underwriting agreement


Underwriting agreement

The contract between a corporation issuing new publicly offered securities and the managing underwriter as agent for the underwriting group. Compare to agreement among underwriters.

Underwriting Agreement

A contract between the issuer of a security and a managing underwriter stating the responsibilities and rights of each party as the security is placed with investors. The underwriting agreement may state the size of the new issue, the percentage of the sale that the underwriters are allowed to keep, and whether or not it is sold on a best efforts basis, among other things. The contract helps define and avoid problems before they start.

underwriting agreement

A written contract between a company planning a public securities issue and the managing underwriter of that issue. The agreement specifies the particulars of the issue such as dates, fees, offering price, and the responsibilities of the parties. Compare agreement among underwriters.