EX-99.1 4 file002.htm UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 99.1

Nalco Holding Company
Common Stock
(par value $0.01 per share)

Underwriting Agreement

March 15, 2006

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.,
388 Greenwich Street, 33rd Floor,
New York, New York 10013.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The stockholders of Nalco Holding Company, a Delaware corporation (the ‘‘Company’’), named in Schedule I hereto (the ‘‘Selling Stockholders’’) propose, severally and not jointly, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to sell to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (the ‘‘Underwriter’’) an aggregate of 15,000,000 shares (the ‘‘Firm Shares’’) and, at the election of the Underwriter, up to 2,250,000 additional shares (the ‘‘Optional Shares’’) of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (‘‘Stock’’), of the Company (the Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriter elects to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof are herein collectively called the ‘‘Shares’’).

1.     (a)    The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter that:

(i) An ‘‘automatic shelf registration statement’’ as defined under Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘‘Act’’) on Form S-3 (File No. 333-130715) in respect of the Stock, including the Shares, has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, became effective on filing; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or any part thereof has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act has been received by the Company (the base prospectus filed as part of such registration statement, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the ‘‘Basic Prospectus’’; the various parts of such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto and any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of Rule 430B to be part of such registration statement, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively called the ‘‘Registration Statement’’; the Basic Prospectus, as amended and supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(a)(iii) hereof), is hereinafter called the ‘‘Pricing Prospectus’’; the form of the final prospectus relating to the Shares filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof is hereinafter called the ‘‘Prospectus’’; any reference herein to the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date of such prospectus; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and any documents filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the ‘‘Exchange Act’’), and incorporated therein, in each case after the date of the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the 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

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reference in the Registration Statement; and any ‘‘issuer free writing prospectus’’ as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Shares is hereinafter called an ‘‘Issuer Free Writing Prospectus’’);

(ii) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission;

(iii) For the purposes of this Agreement, the ‘‘Applicable Time’’ is 5:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement; the Pricing Prospectus as supplemented by the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses and other information listed in Schedule II(c) hereto, taken together (collectively, the ‘‘Pricing Disclosure Package’’) as of the Applicable Time, did not include any 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, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule II(a) or Schedule II(c) hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not include any 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, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions made in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein;

(iv) The documents incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus and 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 required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; 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 required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein 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 the Underwriter expressly for use therein; and no such documents were filed with the Commission since the Commission’s close of business on the business day immediately prior to the date of this Agreement and prior to the execution of this Agreement, except as set forth on Schedule II(b) hereto;

(v) The Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus conform, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement 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; 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 the Underwriter expressly for use therein;

(vi) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, (A) there has not been any material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), business or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a

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whole, and (B) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt (other than an increase not in excess of $75,000,000) of the Company or any of its significant subsidiaries (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X, as promulgated by the Commission (the ‘‘Significant Subsidiaries’’));

(vii) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries owns, leases or licenses all such real properties as are necessary to conduct its operations as presently conducted, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business or results of operations of Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a ‘‘Material Adverse Effect’’);

(viii) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as an entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized with full corporate or other organizational power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or other entity and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification except where the failure to be so organized or qualified, have such power or authority or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(ix) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and conform to the description of the Stock contained in the Pricing Prospectus under the heading ‘‘Description of Capital Stock’’; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company (or in the case of a non-wholly-owned subsidiary, such portion of the capital stock of such subsidiary issued to the Company or any of its subsidiaries), have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, except as otherwise set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company’s subsidiaries are owned by the Company either directly or through its subsidiaries free and clear of any security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance (other than liens, encumbrances and restrictions (i) imposed by the Act and state securities or ‘‘blue sky’’ laws of certain jurisdictions and (ii) imposed in connection with the senior credit facilities described in the Pricing Prospectus);

(x) No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, except such (i) as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in which the Shares are offered and sold or (ii) as shall have been obtained or made prior to the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4);

(xi) None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the sale of the Shares, or the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated, or the fulfillment of the terms hereof will (A) conflict with, result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries pursuant to (i) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject; or (ii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any of its or their properties, other than in the case of clause (i), such breaches, violations, liens, charges, or encumbrances that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (B) result in the violation of the charter or by-laws of the Company;

