EXHIBIT 1 EXECUTION COPY 3M COMPANY Medium-Term Notes, Series D $1,500,000,000 Distribution Agreement December 12, 2003 Goldman, Sachs & Co. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith 85 Broad Street Incorporated New York, New York 10004 4 World Financial Center, Floor 15 New York, New York 10080 Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated 388 Greenwich Street 1585 Broadway, 2nd Floor New York, New York 10013 New York, New York 10036 J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. UBS Securities LLC 270 Park Avenue, 8th Floor 677 Washington Boulevard New York, New York 10017 Stamford, Connecticut 06901 Dear Sirs: 3M Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to issue and sell from time to time its Medium-Term Notes, Series D (the "Securities") in an aggregate amount up to $1,500,000,000 and agrees with each of you (individually, an "Agent", and collectively, the "Agents") as set forth in this Agreement. Subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and to the reservation by the Company of the right to sell Securities directly on its own behalf, the Company hereby (i) appoints each Agent as an agent of the Company for the purpose of soliciting and receiving offers to purchase Securities from the Company pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof and (ii) agrees that, except as otherwise contemplated herein, whenever it determines to sell Securities directly to any Agent as principal, it will enter into a separate agreement (each a "Terms Agreement"), substantially in the form of Annex I hereto, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof. This Distribution Agreement shall not be construed to create either an obligation on the part of the Company to sell any Securities or an obligation of any of the Agents to purchase Securities as principal. The Securities will be issued under an indenture, dated as of November 17, 2000 (as amended from time to time, the "Indenture"), between the Company and Citibank, N.A., Trustee (the "Trustee"). The Securities shall have the maturity ranges, interest rates, if any, redemption provisions and other terms set forth in the Prospectus referred to below as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time. The Securities will be issued, and the terms and rights established, from time to time by the Company in accordance with the Indenture. 1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Agent that: (a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-109211) in respect of the Securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); such registration statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered or to be delivered to such Agent, excluding exhibits to such registration statement but including all documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus included in the registration statement, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; no other document with respect to such registration statement or document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission (other than the prospectuses filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), each in the form heretofore delivered to the Agents); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the best knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in such registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act, is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto and the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the registration statement at the time such part of such registration statement became effective but excluding Form T-1, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, is hereinafter collectively called the "Registration Statement"; the prospectus (including, if applicable, any prospectus supplement) relating to the 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, including any supplement to the Prospectus that sets forth only the terms of a particular issue of the Securities (a "Pricing Supplement"), 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 therein by reference; any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and any reference to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to and include the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including by the applicable Pricing Supplement filed in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof) in relation to Securities to be sold pursuant to this Agreement, in the form filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof, including any documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such filing); 2 (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 in order to make the statements therein, in 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 in order to make the statements therein, in 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 any Agent expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented to relate to a particular issuance of Securities; (c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any further amendments or supplements thereto 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, and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date in case of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, 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, as of the applicable filing date in the case of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in 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 any Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented to relate to a particular issuance of Securities; (d) The financial statements, and the related notes thereto, included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their consolidated cash flows for the periods specified; and said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis; (e) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, that have resulted or would result in a material adverse change in the general affairs, management, current or future condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business prospects, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its 3 subsidiaries considered as one enterprise (a "Material Adverse Effect"), otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, 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 or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries 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 considered as one enterprise, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; (f) 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 and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and each subsidiary of the Company with annual revenues (excluding inter-company activity) exceeding $300 million for the preceding fiscal year (the "Revenue Target") and each other subsidiary of the Company, if any, that is a significant subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Act) (each, a "Significant Subsidiary") of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the law of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such qualifications, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; the only subsidiaries of the Company which meet the Revenue Target are Sumitomo 3M Limited, 3M France, S.A., 3M Canada Inc., 3M Italia Finanziaria S.p.A., 3M Deutschland GmbH, 3M United Kingdom Holdings P.L.C., 3M Innovative Properties Company and 3M Korea Limited; (g) 