and the Designated Securities; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, Section 8 and Section 11 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Designated Securities by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities under the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall be subject, in the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company in or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities are, at and as of the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, true and correct, to the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the applicable Designated Securities shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission, and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Representatives’ reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Counsel for the Underwriters shall have furnished to the Representatives such opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of the Indenture, the Designated Securities, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and
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other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) Counsel for the Company satisfactory to the Representatives or the General Counsel to the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a written opinion dated the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(iii) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge and 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 on the consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and, to such counsel’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(iv) This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(v) The Designated Securities have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and the Designated Securities and the Indenture conform to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(vi) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto and constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;
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(vii) The issue and sale of the Designated Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Designated Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, the result of which will have a material adverse change or effect on the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, nor will such actions result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation known to such counsel of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties;
(viii) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Designated Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or such Pricing Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Designated Securities by the Underwriters;
(ix) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and they have no reason to believe that any of such documents, when they became effective or were so filed, as the case may be, contained, in the case of a registration statement which became effective under the Act, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or, in the case of other documents which were filed under the Act or the Exchange Act with the Commission, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made when such documents were so filed, not misleading; and
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(x) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any further amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, they have no reason to believe that, as of its effective date, the Registration Statement or any further amendment thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that, as of its date, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading or that, as of the Time of Delivery, either the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading; and they do not know of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be filed or any contracts or other documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented which are not filed or incorporated by reference or described as required;
(d) At the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company that has certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter, dated the Time of Delivery, to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto, and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives;
(e) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than the conversion of less than 250,000 shares of Class B Common Stock to Common Stock or issuances or repurchases in connection with employee stock incentive plans or repurchases pursuant to the Company’s share repurchase programs announced during December 2002 and April 2005, respectively, or the repurchases of Common Stock from the Milton Hershey School Trust) or increases in the consolidated long-term debt of the
11
Company and any of its subsidiaries (exclusive of increases of $50 million or less of long-term debt other than capitalized lease obligations, increases attributable to new capitalized lease obligations aggregating $5 million or less and increases related to the translation of foreign currency indebtedness at rates of exchange different from those in effect on the respective dates as of which information is so given) or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, the effect of which is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(f) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or Standard & Poor’s Corporation (“S&P”) and (ii) neither Moody’s nor S&P shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities;
(g) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the securities of the Company or in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; or (iii) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified in this Clause (iii) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented; and
(h) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representatives at the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities a certificate or certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the Representatives as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request.
8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue
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statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Designated Securities, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and, subject to subsection (c) below, will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Designated Securities, or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Designated Securities; and provided, further, that the Company shall not be liable to any Underwriter under the indemnity agreement in this subsection (a) with respect to any Preliminary Prospectus to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter results from the fact such Underwriter sold Designated Securities to a person to whom there was not sent or given, at or prior to the written confirmation of such sale, a copy of the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by reference) or of the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented (excluding documents incorporated by reference) in any case where such delivery is required by the Act if the Company has previously furnished copies thereof to such Underwriter and the loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter results from an untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Prospectus which was corrected in the Prospectus (or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented).
(b) Each Underwriter severally will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Designated Securities, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Designated Securities, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and, subject to subsection (c) below, will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
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(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection and only to the extent such indemnifying party has been prejudiced by such omission so to notify. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) above shall only be liable for the legal expenses of one counsel for all indemnified parties in each jurisdiction in which any claim or action is brought. An indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above shall not enter into a settlement of any litigation in respect of which a claim is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection unless such settlement is effected with the consent of the indemnifying party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated Securities on the other from the offering of the Designated Securities to which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated Securities on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and such Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from such offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriters. The relative fault 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 omissions to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or such Underwriters on the other and the parties’
14
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the applicable Designated Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of 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 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The obligations of the Underwriters of Designated Securities in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations with respect to such securities and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of any Underwriter and to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act, and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Designated Securities which it has agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities, the Representatives may in their discretion arrange for themselves or another party or other party or other parties to purchase such Designated Securities on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of such Designated Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Designated Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed period, the Representatives notify the Company that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Designated Securities, or the Company notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Designated Securities, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration
15
Statement or the Prospectus which in the reasonable opinion of the Representatives may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above the aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the Designated Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under such Pricing Agreement) of the Designated Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of Designated Securities which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the Designated Securities, as referred to in subsection (b) above, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof, but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any officer or director or controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of any payment of the Designated Securities.
