Absence of Material Changes Without the prior written consent of BRI, the Management Company and each Stockholder shall not, as may be applicable: (a) Take any action to materially amend the Management Company's Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws; (b) Issue or transfer any stock, bonds or other corporate securities of the Management Company or grant any option or issue any warrant to purchase or subscribe to any of such securities or issue any securities convertible into such securities; (c) Incur any obligation or liability (absolute or contingent) relating to the business of the Management Company, except current liabilities incurred and obligations under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business; (d) Sell, assign, or transfer any of the assets of the Management Company other than the Excluded Assets; (e) Merge or consolidate with any other entity or permit any other entity to merge into it; acquire any stock or partnership interests; effect any reorganization or recapitalization; or acquire any material assets of any other person, partnership, corporation or business organization; (f) Make any election or give any consent under the Code or the tax statutes of any state or other jurisdiction or make any termination, revocation or cancellation of any such election or any consent or compromise or settle any claim for past or present tax due; (g) Waive any rights of material value relating to the business of the Management Company; (h) Modify, amend, alter or terminate any of its management contracts or other material contracts; (i) Take or permit any act or omission constituting a breach or default under any Contract; (j) Fail to (i) preserve the possession and control of its assets and business, (ii) keep in faithful service its present officers and key employees, (iii) preserve the goodwill of its customers and others having business relations with it, and (iv) keep and preserve its business existing on the date hereof until the Closing Date provided that the Management Company and the Stockholders shall only be required to use reasonable efforts to perform the activities described in clause (i) through (iv) of this paragraph (j); (k) Fail to operate its business and maintain its books, accounts and records in the customary manner and in the ordinary or regular course of business and maintain in good repair its business premises, fixtures, machinery, furniture and equipment; (l) Except in its capacity as management agent pursuant to the management contracts, enter into any leases, contracts, agreements or understandings other than those entered into in the ordinary course of business calling for payments which in the aggregate do not exceed $50,000 for each such lease, contract, agreement or understanding; or (m) Commit or agree to do any of the foregoing in the future.
Absence of Material Change From the date of this Agreement to the Closing, there has not occurred any event, change, effect, act, discovery, or occurrence (or any combination of the forgoing) (whether or not referred to or described herein or in any Exhibit or Schedule hereto) that individually or in the aggregate would have, or would reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
Absence of Changes Except as set forth in Schedule 3.10, since August 28, 1999 (except as otherwise expressly noted below), (a) the Business has been operated in the ordinary course consistent with past practices, (b) there has not been any Material Adverse Change with respect to the Business, or any material deterioration of relations between the Companies and their suppliers (including without limitation parties to grower contracts of the Companies), customers or Personnel and (c) to the knowledge of Shareholders, there has been and is no threatened Material Adverse Change with respect to the Companies. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as contemplated by Section 5.18 hereof and except as set forth in Schedule 3.10, the Companies have not: (i) sold, assigned, leased or transferred any of the Assets that exceed $100,000 individually or $250,000 in the aggregate in book value or fair market value, other than (A) Inventory sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice, to Buyer or persons who are not Affiliates of the Companies for fair consideration and (B) the assets comprising the feedmill operations as contemplated by Section 6.20 hereof; (ii) canceled or terminated, or amended, modified or waived any material term of, any Material Contract, except in the ordinary course of business; (A) increased the compensation payable or to become payable to any of its directors or officers, (B) increased the base compensation payable or to become payable to any of its Personnel who are not directors or officers, except for normal periodic increases in such base compensation (not exceeding, in each case, 5%) in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice, (C) increased the sales commission rate payable or to become payable to any of its Personnel who are not directors or officers, (D) granted, made or accrued any loan, bonus, severance, termination or continuation fee, incentive compensation (excluding sales commissions), service award or other like benefit, contingently or otherwise, to or for the benefit of any of its Personnel, except pursuant to the Employee Plans set forth in Schedule 3.22, (E) adopted, amended or caused or suffered any addition to or modification of any Employee Plan, other than (1) contributions made in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice or (2) the extension of coverage to any of its Personnel who become eligible after the date of this Agreement, (F) granted any stock options or performance unit grants or other interest under any Employee Plan, (G) entered into any new employment or consulting agreement or caused or suffered any written or oral termination, cancellation or amendment of any such employment or consulting agreement to which it is a party (except with respect to any employee at will without a written agreement), (H) entered into any collective bargaining agreement or caused or suffered any termination or amendment of any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party or (I) with respect to any Shareholders, or any Affiliate of any Shareholders, granted, made or accrued any payment or distribution or other like benefit, contingently or otherwise, or otherwise transferred Assets, including any payment of principal of or interest on any debt owed to any such Shareholders or Affiliate, other than (1) any payments to such person in the ordinary course of business in his capacity as an employee of the Companies and (2) any transactions between the Companies, in the ordinary course of business and on an arms' length basis; (iv) made any capital expenditure or commitment to make any capital expenditure in excess of $100,000; (v) executed (A) any Lease for real property or (B) any Lease for personal property involving annual payments in excess of $50,000, or, with respect to clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (v), offered to execute any Lease or incurred any liability therefor; (vi) made any payments or given any other consideration to customers or suppliers, other than payments under, and in accordance with the terms of, Contracts in effect at the time of such payment; (vii) changed its accounting methods, principles or practices, including any change in the application or interpretation of GAAP; (viii) suffered any damage, destruction or casualty loss (whether or not covered by insurance) affecting its physical properties that exceeded $100,000 in any one instance or $250,000 in the aggregate; (A) issued or sold, or entered into any agreement obligating it to issue or sell (B) directly or indirectly redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired, or split, combined, reclassified or otherwise adjusted, any class or series of capital stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for capital stock or (C) declared or paid any dividend or other distribution in respect of any class or series of capital stock; (A) incurred any indebtedness for borrowed money or entered into any commitment to borrow money except for drawings under the Companies' revolving line of credit in the ordinary course of business or (B) incurred any obligations for any performance bonds, payment bonds, bid bonds, surety bonds, letters of credit, guarantees or similar instruments; (xi) taken any action in anticipation of the execution of this Agreement or for any other reason to delay or defer expenses (including delay or postponement of capital expenditures or the payment of accounts payable), liabilities or obligations of any kind whatsoever or to accelerate any income, revenue, payment or similar item, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (xii) paid, discharged or satisfied any liability, other than any such payment, discharge or satisfaction in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice of (A) liabilities reflected or reserved against on the balance sheets in the Audited Financial Statements, the Unaudited Financial Statements or in the Interim Financial Statements or incurred subsequent thereto in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice, or (B) liabilities under, and in accordance with the terms of, any Material Contracts, Licenses and Permits and other commitments set forth in the Schedules; (xiii) changed or amended any of their articles of incorporation or bylaws or similar organizational documents; (A) acquired (by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock, other securities or assets or otherwise), (B) made a capital investment (whether through the acquisition of an equity interest, the making of a loan or advance or otherwise) in or (C) guaranteed indebtedness for borrowed money of, (1) any Person or (2) any portion of the assets of any Person that constitutes a division or operating unit of such Person; (xv) mortgaged or pledged, or otherwise made or suffered any Encumbrance (other than any Permitted Encumbrance) on, any of their material Assets or group of their Assets that is material in the aggregate; (xvi) revalued any of their Assets, including any write-off of notes or accounts receivable or any increase in any reserve (other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), involving in excess of $10,000 individually or $50,000 in the aggregate (such amounts to be calculated without netting any decrease); (xvii) amended, cancelled or suffered termination of any License or Permit that is material to any of the Companies; (xviii) canceled, waived or released any right or claim (or series of related rights or claims) involving in excess of $10,000 individually or $50,000 in the aggregate; or (xix) made any material change in the policies or practices relating to purchasing practices, selling practices, returns, discounts or other terms of purchase or sale or accounting therefor or in policies of employment; or entered into any Contract to do any of the foregoing.
Absence of Change Since the Statement Date, none of the Group Companies has declared or paid any dividend on its shares or registered capital, and since the Statement Date, except as contemplated by the Principal Agreements and disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule: (a) each of the Group Companies has (i) conducted its business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice, (ii) used its best efforts to preserve its business, (iii) collected accounts receivable and paid accounts payable and similar obligations in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, and (iv) not engaged in any new line of business or entered into any agreement, transaction or activity or made any commitment except those in the ordinary course of business; (b) none of the Group Companies has entered into any transaction in an amount in excess of RMB5,000,000 other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (c) there has been no material adverse change in or affecting the business, financial condition, results, operations or prospects of any of the Group Companies; (d) there has been no damage to, destruction or loss of physical property (whether or not covered by insurance) materially affecting the business, financial condition, results, operations or prospects of any Group Company; (e) there has been no waiver of any material right or claim of any Group Company, or the cancellation of any material debt or claim held by any Group Company; (f) there has been no sale, assignment, exclusive license, Encumbrance upon or transfer of any tangible or intangible assets (including without limitation, Intellectual Property) of any Group Companies other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (g) there has been no satisfaction or discharge of any Encumbrance or payment of any obligation by any of the Group Companies, except such satisfaction, discharge or payment made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice that is not material to the assets, properties, financial condition, operating results or business of any Group Company; (h) there has been no waiver, material change, amendment to or termination of a Material Contract or arrangement by which any of the Group Companies (or any of its assets or properties) is bound or subject, except for changes or amendments which are expressly provided for by the Principal Agreements; (i) there has not been any incurrence, commitment to incur, assumption or guarantee by any of the Group Companies of any indebtedness other than in the ordinary course of business (such as working capital loans) and in amounts in excess of RMB5,000,000 and on terms consistent with past practice; (j) there has not been the creation or other incurrence of any material Encumbrance on any asset of any Group Company other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (k) there has not been any loan or advance to, guarantee for the benefit of, or investment in, any Person (including but not limited to any of the employees, officers or directors, or any members of their immediate families, of any Group Company) by any Group Company except for loans, pledges or guarantees made by a Group Company to another Group Company in the ordinary course of business and in accordance with Applicable law; (l) there has not been any resignation of or termination of the employment relationship of any Key Employee; (m) there has not been any capital expenditures made by any Group Company that aggregate in excess of RMB75,000,000; (n) there has not been any change in the nature or organization of, or any material change in the scope of, the business of any Group Company or disposal of the whole or its undertaking or property or substantial part thereof; (o) there has not been any material acquisition or formation of any Subsidiary, any branch companies, any equity interest in any Person or the whole or any substantial part of the undertaking, assets or business of any other Person or entering into any joint venture or partnership with any other Person, by any Group Company; (p) there has not been any sale, transfer, lease, or pledge of all or substantially all of the assets by any of the Group Companies, or entry into any consolidation, amalgamation, scheme of arrangement or merger of any Group Company with or into any other Person or other corporate reorganization; (q) there has not been any sale, transfer, pledge or otherwise disposition of share capital or registered capital of any Group Company; (r) there has not been any issuances of Common Shares or Preferred Shares and there were options exercisable for 21,060,606 Commons Shares outstanding; and (s) there has not been any agreement or commitment by any Group Company to do any of the things described in this Section 3.9.
