Dissenting Stockholders Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, shares of Common Stock that are issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and which are held by a Stockholder who did not vote in favor of the Merger (or consent thereto in writing) and who is entitled to demand and properly demands appraisal of such shares (the “Dissenting Shares”) pursuant to, and who complies in all respects with, the provisions of Section 262 of the DGCL (the “Dissenting Stockholders”) shall not be converted into or be exchangeable for the right to receive the Per Share Merger Consideration, but instead such holder shall be entitled to receive such consideration as may be determined to be due to such Dissenting Stockholder pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL, unless and until such holder shall have failed to perfect or shall have effectively withdrawn or lost its right to appraisal under the DGCL. If any Dissenting Stockholder shall have failed to perfect or shall have effectively withdrawn or lost such right, such holder’s shares of Common Stock shall thereupon be treated as if they had been converted into and become exchangeable for the right to receive, as of the Effective Time, the Per Share Merger Consideration for each such share, in accordance with Section 3.1, without interest. The Company shall give Parent prompt notice and a copy of any written demands for appraisal, attempted withdrawals of such demands, and any other instruments served pursuant to applicable Law that are received by the Company relating to Stockholders’ rights of appraisal, and, at Parent’s expense, Parent shall have the opportunity and right to direct all negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal by Stockholders under the DGCL, so long as Parent does not create any pre-Closing obligations of the Company. The Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent, make any payment with respect to any demands for appraisal, offer to settle or settle any such demands or approve any withdrawal of any such demands.
Dissenting Shareholders Any holder of shares of Seller Common Stock who perfects such holder’s dissenter’s rights, if applicable and available, in accordance with and as contemplated by Article 13 of the GBCC and has not effectively withdrawn or lost such right as of the Effective Time shall be entitled to receive from the Surviving Company the value of such shares in cash as determined pursuant to such provision of Law (any shareholder duly making such demand being hereinafter called a “Dissenting Shareholder”); provided, that no such payment shall be made to any such Dissenting Shareholder unless and until such Dissenting Shareholder has complied with the applicable provisions of the GBCC and surrendered to Seller the certificate or certificates representing the shares for which payment is being made. Seller shall give Buyer prompt notice upon receipt by Seller of any such demands for payment of the fair value of such shares of Seller Common Stock and of withdrawals of such notice and any other instruments provided pursuant to applicable Law, and Buyer shall have the right to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to any such demands. Seller shall not, except with the prior written consent of Buyer, make any payment with respect to, or settle, offer to settle or otherwise negotiate, any such demands, or waive any failure to timely deliver a written demand for appraisal or the taking of any other action as may be necessary to perfect dissenter’s rights. In the event that after the Effective Time a Dissenting Shareholder of Seller fails to perfect, or effectively withdraws or loses, such holder’s right to appraisal of and payment for such holder’s shares, the Surviving Company shall issue and deliver the Merger Consideration to which such holder of shares of Seller Common Stock is entitled under Section 3.1 (without interest) upon a proper surrender by such holder of the certificate or certificates representing the shares of Seller Common Stock held by such holder subject to the procedures in Article 4.
Shares of Dissenting Stockholders Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, shares of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by a holder of record who did not vote in favor of the adoption of this Agreement (or consent thereto in writing) and is entitled to demand and properly demands appraisal of such shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to, and who complies in all respects with, Section 262 of the DGCL (“DGCL 262” and any such shares meeting the requirement of this sentence, “Dissenting Shares”) shall not be converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration, but instead at the Effective Time shall be converted into the right to receive payment of such amounts as are payable in accordance with DGCL 262 (it being understood and acknowledged that at the Effective Time, such Dissenting Shares shall no longer be outstanding, shall automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist, and such holder shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto other than the right to receive the fair value of such Dissenting Shares to the extent afforded by DGCL 262); provided that if any such holder shall fail to perfect or otherwise shall waive, withdraw or lose the right to payment of the fair value of such Dissenting Shares under DGCL 262, then the right of such holder to be paid the fair value of such holder’s Dissenting Shares shall cease and such Dissenting Shares shall be deemed to have been converted as of the Effective Time into, and to have become exchangeable solely for the right to receive, without interest or duplication, the Merger Consideration. The Company shall give prompt written notice to Parent of any demands received by the Company for fair value of any shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to DGCL 262 and of any withdrawals of such demands, and Parent shall have the opportunity to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to such demands. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Parent, make any payment with respect to, or settle or compromise or offer to settle or compromise, any such demand, or agree to do any of the foregoing.
