EX-1.1 3 w88795a2exv1w1.htm UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT exv1w1
 

Exhibit 1.1

_______________ Shares

NII HOLDINGS, INC.
COMMON STOCK ($0.001 PAR VALUE)

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

September [   ], 2003

 


 

September [   ], 2003

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
Banc of America Securities LLC
Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
UBS Securities LLC
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
Sanders Morris Harris
c/o        Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
             1585 Broadway
             New York, New York 10036

Dear Sirs and Mesdames:

     NII Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “Underwriters”), and MacKay Shields LLC, an investment advisor, on behalf of certain client accounts under its control (the “Selling Shareholder”), proposes to sell to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of _______________ shares of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Firm Shares”), of which __________________ shares are to be issued and sold by the Company and _________________ shares are to be sold by the Selling Shareholder.

     The Selling Shareholder also proposes to sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional _________________ shares of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Additional Shares”) if and to the extent that you, as Managers of the offering, shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.” The Company and the Selling Shareholder are hereinafter sometimes referred to as a “Seller” or collectively as “Sellers.”

     The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement, as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule

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462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

     Pursuant to a purchase agreement dated the date hereof (the “Purchase Agreement”), among the Company, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Banc of America Securities LLC, Credit Suisse First Boston LLC and UBS Securities LLC (collectively, the “Initial Purchasers”), the Company has agreed to issue and sell $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of _____% Convertible Notes due 2033 (the “Convertible Notes”), which will be convertible into shares of Common Stock, plus an additional $   ,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes in the event the Initial Purchasers elect to exercise their option thereunder.

     1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

   
      (a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission.
   
      (b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) the Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and (iv) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.
   
      (c) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the

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  Company and its subsidiaries listed on Schedule I (each, a “Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”)
   
      (d) Each of the Subsidiaries has been duly organized, is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (to the extent that such jurisdiction recognizes the legal concept of good standing), has the power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction (to the extent that such jurisdiction recognizes the legal concept of good standing) in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect. All of the issued shares of capital stock, membership interests or equity interests, as the case may be, of each Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (to the extent that such jurisdiction recognizes the legal concept of non-assessability) and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company and, except as described in the Prospectus, are free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims. The Subsidiaries listed on Schedule I are all of the subsidiaries of the Company other than inactive subsidiaries.
   
       (e) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
   
       (f) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
   
       (g) The shares of Common Stock (including the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder) outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
   
      (h) The Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
   
      (i) The consolidated financial statements, together with the related schedules and notes, included and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified (subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements, to normal year-end adjustments); said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.

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      (j) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law, (ii) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary, except, with respect to clauses (i) and (iii), to the extent that any contravention would not have a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as have been obtained or may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares and as to which the failure to so obtain would not have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
   
      (k) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement)
   
      (l) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.
   
      (m) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
   
       (n) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the concurrent issuance and sale of the Convertible Notes and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
   
      (o) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or comparable corporate documents) and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or

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  any Subsidiary is subject, except for such violations or defaults that are described in the Prospectus or would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
   
      (p) Subsequent to the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction, in each case, not in the ordinary course of business or not described in or contemplated by the Prospectus; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock (other than repurchases of unvested shares of the Company’s capital stock pursuant to its equity incentive plans); and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company, except in each case as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.
   
      (q) The Company and its Subsidiaries own or have the right to use, or can acquire or obtain the right to use on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, except where the failure to own or have the right to use such Intellectual Property would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or except as described in the Prospectus. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
   
      (r) Except as described in the Prospectus, each of the Company and the Subsidiaries (i) has all necessary licenses, consents, authorizations, approvals, orders, certificates and permits of and from, and has made all declarations and filings, if any, with all federal, state and local and foreign governmental, administrative or regulatory authorities and organizations, to own, lease, license and use its properties and assets and to conduct its business in the manner described in the Prospectus, including providing digital enhanced specialized mobile radio services as currently conducted by them, except to the extent that the failure to obtain such licenses, consents, authorizations, approvals, orders, certificates and permits or make such declarations and filings, if any, would not have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the violation, revocation or modification of any such license, consent, authorization, approval, order, certificate or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
   
       (s) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified the financial statements and supporting schedules for the Company incorporated by reference and included in the

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  Prospectus, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP are each independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
   
      (t) The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
   
      (u) To the knowledge of the Company, there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
   
      (v) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
   
      (w) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has committed any act in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, as amended, that would have a Material Adverse Effect.
   