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(xii) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its charter, bylaws or any equivalent organizational document; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject; or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, other than in the cases of clauses (ii) and (iii), such violations and defaults that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(xiii) The consolidated historical financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company, as of the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein); the selected historical financial data set forth under the caption ‘‘Item 6 — Selected Financial Data’’ in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005, which is incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus, fairly presents, on the basis stated therein, the information included therein;

(xiv) The statements set forth in the Pricing Prospectus under the caption ‘‘Description of Capital Stock’’, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock, and in the Prospectus under the caption ‘‘Underwriting’’, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair;

(xv) No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus;

(xvi) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholders, will not be an ‘‘investment company’’, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the ‘‘Investment Company Act’’);

(xvii) Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and management’s assessment thereof, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

(xviii) The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all non-U.S., U.S. federal, state and local tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus) and have paid all taxes required to be paid by them and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against them, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus;

(xix) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing labor disturbance that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(xx) The Company and its subsidiaries are insured against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged or as required by law;

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(xxi) The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate U.S. federal, state or non-U.S. regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to possess such licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus;

(xxii) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting;

(xxiii)    Since the date of the latest audited financial statements incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;

(xxiv)    The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective;

(xxv) The Company and its subsidiaries are (i) in compliance with any and all applicable non-U.S., U.S. 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 and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under any Environmental Law; and (iv) have not been named as a ‘‘potentially responsible party’’ under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive or comply with required permits, licenses or other approvals, liability or status as a potentially responsible party would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus;

(xxvi) The minimum funding standard under Section 302 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (‘‘ERISA’’), has been satisfied by each ‘‘pension plan’’ (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) which has been established or maintained by the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, and the trust forming part of each such plan which is intended to be qualified under Section 401 of the Code is so qualified; each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under Section 515 of ERISA; each pension plan and welfare plan established or maintained by the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with the currently applicable provisions of ERISA; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred or, except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, could reasonably be expected to incur any material withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA, any material liability under Section 4062, 4063, or 4064 of ERISA, or any other material liability under Title IV of ERISA;

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(xxvii) The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess, license or have other rights to use on reasonable terms, all patents, trademarks and service marks, trade names, copyrights, domain names (in each case including all registrations and applications to register same), inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how, and other intellectual property (collectively, the ‘‘Intellectual Property’’), necessary for the conduct of the Company’s business as now conducted or as proposed in the Pricing Prospectus to be conducted, except where the failure to own, possess, license or otherwise have such rights would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, and except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries own, or have rights to use under license, all such Intellectual Property free and clear in all respects of all adverse claims, liens or other encumbrances except those granted in connection with the senior credit facilities described in the Pricing Prospectus; (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property; (iii) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party challenging the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ rights in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is not aware of any reasonable basis for any such claim; (iv) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is not aware of any reasonable basis for any such claim; and (v) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party that the Company or any subsidiary infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of any third party, and the Company is not aware of any reasonable basis for any such claim;

(xxviii) (A)(i) At the time of filing of the Registration Statement and (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), the Company was a ‘‘well-known seasoned issuer’’ as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; and (B) at the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Shares, the Company was not an ‘‘ineligible issuer’’ as defined in Rule 405 under the Act;

(xxix)    Neither the Company nor any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the Act) has made any offer relating to the Shares in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the Act;

(xxx)  No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) or presentation of market-related or statistical data contained in the Pricing Prospectus or Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith; and

(xxxi) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, no person or entity other than the Selling Stockholders has the right to require registration of shares of Stock or other securities of the Company because of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or otherwise, except for persons and entities who have expressly waived such right or who have been given proper notice and have failed to exercise such right within the time or times required under the terms and conditions of such right.

(b) Each of the Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter and the Company that:

(i) All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders necessary for the execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholder of this Agreement and the Power of Attorney hereinafter referred to, and for the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, have been obtained; and such Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the Power of Attorney and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder;

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(ii) The sale of the Shares and the compliance by such Selling Stockholder with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the Power of Attorney and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not, in any material respect, conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Stockholder is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Formation or Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement or Partnership Agreement or other applicable governing documents of such Selling Stockholder or any material violation of a statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or the property of such Selling Stockholder;

(iii) Such Selling Stockholder is, and immediately prior to each Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) such Selling Stockholder will be, the owner of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims; and, upon delivery of such Shares as directed by the Underwriter, to a nominee designated by The Depository Trust Company (‘‘DTC’’) and the crediting of such Shares on the records of DTC to the securities account of the Underwriter and payment therefor pursuant hereto, (a) DTC will be a ‘‘protected purchaser’’ (as defined under Section 8-303 of the Uniform Commercial Code of Delaware (the ‘‘Delaware UCC’’)) provided that it has no ‘‘notice’’ of an adverse claim within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the Delaware UCC, (b) the Underwriter will acquire a security entitlement in respect of such Shares under Section 8-501 of the Uniform Commercial Code of New York (the ‘‘New York UCC’’) and (c) no action based on an adverse claim to such security entitlement may be asserted against the Underwriter provided that they have no ‘‘notice’’ of an adverse claim within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York UCC;

(iv) Such Selling Stockholder has delivered to the Underwriter an executed copy of a power of attorney, in the form of Annex IV hereto (the ‘‘Power of Attorney’’), appointing Stephen N. Landsman and Bradley J. Bell, and each of them, as such Selling Stockholder’s attorneys-in-fact (the ‘‘Attorneys-in-Fact’’) for the purposes described therein;

(v) Such Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares;

(vi) To the extent that any statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto are made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein, such Pricing Prospectus and the Registration Statement did, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they 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 and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that it is understood and agreed that, for purposes of this Agreement, including Section 9 hereof, the only such information furnished by such Selling Stockholder consists of the information in the Prospectus under the caption ‘‘Selling Stockholders’’ and in the Company’s 2006 Proxy Statement under the caption ‘‘Stock Ownership Information’’, in each case insofar as such information relates to such Selling Stockholder and the beneficial owners of such Selling Stockholder; and

(vii) In order to document the Underwriter’s compliance with the reporting and withholding provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 with respect to the transactions herein contemplated, such Selling Stockholder will deliver to you prior to or at the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) a properly completed and executed United States

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Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).

2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) each of the Selling Stockholders agrees, severally and not jointly, to sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from each of the Selling Stockholders, at a purchase price per share of $17.21, the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriter shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, each of the Selling Stockholders agrees, severally and not jointly, to sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from each of the Selling Stockholders, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder as set forth in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that the Underwriter is entitled to purchase hereunder.

The Selling Stockholders hereby grant, severally and not jointly, to the Underwriter the right to purchase at their election up to 2,250,000 Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth in the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering sales of shares in excess of the number of Firm Shares, provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Attorneys-in-Fact, given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement, setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) or, unless you and the Attorneys-in-Fact otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.

3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Firm Shares, the Underwriter proposes to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter hereunder, in definitive form, and in the authorized denominations and registered in the names as the Underwriter may request upon at least forty-eight hours’ prior notice to the Selling Stockholders shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders to the Underwriter, through the facilities of the DTC, for the account of the Underwriter, against payment by the Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the accounts specified by the Selling Stockholders to the Underwriter at least forty-eight hours in advance. The Company and the Selling Stockholders will cause the certificates representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the ‘‘Designated Office’’). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on March 21, 2006 or such other time and date as the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholders may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date specified by the Underwriter in the written notice given by the Underwriter of the Underwriter’s election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and date as the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholders may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the ‘‘First Time of Delivery’’, such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the ‘‘Second Time of Delivery’’, and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a ‘‘Time of Delivery’’.