Dissenting Shares (a) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Shares outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by a holder who has not voted in favor of the Merger or consented thereto in writing and who has complied with Section 262 of the DGCL (“Dissenting Shares”) shall not be converted into a right to receive the Merger Consideration, unless such holder fails to perfect or such holder waives, withdraws or otherwise loses his or her right to appraisal. A holder of Dissenting Shares shall be entitled to receive payment of the appraised value of such Shares held by such holder in accordance with Section 262 of the DGCL, unless, after the Effective Time, such holder fails to perfect or such holder waives, properly withdraws or otherwise loses such holder’s right to appraisal, in which case such Shares shall be converted into and represent only the right to receive the Merger Consideration, without interest thereon, upon surrender of the Certificate or Certificates representing such Shares pursuant to Section 2.2.
(b) The Company shall give Parent (i) prompt notice of any written demands for appraisal of any Shares, attempted withdrawals of such demands and any other instruments served pursuant to the DGCL and received by the Company relating to rights of appraisal and (ii) the opportunity to direct all negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal under the DGCL. Except with the prior written consent of Parent, the Company shall not make any payment with respect to any demands for appraisal or settle or offer to settle any such demands for appraisal.
Company Stockholder Meeting The Company shall cause a meeting of its stockholders (the “Company Stockholder Meeting”) to be duly called and held as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any event within 40 days after the date of mailing of the Proxy Statement (with the record date and meeting date for the Company Stockholder Meeting to be selected with the reasonable consent of Parent), for the purpose of voting on the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Merger; provided that the Company may postpone or adjourn the Company Stockholder Meeting (i) with the consent of Parent, (ii) for the absence of a quorum or (iii) (A) to allow reasonable additional time for any supplemental or amended disclosure which the Company has determined in good faith (after consultation with outside counsel) is necessary under Applicable Law to be disseminated and reviewed by the Company’s stockholders prior to the Company Stockholder Meeting or (B) once for a period not to exceed fifteen days, for additional solicitation of votes in order to obtain the Company Stockholder Approval. The Company shall comply with all Applicable Laws that are applicable to the Company Stockholder Meeting and, unless the Board of Directors shall have effected an Adverse Recommendation Change pursuant to, and in accordance with the terms of, Section 6.03, the Board of Directors (acting on the recommendation of the Special Committee) shall (A) include the Company Recommendation in the Proxy Statement and Schedule 13E-3 and (B) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the Company Stockholder Approval. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, unless this Agreement has been terminated in accordance with Section 10.01, this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby shall be submitted to the Company’s stockholders at the Company Stockholder Meeting whether or not an Adverse Recommendation Change shall have occurred.
Parent Vote Immediately following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Parent, in its capacity as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub, will execute and deliver to Merger Sub and the Company a written consent approving the Merger in accordance with the DGCL.
Company Stockholders Meeting (a) The Company shall take all action necessary under all applicable Law to call, give notice of and hold a meeting of the holders of Company Common Stock (the “Company Stockholders’ Meeting”) for the purpose of obtaining the Requisite Stockholder Approval. The Company Stockholders’ Meeting shall be held (on a date selected by the Company and Parent) as promptly as practicable after the commencement of the mailing of the Proxy Statement to the Company’s stockholders. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that all proxies solicited in connection with the Company Stockholders’ Meeting are solicited in compliance with all applicable Law. Parent shall cause all shares of Company Common Stock owned by Parent or Merger Sub, if any, to be voted in favor of the adoption of this Agreement.
(b) Subject to Section 6.2(d), (i) the Proxy Statement shall include a statement to the effect that the board of directors of the Company (A) has unanimously determined and believes that the Merger is advisable and fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, (ii) has unanimously approved and adopted this Agreement and unanimously approved the Transactions, including the Merger, in accordance with the requirements of the DGCL, and (iii) unanimously recommends that the Company’s stockholders vote to adopt this Agreement at the Company Stockholders’ Meeting. The unanimous determination that the Merger is advisable and fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and the unanimous recommendation of the Company’s board of directors that the Company’s stockholders vote to adopt this Agreement are collectively referred to as the “Company Board Recommendation”. The Proxy Statement shall include the opinion of the financial advisors referred to in Section 3.29.
(c) Neither the board of directors of the Company nor any committee thereof shall, except if the terms, conditions and requirements of Section 6.2(d) have been satisfied: (i) withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub the Company Board Recommendation; (ii) recommend the approval, acceptance or adoption of, or approve, endorse, accept or adopt, any Acquisition Proposal; (iii) approve or recommend, or cause or permit any Company Entity to execute or enter into, any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, option agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement or other similar document or Contract constituting or relating directly or indirectly to, or that contemplates or is intended or could reasonably be expected to result directly or indirectly in, an Acquisition Transaction, other than a confidentiality agreement referred to in clause (iv)(B) of Section 5.3(b); or (iv) resolve, agree or publicly propose to, or permit any Company Entity or any Representative of any Company Entity to agree or publicly propose to, take any of the actions referred to in this Section 6.2(c).
