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8-K - FORM 8-K - NISOURCE INC. | c61689e8vk.htm |
EX-4.1 - EX-4.1 - NISOURCE INC. | c61689exv4w1.htm |
Exhibit 1.1
NISOURCE INC.
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Guarantees of Debt Securities
Preferred Stock
Guarantees of Debt Securities
NISOURCE FINANCE CORP.
Debt Securities
Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed as to Payment of Principal, Premium
(if any) and Interest (if any) by
NiSource Inc.
Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed as to Payment of Principal, Premium
(if any) and Interest (if any) by
NiSource Inc.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
1. Introductory. NiSource Inc., a Delaware corporation (NiSource), proposes to issue and
sell from time to time certain of its common stock, par value $.01 per share (Common Stock) and
preferred stock, and to issue guarantees of the debt securities issued from time to time by
NiSource Finance Corp. as described herein, and NiSource Finance Corp., an Indiana corporation and
a wholly owned subsidiary of NiSource (NiSource Finance), proposes to issue and sell from time to
time certain of its unsecured debt securities, in each case registered under the registration
statement referred to in Section 2(a) (Registered Securities).
The Registered Securities constituting debt securities will be issued under an indenture,
dated as of November 14, 2000 (Indenture), among NiSource Finance, NiSource and The Bank of New
York (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly known as The Chase Manhattan Bank)), as
Trustee, in one or more series, which series may vary as to interest rates, maturities, redemption
provisions, selling prices and other terms. The Registered Securities constituting debt securities
will be guaranteed as to principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, and additional amounts, if
any, by NiSource pursuant to the guarantee set forth in the Indenture, which guarantee will be
endorsed on each debt security, authenticated and delivered pursuant to the Indenture (the
Guarantee and, collectively, the Guarantees).
The Registered Securities constituting preferred stock may be issued in one or more series,
which series may vary as to dividend rates, redemption provisions, selling prices and other terms.
Particular series or offerings of Registered Securities will be sold pursuant to a Terms
Agreement referred to in Section 3, for resale in accordance with terms of offering determined at
the time of sale.
The Registered Securities involved in any such offering are hereinafter referred to as the
Offered Securities. The firm or firms which agree to purchase the Offered Securities are
hereinafter referred to as the Underwriters of such securities, and the representative or
representatives of the Underwriters, if any, specified in a Terms Agreement referred to in Section
3 are hereinafter referred to as the Representatives; provided, however, that if the Terms
Agreement does not specify any representative of the Underwriters, the term Representatives, as
used in this Agreement (other than in Sections 2(c), 3, 5(b), 5(c), 5(f), 6(d) and 7, the first use
of such term in Section 5(g) and the last use of such term in Section 4(d)), shall mean the
Underwriters.
2. Representations and Warranties of NiSource and NiSource Finance. NiSource and NiSource
Finance, as of the Applicable Time (as so defined in the Terms Agreement relating to each series of
Offered Securities) and the date of each Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3, represent and
warrant to, and agree with, the Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-170385 and 333-170385-01),
including a prospectus, relating to the Registered Securities has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission) and has become effective. Such
registration statement,
as used with respect to a series of Offered Securities, including the information
deemed a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the Act), on the date of such registration statements effectiveness for
purposes of Section 11 of the Act, as such Section applies to NiSource, NiSource Finance
and the Underwriters for the Offered Securities pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the Act
(the Effective Date), including the exhibits thereto and all documents incorporated by
reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 at the Effective Date, is hereinafter
referred to as the Registration Statement; the base prospectus relating to the Registered
Securities in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on or
prior to the date of the Terms Agreement relating to each series of Offered Securities
being herein called the Basic Prospectus; the Basic Prospectus as amended and
supplemented by a preliminary prospectus supplement relating to each series of Offered
Securities and as further amended and supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time
is hereinafter called the Pricing Prospectus; the Basic Prospectus as amended or
supplemented in final form, which is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act with respect to each series of Offered Securities is hereinafter called the
Final Supplemented Prospectus; any reference herein to the Basic Prospectus, any Pricing
Prospectus or any Final Supplemented 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 Basic Prospectus, Pricing Prospectus or Final Supplemented
Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic
Prospectus, any Pricing Prospectus or any Final Supplemented Prospectus shall be deemed to
refer to and include any documents filed after the date of such Basic Prospectus, Pricing
Prospectus or Final Supplemented Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 1934 Act), and incorporated by reference in such
Basic Prospectus, Pricing Prospectus or Final Supplemented 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 NiSource filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
1934 Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement.
For purposes of this Agreement, the documents listed in the Terms Agreement under the
caption, Pricing Disclosure Package, taken together, are referred to as the Pricing
Disclosure Package.
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
Pricing Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material
respects with the applicable provisions of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder, and as of such time of filing, when read together with the
Pricing Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below), 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, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further
documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Final Supplemented Prospectus or
any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents are filed with the
Commission, will comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1934
Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and, when read together with
the Final Supplemented Prospectus as it otherwise may be amended or supplemented, will not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) The Registration Statement complies and the Final Supplemented Prospectus will
comply, and any further amendments or supplements thereto, when any such amendments become
effective or supplements are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will comply, in
all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Act, the 1934 Act, the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (Trust Indenture Act), and the general rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus do not and will not, (i) as of the
Effective Date as to the
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Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, (ii) as of the Applicable Time as to
the Pricing Disclosure Package and (iii) as of the date of the Final Supplemented
Prospectus and the Closing Date as to the Final Supplemented Prospectus or as of the date
when any supplement is filed as to the Final Supplemented Prospectus as further
supplemented, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the case of the
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, and, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading in the case of the Pricing Disclosure Package
and the Final Supplemented Prospectus as further supplemented; except that neither NiSource
nor NiSource Finance makes any representations or warranties with respect to (A) that part
of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statements of Eligibility (Form
T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act or (B) statements or omissions made in a Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Final
Supplemented Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in
writing to NiSource and NiSource Finance by the Underwriters through the Representatives
expressly for use therein.
Each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus does not include anything that conflicts with
the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the
Final Supplemented Prospectus and each such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, as
supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable
Time, will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading, except that NiSource and NiSource Finance make
no representation or warranty with respect to any statement or omissions made in a
Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to either NiSource or NiSource Finance by the Underwriters through the
Representatives expressly for use therein.
(d) With respect to the Registration Statement, (i) the Registration Statement is an
automatic shelf registration statement (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act), (ii)
neither NiSource nor NiSource Finance has received from the Commission any notice pursuant
to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Act objecting to the use of the automatic shelf registration
statement and (iii) the conditions for use of Form S-3, as set forth in the General
Instructions thereof, have been satisfied.
(e) (A) At the time of filing of the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the
most recent amendment to the Registration Statement 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 1934 Act or form of
prospectus) and (C) at the time either NiSource or NiSource Finance, or any person acting
on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the Act),
made any offer relating to the Offered Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163
under the Act, each of NiSource and NiSource Finance was a well-known seasoned issuer (as
defined in Rule 405 under the Act).
(f) NiSource has been duly incorporated and is a validly existing corporation in
good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate
and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus; and NiSource is duly qualified to
transact business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in
which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the
failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction.