(b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriter pursuant to Sections 8(k) and 8(l) hereof will be delivered at the offices of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004-2498 (the

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‘‘Closing Location’’), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, ‘‘New York Business Day’’ shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

5. The Company agrees with the Underwriter:

(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus prior to the last Time of Delivery to which you reasonably object promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to file promptly all material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; 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 subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus in respect of the Shares, of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus or suspending any such qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order; and in the event of any such issuance of a notice of objection, promptly to take such steps including, without limitation, amending the Registration Statement or filing a new registration statement, at its own expense, as may be necessary to permit offers and sales of the Shares by the Underwriter (references herein to the Registration Statement shall include any such amendment or new registration statement); provided that any actions required in connection with the sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus shall be at the Underwriter’s expense;

(b) If required by Rule 430B(h) under the Act, to prepare a form of prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such form of prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than may be required by Rule 424(b) under the Act; and to make no further amendment or supplement to such form of prospectus to which you reasonably object promptly after reasonable notice thereof;

(c) If by the third anniversary (the ‘‘Renewal Deadline’’) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Shares remain unsold by the Underwriter, the Company will file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to you. If at the Renewal Deadline the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to you and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 180 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Shares to continue as

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contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Shares. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be; provided that any actions required in connection with the sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus shall be at the Underwriter’s expense;

(d) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or a dealer in securities or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or to subject itself to taxation in excess of a nominal amount in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction;

(e) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriter with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any events shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter it shall be necessary during such 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 or the Exchange Act, to notify you and upon your request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to the Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as you may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of the Underwriter (notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7), to prepare and deliver to the Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as you may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;

(f) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) 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);

(g) During the Lock-up Period (as defined below), not to offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company), directly or indirectly, including to establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, except as provided hereunder, any Stock, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such substantially similar securities (other than (i) the Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholders hereunder, (ii) the issuance of shares of Stock upon

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the exercise of an option or warrant or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities, in each case outstanding as of the date of this Agreement or described in the Pricing Prospectus as being outstanding on or prior to the First Time of Delivery, (iii) the grant of options to purchase shares of Stock under the Company’s stock option plans existing on the date of this Agreement and described in the Pricing Prospectus, (iv) the issuance of securities of the Company in exchange for the assets of, or a majority or controlling portion of the equity of, another entity in connection with the acquisition by the Company of such entity, provided, however, that in the case of (iv), (A) prior to such issuance of securities, each recipient of such securities shall have executed and delivered to the Underwriter an agreement, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter, to comply with the terms and conditions set forth in Annex III hereto, and (B) the aggregate market value of such securities shall not exceed 5% of the market capitalization of the Company immediately following the First Time of Delivery, and (v) the filing of a registration statement in respect of the Stock during the Lock-up Period), without the prior written consent of the Underwriter. The initial lock-up period will commence on the date hereof and will continue to and include the date 60 days after the date of the Prospectus; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial lock-up period the Company releases earnings results or announces material news or a material event or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial lock-up period the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the initial lock-up period, then in each case the lock-up period will be automatically extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the announcement of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless the Underwriter waives, in writing, such lock-up restriction (the ‘‘Lock-up Period’’);

(h) To provide written notice to the Underwriter and to each of the Selling Stockholders of any event that would result in an extension of the Lock-up Period in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Annex III hereto;

(i) So long as the Company is required to file reports with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (but in any event for a period of no less than two years and no more than five years from the effective date of the Registration Statement), to furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail; provided, however, that the Company may satisfy the requirements of this subsection by making any such reports, communications or information generally available on its web site or by filings such information with the Commission via EDGAR;

(j) So long as the Company is required to file reports with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (but in any event for a period of no less than two years and no more than five years from the effective date of the Registration Statement), to furnish to you copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to you (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 you 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); provided, however, that the Company may satisfy the requirements of this subsection by making any such reports, communications or information generally available on its web site or by filings such information with the Commission via EDGAR;

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(k) If the Shares have not already been listed, to use its commercially reasonable efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the ‘‘Exchange’’);

(l) Upon request of the Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s owned trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by the Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Shares (the ‘‘License’’); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred;

(m) Not to take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares; and

(n) To pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Shares within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Act.