11. If any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter with respect to the Designated Securities covered by such Pricing Agreement except as provided in Section 6 and Section 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason Designated Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the
16
Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the Representatives, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of such Designated Securities, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter with respect to such Designated Securities except as provided in Section 6 and Section 8 hereof.
12. The Company acknowledges and agrees that, in connection with all aspects of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Company and the Underwriters have an arms length business relationship that creates no fiduciary duty on the part of any Underwriter, and each expressly disclaims any fiduciary relationship.
13. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters of Designated Securities shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, e-mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, e-mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice to any Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, e-mail or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters’ Questionnaire, or e-mail constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by the Representatives. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
14. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Section 8 and Section 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company or any Underwriter and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement or any such Pricing Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Designated Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
15. Time shall be of the essence of each Pricing Agreement. As used herein, “business day” shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.
16. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
17
17. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto and thereon in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]
18
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us five counterparts hereof.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| The Hershey Company | ||
| By: | /s/ David J. West | |
| Name: | David J. West | |
| Title: | Senior Vice President, | |
| Chief Financial Officer | ||
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Banc of America Securities LLC
| By: | /s/ Lily Chang | |
| Name: | Lily Chang | |
| Title: | Principal | |
| UBS Securities LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Christian Stewart | |
| Name: | Christian Stewart | |
| Title: | Managing Director | |
| By: | /s/ John Doherty | |
| Name: | John Doherty | |
| Title: | Executive Director | |
19
ANNEX 1
Pricing Agreement
Banc of America Securities LLC
9 West 57th Street
New York, New York 10019
UBS Securities LLC
677 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, Connecticut 06901
[Names of Co-Representatives]
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
, 20
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Hershey Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Underwriting Agreement, dated , 20 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), [between the Company on the one hand and Banc of America Securities LLC, UBS Securities LLC[,] [and (names of Co-Representatives named therein)] on the other hand], to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) the Securities specified in Schedule II hereto (the “Designated Securities”). Each of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein; and each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Pricing Agreement, except that each representation and warranty which refers to the Prospectus in Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation or warranty as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as therein defined), and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Pricing Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to the Designated Securities which are the subject of this Pricing Agreement. Each reference to the Representatives herein and in the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference shall be deemed to refer to you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The Representatives designated to act on behalf of the Representatives and on behalf of each of the Underwriters of the Designated Securities pursuant to Section 12 of the Underwriting Agreement and the address of the Representatives referred to in such Section 12 are set forth at the end of Schedule II hereto.
An amendment to the Registration Statements or a supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Securities, in the form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the Commission.
1
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto, the principal amount of Designated Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us [five] counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereto, including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on the part of the Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| The Hershey Company | ||
| By |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Accepted as of the date hereof:
| Banc of America Securities LLC | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| UBS Securities LLC | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| [Name(s) of Co-Representative(s)] | ||
| By: |
| |
2
SCHEDULE I
| Underwriter |
Principal Amount of Purchased | ||
| Banc of America Securities LLC |
$ | ||
| UBS Securities LLC |
|||
| [Names(s) of Co-Representatives(s)] |
|||
| [Names of other Underwriters] |
|||
| Total |
$ | ||
3
SCHEDULE II
Title of Designated Securities:
[ %] [Floating Rate] [Zero Coupon] [Notes]
[Debentures] due
Aggregate principal amount
[$]
Price to Public
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued interest from to [and accrued amortization, if any, from to ]
Purchase Price by Underwriters:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued interest from to [and accrued amortization, if any, from to ]
Indenture:
Indenture dated , 19 , between the Company and , as Trustee
Maturity:
Interest Rate:
[ %] [Zero Coupon] [See Floating Rate Provisions]
Interest Payment Dates:
[months and dates]
Redemption Provisions:
[No provisions for redemption]
[The Designated Securities may be redeemed, otherwise than through the sinking fund, in whole or in part at the option of the Company, in the amount of [$] or an integral multiple thereof.
[on or after , at the following redemption prices (expressed in percentages of principal amount). If [redeemed on or before , %, and if] redeemed during the 12-month period beginning .
| Year |
Price Redemption |
4
and thereafter at 100% of their principal amount, together in each case with accrued interest to the redemption date.]
[on any interest payment date falling on or after , at the election of the Company, at a redemption price equal to the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest to the date of redemption.]