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 6.2(c), at any time prior to the adoption of this Agreement by the Requisite Stockholder Approval, the board of directors of the Company may withdraw or modify the Company Board Recommendation, refuse to reaffirm the Company Board Recommendation, refuse to publicly state that the Merger and this Agreement are in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders, refuse to issue a press release announcing its opposition to an Acquisition Proposal or recommend a Superior Proposal (each of the foregoing being referred to as a “Recommendation Change”), but only if: (A) an unsolicited, bona fide, written Acquisition Proposal is made to the Company and is not withdrawn; (B) such Acquisition Proposal did not result directly or indirectly from a breach of or any action inconsistent with any of the provisions set forth in Section 5.3 or Section 6.2 of this Agreement or in the Confidentiality Agreement; (C) the Company’s board of directors determines in good faith, after having consulted with its independent financial advisors and outside legal counsel, that such Acquisition Proposal constitutes a Superior Offer; (D) the Company’s board of directors determines in good faith, after having consulted with the Company’s outside legal counsel, that, in light of such Superior Offer, the failure to make a Recommendation Change would constitute a breach by the Company’s board of directors of its fiduciary obligations to the Company’s stockholders under applicable Delaware law; (E) at least three business days prior to making a Recommendation Change pursuant to this Section 6.2(d), the Company’s board of directors delivers to Parent a written notice (a “Recommendation Change Notice”) (1) stating that the Company has received a Superior Offer that did not result directly or indirectly from a breach of or any action inconsistent with any of the provisions set forth in Section 5.3 or Section 6.2 of this Agreement or in the Confidentiality Agreement, (2) stating the Company’s board of directors’ intention to make a Recommendation Change as a result of such Superior Offer and describing the nature of such intended Recommendation Change, (3) specifying the material terms and conditions of such Superior Offer, including the identity of the Person making such Superior Offer, and (4) attaching copies of the most current and complete draft of any Contract relating to such Superior Offer; and (F) throughout the period between the delivery of such Recommendation Change Notice and any Recommendation Change, the Company engages (to the extent requested by Parent) in good faith negotiations with Parent to amend this Agreement and if such negotiations result in the transaction with Parent being in the best interests of the Company stockholders, the Company and its Representatives shall comply with Section 6.2(c). For purposes of this Section 6.2(d), any materially change in the form of or material decrease in the amount of, the consideration payable in connection with a Superior Offer, and any other materially change to any of the terms of a Superior Offer (including any change that would make it a Superior Offer as compared to this Agreement as modified by any changes negotiated pursuant to clause (F) of this Section 6.2(d)), will be deemed to be a new Superior Offer (or other Acquisition Proposal), requiring a new Recommendation Change Notice and a new advance notice period. The Company agrees to keep confidential, and not to disclose to the public or to any Person, any and all information regarding any negotiations that take place pursuant to clause (F) of this Section 6.2(d) (including the existence and terms of any proposal made on behalf of Parent or the Company during such negotiations), except to the extent such disclosure is required by applicable law or the rules and regulations of any applicable United States Government to which the Company is subject or submits.
(e) The Company’s obligation to call, give notice of and hold the Company Stockholders’ Meeting in accordance with Section 6.2(a) shall not be limited or otherwise affected by the making, commencement, disclosure, announcement or submission of any Superior Offer or other Acquisition Proposal or by any Recommendation Change. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company agrees that (i) unless this Agreement is terminated in accordance with Section 9.1, the Company shall not submit any Acquisition Proposal to a vote of its stockholders and (ii) the Company shall not (without Parent’s prior written consent) adjourn, postpone or cancel (or propose to adjourn, postpone or cancel) the Company Stockholders’ Meeting, except to the extent required to obtain the Requisite Stockholder Approval.
(f) Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit the board of directors of the Company from taking and disclosing to the Company’s stockholders a position contemplated by Rule 14e-2(a) and Rule 14d-9 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the taking or disclosing of such position may constitute a Recommendation Change for purposes of this Agreement.