6. (a) The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Underwriter, and the Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would constitute a ‘‘free writing prospectus’’ as defined in Rule 405 under the Act, any portion of which would be required to be filed with the Commission; any such free writing prospectus the use of which has been consented to by the Company and the Underwriter is listed on Schedule II(a) or Schedule II(c) hereto;

(b) The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending; and

(c) The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or 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 then prevailing, not misleading, the Company or such Selling Stockholder will give prompt notice thereof to the Underwriter and, if requested by the Underwriter, will prepare and furnish without charge to the Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein.

(d) Each of the Selling Stockholders represents and agrees to be bound by, and to comply with, the terms and conditions set forth in Annex III hereto.

7. The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders covenants and agrees with one another and with the Underwriter that (a) the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants and the Selling Stockholders’ counsel in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriter and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky Memorandum and any other related documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(d) hereof, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (iv) all fees and

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expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the Exchange; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter in connection with, securing any required review by the NASD of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations and the Selling Stockholders’ obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 7, including the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Company’s representatives or the Selling Stockholders’ representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Shares (it being understood that the Company and the Underwriter shall each bear half of the costs, respectively, associated with any chartered aircraft), and (b) each Selling Stockholder will pay or cause to be paid all taxes incident to the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder to the Underwriter hereunder. In connection with clause (b) of the preceding sentence, the Underwriter agrees to pay New York State stock transfer tax, and such Selling Stockholder agrees to reimburse the Underwriter for associated carrying costs if such tax payment is not rebated on the day of payment and for any portion of such tax payment not rebated. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section 7, and Sections 9 and 11 hereof, the Underwriter will pay all of its own costs and expenses, including the fees and disbursements of its counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by it, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers it may make.

8. The obligations of the Underwriter hereunder, as to the Shares to be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in its discretion, to the condition that (i) all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders herein that are qualified by Material Adverse Effect or another materiality qualifier are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct and (ii) all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders herein that are not qualified by Material Adverse Effect or another materiality qualifier are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct in all material respects, the condition that the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; all material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act shall have been received; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;

(b) Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, shall have furnished to you such written opinion or opinions, dated such Time of Delivery, with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of the Shares and such other related matters as you may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

(c) Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel for the Company and the Selling Stockholders, shall have furnished to you their written opinions (drafts of the opinions are attached as Annex II(a) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you;

(d) Stephen N. Landsman, Esq., General Counsel of the Company, shall have furnished to you his written opinion (a draft of the opinion is attached as Annex II(b) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you;

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(e) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, Ernst & Young LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you (the executed copy of the letter delivered prior to the execution of this Agreement is attached as Annex I(a) hereto and a draft of the form of letter to be delivered on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement and as of each Time of Delivery is attached as Annex I(b) hereto);

(f) Subsequent to the date of the Pricing Prospectus or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), business or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole and after giving effect to the offering, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), the effect of which, is, in the judgment of the Underwriter, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto);

(g) On or after the Applicable Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries’ debt securities by any ‘‘nationally recognized statistical rating organization’’ (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change;

(h) On or after the Applicable Time there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis, if the effect on the financial markets of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in the judgment of the Underwriter makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;

(i) The Shares to be sold at such Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the Exchange;

(j) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(e) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses;

(k) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at such Time of Delivery customary certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to you to the effect that:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Company herein that are not qualified by Material Adverse Effect or another materiality qualifier are true and correct in all material respects at and as of such Time of Delivery;

(ii) the representations and warranties of the Company herein that are qualified by Material Adverse Effect or another materiality qualifier are true and correct at and as of such Time of Delivery;

(iii) the Company has performed in all material respects all obligations and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied pursuant to this Agreement at or prior to such Time of Delivery;

(iv) the Prospectus has 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

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the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) of this Agreement; all material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act has been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act has been received; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information relating to the Registration Statement on the part of the Commission have been complied with; and

(v) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), business or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto); and

(l) Each of the Selling Stockholders shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at such Time of Delivery customary certificates of officers of such Selling Stockholder satisfactory to you to the effect that:

(i) the representations and warranties of such Selling Stockholder herein that are not qualified by Material Adverse Effect or another materiality qualifier are true and correct in all material respects at and as of such Time of Delivery;

(ii) the representations and warranties of such Selling Stockholder herein that are qualified by Material Adverse Effect or another materiality qualifier are true and correct at and as of such Time of Delivery; and

(iii) such Selling Stockholder has performed in all material respects all obligations and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied pursuant to this Agreement at or prior to such Time of Delivery.

9. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any ‘‘issuer information’’ filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (subject to the limitations set forth in the proviso to this sentence) will reimburse the Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein. The Company shall not be liable under this Section 9 to any indemnified party regarding any settlement or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent is consented to by the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

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(b) Each of the Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, 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 the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the liability of such Selling Stockholder pursuant to this subsection (b) shall not exceed the product of the number of Shares sold by such Selling Stockholder and the purchase price per Share to be paid by the Underwriter as set forth in Section 2 hereof. Such Selling Stockholder shall not be liable under this Section 9 to any indemnified party regarding any settlement or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent is consented to by such Selling Stockholder, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

(c) The Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or such Selling Stockholder 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 the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, 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 the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein. The Underwriter shall not be liable under this Section 9 to any indemnified party regarding any settlement or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent is consented to by the Underwriter, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

(d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) 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 counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the

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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 fees and 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. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest (based on the advice of counsel to the indemnified party), (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. 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.

(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) 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 and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other from the offering of the Shares. 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 (d) 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 and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriter 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 and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Selling Stockholders bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter. 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 relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholders on the one hand or the Underwriter on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission and other equitable considerations appropriate under the circumstances. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (e) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (e). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (e) 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

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of this subsection (e), the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

(f) The obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholders under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company and the respective Selling Stockholders may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer, director and affiliate of the Underwriter and to each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the Underwriter under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Underwriter 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 or any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of the Act.

10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriter, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or any controlling person of the Underwriter, or the Company, or any Selling Stockholder, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, or any controlling person of any Selling Stockholder, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

11. If the sale of the Shares provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriter set forth in Section 8 hereof is not satisfied or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company or the Selling Stockholders to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof, the Company and the Selling Stockholders will reimburse the Underwriter on demand for all reasonable out-of-pocket accountable expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Shares, but the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall then be under no further liability to the Underwriter in respect of the Shares not so delivered except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof.

12. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriter shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to: Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, Attention: General Counsel (fax no.: (212) 816-7912); and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Stephen Landsman, Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary (fax no.: (630) 305-2840); and if to any Selling Stockholder shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the Attorneys-in-Fact at the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

13. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and, to the extent provided in Sections 9 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company, any Selling Stockholder or the Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Shares from the Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

14. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term ‘‘business day’’ shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

15. The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm's-length commercial transaction

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between the Company and the Selling Stockholders, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction the Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not as agent or fiduciary of the Company or of any Selling Stockholder, (iii) the Underwriter has not assumed any advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or of any Selling Stockholder with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any Selling Stockholder on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company or to any Selling Stockholder except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the Company and each of the Selling Stockholders has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriter has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company or to such Selling Stockholder, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

16. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriter, or between any Selling Stockholder and the Underwriter, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

17. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

18. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriter hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

19. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

20. The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders are authorized, subject to applicable law, to disclose any and all aspects of this potential transaction that are necessary to support any U.S. federal income tax benefits expected to be claimed with respect to such transaction, and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) related to those benefits, without the Underwriter imposing any limitation of any kind.

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us eight counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholders.

Any person executing and delivering this Agreement as Attorney-in-Fact for a Selling Stockholder represents by so doing that he has been duly appointed as Attorney-in-Fact by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to a validly existing and binding Power of Attorney which authorizes such Attorney-in-Fact to take such action.

Very truly yours,
Nalco Holding Company
By:    /s/ Stephen N. Landsman
           Name: Stephen N. Landsman
           Title: Vice President
Nalco LLC
Apollo Investment Fund V, L.P.
Blackstone Capital Partners IV L.P.
GS Capital Partners 2000, L.P.
By:    /s/ Stephen N. Landsman
           Name: Stephen N. Landsman
           Title: Attorney-in-Fact

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

By:    /s/ Aaron Tavel
          Name: Aaron Tavel
          Title: Vice President

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