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; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary of the Company owned directly or indirectly by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except, with respect to joint venture subsidiaries, for such liens, encumbrances, equities or liens which do not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; (h) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement and any Terms Agreement, 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, which will be substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered, and qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, and constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument, both the Securities and the Indenture being enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization 4 and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles, and subject further, as to enforcement, to any requirements that a claim with respect to any debt securities issued under the Indenture that are payable in a foreign or composite currency (or a foreign or composite currency judgment in respect to such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law or by governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States; and the Indenture conforms and the Securities of any particular issuance of Securities will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented to relate to such issuance of Securities; (i) The issue and sale of the Securities by the Company, the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and any Terms Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any material 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, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or the 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 court or governmental agency or body is required for the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities, the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any Terms Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the Commencement Date (as defined in Section 3 hereof), obtained under the Act or 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 solicitation by such Agent of offers to purchase Securities from the Company and with purchases of Securities by such Agent as principal as the case may be in each case in the manner contemplated hereby; (j) Other than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate result in a Material Adverse Effect, and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings, which, if determined adversely, would individually or in the aggregate have such a Material Adverse Effect, are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others; (k) Immediately after any sale of Securities by the Company hereunder or under any Terms Agreement, the aggregate amount of Securities which shall have been issued and sold by the Company hereunder or under any Terms Agreement and of any debt securities of the Company (other than such Securities) that shall have been issued and sold pursuant to the Registration Statement will not exceed the amount of debt securities registered under the Registration Statement; 5 (l) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation (or Articles of Incorporation) or By-laws or (ii) in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; (m) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Description of Debt Securities" and "Description of Notes We May Offer", insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the captions "United States Taxation", "Plan of Distribution" and "Supplemental Plan of Distribution", insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair; (n) The Company is not and, after giving effect to each offering and sale of the Securities, will not be an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company", as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"); (o) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and (p) The Medium-Term Note Program under which the Securities will be issued (the "Program"), as well as the Securities, are rated Aa1 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and AA by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, or such other rating as to which the Company shall have most recently notified the Agents. 2. (a) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, each of the Agents hereby severally and not jointly agrees, as agent of the Company, to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit and receive offers to purchase the Securities from the Company upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented from time to time (including the Pricing Supplement), and to deliver the Prospectus as amended or supplemented from time to time (including the Pricing Supplement) to all purchasers of the Securities as set forth in the Administrative Procedure (as hereinafter defined). So long as this Agreement shall remain in effect with respect to any Agent, the Company may, without requiring the consent of or payment of commissions to such Agent, solicit or accept offers to purchase, or sell, any debt securities with a maturity at the time of original issuance of 9 months to 30 years. The Company reserves the right to sell, and may solicit and accept offers to purchase, Securities directly on its own behalf, and, in the case of any such sale not resulting from a solicitation made by any Agent, no commission will be payable with respect to such sale. These provisions shall not limit Section 4(f) hereof or any similar provision included in any Terms Agreement. Procedural details relating to the issue and delivery of Securities, the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities and the payment in each case therefor shall be as set forth in the Administrative Procedure attached hereto as Annex II as it may be amended from time to time by written agreement between the Agents and the Company (the "Administrative Procedure"). The 6 provisions of the Administrative Procedure shall apply to all transactions contemplated hereunder other than those made pursuant to a Terms Agreement. Each Agent and the Company agree to perform the respective duties and obligations specifically provided to be performed by each of them in the Administrative Procedure. The solicitation of offers to purchase Securities will be made in a manner consistent with such reasonable guidelines developed from time to time by the Company as agreed with the Agents. The Company will furnish to the Trustee a copy of the Administrative Procedure as from time to time in effect. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to instruct the Agents to suspend at any time, for any period of time or permanently, the solicitation of offers to purchase the Securities. As soon as practicable, but in any event not later than one business day in New York City, after receipt of notice from the Company, the Agents will suspend solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from the Company until such time as the Company has advised the Agents that such solicitation may be resumed. During such period, the Company shall not be required to comply with the provisions of Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k). Upon advising the Agents that such solicitation may be resumed, however, the Company shall simultaneously provide the documents required to be delivered by Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k), and the Agents shall have no obligation to solicit offers to purchase the Securities until such documents have been received by the Agents. In addition, any failure by the Company to comply with its obligations to deliver the documents required by Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k) shall automatically suspend the Agents' obligations hereunder, including without limitation its obligations to solicit offers to purchase the Securities hereunder as agent or to purchase Securities hereunder as principal, until such time as the documents required to be delivered by Sections 4(h), 4(i), 4(j) and 4(k) are received by the Agents. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Company agrees to pay each Agent a commission, at the time of settlement of any sale of a Security by the Company as a result of a solicitation made by such Agent, in an amount equal to the following applicable percentage of the principal amount of such Security sold: Commission (percentage of aggregate principal Range of Maturities amount of Securities sold) ------------------- -------------------------- From 9 months to less than 1 year.......... .125% From 1 year to less than 18 months......... .50% From 18 months to less than 2 years........ .200% From 2 years to less than 3 years.......... .250% From 3 years to less than 4 years.......... .350% From 4 years to less than 5 years.......... .450% From 5 years to less than 6 years.......... .500% From 6 years to less than 7 years.......... .550% From 7 years to less than 10 years......... .600% From 10 years to less than 15 years........ .625% From 15 years to less than 20 years........ .675% 20 years and more.......................... .750% 7 The Agents may offer the Securities they have purchased as principal to other dealers. The Agents may sell Securities to any dealer at a discount and such discount allowed to any dealer may include all or part of the discount to be received by such Agents from the Company. (b) Each sale of Securities to any Agent as principal shall be made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and (unless the Company and such Agent shall otherwise agree) a Terms Agreement which will provide for the sale of such Securities to, and the purchase thereof by, such Agent. A Terms Agreement may also specify certain provisions relating to the reoffering of such Securities by such Agent. The commitment of any Agent to purchase Securities as principal, whether pursuant to any Terms Agreement or otherwise, shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the representations and warranties of the Company herein contained and shall be subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth. Each Terms Agreement shall specify the principal amount of Securities to be purchased by any Agent pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the Company for such Securities, any provisions relating to rights of, and default by, underwriters acting together with such Agent in the reoffering of the Securities and the time and date and place of delivery of and payment for such Securities. Such Terms Agreement shall also specify any requirements for opinions of counsel, accountants' letters and officers' certificates pursuant to Section 4 hereof. Each Agent proposes to offer Securities purchased by it as principal for sale at prevailing market prices or prices related thereto at the time of sale, which may be equal to, greater than or less than the price at which such Securities are purchased by such Agent from the Company. For each sale of Securities to an Agent as principal that is not made pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the procedural details relating to the issue and delivery of such Securities and payment therefor shall be as set forth in the Administrative Procedure. For each such sale of Securities to an Agent as principal that is not made pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company agrees to pay such Agent a commission (or grant an equivalent discount) as provided in Section 2(a) hereof and in accordance with the schedule set forth therein. Each time and date of delivery of and payment for Securities to be purchased by an Agent as principal, whether set forth in a Terms Agreement or in accordance with the Administrative Procedure, is referred to herein as a "Time of Delivery". (c) Each Agent agrees, with respect to any Security denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, as agent, directly or indirectly, not to solicit offers to purchase, and as principal under any Terms Agreement or otherwise, directly or indirectly, not to offer, sell or deliver, such Security in, or to residents of, the country issuing such currency, except as permitted by applicable law. 3. The documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6 hereof on the Commencement Date (as defined below) shall be delivered to the Agents at the offices of Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, at 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the date of this Agreement, which date and time of such delivery may be postponed by agreement between the Agents and the Company but in no event shall be later than the day prior to the date on which solicitation of offers to purchase Securities is commenced or on which any Terms Agreement is executed (such time and date being referred to herein as the "Commencement Date"). 8 4. The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent: (a) (i) To make no amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (A) prior to the Commencement Date which shall be reasonably disapproved by any Agent promptly after reasonable notice thereof or (B) after the date of any Terms Agreement or other agreement by an Agent to purchase Securities as principal and prior to the related Time of Delivery which shall be reasonably disapproved by any Agent party to such Terms Agreement or so purchasing as principal promptly after reasonable notice thereof; (ii) to prepare, with respect to any Securities to be sold through or to such Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Pricing Supplement with respect to such Securities in a form previously approved by such Agent and to file such Pricing Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act; (iii) to make no amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, other than any Pricing Supplement, at any time prior to having afforded each Agent a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on it; (iv) 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 the Securities, and during such time period to advise such Agent, promptly after the Company receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or has become effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus (other than any Pricing Supplement that relates to Securities not purchased through or by such Agent) 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 Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of the 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 amendment or supplement of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and (v) in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of any such prospectus 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 such Agent reasonably may request to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as such Agent