      (x) Except as described in the Prospectus and except for the registration rights agreement related to the Convertible Notes, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

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     2. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Shareholder. The Selling Shareholder represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

   
      (a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder.
   
      (b) The execution and delivery by the Selling Shareholder of, and the performance by the Selling Shareholder of its obligations under this Agreement, will not contravene any provision of applicable law, or the certificate of formation or by-laws of the Selling Shareholder, or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Selling Shareholder or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Selling Shareholder, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Selling Shareholder of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.
   
       (c) The Selling Shareholder has, and on the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5 hereof) and on each Option Closing Date (as defined in Section 3 hereof) will have, valid title to, or a valid “security entitlement” within the meaning of Section 8-501 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”) in respect of, the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder or a security entitlement in respect of such Shares.
   
       (d) Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Shares, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Shares on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the UCC) to such Shares), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (C) no action based on any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Shares may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, the Selling Shareholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.

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       (e) The Selling Shareholder has no reason to believe (without independent investigation) that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 are not true and correct, is familiar with the Registration Statement and Prospectus and has no knowledge of any material fact, condition or information not disclosed in the Prospectus that has had, or may have, a Material Adverse Effect. The Selling Shareholder is not prompted by any information concerning the Company or its Subsidiaries which is not set forth in the Prospectus to sell its Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
   
       (f) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in paragraph 2(f) apply only to statements or omissions in or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder expressly for use therein.
   
       (g) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Selling Shareholder, threatened to which the Selling Shareholder is a party or to which any of the properties of the Selling Shareholder is subject other than proceedings that would not have a material adverse effect on the power or ability of the Selling Shareholder to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Prospectus.
   
       (h) The Selling Shareholder has not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or which might reasonably be expected to, cause or result in stabilization nor manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares pursuant to the distribution contemplated by this Agreement, and other than as permitted by the Securities Act, the Selling Shareholder has not distributed and will not distribute any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

     3. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from such Seller at $________ a share (the “Purchase Price”) the number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the number of Firm Shares to be sold by such Seller as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

     On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Selling Shareholder agrees to sell to the Underwriters the

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Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to ________________ Additional Shares at the Purchase Price. You may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice of each election to exercise the option not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5 hereof) nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule II hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

     Each Seller hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, (x) with respect to the Company, during the period ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, and (y) with respect to the Selling Stockholder, during the period ending 60 days after the date of the Prospectus, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.

     The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) the Convertible Notes to be sold pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and any shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion of any Convertible Notes, (C) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof or (D) the granting of any options, deferred shares or other equity awards under the Company’s equity incentive plans, so long as such options do not vest and become exercisable or such deferred shares or other awards do not vest, in each case, in the absence of extraordinary events or occurrences beyond the control of the grantee or recipient, until after the expiration of such 90-day or 60-day period, as applicable. In addition, the Selling Shareholder, agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The Selling Shareholder further agrees that the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder hereunder are subject to the interest of the Underwriters and that, except as otherwise set forth herein, the obligations of the Selling Shareholder hereunder

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shall not be terminated by any act of the Selling Shareholder, by operation of law or the occurrence of any other event.

     4. Terms of Public Offering. The Sellers are advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Sellers are further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $______ a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $_______ a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $_______ a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

     5. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by each Seller shall be made to such Seller in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on September [     ], 2003, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than September [     ], 2003, as shall be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

     Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Selling Shareholder in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 3 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than October [ ], 2003, as shall be designated in writing by you.

     The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

     6. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Sellers to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than 1:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the date hereof.

