Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an
underwriting agreement
dated ,
2007, we and the selling stockholders have agreed to sell to the
underwriters named below, for whom Credit Suisse Securities
(USA) LLC is acting as representative, the following respective
numbers of shares of common stock:
Underwriter
Number of Shares
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Jefferies & Company, Inc.
William Blair & Company, L.L.C.
Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.
Needham & Company, LLC
ThinkEquity Partners LLC
Signal Hill Capital Group LLC
Total
6,052,453
The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters are
obligated to purchase all the shares of common stock in the
offering if any are purchased, other than those shares covered
by the over-allotment option described below. The underwriting
agreement also provides that, if an underwriter defaults, the
purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may be
increased or the offering may be terminated.
The underwriters have been granted a
30-day
option to purchase on a pro rata basis up to
201,721 additional shares from us and 706,148 shares
from the selling stockholders at the public offering price less
the underwriting discounts and commissions. The option may be
exercised only to cover any over-allotments of common stock.
The underwriters propose to offer the shares of common stock
initially at the public offering price on the cover page of this
prospectus and to selling group members at that price less a
selling concession of $ per share.
After this public offering Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
may change the public offering price and concession.
The following table summarizes the compensation and estimated
expenses we and the selling stockholders will pay:
Per Share
Total
Without
With
Without
With
Over-allotment
Over-allotment
Over-allotment
Over-allotment
Underwriting Discounts and Commissions paid by us
$
$
$
$
Expenses payable by us
$
$
$
$
Underwriting Discounts and Commissions paid by selling
stockholders
$
$
$
$
Expenses payable by the selling stockholders
$
$
$
$
We have agreed that we will not offer, sell, contract to sell,
pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, a
registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any
shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of our common stock,
or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale,
pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior written consent
of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC until, but not including,
January 22, 2008.
Subject to certain exceptions, our officers, directors and
selling stockholders have agreed that they will not offer, sell,
contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or
indirectly, any shares of our common
108
stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or
exercisable for any shares of our common stock, enter into a
transaction that would have the same effect, or enter into any
swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in
part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of our
common stock, whether any of these transactions are to be
settled by delivery of our common stock or other securities, in
cash or otherwise, or publicly disclose the intention to make
any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any
transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement, without, in each
case, the prior written consent of Credit Suisse Securities
(USA) LLC until, but not including, January 22, 2008.
Subject to certain exceptions, our other security holders have
agreed that they will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge
or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of
our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable
or exercisable for any shares of our common stock, enter into a
transaction that would have the same effect, or enter into any
swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in
part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of our
common stock, whether any of these transactions are to be
settled by delivery of our common stock or other securities, in
cash or otherwise, or publicly disclose the intention to make
any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any
transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement, without, in each
case, the prior written consent of Credit Suisse Securities
(USA) LLC up to and including December 23, 2007. However,
in the event that either (1) during the last 17 days
of such
lock-up
period, we release earnings results or material news or a
material event relating to us occurs or (2) prior to the
expiration of the
lock-up
period, we announce that we will release earnings results during
the
16-day
period beginning on the last day of the
lock-up
period, then in either case the expiration of the
lock-up
will be extended until the expiration of the
18-day
period beginning on the date of the release of the earnings
results or the occurrence of the material news or event, as
applicable, unless Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC waives, in
writing, such an extension.
We and the selling stockholders have agreed to indemnify the
underwriters against liabilities under the Securities Act, or
contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to
make in that respect.
Our common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Global Market under the
symbol SCOR.
In connection with the offering the underwriters may engage in
stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate
covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with
Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or
the Exchange Act.
Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying
security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a
specified maximum.
Over-allotment involves sales by the underwriters of shares in
excess of the number of shares the underwriters are obligated to
purchase, which creates a syndicate short position. The short
position may be either a covered short position or a naked short
position. In a covered short position, the number of shares
over-allotted by the underwriters is not greater than the number
of shares that they may purchase in the over-allotment option.
In a naked short position, the number of shares involved is
greater than the number of shares in the over-allotment option.
The underwriters may close out any covered short position by
either exercising their over-allotment option
and/or
purchasing shares in the open market.
Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the common
stock in the open market after the distribution has been
completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In
determining the source of shares to close out the short
position, the underwriters will consider, among other things,
the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as
compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through
the over-allotment option. If the underwriters sell more shares
than could be covered by the over-allotment option, a naked
short position, the position can only be closed out by buying
shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely
to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there could
be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open
market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who
purchase in the offering.
Penalty bids permit Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC to
reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the
common stock originally sold by the syndicate member is
purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to
cover syndicate short positions.
109
These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions
and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining
the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding
a decline in the market price of the common stock. As a result
the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that
might otherwise exist in the open market. These transactions may
be effected on The NASDAQ Global Market and, if commenced, may
be discontinued at any time.
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the
Web sites maintained by one or more of the underwriters, or
selling group members, if any, participating in this offering
and one or more of the underwriters participating in this
offering may distribute prospectuses electronically. Credit
Suisse Securities (USA) LLC may agree to allocate a number of
shares to underwriters and selling group members for sale to
their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions
will be allocated by the underwriters and selling group members
that will make Internet distributions on the same basis as other
allocations.