may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution or sale of the Securities; provided, however, 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 such Agent with copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, with copies of the Prospectus as each time amended or supplemented, other than any Pricing Supplement (except as provided in the Administrative Procedure), in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, and with copies of the documents incorporated by reference therein, all in such quantities as such Agent may reasonably request from time to time; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities (including Securities purchased from the Company by such Agent as principal) and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a 9 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 immediately notify such Agent and request such Agent, in its capacity as agent of the Company, to suspend solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from the Company (and, if so notified, such Agent shall cease such solicitations as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than one business day later); and if the Company shall decide to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, to so advise such Agent promptly by telephone (with confirmation in writing) and to prepare and cause to be filed promptly with the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that if during such same period such Agent continues to own Securities purchased from the Company by such Agent as principal or such Agent is otherwise required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions in the Securities, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission such an amendment or supplement; (d) To make generally available to its security holders 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) under the Act), an earnings statement 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) by making an appropriate filing with the Commission if the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act or by other means if the Company is not so subject; (e) So long as any Securities are outstanding, to furnish to such Agent copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and deliver to such Agent (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as such Agent may from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to the Commission); (f) That, from the date of any Terms Agreement with such Agent or other agreement by such Agent to purchase Securities as principal and continuing to and including the later of (i) the termination of the trading restrictions for the Securities purchased thereunder and (ii) the related Time of Delivery (provided that such Agent shall notify the Company if such trading restrictions will not terminate on the related Time of Delivery), the Company will not, without the prior written consent of such Agent, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the Company (other than the sale of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement) which both mature more than 9 months after such Time of Delivery and are substantially similar to the Securities; 10 (g) That each acceptance by the Company of an offer to purchase Securities hereunder (including any purchase by such Agent as principal not pursuant to a Terms Agreement), and each execution and delivery by the Company of a Terms Agreement with such Agent, shall be deemed to be an affirmation to such Agent that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of such acceptance or of such Terms Agreement, as the case may be, as though made at and as of such date, and an undertaking that such representations and warranties will be true and correct as of the settlement date for the Securities relating to such acceptance or as of the Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, as though made at and as of such date (except that such representations and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented relating to such Securities); (h) That reasonably in advance of each time the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by a Pricing Supplement) and each time a document filed under the Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, and each time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal pursuant to a Terms Agreement and such Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of an opinion or opinions by Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP, counsel to the Agents, as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company shall furnish to such counsel such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to furnish to such Agent the opinion or opinions referred to in Section 6(b) hereof; (i) That each time the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by a Pricing Supplement), each time a document filed under the Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus and each time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal pursuant to a Terms Agreement and such Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of an opinion under this Section 4(i) as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to such Agent a written opinion of Gregg Larson, Assistant General Counsel of the Company, or other counsel for the Company satisfactory to such Agent, dated the date of such amendment, supplement, incorporation or Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, in form satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect that such Agent may rely on the opinion of such counsel referred to in Section 6(c) hereof which was last furnished to such Agent to the same extent as though it were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that the statements in such last opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date) or, in lieu of such opinion, an opinion of the same tenor as the opinion of such counsel referred to in Section 6(c) hereof but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date; (j) That each time the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by a Pricing Supplement which does not set forth financial information included in or derived from the Company's consolidated financial statements or accounting records) and each time that a document filed under the Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, in either case to set forth financial information included in or derived from the Company's consolidated financial statements or accounting records, and each time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal pursuant to a Terms Agreement and 11 such Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of a letter under this Section 4(j) as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company shall cause the independent certified public accountants who have certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement forthwith to furnish such Agent a letter, dated the date of such amendment, supplement, incorporation or Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, in form satisfactory to such Agent, of the same tenor as the letter referred to in Section 6(d) hereof but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented to the date of such letter, with such changes as may be necessary to reflect changes in the financial statements and other information derived from the accounting records of the Company, to the extent such