(g) NiSource Finance has been duly incorporated and is a validly existing
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Indiana, with power and
authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described
in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus; and NiSource
Finance is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign corporation in good standing in
all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its
business requires such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability
by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such
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jurisdiction; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of NiSource Finance has
been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and the
capital stock of NiSource Finance is owned by NiSource free from liens, encumbrances and
defects.
(h) Each significant subsidiary (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) of NiSource
(each direct and indirect significant subsidiary of NiSource other than NiSource Finance
being hereinafter referred to as a Significant Subsidiary and all such direct and
indirect significant subsidiaries of NiSource other than NiSource Finance being hereinafter
referred to collectively as the Significant Subsidiaries) has been duly incorporated or
duly formed and is a validly existing corporation or limited liability company, as the case
may be, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or
formation, with power and authority (corporate or limited liability, and other) to own its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the
Final Supplemented Prospectus; and each Significant Subsidiary is duly qualified to do
business as a foreign corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, in good
standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the
conduct of its business requires such qualification, or is subject to no material liability
or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction; all of
the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of each Significant
Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and, to the extent
applicable, nonassessable; and except as otherwise disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus, all of the capital stock or other equity
interests of each Significant Subsidiary is owned by NiSource, directly or through
subsidiaries, free from liens, encumbrances and defects.
(i) If the Offered Securities are debt securities issued by NiSource Finance and
guaranteed by NiSource: The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
each of NiSource and NiSource Finance and has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture
Act; the Offered Securities which are debt securities have been duly authorized by NiSource
Finance; the Offered Securities which are Guarantees have been duly authorized by NiSource;
and when the Offered Securities are delivered and paid for pursuant to the Terms Agreement
on the Closing Date (as defined below) or pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts (as
defined below), such Offered Securities will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued
and delivered and will conform to the descriptions thereof contained in the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus and the Indenture and such Offered
Securities which are debt securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations
of NiSource Finance, and such Offered Securities which are Guarantees of such debt
securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of NiSource, in each case,
enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to
or affecting creditors rights and to general equity principles; the Indenture will conform
to the descriptions thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final
Supplemented Prospectus.
(j) If the Offered Securities are preferred stock: The Offered Securities have been
duly authorized and, when the Offered Securities have been delivered and paid for in
accordance with the Terms Agreement on the Closing Date, such Offered Securities will have
been validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions
thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus;
and the stockholders of NiSource have no preemptive rights with respect to the Offered
Securities.
(k) If the Offered Securities are Common Stock: The Offered Securities and all
other outstanding shares of capital stock of NiSource have been duly authorized; all
outstanding shares of capital stock of NiSource are, and, when the Offered Securities have
been delivered and paid for in accordance with the Terms Agreement on the Closing Date,
such Offered Securities will have been validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and
will conform to the descriptions thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and
the Final Supplemented Prospectus; and the stockholders of NiSource have no preemptive
rights with respect to the Offered Securities.
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(l) If the Offered Securities are convertible into Common Stock: When the Offered
Securities are delivered and paid for pursuant to the Terms Agreement on the Closing Date,
such Offered Securities will be convertible into Common Stock of NiSource in accordance
with their terms (if the Offered Securities are preferred stock) or the Indenture (if the
Offered Securities are debt securities); the shares of Common Stock initially issuable upon
conversion of such Offered Securities have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance
upon such conversion and, when issued upon such conversion, will be validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable; the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized
and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and conform to the descriptions
thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus;
and the stockholders of NiSource have no preemptive rights with respect to the Common Stock
issuable upon conversion of the Offered Securities.
(m) If the Offered Securities are Common Stock or are convertible into Common Stock:
Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between NiSource or
NiSource Finance and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against NiSource,
NiSource Finance or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finders fee or other like
payment in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities.
(n) If the Offered Securities are Common Stock or are convertible into Common Stock:
There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between NiSource or NiSource Finance
and any person granting such person the right to require NiSource or NiSource Finance to
file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of NiSource or
NiSource Finance owned or to be owned by such person or to require NiSource or NiSource
Finance to include such securities with the securities registered pursuant to the
Registration Statement or with any securities being registered pursuant to any other
registration statement filed by NiSource or NiSource Finance under the Act.
(o) If the Offered Securities are Common Stock or are convertible into Common Stock:
The outstanding shares of Common Stock are listed on The New York Stock Exchange (the
Stock Exchange) and the Offered Securities (if they are Common Stock) or the Common Stock
into which the Offered Securities are convertible (if they are convertible) have been
approved for listing on the Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance. If the Offered
Securities are debt securities or preferred stock: The Offered Securities have been
approved for listing on the stock exchange indicated in the Terms Agreement, subject to
notice of issuance.
(p) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing with, any
governmental agency or body or any court is required for the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this
Agreement) in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by NiSource
and/or NiSource Finance, as the case may be, except such as have been obtained and made
under the Act and, if the Offered Securities are debt securities, the Trust Indenture Act,
and such as may be required under the Federal Power Act, and under state securities laws.
(q) The execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture (if the Offered
Securities are debt securities) did not, and the execution, delivery and performance of the
Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) and any Delayed Delivery
Contracts and the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities and, if the Offered
Securities are debt securities issued by NiSource Finance and guaranteed by NiSource or
preferred stock, compliance with the terms and provisions thereof will not result in a
breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under,
(i) the charter or by-laws of NiSource, NiSource Finance or any subsidiary of NiSource
(each direct and indirect subsidiary of NiSource other than NiSource Finance being
hereinafter referred to as a Subsidiary and all such direct and indirect subsidiaries of
NiSource other than NiSource Finance being hereinafter referred to collectively as the
Subsidiaries), (ii) any statute or any rule, regulation or order of any governmental
agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over NiSource,
NiSource Finance or
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any Subsidiary or any of their properties, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to
which NiSource, NiSource Finance or any Subsidiary is a party or by which NiSource,
NiSource Finance or any Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the properties of NiSource,
NiSource Finance or any Subsidiary is subject, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii)
where such violation, breach or default would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), business, properties or
results of operations of NiSource, NiSource Finance and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole
(Material Adverse Effect) and would not materially and adversely affect the ability of
either NiSource or NiSource Finance to perform its obligations under the Indenture (if the
Offered Securities are debt securities issued by NiSource Finance and guaranteed by
NiSource), the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) or any Delayed
Delivery Contracts, or which would otherwise be material in the context of the sale of the
Offered Securities; and each of NiSource and NiSource Finance has full power and authority
to authorize, issue and sell the Offered Securities as contemplated by the Terms Agreement
(including the provisions of this Agreement).
(r) The Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) and, if the
Offered Securities are debt securities or preferred stock, any Delayed Delivery Contracts
have each been duly authorized, executed and delivered by NiSource and/or NiSource Finance,
as the case may be.