Company Shareholders Meeting (a) The Company shall take all action necessary under all applicable Legal Requirements to call, give notice of, convene and hold a meeting of the holders of Company Common Stock to consider, act upon and vote upon the approval of this Agreement and of the Merger (the "Company Shareholders' Meeting"). The Company Shareholders' Meeting will be held as promptly as practicable and in any event within 45 days after the Form S-4 Registration Statement is declared effective under the Securities Act. The Company shall ensure that the Company Shareholders' Meeting is called, noticed, convened, held and conducted, and that all proxies solicited in connection with the Company Shareholders' Meeting are solicited, in compliance with all applicable Legal Requirements. The Company's obligation to call, give notice of, convene and hold the Company Shareholders' Meeting in accordance with this Section 5.2(a) shall not be limited or otherwise affected by the withdrawal, amendment or modification of the recommendation of the board of directors of the Company with respect to the Merger, except as is required by applicable law.
(b) Subject to Section 5.2(c): (i) the board of directors of the Company shall unanimously recommend that the Company's shareholders vote in favor of and approve this Agreement and the Merger at the Company Shareholders' Meeting; (ii) the Joint Proxy Statement shall include a statement to the effect that the board of directors of the Company has unanimously recommended that the Company's shareholders vote in favor of and approve this Agreement and the Merger at the Company Shareholders' Meeting; and (iii) neither the board of directors of the Company nor any committee thereof shall withdraw, amend or modify, or propose or resolve to withdraw, amend or modify, in a manner adverse to Parent, the unanimous recommendation of the board of directors of the Company that the Company's shareholders vote in favor of and approve this Agreement and the Merger. For purposes of this Agreement, said recommendation of the board of directors of the Company shall be deemed to have been modified in a manner adverse to Parent if said recommendation shall no longer be unanimous.
(c) Nothing in Section 5.2(b) shall prevent the board of directors of the Company from withdrawing, amending or modifying its unanimous recommendation in favor of the Merger at any time prior to the approval of this Agreement by the Required Company Shareholder Vote if (i) a Superior Offer is made to the Company and is not withdrawn, (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Representatives shall have violated any of the restrictions set forth in Section 4.4, and (iii) the board of directors of the Company concludes in good faith, after consultation with its outside counsel, including discussion of applicable legal standards
Stockholder Vote In connection with any vote of the holders of the Company’s common stock issued in the Initial Public Offering (such stockholders, the “Public Stockholders”) regarding a Business Combination, the Company shall provide to the Trustee an affidavit or certificate of a firm regularly engaged in the business of soliciting proxies and tabulating stockholder votes verifying the vote of the Public Stockholders regarding such Business Combination.
Parent Stockholders’ Meeting (a) Promptly as reasonably practicable after the resolution of SEC staff comments and the filing of the Definitive Proxy Statement, Parent shall take all action necessary under applicable Law to call, give notice of and hold a meeting of the holders of Parent Common Stock for the purpose of seeking approval of (i) the issuance of Parent Common Stock or other securities of Parent that represent (or are convertible into) more than twenty percent (20%) of the shares of Parent Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Merger to the holders of Company Capital Stock, Company Options and Company Warrants in connection with the Contemplated Transactions and the change of control of Parent resulting from the Contemplated Transactions, in each case pursuant to the Nasdaq rules; (ii) in accordance with Section 14A of the Exchange Act and the applicable SEC rules issued thereunder, seeking advisory approval of a proposal to Parent’s stockholders for a non-binding, advisory vote to approve certain compensation that may become payable to Parent’s named executive officers in connection with the completion of the Merger, if applicable; and (iii) any other proposals the Parties deem necessary or desirable to consummate the Contemplated Transactions (the matters contemplated by this Section 5.3(a)(i) are collectively referred to as the “Parent Stockholder Matters,” and the matters contemplated by this Section 5.3(a)(ii) and (iii) are collectively referred to herein as, the “Other Parent Stockholder Matters,” and such meeting, the “Parent Stockholders’ Meeting”).
(b) The Parent Stockholders’ Meeting shall be held as promptly as practicable after the filing of the Definitive Proxy Statement with the SEC. Parent shall take reasonable measures to ensure that all proxies solicited in connection with the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting are solicited in compliance with all applicable Laws. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if on the date of the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting, or a date preceding the date on which the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting is scheduled, Parent reasonably believes that (i) it will not receive proxies sufficient to obtain the Required Parent Stockholder Vote, whether or not a quorum would be present, or (ii) it will not have sufficient shares of Parent Common Stock represented (whether in person or by proxy) to constitute a quorum necessary to conduct the business of the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting, Parent may make one or more successive postponements or adjournments of the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting as long as the date of the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting is not postponed or adjourned more than an aggregate of sixty (60) calendar days in connection with any postponements or adjournments.
(c) Parent agrees that, subject to Section 5.3(d): (i) the Parent Board shall recommend that the holders of Parent Common Stock vote to approve the Parent Stockholder Matters and the Other Parent Stockholder Matters, (ii) the Proxy Statement shall include a statement to the effect that the Parent Board recommends that Parent’s stockholders vote to approve the Parent Stockholder Matters and the Other Parent Stockholder Matters (the recommendation of the Parent Board with respect to the Parent Stockholder Matters being referred to as the “Parent Board Recommendation”); and (iii) the Parent Board Recommendation shall not be withheld, amended, withdrawn or modified (and the Parent Board shall not publicly propose to withhold, amend, withdraw or modify the Parent Board Recommendation) in a manner adverse to the Company (the actions set forth in the foregoing clause (iii), collectively, a “Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change”).
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if at any time prior to the approval of the Parent Stockholder Matters at the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting by the Required Parent Stockholder Vote:
(i) if Parent has received a written Acquisition Proposal (which Acquisition Proposal did not arise out of a material breach of Section 4.4) from any Person that has not been withdrawn and after consultation with outside legal counsel, the Parent Board shall have determined, in good faith, that such Acquisition Proposal is a Superior Offer, (x) the Parent Board may make a Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change or (y) Parent may terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.1(j) to enter into a Permitted Alternative Agreement with respect to such Superior Offer, if and only if all of the following apply: (A) the Parent Board determines in good faith, after consultation with Parent’s outside legal counsel, that the failure to do so would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Parent Board to Parent’s stockholders under applicable Law; (B) Parent shall have given the Company prior written notice of its intention to consider making a Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change or terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.1(j) at least three (3) Business Days prior to making any such Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change or termination (a “Determination Notice”) (which notice shall not constitute a Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change); and (C) (1) Parent shall have provided to the Company a summary of the material terms and conditions of the Acquisition Proposal in accordance with Section 4.4(b), (2) Parent shall have given the Company the three (3) Business Days after the Determination Notice to propose revisions to the terms of this Agreement or make another proposal and shall have made its Representatives reasonably available to negotiate in good faith with the Company (to the extent the Company desires to negotiate) with respect to such proposed revisions or other proposal, if any, and (3) after considering the results of any such negotiations and giving effect to the proposals made by the Company, if any, after consultation with outside legal counsel, the Parent Board shall have determined, in good faith, that such Acquisition Proposal is a Superior Offer and that the failure to make the Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change or terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.1(j) would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Parent Board to Parent’s stockholders under applicable Law. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Section 5.3(d)(i) shall also apply to any material change to the facts and circumstances relating to such Acquisition Proposal and require a new Determination Notice, except that the references to three (3) Business Days shall be deemed to be two (2) Business Days.
(ii) other than in connection with an Acquisition Proposal, the Parent Board may make a Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change in response to a Parent Change in Circumstance, if and only if: (A) the Parent Board determines in good faith, after consultation with Parent’s outside legal counsel, that the failure to do so would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Parent Board to Parent’s stockholders under applicable Law; (B) Parent shall have given the Company a Determination Notice at least three (3) Business Days prior to making any such Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change; and (C) (1) Parent shall have specified the Parent Change in Circumstance in reasonable detail, (2) Parent shall have given the Company the three (3) Business Days after the Determination Notice to propose revisions to the terms of this Agreement or make another proposal, and shall have made its Representatives reasonably available to negotiate in good faith with the Company (to the extent the Company desires to do so) with respect to such proposed revisions or other proposal, if any, and (3) after considering the results of any such negotiations and giving effect to the proposals made by the Company, if any, after consultation with outside legal counsel, the Parent Board shall have determined, in good faith, that the failure to make the Parent Board Adverse Recommendation Change in response to such Parent Change in Circumstance would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with the fiduciary duties of the Parent Board to Parent’s stockholders under applicable Law. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Section 5.3(d)(ii) shall also apply to any material change to the facts and circumstances relating to such Parent Change in Circumstance and require a new Determination Notice, except that the references to three (3) Business Days shall be deemed to be two (2) Business Days.
(e) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall prohibit Parent or the Parent Board from (i) complying with Rules 14d-9 and 14e-2(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act, (ii) issuing a “stop, look and listen” communication or similar communication of the type contemplated by Section 14d-9(f) under the Exchange Act or (iii) otherwise making any disclosure to Parent’s stockholders; provided however, that in the case of the foregoing clause (iii) the Parent Board determines in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel, that failure to make such disclosure could be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with applicable Law, including its fiduciary duties under applicable Law.