[Other possible redemption provisions, such as mandatory redemption upon occurrence of certain events or redemption for changes in tax law]
[Restriction on refunding]
Sinking Fund Provisions:
[No sinking fund provisions]
[The Designated Securities are entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund to retire [$] principal amount of Designated Securities on in each of the years through at 100% of their principal amount plus accrued interest] [, together with [cumulative] [noncumulative] redemptions at the option of the Company to retire an additional [$] principal amount of Designated Securities in the years through at 100% of their principal amount plus accrued interest].
[If Securities are extendable debt Securities, insert—
Extendable provisions:
Securities are repayable on , [insert date and years], at the option of the holder, at their principal amount with accrued interest, initial annual interest rate will be %, and thereafter annual interest rate will be adjusted on , and to a rate not less than % of the effective annual interest rate on U.S. Treasury obligations with -year maturities as of the [insert date 15 days prior to maturity date] prior to such [insert maturity date].]
[If Securities are Floating Rate debt Securities, insert—
Floating rate provisions:
Initial annual interest rates will be % through [and thereafter will be adjusted [monthly] [on each , , and ] [to an annual rate of % above the average rate for -year [month] [securities] [certificates of deposit] issued by and [insert names of banks], [and the annual interest rate [thereafter] [from through ] will be the interest yield equivalent of the weekly average per annum market discount rate for -month Treasury bills plus % of Interest Differential (the excess, if any, of (i) then current weekly average per annum second market yield for -month certificates of deposit over (ii) then current interest yield equivalent of the weekly average per annum market discount rate for -month Treasury bills); [from and thereafter the rate will be the then current interest yield equivalent plus % of Interest Differential].]
5
Defeasance provisions:
Time of Delivery:
Closing Location:
Names and addresses of Representatives:
Designated Representatives:
Address for Notices, etc.:
[Other Terms]
6
ANNEX II
Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary financial information and schedules (and, if applicable, prospective financial statements and/or pro forma financial information) audited by them and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related published rules and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in accordance with standards established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) of the consolidated interim financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial information, prospective financial statements and/or condensed financial statements derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which have been furnished to the representatives of the Underwriters (the “Representatives”);
(iii) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus or included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year agrees with the corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in the audited consolidated financial statements for five such fiscal years which were included or incorporated by reference in the Company’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
(iv) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included or incorporated by reference in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
1
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act as it applies to Form 10-Q and the related published rules and regulations thereunder or are not in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the audited consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included or incorporated by reference in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(B) any other unaudited income statement date and balance sheet items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated financial statements from which such data and items were derived, and any such unaudited data and items were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included in the Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited condensed financial statements referred to in clause (A) and any unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items included in the Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B) were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the consolidated capital stock (other than conversion of less than 250,000 shares of Class B Common Stock to Common Stock or issuances or repurchases in connection with employee stock incentive plans or repurchases pursuant to the Company’s share repurchase programs announced during December 2002 and April 2005, respectively, or the repurchases of Common Stock from the Milton Hershey School Trust) or any increases in the consolidated long-term debt of the Company and any of its subsidiaries (exclusive of increases attributable to new capitalized lease obligations aggregating $5 million or less and increases related to the translation of foreign currency indebtedness at rates of exchange different from those in effect on the respective dates as of which information is so given), or any decreases in consolidated net current assets or net assets exceeding $25 million or other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts shown
2
in the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes, increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to the specified date referred to in Clause (E) there were any decreases in consolidated net revenues or operating profit or the total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with the comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period of corresponding length as the Representatives may reasonably request, except in each case for increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(v) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s) included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other Procedures referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (iv) above, they have carried out certain specified procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the Representatives which are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by reference), or in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the Representatives or in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by the Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages and financial information with the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.
All references in this Annex II to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered on the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated Securities for purposes of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities.
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Exhibit 4(b)
THIS SECURITY (AS DEFINED HEREIN) IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO., AS A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC” OR “THE DEPOSITORY”). THIS GLOBAL SEECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN DTC OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED. UNLESS AND UNTIL THIS SECURITY IS SO EXCHANGED, THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY DTC TO A NOMINEE OF DTC OR BY A NOMINEE OF DTC TO DTC OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF DTC OR BY DTC OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR TO DTC OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR TO DTC.
NEITHER THE HOLDER NOR THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE PAYMENT OF INTEREST HEREON EXCEPT PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS HEREOF.
UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC TO THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED HEREIN) OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE TO BE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY AMOUNT PAYABLE THEREUNDER IS MADE PAYABLE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
| No. 1 | $250,000,000 | |||
| CUSIP No.: 427866 AM 0 | ||||
| ISIN: US427866AM02 |
THE HERSHEY COMPANY
4.850% NOTE DUE AUGUST 15, 2015
The Hershey Company, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor company), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., as a nominee of The Depository Trust Company, or its registered assigns, the principal sum of Two Hundred Fifty Million Dollars ($250,000,000), or such amount as is indicated in the records of the Trustee (as defined herein) and the Depository, on August 15, 2015 and to pay interest thereon semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”) of each year, beginning February 15, 2006, at the rate of 4.850% per year until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. Interest on the Note will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Security shall bear interest from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest in respect hereof has been paid or duly provided for, unless (i) the date hereof is such an Interest Payment Date, in which case from the
date hereof, provided, however, that if the Company shall default in the payment of interest due on the date hereof, then this Security shall bear interest from the next preceding Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid on this Security, from August 15, 2005, or (ii) no interest has been paid on this Security, in which case from August 15, 2005. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the date hereof is after February 1 or August 1 (whether or not a Business Day) (the “Record Date”), as the case may be, next preceding an Interest Payment Date and before such Interest Payment Date, this Security shall bear interest from such Interest Payment Date, which interest shall be payable on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date; provided, however, that if the Company shall default in the payment of interest due on such Interest Payment Date, then this Security shall bear interest from the next preceding Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid, or, if no interest has been paid on this Security, from August 15, 2005. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, subject to certain exceptions provided in the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the Record Date next preceding such Interest Payment Date.
Payment of the principal of and any such interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth on the face hereof.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.
Dated: August 15, 2005
| THE HERSHEY COMPANY | ||
| By: | /s/ David J. West | |
| Name: | David J. West | |
| Title: | Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer | |
| Attest: |
|
/s/ Steven J. Holsinger |
| Steven J. Holsinger Assistant Secretary |
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TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein and referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
| CITIBANK, N.A., as Trustee | ||
| By | /s/ Nancy H. Forte | |
| Authorized Signatory | ||
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[REVERSE OF NOTE]
THE HERSHEY COMPANY
This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of February 1, 1991 (herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company (formerly known as Hershey Foods Corporation) and Citibank, N.A., as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof limited (except as provided in the Indenture) in aggregate principal amount to $250,000,000. The separate series of Securities may be issued in various aggregate principal amounts, may mature at different times, may bear interest, if any, at different rates, may be subject to different redemption provisions (if any), may be subject to different sinking funds (if any), may be subject to different covenants and Events of Default (as defined in the Indenture) and may otherwise vary as in the Indenture provided. The Indenture further provides that the Securities of a single series may be issued at various times, with different maturity dates and may bear interest at different rates.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, then the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of this series then Outstanding may declare the principal of the Securities of this series and accrued interest thereon, if any, to be due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment or supplementing thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the holders of not less than 66 2/3% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults or Events of Default under the Indenture and the consequences of any such defaults or Events of Default. Any such consent or waiver (unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding upon the holder and upon all future holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest, if any, on this Security at the time, place and rate, if any, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
This Security shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in the names of Persons other than the Depository with respect to such series or its nominee only as provided in this paragraph.
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This Security shall be so exchangeable if (x) the Depository notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for such series or at any time ceases to be a clearing agency registered as such under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (y) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate providing that this Security shall be so exchangeable or (z) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series. Securities so issued in exchange for this Security shall be of the same series, having the same interest rate, if any, and maturity and having the same terms as this Security, in authorized denominations and in the aggregate having the same principal amount as this Security and registered in such names as the Depository for such Global Security shall direct.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of a Security of the series of which this Security is a part is registrable in the Security register, upon due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest, if any, on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security registrar, duly executed by the holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series, having the same interest rate, if any, and maturity and having the same terms as this Security, of any authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
The Securities of the series of which this Security is a part are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series of a different authorized denomination having the same interest rate, if any, and maturity and having the same terms as such Securities, as requested by the holder surrendering the same.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
No recourse for the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on this Security, or for any claim based hereon or otherwise in respect hereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto or in any Security, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, official or director, as such, past present or future, of the Company or of any successor entity, either directly or through the Company or any successor Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released; provided, that nothing contained herein or in the Indenture shall be taken to prevent recourse to and the enforcement of the liability, if any, of any stockholder or subscriber to capital stock upon or in respect of shares of capital stock not fully paid.
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The Securities shall be redeemable at the option of the Company at any time and from time to time (a “Redemption Date”), in whole or in part, at a redemption price (the “Redemption Price”) equal to the sum of (i) the principal amount of the Securities being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to but excluding the Redemption Date and (ii) the Make-Whole Amount (as defined below), if any.