(s) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus, NiSource, NiSource Finance and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title
to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free
from liens, encumbrances and defects that would materially interfere with the use made or
to be made thereof by them or would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect; and except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final
Supplemented Prospectus, NiSource, NiSource Finance and the Subsidiaries hold any leased
real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no exceptions that would
materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them or would, individually
or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) NiSource, NiSource Finance and the Subsidiaries possess adequate certificates,
authorities or permits issued by appropriate governmental agencies or bodies necessary to
conduct the business now operated by them and have not received any notice of proceedings
relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit
that, if determined adversely to NiSource, NiSource Finance or any of the Subsidiaries
would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus, none of NiSource, NiSource Finance or any Significant Subsidiary has any
material contingent liability.
(v) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits, proceedings or investigations against or
affecting NiSource, NiSource Finance or any Subsidiary or any of their respective
properties, assets or operations that could, individually or in the aggregate, be
reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or to affect materially and adversely
the ability of either NiSource or NiSource Finance to perform its obligations under the
Indenture (if the Offered Securities are debt securities issued by NiSource Finance and
guaranteed by NiSource), the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement)
or any Delayed Delivery Contracts, or which are otherwise material in the context of the
sale of the Offered Securities; and no such actions, suits, proceedings or investigations
are threatened or, to the knowledge of NiSource or NiSource Finance, contemplated.
(w) The financial statements of NiSource included or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Final Supplemented Prospectus
present fairly the financial position of the entity presented and its consolidated
subsidiaries as of the dates
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shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and,
except as otherwise disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus, such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis with all
other financial statements presented for such entity; any schedules included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus and the Final
Supplemented Prospectus present fairly the information required to be stated therein.
(x) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event
involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or other),
business, properties or results of operations of NiSource, NiSource Finance and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, and, except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus, there has been no dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by either NiSource or NiSource Finance on
any class of its capital stock.
(y) Neither NiSource nor NiSource Finance is and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as
described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus, neither
will be an investment company as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
(z) Neither NiSource, NiSource Finance nor any affiliate of either of them does
business with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba within
the meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes and each of NiSource and NiSource Finance
agrees to comply with such Section if prior to the completion of the distribution of the
Offered Securities it commences doing such business.
(aa) At the determination date for purposes of the Offered Securities within the
meaning of Rule 164(h) under the Act, each of NiSource and NiSource Finance was not an
ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Act.
(bb) NiSource maintains a system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
in Rule 13a-15(e) of the 1934 Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to
be disclosed by NiSource in reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is
recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the
Commissions rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that
such information is accumulated and communicated to NiSources management as appropriate to
allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. NiSource has carried out evaluations
of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15
of the 1934 Act.
(cc) NiSource maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as
defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the 1934 Act) that comply with the requirements of the 1934
Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, its principal executive and
principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, 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, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance
with managements general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets
is permitted only in accordance with managements 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.
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(dd) Neither NiSource, NiSource Finance nor any affiliate of either of them nor, to
the knowledge of NiSource or NiSource Finance, any director, officer, agent, employee or
affiliate of them is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of
Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (OFAC); and NiSource
Finance will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Offered
Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any
Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing
the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(ee) Neither NiSource, NiSource Finance nor, to the knowledge of NiSource or
NiSource Finance, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of them has (i) used
any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful
expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment
to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii)
violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977;
or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful
payment.
3. Purchase and Offering of Offered Securities. The obligations of the Underwriters to
purchase the Offered Securities will be evidenced by an agreement or exchange of other written
communications (Terms Agreement) at the time NiSource and/or NiSource Finance, as the case may
be, determines to sell the Offered Securities. The Terms Agreement will incorporate by reference
the provisions of this Agreement, except as otherwise provided therein, and will specify the firm
or firms which will be Underwriters, the names of the Representatives, the principal amount or
number of shares to be purchased by each Underwriter, the purchase price to be paid by the
Underwriters and (if the Offered Securities are debt securities or preferred stock) the terms of
the Offered Securities not already specified (in the Indenture, in the case of Offered Securities
that are debt securities), including, but not limited to, interest rate (if debt securities),
dividend rate (if preferred stock), maturity (if debt securities), any redemption provisions and
any sinking fund requirements and whether any of the Offered Securities may be sold to
institutional investors pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts. The Terms Agreement will also
specify the time and date of delivery and payment (such time and date, or such other time not later
than seven full business days thereafter as the Underwriter first named in the Terms Agreement (the
Lead Underwriter) and NiSource and/or NiSource Finance, as the case may be, agree as the time for
payment and delivery, being herein and in the Terms Agreement referred to as the Closing Date),
the place of delivery and payment and any details of the terms of offering that should be reflected
in the Pricing Prospectus. For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the 1934 Act, the Closing Date (if
later than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the date for payment of funds and
delivery of securities for all the Offered Securities sold pursuant to the offering, other than
Contract Securities (as defined below) for which payment of funds and delivery of securities shall
be as hereinafter provided. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Offered Securities
will be several and not joint. It is understood that the Underwriters propose to offer the Offered
Securities for sale as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus.
If the Terms Agreement provides for sales of Offered Securities pursuant to delayed delivery
contracts, NiSource and/or NiSource Finance, as the case may be, authorize the Underwriters to
solicit offers to purchase Offered Securities pursuant to delayed delivery contracts substantially
in the form of Annex I attached hereto (Delayed Delivery Contracts) with such changes therein as
NiSource and/or NiSource Finance, as the case may be, may authorize or approve. Delayed Delivery
Contracts are to be with institutional investors, including commercial and savings banks, insurance
companies, pension funds, investment companies and educational and charitable institutions. On the
Closing Date NiSource and/or NiSource Finance will pay, as compensation, to the Representatives for
the accounts of the Underwriters, the fee set forth in such Terms Agreement in respect of the
principal amount or number of shares of Offered Securities to be sold pursuant to Delayed Delivery
Contracts (Contract Securities). The Underwriters will not have any responsibility in respect of
the validity or the performance of Delayed Delivery Contracts. If NiSource and/or NiSource Finance
execute and deliver Delayed Delivery Contracts, the Contract Securities will be deducted from the
Offered Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters and the aggregate principal amount
or number of shares of Offered Securities to be purchased
8
by each Underwriter will be reduced pro rata in proportion to the principal amount or number
of shares of Offered Securities set forth opposite each Underwriters name in such Terms Agreement,
except to the extent that the Lead Underwriter determines that such reduction shall be otherwise
than pro rata and so advises NiSource and/or NiSource Finance. NiSource and/or NiSource Finance
will advise the Lead Underwriter not later than the business day prior to the Closing Date of the
principal amount or number of shares of Contract Securities.
If the Offered Securities are preferred stock or Common Stock, the certificates for the
Offered Securities delivered to the Underwriters on the Closing Date will be in definitive fully
registered form, and if the Offered Securities are debt securities, the Offered Securities
delivered to the Underwriters on the Closing Date will be in definitive fully registered form, in
each case in such denominations and registered in such names as the Lead Underwriter requests.
If the Offered Securities are debt securities and the Terms Agreement specifies Book-Entry
Only settlement or otherwise states that the provisions of this paragraph shall apply, NiSource
Finance will deliver against payment of the purchase price the Offered Securities in the form of
one or more permanent global securities in definitive form (the Global Securities) deposited with
the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company (DTC) and registered in the name of
Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. Interests in any permanent global securities will be held only in
book-entry form through DTC, except in the limited circumstances described in the Final
Supplemented Prospectus. Payment for the Offered Securities shall be made by the Underwriters in
Federal (same day) funds by official check or checks or wire transfer to an account previously
designated by NiSource Finance at a bank acceptable to the Lead Underwriter, in each case drawn to
the order of NiSource Finance at the place of payment specified in the Terms Agreement on the
Closing Date, against delivery to the Trustee as custodian for DTC of the Global Securities
representing all of the Offered Securities.
4. Free Writing Prospectuses.
(a) NiSource and NiSource Finance represent and agree that, without the prior
consent of the Representatives, they have not made and will not make any offer relating to
the Offered Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus as defined in Rule
405 under the Act, other than a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus; each Underwriter,
severally and not jointly, represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of
NiSource and NiSource Finance and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make
any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute a free writing
prospectus as defined in Rule 405 under the Act, other than a Permitted Free Writing
Prospectus or a free writing prospectus that is not required to be filed by NiSource and
NiSource Finance pursuant to Rule 433 or one or more free writing prospectuses through
customary Bloomberg distribution that do not contain substantive changes from or additions
to the information contained in the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus attached to the
applicable Terms Agreement; any such free writing prospectus (which shall include the
pricing term sheet discussed in Section 4(b) hereof), the use of all of which shall have
been consented to by NiSource and NiSource Finance and the Representatives, will be listed
in the Terms Agreement and herein called a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.
(b) NiSource and NiSource Finance agree to prepare a pricing term sheet,
substantially in the form attached to the Terms Agreement, and approved by the
Representatives, and to file such pricing term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act
within the time period prescribed by such Rule.
(c) NiSource and NiSource Finance and the Representatives have complied and will
comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any free writing
prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required and legending.
(d) NiSource and NiSource Finance agree that if at any time following issuance of a
Permitted Free Writing Prospectus any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such
Permitted Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration
9
Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Final Supplemented Prospectus or include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances then prevailing, not
misleading, NiSource and NiSource Finance will give prompt notice thereof to the
Representatives and, if requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without
charge to each Underwriter a free writing prospectus or other document, the use of which
has been consented to by the Representatives, which will correct such conflict, statement
or omission; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to
any statements or omissions in a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished in writing to NiSource and NiSource Finance by
an Underwriter through the Representatives, expressly for use therein.
(e) NiSource and NiSource Finance agree that if there occurs an event or development
as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package 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 light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, NiSource and
NiSource Finance will promptly notify the Representatives so that any use of the Pricing
Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented.
5. Certain Agreements of NiSource and NiSource Finance. Each of NiSource and NiSource
Finance agrees with the several Underwriters that it will furnish to counsel for the Underwriters,
one copy of the executed registration statement relating to the Registered Securities, including
all exhibits, in the form in which it became effective and of all amendments thereto and that, in
connection with each offering of Offered Securities:
(a) NiSource and NiSource Finance will file the Final Supplemented Prospectus, in a
form approved by the Representatives, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, with
the Commission pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 424(b)(2) (or, if applicable, Rule
424(b)(5)) not later than the second business day following the execution and delivery of
the Terms Agreement. Furthermore, NiSource and NiSource Finance will make any other
required filings pursuant to Rule 433(d)(1) of the Act within the time required by such
Rule.
(b) NiSource and NiSource Finance will advise the Representatives or Lead
Underwriter, as applicable, promptly of any proposal to amend or supplement the
Registration Statement or the Final Supplemented Prospectus and will afford the
Representatives or Lead Underwriter, as applicable, a reasonable opportunity to comment on
any such proposed amendment or supplement; and NiSource and NiSource Finance will also
advise the Representatives or Lead Underwriter, as applicable, promptly of the filing of
any such amendment or supplement and of the institution by the Commission of any stop order
proceedings in respect of the Registration Statement or of any part thereof and will use
its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and to obtain as soon as
possible its lifting, if issued.
(c) NiSource will comply with the provisions of the Act, the 1934 Act and the rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder so as to permit completion of the distribution
of the Offered Securities as contemplated by the applicable Terms Agreement (including the
provisions of this Agreement), the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package
and the Final Supplemented Prospectus. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the
Offered Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (or in lieu thereof, the
notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales by any
Underwriter or dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Supplemented
Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is
necessary at any time to amend the Final Supplemented Prospectus to comply with the Act,
NiSource and NiSource Finance promptly will notify the Representatives or Lead Underwriter,
as applicable, of such event and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, at the
expense of NiSource and NiSource Finance, an amendment or supplement which will
10
correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance.
Neither the Lead Underwriters or Representatives, as applicable, consent to, nor the
Underwriters delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of
any of the conditions set forth in Section 6 hereof.
(d) As soon as practicable, but not later than 16 months, after the date of each
Terms Agreement, NiSource will make generally available to its securityholders an earnings
statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the later of (i) the
Effective Date of the Registration Statement, (ii) the effective date of the most recent
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement to become effective prior to the
date of such Terms Agreement and (iii) the date of NiSources most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K filed with the Commission prior to the date of such Terms Agreement, which will
satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act.
(e) NiSource or NiSource Finance will furnish to the Representatives copies of the
Registration Statement, including all exhibits, any Pricing Prospectus, any Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus, the Final Supplemented Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to
such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Lead
Underwriter reasonably requests. NiSource or NiSource Finance will pay the expenses of
printing and distributing to the Underwriters all such documents.
(f) NiSource or NiSource Finance will arrange for the qualification of the Offered
Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives or Lead
Underwriter, as applicable, designates and will continue such qualifications in effect so
long as required for the distribution, provided that, in connection with such
qualification, neither NiSource nor NiSource Finance shall be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or file a general consent to service of process in any such
jurisdiction.
(g) During the period of five years after the date of any Terms Agreement, NiSource
will furnish to the Representatives and, upon request, to each of the other Underwriters,
if any, as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of its annual
report to stockholders for such year; and NiSource will furnish to the Representative (i)
as soon as available, a copy of each report and any definitive proxy statement of NiSource
filed with the Commission under the 1934 Act or mailed to stockholders, and (ii) from time
to time, such other information concerning NiSource or NiSource Finance as the Lead
Underwriter may reasonably request.
(h) Each of NiSource and/or NiSource Finance will pay all expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this
Agreement), any filing fees or other expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel)
in connection with qualification of the Registered Securities for sale under the laws of
such jurisdictions as the Lead Underwriter may designate and the printing of memoranda
relating thereto, any fees charged by investment rating agencies for the rating of the
Offered Securities (if they are debt securities or preferred stock), any applicable filing
fee incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters
in connection with, any review by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority of the
Registered Securities, the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including
related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties), any fees and expenses incurred
in connection with the listing of the Offered Securities on the Stock Exchange and any
travel expenses of its officers and employees and any other expenses incurred by it in
connection with attending or hosting meetings with prospective purchasers of Registered
Securities.
(i) If the Offered Securities are debt securities or preferred stock, neither
NiSource nor NiSource Finance will offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise
dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement
under the Act relating to United States dollar-denominated debt securities issued by
NiSource Finance and guaranteed by NiSource and having a maturity of more than one year
from the date of issue (if the Offered Securities are debt securities) or any series of
preferred stock issued by NiSource (if the Offered Securities are
11
preferred stock), or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale,
pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior written consent of the Representatives for
a period beginning at the time of execution of the Terms Agreement and ending the number of
days after the Closing Date specified under Blackout in the Terms Agreement.
(j) If the Offered Securities are Common Stock or are convertible into Common Stock,
NiSource will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly
or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating
to, any additional shares of its Common Stock or securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of its Common Stock, or publicly disclose the
intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior
written consent of the Representatives for a period beginning at the time of execution of
the Terms Agreement and ending the number of days after the Closing Date specified under
Blackout in the Terms Agreement, except issuances of Common Stock pursuant to the
conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or the exercise of
warrants or options, in each case outstanding on the date of the Terms Agreement, grants of
employee stock options pursuant to the terms of a plan in effect on the date of the Terms
Agreement, or issuances of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of such options.
(k) If at any time when Offered Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters, either
NiSource or NiSource Finance receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule
401(g)(2) of the Act or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf
registration statement form, NiSource or NiSource Finance will (i) promptly notify the
Representatives or Lead Underwriter, as applicable, (ii) promptly file a new registration
statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Offered
Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives or Lead Underwriter, as
applicable, (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement or
post-effective amendment to be declared effective and (iv) promptly notify the
Representatives or Lead Underwriter, as applicable, of such effectiveness. NiSource and
NiSource Finance will take all other reasonable action necessary or appropriate to permit
the public offering and sale of the Offered Securities to continue as contemplated in the
registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which
NiSource or NiSource Finance has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the
Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective
amendment, as the case may be.
6. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriter. The obligations of the several
Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Offered Securities will be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of NiSource and NiSource Finance herein, to the accuracy
of the statements of officers of NiSource and NiSource Finance made pursuant to the provisions
hereof, to the performance by each of NiSource and NiSource Finance of its obligations hereunder
and to the following additional conditions precedent:
(a) On or prior to the date of the Terms Agreement, the Representatives shall have
received a letter, dated the date of delivery thereof, of Deloitte & Touche LLP, confirming
that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the
Act and the applicable published rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and
stating to the effect that:
(i) in their opinion the financial statements and financial statement
schedules audited by them and incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Final Supplemented Prospectus comply as
to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
Act and the related published rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(ii) they have performed the procedures specified by the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board for a review of interim financial information as
described in Statement of Auditing Standards No. 100, Interim Financial
Information, or Statement of Auditing Standards No. 71, Interim Financial
Information, as applicable, on any unaudited
12
financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
and the Pricing Prospectus;
(iii) on the basis of the review referred to in clause (ii) above, a reading
of the latest available interim financial statements of NiSource, inquiries of
officials of NiSource who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters
and other specified procedures, nothing came to their attention that caused them to
believe that:
(A) the unaudited financial statements, if any, incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the
Final Supplemented Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the
related published rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder or
any material modifications should be made to such unaudited financial
statements for them to be in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles;
(B) if any unaudited capsule information is contained in the
Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus, the unaudited consolidated operating revenues, gross income,
net income and net income per share amounts or other amounts constituting
such capsule information and described in such letter do not agree with
the corresponding amounts set forth in the unaudited consolidated
financial statements or were not determined on a basis substantially
consistent with that of the corresponding amounts in the audited
statements of income;
(C) at the date of the latest available balance sheet read by such
accountants, or at a subsequent specified date not more than three
business days prior to the date of such letter, there was any change in
the capital stock or any increase in short-term indebtedness or long-term
debt of NiSource and its consolidated subsidiaries or, at the date of the
latest available balance sheet read by such accountants, there was any
decrease in consolidated net current assets or net assets, as compared
with amounts shown on the latest balance sheet incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Final
Supplemented Prospectus; or
(D) for the period from the closing date of the latest income
statement incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Pricing
Prospectus and Final Supplemented Prospectus to the closing date of the
latest available income statement read by such accountants there were any
decreases, as compared with the corresponding period of the previous year,
in consolidated gross revenues, operating income or net income;
except in all cases set forth in clauses (C) and (D) above for changes,
increases or decreases which the Registration Statement, the Pricing
Prospectus and the Final Supplemented Prospectus discloses have occurred
or may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(iv) they have compared specified dollar amounts (or percentages derived
from such dollar amounts) and other financial information contained in the Pricing
Prospectus and the Final Supplemented Prospectus (in each case to the extent that
such dollar amounts, percentages and other financial information are derived from
the general accounting records of NiSource and its subsidiaries subject to the
internal controls of NiSources accounting system or are derived directly from such
records by analysis or computation) with the results obtained from inquiries, a
reading of such general accounting records and other procedures specified in such
letter and have found such dollar amounts,
13
percentages and other financial information to be in agreement with such
results, except as otherwise specified in such letter.
All financial statements and schedules included in material incorporated by
reference into the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Final
Supplemented Prospectus shall be deemed included in the Registration Statement, the
Pricing Prospectus and the Final Supplemented Prospectus for purposes of this
subsection.
(b) The Final Supplemented Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act and Section 5(a)
of this Agreement. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or of any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose
or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act against NiSource or NiSource Finance shall have been
instituted or, to the knowledge of NiSource, NiSource Finance or any Underwriter, shall be
contemplated by the Commission. The pricing term sheet contemplated by Section 4(b) of
this Agreement, and any other material required to be filed by NiSource pursuant to Rule
433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed by NiSource with the Commission within the
applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433.
(c) Subsequent to the execution of the Terms Agreement, there shall not have
occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the
condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of NiSource,
NiSource Finance and the Subsidiaries taken as one enterprise which, in the judgment of a
majority in interest of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed with completion of the public offering or the sale of
and payment for the Offered Securities; (ii) any downgrading in the rating of any debt
securities or preferred stock of NiSource or NiSource Finance, as the case may be, by any
nationally recognized statistical rating organization (as defined for purposes of Rule
436(g) under the Act), or any public announcement that any such organization has under
surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities or preferred stock of NiSource or
NiSource Finance, as the case may be, (other than an announcement with positive
implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such
rating); (iii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic
conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls as would, in the judgment of a
majority in interest of the Underwriters including any Representatives, be likely to
prejudice materially the success of the proposed issue, sale or disposition of the Offered
Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary
market; (iv) any material suspension or material limitation of trading in securities
generally on the Stock Exchange, or any setting of minimum prices for trading on such
exchange, or any suspension of trading of any securities of NiSource or NiSource Finance on
any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (v) any banking moratorium declared by U.S.
Federal or New York authorities; (vi) any major disruption of settlements of securities or
clearance services in the United States or (vii) any attack on outbreak or escalation of
hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by
Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment
of a majority in interest of the Underwriters, including any Representatives, the effect of
any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency makes it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed with completion of the public offering or the sale of
and payment for the Offered Securities.