     The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

 
    (a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:
 
    (i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review

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  for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Company’s securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and
   
      (ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement) that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
   
       (b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 6(a)(i) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date. The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
   
      (c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Williams Mullen, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto.
   
      (d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date the opinions of special foreign counsel for the Company in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru and the Cayman Islands, dated the Closing Date, in the respective forms set forth in Exhibits B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4, B-5 and B-6.
   
      (e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Robert A. Nisi, General Counsel for the Selling Shareholder, dated the Closing Date, in the form set forth in Exhibit C hereto.
   
      (f) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, in the form set forth in Exhibit D hereto.
   
      (g) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from each of Deloitte & Touche LLP and PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and

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  the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.
   
      (h) The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto, between you and certain shareholders, executive officers and directors of the Company and the Selling Shareholder set forth in Schedule III hereto relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.
   
      (i) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Selling Shareholder, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Selling Shareholder contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Selling Shareholder has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.
   
      (j) The Underwriters shall have received from the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof, relating to certain financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not covered in the “comfort letters” referenced in 7(g) above.
   
      (k) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Selling Shareholder shall have delivered the Firm Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement in accordance with Section 5 hereof.
   
      (l) Counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties or the fulfillment of any of the conditions herein contained.

     The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

     7. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

   
       (a) To furnish to you, without charge, seven (7) signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 7(c) below, as many copies of the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.
   
       (b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably

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  object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
   
      (c) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.
   
       (d) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request.
   
      (e) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering the twelve-month period ending September 30, 2004 that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

     8. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses (which shall not include any underwriting discounts or commissions payable to the Underwriters) incident to the performance of the Sellers’ respective obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, the Company’s accountants and counsel for the Selling Shareholder in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or legal investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(d) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or legal investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the National

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Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (v) all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 9 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution”, and the last paragraph of Section 11 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

     9. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the Selling Shareholder, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter or the Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter or the Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter or the Selling Shareholder, as the case may be, furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you or by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder expressly for use therein.

     (b) The Selling Shareholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the Company and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter or the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter or the Company within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to the Selling

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Shareholder furnished by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto. The Company and the Underwriters acknowledge that the information on the Selling Shareholder appearing in the Prospectus in the first sentence of each of the first, second and third paragraphs under the heading “The Selling Stockholder” constitute the only information furnished by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus.

     (c) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Shareholder, the directors of the Company and the Selling Shareholder, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto.

     (d) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 9(a), 9(b), or 9(c) such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel)

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for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Selling Shareholder and all persons, if any, who control the Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for the Selling Shareholder and such control persons of the Selling Shareholder, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Selling Shareholder. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (ii) requires no performance or payment obligations on the part of the indemnified party.

     (e) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 9(a), 9(b) or 9(c) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 9(e)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 9(e)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Sellers on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by each Seller and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company, the Selling Shareholder and the Underwriters, respectively, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Selling Shareholder or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are

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several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.

     (f) The Sellers and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 9(e). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 9(e) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

     (g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 9 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Shareholder contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, the Selling Shareholder or any person controlling the Selling Shareholder, or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

     10. Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets, currency exchange rates or controls or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus. In the event of a termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, on behalf of the Underwriters, hereby agrees to notify the Selling Shareholder of such termination.

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     11. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

     If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule II bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 11 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased, and arrangements satisfactory to you, the Company and the Selling Shareholder for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Shareholder. In any such case either you or the relevant Sellers shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

     If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of any Seller to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason any Seller shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Sellers will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

     12. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

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     13. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

     14. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

   

  Very truly yours,
  NII HOLDINGS, INC.
     
     
 
 By:
 
   
  Name:
  Title:

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  MacKay Shields LLC, an investment advisor,
on behalf of certain client accounts under
its control, as Selling Shareholder

 By:
 
 
  Name:
  Title:

Accepted as of the date hereof

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
Banc of America Securities LLC
Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
UBS Securities LLC
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
Sanders Morris Harris

Acting severally on behalf of themselves and
        the several Underwriters named in
        Schedule II hereto.

By:         Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

 By:
 
 
  Name:
  Title:

 

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