financial statements and other information are available as of a date not more than five business days prior to the date of such letter; provided, however, that, with respect to any financial information or other matter, such letter may reconfirm as true and correct at such date as though made at and as of such date, rather than repeat, statements with respect to such financial information or other matter made in the letter referred to in Section 6(d) hereof which was last furnished to such Agent; (k) That each time the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than by a Pricing Supplement), each time a document filed under the Act or the Exchange Act is incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, and each time the Company sells Securities to such Agent as principal and the applicable Terms Agreement specifies the delivery of a certificate under this Section 4(k) as a condition to the purchase of Securities pursuant to such Terms Agreement, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished forthwith to such Agent a certificate, dated the date of such supplement, amendment, incorporation or Time of Delivery relating to such sale, as the case may be, in such form and executed by such officers of the Company as shall be satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect that the statements contained in the certificate referred to in Section 6(g) hereof which was last furnished to such Agent are true and correct at such date as though made at and as of such date (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date), or, in lieu of such certificate, certificates of the same tenor as the certificates referred to in said Section 6(g) but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date; and (l) To offer to any person who has agreed to purchase Securities as the result of an offer to purchase solicited by such Agent the right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Securities if, on the related settlement date fixed pursuant to the Administrative Procedure, any condition set forth in Section 6(a), 6(e) or 6(f) hereof shall not have been satisfied (it being understood that the judgment of such person with respect to the impracticability or inadvisability of such purchase of Securities shall be substituted, for purposes of this Section 4(l), for the respective judgments of an Agent with respect to certain matters referred to in such Sections 6(a), 6(e) and 6(f), and that such Agent shall have no duty or obligation whatsoever to exercise the judgment permitted under such Sections 6(a), 6(e) and 6(f) on behalf of any such person). 5. The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees 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 12 Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any Pricing Supplements and all other amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to such Agent; (ii) the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agents in connection with the establishment of the program contemplated hereby, any opinions to be rendered by such counsel hereunder and the transactions contemplated hereunder; (iii) the cost of printing, preparing by word processor or reproducing this Agreement, any Terms Agreement, any Indenture, any Blue Sky Memoranda and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iv) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 4(b) hereof, including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and legal investment surveys; (v) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the Securities; (vi) any filing fees incident to any required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Securities; (vii) the cost of preparing the Securities; (viii) the fees and expenses of any Trustee and any agent of any Trustee and any transfer or paying agent of the Company and the fees and disbursements of counsel for any Trustee or such agent in connection with any Indenture and the Securities; (ix) any advertising connected with the solicitation of offers to purchase and the sale of Securities so long as such advertising expenses have been approved by the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the Company's obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. Except as provided in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, each Agent shall pay all other expenses it incurs. 6. The obligation of any Agent, as agent of the Company, at any time ("Solicitation Time") to solicit offers to purchase the Securities and the obligation of any Agent to purchase Securities as principal, pursuant to any Terms Agreement or otherwise, shall in each case be subject, in such Agent's discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and covenants of the Company herein (and, in the case of an obligation of an Agent under a Terms Agreement, in or incorporated in such Terms Agreement by reference) are true and correct at and as of the Commencement Date and any applicable date referred to in Section 4(k) hereof that is prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, and at and as of such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the condition that prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions: (a) (i) With respect to any Securities sold at or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the Pricing Supplement) with respect to such Securities shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; (ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iii) all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of such Agent; (b) Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP, counsel to the Agents, shall have furnished to such Agent (i) such opinion or opinions, dated the Commencement Date, with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of the Indenture, the Securities, the Registration 13 Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and other related matters as such Agent may reasonably request, and (ii) if and to the extent requested by such Agent, with respect to each applicable date referred to in Section 4(h) hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, an opinion or opinions, dated such applicable date, to the effect that such Agent may rely on the opinion or opinions which were last furnished to such Agent pursuant to this Section 6(b) to the same extent as though it or they were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that the statements in such last opinion or opinions shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date) or, in any case, in lieu of such an opinion or opinions, an opinion or opinions of the same tenor as the opinion or opinions referred to in clause (i) but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such date; and in each case such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters; (c) Gregg Larson, Secretary and Assistant General Counsel of the Company, or other counsel for the Company satisfactory to such Agent, shall have furnished to such Agent such counsel's written opinions, dated the Commencement Date and each applicable date referred to in Section 4(i) hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to such Agent, 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) The Company has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in the United States in which it owns or leases properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of the matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company, provided that such counsel shall state that he believes that both you and he are justified in relying upon such opinions and certificates); (iv) Each Significant Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in the United States in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each such subsidiary have been duly and 14 validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, and the shares of each such Significant Subsidiary owned directly or indirectly by the Company are owned free and clear of all such liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except, with respect to joint venture subsidiaries, for such liens, encumbrances, equities or liens which do not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company or its subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that he believes that both you and he are justified in relying upon such opinions and certificates); (v) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such proceedings, which, if determined adversely, would individually or in the aggregate have such a Material Adverse Effect, are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others; (vi) This Agreement and any applicable Terms Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; (vii) The Securities have been duly authorized and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered by the Company, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, 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 subject further, as to enforcement, to any requirements that a claim with respect to any debt securities issued under the Indenture that are payable in a foreign or composite currency (or a foreign or composite currency judgment in respect to such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law or by governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States; and the Indenture conforms and the Securities will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented; (viii) 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 subject further, as to enforcement, to any requirements that a claim with respect to any debt securities issued under the Indenture that are payable in a foreign or composite currency (or a foreign or composite currency judgment in respect to such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law or by governmental authority 15 to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States; and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act; (ix) The issue and sale of the Securities by the Company, the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and any applicable Terms Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach 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, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of the Company or the 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; (x) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or governmental agency or body is required for the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities, the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any applicable Terms 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 solicitation by the Agents of offers to purchase Securities from the Company and with purchases of Securities by an Agent as principal, as the case may be, in each case in the manner contemplated hereby; (xi) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation (or Articles of Incorporation) or By-laws or (ii) to the best of such counsel's knowledge, in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound that is described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, if such default would result in a Material Adverse Effect; (xii) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Description of the Debt Securities" and "Description of Notes We Offer", insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the captions "United States Taxation", "Plan of Distribution" and "Supplemental Plan of Distribution", insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are correct in all material respects; (xiii) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities, will not be an "investment company" as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act; 16 (xiv) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (other than the financial statements or data and related schedules included therein, as to which such counsel expresses 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 such counsel has 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, and, 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such documents were so filed not misleading; and (xv) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented and any further amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company prior to the date of such opinion (other than the financial statements or data and related schedules included therein or the Form T-1, as to which such counsel expresses 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; nothing has come to such counsel's attention that would lead him to believe that, as of its effective date, the Registration Statement or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the date of such opinion (other than financial statements or data and related schedules included therein or the Form T-1, as to which such counsel makes no statement) 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 the date of such opinion, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the date of such opinion (other than the financial statements or data and related schedules included therein, as to which such counsel makes no statement) 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; and such counsel does not know of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be filed or any contracts or other documents 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) Not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Commencement Date and on each applicable date referred to in Section 4(j) hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, the independent certified public accountants who have certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall have furnished to such Agent a letter, dated the Commencement Date or such applicable date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to such Agent, to the effect set forth in Annex III hereto; 17 (e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, that would result in a Material Adverse Effect, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and (ii) 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 or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries 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 considered as one enterprise, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of such Agent so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the solicitation by such Agent of offers to purchase Securities from the Company or the purchase by such Agent of Securities from the Company as principal, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, provided, however, that in the case where any Agent purchases Securities as principal, the references to the "Prospectus as amended or supplemented" in clauses (i) and (ii) shall refer to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of the date of the applicable Terms