(d) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of
Schiff Hardin LLP, counsel for NiSource and NiSource Finance, to the effect that:
(i) NiSource has been duly incorporated and is a validly existing
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as
described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus;
and NiSource is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign corporation and is
in good standing under the laws of the State of Indiana;
14
(ii) NiSource Finance has been duly incorporated and is a validly existing
corporation under the laws of the State of Indiana, with corporate power and
authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus;
(iii) If the Offered Securities are debt securities issued by NiSource
Finance and guaranteed by NiSource: The Indenture has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by each of NiSource and NiSource Finance, has been duly
qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes legal, valid and binding
obligations of NiSource and NiSource Finance enforceable against NiSource and
NiSource Finance in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and to general equity
principles; the Offered Securities which are debt securities have been duly
authorized by NiSource Finance; the Offered Securities which are Guarantees have
been duly authorized by NiSource; the Offered Securities which are debt securities
have been duly executed and, when authenticated in accordance with the terms of the
Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the
provisions of the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) or
sold pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts, will constitute legal, valid and
binding obligations of NiSource Finance enforceable against NiSource Finance in
accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability
relating to or affecting creditors rights and to general equity principles; the
Offered Securities which are guarantees of debt securities have been duly executed
and, when the debt securities on which the guarantees are endorsed are
authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered to and
paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the provisions of the Terms
Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) or sold pursuant to Delayed
Delivery Contracts, will constitute, legal, valid and binding obligations of
NiSource entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against NiSource
in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability
relating to or affecting creditors rights and to general equity principles; and
the Indenture and the Offered Securities other than any Contract Securities
conform, and any Contract Securities, when so delivered and sold will conform, as
to legal matters in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in
the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus;
(iv) If the Offered Securities are preferred stock: The Offered Securities
have been duly authorized; the Offered Securities other than any Contract
Securities when delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with
the provisions of the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement)
will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; any Contract Securities, when
delivered and sold pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts, will be validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable; and the Offered Securities other than any Contract
Securities conform, and any Contract Securities, when so delivered and sold, will
conform, as to legal matters in all material respects to the descriptions thereof
contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus;
and the stockholders of NiSource have no statutory preemptive rights with respect
to the Offered Securities;
(v) If the Offered Securities are Common Stock: The Offered Securities have
been duly authorized and when delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in
accordance with the provisions of the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of
this Agreement) will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and conform as
to legal matters in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in
the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus; and the
stockholders of NiSource have no statutory preemptive rights with respect to the
Offered Securities;
15
(vi) If the Offered Securities are convertible into Common Stock: The
Offered Securities other than any Contract Securities are, and any Contract
Securities (if the Offered Securities are debt securities), when executed,
authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided in the Indenture and
sold pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts or (if the Offered Securities are
preferred stock) when issued, delivered and sold pursuant to Delayed Delivery
Contracts, will be convertible into Common Stock in accordance with (if they are
debt securities) the Indenture or (if they are preferred stock) their terms; the
shares of Common Stock initially issuable upon conversion of the Offered Securities
have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon such conversion and, when
issued upon such conversion, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable;
the Common Stock conforms as to legal matters in all material respects to the
descriptions thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final
Supplemented Prospectus; and the stockholders of NiSource have no statutory
preemptive rights with respect to the Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the
Offered Securities;
(vii) If the Offered Securities are Common Stock or are convertible into
Common Stock: There are no contracts, agreements or understandings known to such
counsel between NiSource or NiSource Finance and any person granting such person
the right to require NiSource or NiSource Finance to file a registration statement
under the Act with respect to any securities of NiSource or NiSource Finance owned
or to be owned by such person or to require NiSource or NiSource Finance to include
such securities with the securities registered pursuant to the Registration
Statement or with any securities being registered pursuant to any other
registration statement filed by NiSource or NiSource Finance under the Act;
(viii) Neither the execution and delivery by each of NiSource and NiSource
Finance of the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) nor the
performance by each of NiSource and NiSource Finance of their respective
obligations under the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement)
requires any consent or approval of any nature from or filing with any governmental
authority of any of the State of Illinois, the State of Indiana or the United
States of America, nor is any such consent, approval or filing required by the
Delaware General Corporation Law;
(ix) Neither NiSource nor NiSource Finance is and, after giving effect to
the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds
thereof as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus, neither will be an investment company as defined in the Investment
Company Act of 1940;
(x) Each of the Significant Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is a
corporation validly existing and, where applicable, in good standing under the laws
of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with corporate power and authority to own
its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure
Package and Final Supplemented Prospectus; and each Significant Subsidiary is duly
qualified to transact business as a foreign corporation in good standing in each of
the jurisdictions set forth opposite the name of such Significant Subsidiary on a
schedule attached to the opinion;
(xi) To the knowledge of such counsel, based in part upon a review of the
stock register of each of NiSource Finance, NiSource Capital Markets, Inc.,
Columbia Energy Group and Northern Indiana Public Service Company (collectively,
the Specified Subsidiaries), all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of
each of the Specified Subsidiaries is owned by NiSource, directly or through
subsidiaries. There is no perfected lien upon the outstanding shares of capital
stock of any of the Specified Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of such counsel,
there is no other lien, security
16
interest, charge or encumbrance upon the capital stock of any of the Specified
Subsidiaries;
(xii) To the knowledge of such counsel, except as disclosed in the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus, there are no pending or
threatened actions, suits, proceedings or investigations against or affecting
NiSource, NiSource Finance or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties,
assets or operations that could reasonably be expected to, individually or in the
aggregate, materially and adversely affect the ability of either NiSource or
NiSource Finance to perform its obligations under the Terms Agreement (including
the provisions of this Agreement) or which could be reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect;
(xiii) The execution and delivery by each of NiSource and NiSource Finance
of the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) do not, and the
performance by each of NiSource and NiSource Finance of its respective obligations
under the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement), including
the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities, will not, (i) violate the
certificate or articles of incorporation or by-laws of NiSource or NiSource
Finance, (ii) violate any law, rule or regulation applicable to NiSource or
NiSource Finance and generally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated
by the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) undertaken by
issuers engaged in businesses similar to the businesses of NiSource and NiSource
Finance, (iii) violate any judgment, injunction, order or decree identified by an
officer of NiSource or NiSource Finance as material to NiSource, NiSource Finance
and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole (which judgments, injunctions, orders and
decrees, if any, shall be set forth in a certificate attached to the opinion), or
(iv) breach or result in a default under any indenture, mortgage, instrument or
agreement which is filed as an exhibit to or filed as an exhibit through
incorporation by reference to either NiSources Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended on the December 31 preceding the date of delivery of such opinion or any
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Report on Form 8-K filed subsequent to the date of
such Form 10-K and prior to the Closing Date;
(xiv) The descriptions in the Registration Statement and in the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus of any statutes, legal and
governmental proceedings, contracts and documents, insofar as such statements
purport to constitute summaries of matters of law and legal conclusions with
respect thereto, are correct in all material respects; and such counsel do not know
of any legal or governmental proceedings pending to which NiSource, NiSource
Finance or any Subsidiary is a party or to which any of their respective properties
is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the
Pricing Disclosure Package or the Final Supplemented Prospectus and are not so
described, or of any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are
required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure
Package or the Final Supplemented Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement that are not so described or filed as required;
(xv) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act, the
Final Supplemented Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to the
subparagraph of Rule 424(b) specified in such opinion on the date specified
therein, and, to the best knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof has been issued and
no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act against
NiSource or NiSource Finance have been instituted or are pending or threatened
under the Act, and the Registration Statement on the Effective Date and the Final
Supplemented Prospectus, as of the date of the Terms Agreement, and any amendment
or supplement thereto, as of its date, complied as to form in all material respects
with the requirements of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act and
17
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; such counsel have had
no facts come to their attention that have led them to believe that the
Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, 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, that the Pricing
Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, included an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, or that the Final Supplemented Prospectus, as of its date and as
amended or supplemented as of the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; it being understood that such counsel need
express no opinion as to the financial statements or other financial data contained
or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure
Package, the Final Supplemented Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto;
and
(xvi) The Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) and,
if the Offered Securities are Contract Securities, the Delayed Delivery Contracts
have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by NiSource and/or NiSource
Finance, as the case may be.