The common stock is being offered for sale in those
jurisdictions in the United States, Europe and elsewhere where
it is lawful to make such offers.
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area
that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a
Relevant Member State), each underwriter represents
and agrees that with effect from and including the date on which
the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member
State (the Relevant Implementation Date) it has not
made and will not make an offer of shares to the public in that
Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus
in relation to the shares which has been approved by the
competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where
appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and
notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member
State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except
that it may, with effect from and including the Relevant
Implementation Date, make an offer of shares to the public in
that Relevant Member State at any time:
(a) to legal entities that are authorized or regulated to
operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or
regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in
securities;
(b) to any legal entity that has two or more of (1) an
average of at least 250 employees during the last financial
year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than
43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more
than 50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or
consolidated accounts;
(c) to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than
qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive)
subject to obtaining the prior consent of the manager for any
such offer; or
(d) in any other circumstances that do not require the
publication by us of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of
the Prospectus Directive.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an
offer of shares to the public in relation to any
shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in
any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms
of the offer and the shares to be offered so as to enable an
investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the shares, as the
same may be varied in that Member State by any measure
implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and
the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive
2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in
each Relevant Member State.
Each of the underwriters has represented and agreed that:
(a) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated
and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an
invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity
(within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA) to persons who
have professional experience in matters relating to investments
falling with Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 or in
circumstances in which section 21 of FSMA does not apply to
us; and
(b) it has complied with, and will comply with, all
applicable provisions of FSMA with respect to anything done by
it in relation to the common stock in, from or otherwise
involving the United Kingdom.
110
NOTICE
TO CANADIAN RESIDENTS
Resale
Restrictions
The distribution of the common stock in Canada is being made
only on a private placement basis exempt from the requirement
that we and the selling stockholders prepare and file a
prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in each
province where trades of common stock are made. Any resale of
the common stock in Canada must be made under applicable
securities laws, which will vary depending on the relevant
jurisdiction, and which may require resales to be made under
available statutory exemptions or under a discretionary
exemption granted by the applicable Canadian securities
regulatory authority. Purchasers are advised to seek legal
advice prior to any resale of shares of the common stock.
Representations
of Purchasers
By purchasing common stock in Canada and accepting a purchase
confirmation, a purchaser is representing to us, the selling
stockholders and the dealer from whom the purchase confirmation
is received that:
the purchaser is entitled under applicable provincial securities
laws to purchase the common stock without the benefit of a
prospectus qualified under those securities laws;
where required by law, that the purchaser is purchasing as
principal and not as agent;
the purchaser has reviewed the text above under Resale
Restrictions; and
the purchaser acknowledges and consents to the provision of
specified information concerning its purchase of common stock to
the regulatory authority that by law is entitled to collect the
information.
Further details concerning the legal authority for this
information is available on request.
Rights of
Action Ontario Purchasers Only
Under Ontario securities legislation, certain purchasers who
purchase a security offered by this prospectus during the period
of distribution will have a statutory right of action for
damages or, while still the owner of shares of common stock, for
rescission against us and the selling stockholders in the event
that this prospectus contains a misrepresentation without regard
to whether the purchaser relied on the misrepresentation. The
right of action for damages is exercisable not later than the
earlier of 180 days from the date the purchaser first had
knowledge of the facts giving rise to the cause of action and
three years from the date on which payment is made for shares of
common stock. The right of action for rescission is exercisable
not later than 180 days from the date on which payment is
made for shares of common stock. If a purchaser elects to
exercise the right of action for rescission, the purchaser will
have no right of action for damages against us or the selling
stockholders. In no case will the amount recoverable in any
action exceed the price at which shares of common stock were
offered to the purchaser and if the purchaser is shown to have
purchased the securities with knowledge of the
misrepresentation, we and the selling stockholders will have no
liability. In the case of an action for damages, we and the
selling stockholders will not be liable for all or any portion
of the damages that are proven to not represent the depreciation
in value of the common stock as a result of the
misrepresentation relied upon. These rights are in addition to,
and without derogation from, any other rights or remedies
available at law to an Ontario purchaser. The foregoing is a
summary of the rights available to an Ontario purchaser. Ontario
purchasers should refer to the complete text of the relevant
statutory provisions.
111
Enforcement
of Legal Rights
All of our directors and officers as well as the experts
named herein and the selling stockholders may be located outside
of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible for Canadian
purchasers to effect service of process within Canada upon us or
those persons. All or a substantial portion of our assets and
the assets of those persons may be located outside of Canada
and, as a result, it may not be possible to satisfy a judgment
against us or those persons in Canada or to enforce a judgment
obtained in Canadian courts against us or those persons outside
of Canada.
Taxation
and Eligibility for Investment
Canadian purchasers of our common stock should consult their own
legal and tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences of
an investment in the common stock in their particular
circumstances and about the eligibility of the common stock for
investment by the purchaser under relevant Canadian legislation.