Absence of Presumption This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction or interpretation against the party drafting or causing any instrument to be drafted.
Absence of Duty Agent shall have no obligation whatsoever to any Lender or any other Person to assure that the Collateral covered by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents exists or is owned by Borrower or is cared for, protected or insured or has been encumbered or that the Liens granted to Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, herein or pursuant hereto have been properly or sufficiently or lawfully created, perfected, protected, enforced or maintained or are entitled to any particular priority, or to exercise at all or in any particular manner or under any duty of care, disclosure, or fidelity, or to continue exercising, any of the rights, authorities and powers granted or available to Agent in this Section 13.1(h) or in any of the Loan Documents; it being understood and agreed that in respect of the Collateral covered by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, or any act, omission or event related thereto, Agent may act in any manner it may deem appropriate, in its discretion, given Agent’s own interest in Collateral covered by this Agreement or the Loan Documents as one of Lenders and Agent shall have no duty or liability whatsoever to any of the other Lenders; provided, that Agent shall exercise the same care which it would in dealing with loans for its own account.
Absence of Manipulation The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
Absence of Control It is the intent of the parties to this Agreement that in no event shall the Purchasers, by reason of any of the Transaction Documents, be deemed to control, directly or indirectly, the Company, and the Purchasers shall not exercise, or be deemed to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence over the management or policies of the Company.
Absence of Liens The property and assets that the Company owns are free and clear of all mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, loans and encumbrances, except for statutory liens for the payment of current taxes that are not yet delinquent and encumbrances and liens that arise in the ordinary course of business and do not materially impair the Company’s ownership or use of such property or assets. With respect to the property and assets it leases, the Company is in compliance with such leases and, to its knowledge, holds a valid leasehold interest free of any liens, claims or encumbrances other than those of the lessors of such property or assets.
Absence of Certain Developments (i) Except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth on the attached "Developments Schedule," since the date of the Latest Balance Sheet, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary have (a) issued any notes, bonds or other debt securities or any capital stock or other equity securities or any securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable into any capital stock or other equity securities; (b) borrowed any amount or incurred or become subject to any liabilities, except current liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business and liabilities under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business; (c) discharged or satisfied any Lien or paid any obligation or liability, other than current liabilities paid in the ordinary course of business; (d) declared or made any payment or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders with respect to its capital stock or other equity securities or purchased or redeemed any shares of its capital stock or other equity securities (including, without limitation, any warrants, options or other rights to acquire its capital stock or other equity securities); (e) mortgaged or pledged any of its properties or assets or subjected them to any Lien, except Liens for current property taxes not yet due and payable; (f) sold, assigned or transferred any of its tangible assets, except in the ordinary course of business, or canceled any debts or claims; (g) sold, assigned or transferred any patents or patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, corporate names, copyrights or copyright registrations, trade secrets or other intangible assets; (h) suffered any extraordinary losses or waived any rights of value, whether or not in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice; (i) made capital expenditures or commitments therefor that aggregate in excess of $10,000; (j) made any loans or advances to, guarantees for the benefit of, or any Investments in, any Persons in excess of $10,000 in the aggregate; (k) made any charitable contributions or pledges in excess of $10,000 in the aggregate; (l) suffered any damage, destruction or casualty loss exceeding in the aggregate $10,000, whether or not covered by insurance; (m) made any Investment in or taken steps to incorporate any Subsidiary; or (n) entered into any other transaction other than in the ordinary course of business. (ii) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has at any time made any payments for political contributions or made any bribes, kickback payments or other illegal payments.