(e) The Representatives shall have received from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, counsel for
the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the
incorporation of each of NiSource and NiSource Finance, the validity of the Offered
Securities, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Final
Supplemented Prospectus and other related matters as the Representatives may require, and
each of NiSource and NiSource Finance shall have furnished to such counsel such documents
as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters. In rendering
such opinion, Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP may rely as to the incorporation of NiSource Finance and
all other matters governed by Indiana law upon the opinion of Schiff Hardin LLP referred to
above.
(f) The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date,
of the President or any Vice President and a principal financial or accounting officer of
NiSource in which such officers, to the best of their knowledge after reasonable
investigation, shall state that the representations and warranties of NiSource in this
Agreement are true and correct in all material respects, that NiSource has complied with
all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, that no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement or of any part thereof has been issued and no proceedings for
that purpose have been instituted or are contemplated by the Commission and that,
subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the Pricing Disclosure
Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change,
nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the
condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of NiSource,
NiSource Finance and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in or
contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus.
(g) If the Offered Securities are debt securities, the Representatives shall have
received a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of the President or any Vice President and
a principal financial or accounting officer of NiSource Finance in which such officers, to
the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, shall state that the
representations and warranties of NiSource Finance in this Agreement are true and correct
in all material respects, that NiSource Finance has complied with all agreements and
satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to
the Closing Date, that no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or of any part thereof has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or are contemplated by the Commission and that, subsequent to the date of
the most recent financial statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Final
Supplemented
18
Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event
involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or other),
business, properties or results of operations of NiSource, NiSource Finance and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in or contemplated by the Pricing
Disclosure Package and the Final Supplemented Prospectus.
(h) The Representatives shall have received a letter, dated the Closing Date, of
Deloitte & Touche LLP which meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this Section,
except that the specified date referred to in such subsection will be a date not more than
three days prior to the Closing Date for the purposes of this subsection.
Each of NiSource and NiSource Finance agrees to furnish the Representatives with such
conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives
reasonably request. The Lead Underwriter may in its sole discretion waive on behalf of the
Underwriters compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriters under this
Agreement and the Terms Agreement.
7. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) NiSource and NiSource Finance, jointly and
severally, will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, directors and officers
and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act
or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or
several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing
Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or the Final Supplemented Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or any free writing prospectus used by NiSource or NiSource
Finance other than a Permitted 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, and will reimburse each Underwriter for
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are
incurred; provided, however, that NiSource and NiSource Finance will 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 in or omission or alleged omission from any of such
documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to NiSource or
NiSource Finance by any Underwriter through the Representatives, if any, specifically for use
therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter
consists of the information described as such in the Terms Agreement.
(b) Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless NiSource and
NiSource Finance, their respective directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls
each of NiSource and NiSource Finance within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which NiSource or NiSource
Finance 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 any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic
Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or the Final Supplemented
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission
or the 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
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to NiSource or NiSource Finance
by such Underwriter through the Representatives, if any, specifically for use therein, and will
reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by NiSource or NiSource Finance in
connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as
such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished
by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in the Terms Agreement.
19
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be
made against the indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the indemnifying
party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not
relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a) or (b) above except to the
extent that it has been materially prejudiced through the forfeiture of substantive rights or
defenses by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party
shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than
under subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified
party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party
will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to
such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel
to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party
of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action 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 any claims that are the subject matter of such action 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 an indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to
hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party
shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by NiSource and NiSource Finance on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Offered Securities or (ii) if
the allocation provided by clause (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 (i) above but
also the relative fault of NiSource and NiSource Finance on the one hand and the Underwriters on
the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by NiSource and NiSource Finance on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering
(before deducting expenses) received by NiSource and NiSource Finance bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by NiSource and NiSource Finance on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the
parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the
losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d)
shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of
this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the
Offered Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public
exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
The Underwriters obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to
their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of NiSource and NiSource Finance under this Section shall be in addition
to any liability which NiSource or NiSource Finance may otherwise have and shall extend, upon
20
the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the
meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section shall be in addition
to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the
same terms and conditions, to each director of NiSource and NiSource Finance, to each officer of
NiSource and NiSource Finance who has signed the Registration Statement and to each person, if any,
who controls NiSource or NiSource Finance within the meaning of the Act.
8. Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their obligations
to purchase Offered Securities under the Terms Agreement and the aggregate principal amount (if
debt securities) or number of shares (if preferred stock or Common Stock) of Offered Securities
that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10%
of the total principal amount (if debt securities) or number of shares (if preferred stock or
Common Stock) of Offered Securities, the Lead Underwriter may make arrangements satisfactory to
NiSource and/or NiSource Finance, as the case may be, for the purchase of such Offered Securities
by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by the
Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their
respective commitments under the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement), to
purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase. If
any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate principal amount (if debt securities)
or number of shares (if preferred stock or Common Stock) of Offered Securities with respect to
which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total principal amount (if debt securities)
or number of shares (if preferred stock or Common Stock) of Offered Securities and arrangements
satisfactory to the Lead Underwriter and NiSource and/or NiSource Finance, as the case may be, for
the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such
default, the Terms Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
Underwriter or NiSource or NiSource Finance, except as provided in Section 9. As used in this
Agreement, the term Underwriter includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this
Section. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default. If
the Offered Securities are debt securities or preferred stock, the respective commitments of the
several Underwriters for the purposes of this Section shall be determined without regard to
reduction in the respective Underwriters obligations to purchase the principal amounts (if debt
securities) or numbers of shares (if preferred stock) of the Offered Securities set forth opposite
their names in the Terms Agreement as a result of Delayed Delivery Contracts entered into by
NiSource and/or NiSource Finance, as the case may be.
9. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities,
agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of NiSource, NiSource Finance or their
respective officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to the Terms
Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) will remain in full force and effect,
regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of
any Underwriter, NiSource, NiSource Finance or any of their respective representatives, officers or
directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered
Securities. If the Terms Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8 or if for any reason the
purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated, NiSource and NiSource
Finance shall remain responsible for the expenses to be paid or reimbursed by it pursuant to
Section 5 and the respective obligations of NiSource, NiSource Finance and the Underwriters
pursuant to Section 7 shall remain in effect. If the purchase of the Offered Securities by the
Underwriters is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of the
Terms Agreement pursuant to Section 8 or the occurrence of any event specified in clauses (iii),
(iv), (v), (vi) or (vii) of Section 6(c), NiSource and/or NiSource Finance will reimburse the
Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel)
reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities.
10. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. NiSource and NiSource Finance acknowledge and agree
that (i) the purchase and sale of the Offered Securities pursuant to this Terms Agreement and the
Underwriting Agreement is an arms-length commercial transaction between NiSource and NiSource
Finance, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith
each Underwriter is acting as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of NiSource or NiSource
Finance and (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of
NiSource or NiSource
21
Finance with respect to the offering of the Offered Securities pursuant to this Terms
Agreement or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or
is currently advising NiSource or NiSource Finance on other matters) or any other obligations to
NiSource or NiSource Finance with respect to the offering of the Offered Securities pursuant to
this Terms Agreement or the process leading thereto, except the obligations expressly set forth in
this Terms Agreement and the Underwriting Agreement.
11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the
Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to them at their address
furnished to NiSource in writing for the purpose of communications hereunder or, if sent to
NiSource, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at 801 East 86th Avenue,
Merrillville, Indiana 46410, Attention: David J. Vajda, if sent to NiSource Finance, will be
mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at 801 East 86th Avenue, Merrillville, Indiana
46410, Attention: David J. Vajda, in each case with a copy to Robert J. Minkus, Schiff Hardin LLP,
6600 Sears Tower, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6473.
12. Successors. The Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) will inure
to the benefit of and be binding upon NiSource, NiSource Finance and such Underwriters as are
identified in the Terms Agreement and their respective successors and the officers and directors
and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and no other person will have any right or
obligation hereunder.
13. Representation of Underwriters. Any Representatives will act for the several
Underwriters in connection with the financing described in the Terms Agreement, and any action
under such Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) taken by the
Representatives jointly or by the Lead Underwriter will be binding upon all the Underwriters.
14. Counterparts. The Terms Agreement may be executed 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 Agreement.
15. Applicable Law. This Agreement and the Terms Agreement shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of
conflicts of laws.
Each of NiSource and NiSource Finance hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the
Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or
proceeding arising out of or relating to the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this
Agreement) or the transactions contemplated thereby.
Dated: November 5, 2010
22
ANNEX I
(Three copies of this Delayed Delivery Contract should be signed and returned
to the address shown below so as to arrive not later than 9:00 A.M.,
New York time, on [_____________], 20__)
to the address shown below so as to arrive not later than 9:00 A.M.,
New York time, on [_____________], 20__)
DELAYED DELIVERY CONTRACT
[Insert date of initial public offering]
[NISOURCE INC.] [NISOURCE FINANCE CORP.]
c/o ____________________________
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned hereby agrees to purchase from [NiSource Inc., a Delaware corporation
(NiSource),] [NiSource Finance Corp., an Indiana corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of
NiSource Inc.(NiSource Finance)] and [NiSource] [NiSource Finance] agrees to sell to the
undersigned, as of the date hereof, for delivery on [________], 20__ (Delivery Date),
[__________ shares] [$______________ principal amount] [of [NiSources] [ NiSource Finances]
[insert title of securities] (Securities), offered by the Prospectus of NiSource and NiSource
Finance dated [________], 20__ and a Prospectus Supplement dated [________], 20__ relating thereto,
receipt of copies of which is hereby acknowledged, at % of the principal amount thereof plus
accrued interest, if any,$ per share plus accrued dividends, if any,and on the further terms
and conditions set forth in this Delayed Delivery Contract (Contract).
[If two or more delayed closings, insert the following:
The undersigned will purchase from [NiSource][NiSource Finance] as of the date hereof, for
delivery on the dates set forth below, Securities in theprincipalamounts set forth below:
Delivery Date | [Number of Shares/Principal Amount] | ||||
Each of such delivery dates is hereinafter referred to as a Delivery Date.]
Payment for the Securities that the undersigned has agreed to purchase for delivery
ontheeachDelivery Date shall be made to [NiSource][NiSource Finance] or its order in Federal
(same day) funds by certified or official bank check or wire transfer to an account designated by
[NiSource][NiSource Finance] at a bank acceptable to the Underwriter, at the office of
at A.M. onthesuchDelivery Date upon delivery to the undersigned of the
Securities to be purchased by the undersignedfor delivery on such Delivery Datein definitive
[If debt issue, insertfully registered] form and in such denominations and registered in such
names as the undersigned may designate by written or telegraphic communication addressed to
[NiSource][NiSource Finance] not less than five full business days prior tothesuchDelivery
Date.
It is expressly agreed that the provisions for delayed delivery and payment are for the sole
convenience of the undersigned; that the purchase hereunder of Securities is to be regarded in all
respects as a purchase as of the date of this Contract; that the obligation of [NiSource][NiSource
Finance] to make delivery of and accept payment for, and the obligation of the undersigned to take
delivery of and make payment for, Securities ontheeachDelivery Date shall be subject only to
the conditions that (1) investment in the Securities shall not atthesuchDelivery Date be
prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction in the United States to which the undersigned is
subject and (2) [NiSource][NiSource Finance] shall have sold to the Underwriters the
totalprincipal amountnumber of sharesof the Securities less theprincipal amountnumber of
sharesthereof covered by this and other similar Contracts. The undersigned represents that its
investment in the Securities is not, as of the date hereof, prohibited under the laws of any
jurisdiction to which the undersigned is subject and which governs such investment.
Promptly after completion of the sale to the Underwriters [NiSource][NiSource Finance] will
mail or deliver to the undersigned at its address set forth below notice to such effect,
accompanied bya copycopiesof the opinion[s] of counsel for [NiSource][NiSource Finance]
delivered to the Underwriters in connection therewith.
This Contract will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their
respective successors, but will not be assignable by either party hereto without the written
consent of the other.
It is understood that the acceptance of any such Contract is in [NiSource][NiSource Finance]s
sole discretion and, without limiting the foregoing, need not be on a first-come, first-served
basis. If this Contract is acceptable to [NiSource][NiSource Finance], it is requested that
[NiSource][NiSource Finance] sign the form of acceptance below and mail or deliver one of the
counterparts hereof to the undersigned at its address set forth below. This will become a binding
contract between [NiSource][NiSource Finance] and the undersigned when such counterpart is so
mailed or delivered.
Yours very truly, |
||||
(Name of Purchaser) | ||||
By | ||||
[Name/Title] | ||||
(Address of Purchaser) | ||||
Accepted, as of the above date. [NISOURCE INC.] [NISOURCE FINANCE CORP.] |
||||
By | ||||
[Insert Title] | ||||
2