If the Company has given notice as provided in the Indenture and funds for the redemption of the Securities called for redemption have been made available on the Redemption Date, such Securities shall cease to bear interest on the Redemption Date. Thereafter, the only right of the holders of the Securities shall be to receive payment of the Redemption Price.
The Company shall give notice of any optional redemption to holders of the Security at their addresses, as shown in the security register for the Securities, not more than 45 nor less than 30 days prior to the Redemption Date. The notice of redemption shall specify, among other items, the Redemption Price and the principal amount of the Securities held by such holder to be redeemed.
If less than all of the Securities are to be redeemed, the Company shall give the Trustee at least 60 days prior notice of the Redemption Date and of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed, and the Trustee shall select the Securities or portions of Securities to be redeemed either pro rata or by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate; provided that if, at the time of redemption, such Securities are registered as Global Securities, the Depository shall determine, in accordance with its procedures, the principal amount of such Securities held by each owner of beneficial interests in Global Securities to be redeemed. The Trustee may select for redemption Securities and portions of Securities in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.
“Make-Whole Amount” means the excess of (1) the aggregate present value, on the Redemption Date, of the principal being redeemed or paid and the amount of interest (exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date or accelerated payment) that would have been payable if such redemption or accelerated payment had not been made over (2) the aggregate principal amount of the Securities being redeemed or paid. Net present value shall be determined by discounting, on a semi-annual basis, such principal and interest at the Reinvestment Rate (as defined below and as determined on the third Business Day preceding the date such notice of redemption is given or declaration of acceleration is made) from the respective dates on which such principal and interest would have been payable if such redemption or accelerated payment had not been made.
“Reinvestment Rate” for the Securities means 0.15%, plus the arithmetic mean of the yields under the respective heading “Week Ending” published in the most recent Statistical Release (as defined below) under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities” for the maturity (rounded to the nearest month) corresponding to the remaining life to maturity, as of the payment date of the principal being redeemed or paid. If no maturity exactly corresponds to such maturity, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to such maturity shall be calculated pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence and the Reinvestment Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight-line basis, rounding in each of such relevant periods to the nearest month. For the purpose of calculating the Reinvestment Rate, the most recent Statistical Release published prior to the date of determination of the Make-Whole Amount shall be used.
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“Statistical Release” means the statistical release designated “H.15(519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States government securities adjusted to constant maturities, or, if such statistical release is not published at the time of any determination under the Indenture, then such other reasonably comparable index which shall be designated in good faith by the Company.
All terms used in this Security and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
This Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
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Exhibit 99
Pricing Agreement
Banc of America Securities LLC
9 West 57th Street, 21st Floor
New York, New York 10019
UBS Securities LLC
677 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, Connecticut 06901
August 10, 2005
Dear Sirs:
The Hershey Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Underwriting Agreement, dated August 10, 2005 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between the Company on the one hand and Banc of America Securities LLC and UBS Securities LLC (the “Underwriters”) on the other hand, to issue and sell to the Underwriters the Securities specified in Schedule II hereto (the “Designated Securities”). Each of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a part of this Pricing Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein; and each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Pricing Agreement. Each reference to the Representatives herein and in the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference shall be deemed to refer to you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The Representatives designated to act on their own behalf and on behalf of each of the Underwriters of the Designated Securities pursuant to Section 13 of the Underwriting Agreement, and the address of the Representatives referred to in such Section 13, are set forth at the end of Schedule II hereto.
A supplement to the Prospectus relating to the Designated Securities, in the form heretofore delivered to you, is now proposed to be filed with the Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto, the principal amount of Designated Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
1
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us five counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, this letter and such acceptance hereof, including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter is or will be pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement Among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| The Hershey Company | ||
| By: | /s/ David J. West | |
| Name: | David J. West | |
| Title: | Senior Vice President, | |
| Chief Financial Officer | ||
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Banc of America Securities LLC
| By: | /s/ Lily Chang | |
| Name: | Lily Chang | |
| Title: | Principal | |
| UBS Securities LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Christian Stewart | |
| Name: | Christian Stewart | |
| Title: | Managing Director | |
| By: | /s/ John Doherty | |
| Name: | John Doherty | |
| Title: | Executive Director | |
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SCHEDULE I TO PRICING AGREEMENT
| Underwriter |
Principal Amount of to be Purchased | ||
| Banc of America Securities LLC |
$ | 125,000,000 | |
| UBS Securities LLC |
125,000,000 | ||
| Total |
$ | 250,000,000 | |
Schedule I – Page 1
SCHEDULE II TO PRICING AGREEMENT
Title of Designated Securities:
4.850% Notes due August 15, 2015
Aggregate Principal Amount of Notes
$250,000,000
Price to Public:
99.827% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued interest from August 15, 2005
Purchase Price by Underwriters:
99.177% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued interest from August 15, 2005
Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:
Federal (same day) funds
Indenture:
Indenture, dated as of February 1, 1991, between the Company (formerly known as Hershey Foods Corporation) and Citibank, N.A., as Trustee.
Maturity:
August 15, 2015
Interest Rate:
4.850%
Interest Payment Dates:
February 15 and August 15, beginning February 15, 2006
Terms of Notes:
As set forth in the Final Prospectus, dated August 10, 2005, including provisions for make-whole redemption, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company.
Time of Delivery:
August 15, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. New York City Time
Schedule II – Page 1
Closing Location:
The offices of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, One Liberty Plaza, New York, New York 10006
Names and addresses of Underwriters and Representatives:
| Underwriters and Representatives: | Banc of America Securities LLC; | |||
| UBS Securities LLC |
Address for Notices, etc:
c/o Banc of America Securities LLC
9 West 57th Street, 21st Floor
New York, New York 10019
c/o UBS Securities LLC
677 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, Connecticut 06901
Schedule II – Page 2
Exhibit 99.1
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: |
MEDIA CONTACT: | |
| Stephanie L. Moritz | ||
| 717-534-7631 | ||
| FINANCIAL CONTACT: | ||
| James A. Edris | ||
| 717-534-7556 | ||
ALFRED F. KELLY, JR. ELECTED TO THE HERSHEY COMPANY’S
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
HERSHEY, Pa., August 16, 2005 – The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY), a leading snack food marketer and the largest North American confectionery company, today announced the election to its Board of Directors of Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., Group President, American Express Company, effective August 11, 2005.
In announcing the election, Richard H. Lenny, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Hershey Company, said, “Al’s proven leadership and vast experience across diverse consumer segments and in building global brands at such a well-regarded company as American Express will be of great value as we continue to build Hershey’s leadership position. We’re pleased to welcome Al and know that he will be an excellent addition to Hershey’s Board of Directors.”
Alfred F. Kelly, Jr. currently leads many of American Express’ key businesses, including the Consumer Card Services Group, OPEN from American Express, Consumer Travel, Global Travelers Cheques and Prepaid Services, Establishment Services, North America, U.S. Customer Service, Global Risk Management and Interactive Services worldwide. He also has extensive global experience in consumer marketing, strategic planning and development, customer loyalty, and information technology. Prior to joining American
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Express, Kelly was head of Information Systems at the White House and also held management positions in strategic and financial planning at PepsiCo.
He serves on the Board of Trustees of Iona College, New Rochelle, NY. Kelly also is on the Board of Directors of Concern Worldwide USA and the Carvel Children’s Rehabilitation Center, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Additionally, for the past 12 years, Kelly has served as Vice Chairman of the Wall Street Charity Golf Classic, one of the most successful fund-raising events benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Kelly holds a master’s of business administration and bachelor of arts in liberal arts (Summa Cum Laude) from Iona College.
About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is a leading snack food company and the largest North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery products. With revenues of over $4 billion and more than 13,000 employees worldwide, The Hershey Company markets such well-known brands as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses, Kit Kat, Almond Joy, Mounds, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers, Ice Breakers, and Mauna Loa, as well as innovative new products such as Take 5 candy bar and Hershey’s cookies. In addition to its traditional confectionery products, Hershey offers a range of products specifically developed to address the nutritional interests of today’s health-conscious consumer. These products include sugar-free Hershey’s, Reese’s and York candies, as well as Hershey’s SmartZone bars for people seeking balanced nutrition. It also markets Hershey’s cocoa, Hershey’s syrup and other branded baking ingredients, toppings and beverages. Visit us at www.hersheynewsroom.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains statements which are forward-looking. These statements are made based upon current expectations which are subject to risk and uncertainty. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Factors which could cause results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the
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Company’s ability to implement and generate expected ongoing annual savings from the program to advance its value-enhancing strategy; changes in the Company’s business environment, including actions of competitors and changes in consumer preferences; customer and consumer response to selling price increases; changes in governmental laws and regulations, including taxes; market demand for new and existing products; changes in raw material and other costs; pension cost factors such as actuarial assumptions, market performance, and employee retirement decisions; and the Company’s ability to implement improvements to and reduce costs associated with its supply chain, as discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2004.
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