Agreement); (f) There shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ National Market; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York declared by either Federal or New York State authorities; (iv) a material adverse change in the financial markets of the United States or an outbreak or escalation of hostilities or the declaration of a national emergency or war if the effect of any such event specified in this clause (iv) in the judgment of such Agent makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities or the purchase of Securities from the Company as principal, pursuant to the applicable Terms Agreement or otherwise, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented; (v) any downgrading in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act; or (vi) no such organization 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; and (g) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to such Agent certificates of officers of the Company dated the Commencement Date and each applicable date referred to in Section 4(k) hereof that is on or prior to such Solicitation Time or Time of Delivery, as the case may be, in such form and executed by such officers of the Company as shall be satisfactory to such Agent, as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of the Commencement Date or such applicable date, as the case may be, as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to the Commencement Date or such applicable date, as the case may be, as to the matters 18 set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section 6, and as to such other matters as such Agent may reasonably request. 7. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Agent against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Agent 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, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other prospectus relating to the 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 will reimburse such Agent for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred, as incurred, by it in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim; 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, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Agent expressly for use therein. (b) Each Agent 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, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other prospectus relating to the 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, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Agent expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred, as incurred, by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. (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. 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 19 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. An indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party. (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 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 the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and each Agent on the other from the offering of the Securities to which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and each Agent 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 each Agent on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions or discounts received by such Agent in respect thereof. 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 omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or by any Agent on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and each Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by per capita allocation (even if all Agents 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 20 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), an Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total public offering price at which the Securities purchased by or through it were sold exceeds the amount of any damages which such Agent 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 each of the Agents under this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to the respective purchases made by or through it to which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates and are not joint. (e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Agent within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of each Agent under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability which such Agent 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. 8. Each Agent, in soliciting offers to purchase Securities from the Company and in performing the other obligations of such Agent hereunder (other than in respect to any purchase by an Agent as principal, pursuant to a Terms Agreement or otherwise), is acting solely as agent for the Company and not as principal. Each Agent will make reasonable best efforts to assist the Company in obtaining performance by each purchaser whose offer to purchase Securities from the Company was solicited by such Agent and has been accepted by the Company, but such Agent shall not have any liability to the Company in the event such purchase is not consummated for any reason. If the Company shall default on its obligation to deliver Securities to a purchaser whose offer it has accepted, the Company shall (i) hold each Agent harmless against any loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of such default by the Company and (ii) notwithstanding such default, pay to the Agent that solicited such offer any commission to which it would be entitled in connection with such sale. 9. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties, covenants and other statements, if any, by any Agent and the Company set forth in or made 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 Agent or any controlling person of any Agent, or the Company, or any officer or director or any controlling person of the Company, and shall survive each delivery of and payment for any of the Securities. 10. The provisions of this Agreement relating to the solicitation of offers to purchase Securities from the Company may be suspended or terminated at any time by the Company as to any Agent or by any Agent as to such Agent upon the giving of written notice of such suspension or termination to such Agent or the Company, as the case may be. In the event of such suspension or termination with respect to any Agent, (x) this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect with respect to any Agent as to which such suspension or termination has not 21 occurred, (y) this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect with respect to the rights and obligations of any party which have previously accrued or which relate to Securities which are already issued, agreed to be issued or the subject of a pending offer at the time of such suspension or termination and (z) in any event, this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect insofar as the fourth paragraph of Section 2(a), Section 4(d), Section 4(e), Section 5, Section 7, Section 8 and Section 9 hereof are concerned. 11. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or in the Administrative Procedure, all statements, requests, notices and advices hereunder shall be in writing, or by telephone if promptly confirmed in writing, and if to the Agents shall be sufficient in all respects when delivered or sent by facsimile transmission or registered mail to: