Alternative Transactions (a) Except as otherwise permitted by this Section 6.02, until the Effective Time, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any of the Company Subsidiaries, or any director, officer or employee of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, to, or authorize any investment banker, attorney or other advisor or representative retained by it or any of the Company Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, (i) initiate, solicit or knowingly encourage, or take any other action to knowingly facilitate, any Alternative Transaction Proposal or the making of any proposal that could reasonably be expected to lead to an Alternative Transaction Proposal, (ii) participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding, or furnish or provide access to any Person any information with respect to, any Alternative Transaction Proposal (except, subject to this Section 6.02, to disclose the existence of the provisions of this Section 6.02), (iii) authorize, approve or cause or permit the Company to enter into any merger agreement, acquisition agreement, memorandum of understanding, letter of intent or similar agreement (other than an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement) relating to an Alternative Transaction Proposal (an “Alternative Transaction Agreement”) or (iv) agree or resolve to take any actions set forth in clauses (i) through (iii) of this sentence.
(b) Until the Effective Time, the Company shall promptly (but in any event within one Business Day) notify Parent orally and in writing after receipt of (i) any Alternative Transaction Proposal or any inquiry, offer or proposal that could reasonably be expected to lead to an Alternative Transaction Proposal or (ii) any request for nonpublic information with respect to the Company or Company Subsidiaries relating to any Alternative Transaction Proposal. Such notice shall include the material terms and conditions of such Alternative Transaction Proposal or inquiry, offer, proposal or request (including the identity of the Person making any such Alternative Transaction Proposal, inquiry, offer, proposal or request) and any amendments thereto.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 6.02(a), if at any time prior to obtaining the Company Stockholder Approval the Company receives an unsolicited, bona fide Alternative Transaction Proposal from any Person that the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel and its independent financial advisor, is, or could reasonably be expected to lead to, a Superior Proposal, the Company may (i) furnish or provide access to information to the Person making such Alternative Transaction Proposal with respect to the Company or the Company Subsidiaries pursuant to an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement (it being understood that the Company shall as promptly as is reasonably practicable make available to Parent and Merger Sub any written information concerning the Company or the Company Subsidiaries that is provided to any Person pursuant to this Section 6.02(c)(i) to the extent such information was not previously provided to Parent or Merger Sub) and (ii) engage in discussions or negotiations with such Person and its Representatives with respect to such Alternative Transaction Proposal. Upon Parent’s request, the Company shall provide Parent a reasonably detailed update on the status and terms of any discussions, negotiations, inquiries, offers, proposals or requests relating to any such Alternative Transaction Proposal. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company shall provide to Parent, as soon as practicable and in any event within one (1) Business Day after receipt or delivery thereof, copies of all draft agreements (and any other transaction documents to the extent such transaction documents contain any financial terms, conditions or other material terms relating to such Alternative Transaction Proposal, and a summary of the terms of any financing commitments related thereto to the extent applicable and available) sent by or provided to the Company.
(d) Except as set forth in this Section 6.02(d), neither the Company Board nor any committee thereof shall (i) withdraw, withhold, qualify, amend or modify in a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub, the approval or recommendation by the Company Board of this Agreement or the Merger, (ii) approve, adopt, endorse or recommend any Alternative Transaction Proposal or Alternative Transaction Agreement or (iii) agree, propose or resolve to take any of the actions set forth in clauses (i) or (ii) of this sentence. Notwithstanding the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence, but subject to the other terms of this Section 6.02(d), prior to the time the Company Stockholder Approval is obtained, the Company Board may (A) if an Intervening Event has occurred, withhold, withdraw, qualify, amend or modify its approval or recommendation of this Agreement and the Merger in connection with such Intervening Event or (B) if the Company has received after the date hereof an Alternative Transaction Proposal that the Company Board determines, after consultation with the Company’s outside legal counsel and its independent financial advisor, is a Superior Proposal, withhold, withdraw, qualify, amend or modify its approval or recommendation of this Agreement and the Merger and approve or recommend such Superior Proposal (any action in clause (A) or (B), a “Change of Recommendation”), in each case if, but only if:
(i) the Company notifies Parent and Merger Sub in writing (a “Change of Recommendation Notice”), at least four (4) Business Days in advance, that the Company Board intends to effect a Change of Recommendation and the reasons therefor, which notice shall (y) in the case of an Intervening Event, describe in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances giving rise or relating to such Intervening Event, and (z) in the case of a Superior Proposal, identify the Person making such Superior Proposal, describe the material terms and conditions thereof (including any financing commitments related thereto to the extent applicable and available), and include unredacted copies of the most current and complete draft of any proposed Alternative Transaction Agreement;
(ii) the Company negotiates, and causes its outside legal counsel and independent financial advisor to negotiate, in good faith with Parent and its outside legal counsel and independent financial advisor (to the extent Parent desires to negotiate) during such four (4) Business Day period (the “Notice Period”) to make such adjustments to the terms and conditions of this Agreement as would permit the Company Board not to effect a Change of Recommendation with respect to such Intervening Event or so that such Alternative Transaction Proposal ceases to constitute a Superior Proposal, as the case may be;
(iii) at the conclusion of the Notice Period, the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with the Company’s outside legal counsel and its independent financial advisor, and after taking into account any changes to this Agreement proposed in writing by Parent, that (y) the failure to effect a Change of Recommendation would reasonably be likely to result in a breach of the directors’ fiduciary duties under applicable Law and (z) in the case of a Superior Proposal, that such Superior Proposal continues to constitute a Superior Proposal; and
(iv) in the case of a Superior Proposal, the Company terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.01(d)(i) promptly after effecting such Change of Recommendation and immediately prior to or substantially concurrently with such termination, pays to Parent any amounts required to be paid pursuant to Section 9.02(b). In the event of any material change in the facts or circumstances giving rise to any such Intervening Event or to the terms of any such Superior Proposal (including any change to the amount or form of consideration), the Company shall, in each case, provide Parent with a new Change of Recommendation Notice, except that the Notice Period shall be two (2) Business Days instead of four (4) Business Days, before the Company Board may effect a Change of Recommendation and, in the case of a Superior Proposal, terminate this Agreement.
(e) Nothing contained in this Section 6.02 shall prohibit the Company from taking and disclosing to its stockholders a position contemplated by Rule 14d-9 or Rule 14e-2(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act or from making any required disclosure to the Company’s stockholders if, in the good faith judgment of the Company Board, failure to so disclose would reasonably be likely to result in a violation of applicable Law; provided, however, that if such disclosure does not reaffirm the approval or recommendation by the Company Board of this Agreement and the Merger or has the substantive effect of withholding, withdrawing, qualifying, amending or modifying, in a manner adverse to Parent and Merger Sub, the approval or recommendation by the Company Board of this Agreement or the Merger, such disclosure shall be deemed to be a Change of Recommendation (it being understood, however, that a “stop, look and listen” communication to the Company’s stockholders pursuant to Rule 14d-9(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act shall not be deemed a Change of Recommendation).
(f) For purposes of this Agreement:
Alternative Proposals (a) Prior to the Offer Closing Date, GFI and the Board of Directors of GFI (upon the recommendation of the Special Committee) may (directly or through their Representatives), in response to a bona fide written Takeover Proposal, subject to compliance with Section 5.4(c) (Change in Recommendation):
(i) furnish information with respect to GFI and the GFI Subsidiaries to the Person making such Takeover Proposal and its Representatives pursuant to and in accordance with a customary confidentiality agreement; provided, further, that a copy of all such information provided to such Person has previously been provided to Parent or its Representatives or is provided to Parent substantially concurrently with the time it is provided to such Person; and
(ii) participate in discussions or negotiations with such Person or its Representatives regarding such Takeover Proposal; provided, in each case, that the Board of Directors of GFI (upon the recommendation of the Special Committee) determines in good faith (after consultation with its outside legal counsel and its independent financial advisor) that such Takeover Proposal is or could reasonably be expected to lead to a Superior Proposal.
(b) As promptly as reasonably practicable after the receipt, directly or indirectly, by GFI of any Takeover Proposal or any inquiry with respect to, or that could reasonably be expected to lead to, any Takeover Proposal, and in any case within 24 hours after the receipt thereof, GFI shall provide oral and written notice to Parent of (i) such Takeover Proposal or inquiry, (ii) the identity of the Person making any such Takeover Proposal or inquiry and (iii) the material terms and conditions of any such Takeover Proposal or inquiry (including a copy of any such written Takeover Proposal and any amendments or modifications thereto). Commencing upon the provision of any notice referred to above and continuing until such Takeover Proposal is withdrawn or the Board of Directors of GFI (upon the recommendation of the Special Committee) has provided written notice to Parent that it is prepared to effect a Change in Recommendation pursuant to Section 5.4(c) (Change in Recommendation), (A) GFI (or its outside legal counsel) shall, in person or by telephone, keep Parent (or its outside legal counsel) reasonably informed of, and shall provide to Parent or Purchaser upon request, the status of such Takeover Proposal and any material developments related thereto, including material amendments or proposed amendments as to price and other material terms of such Takeover Proposal and (B) GFI shall, promptly upon receipt or delivery, and in any case within 24 hours after the receipt thereof, provide Parent (or its outside legal counsel) with copies of all drafts and final versions (and any comments thereon) of agreements (including schedules and exhibits thereto) relating to such Takeover Proposal exchanged between GFI or any of its Representatives, on the one hand, and the person making such Takeover Proposal or any of its Representatives, on the other hand.
(c) Neither the Board of Directors of GFI nor any committee thereof (including the Special Committee) shall, directly or indirectly, effect a Change in Recommendation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time prior to Expiration Date, the Board of Directors of GFI (upon the recommendation of the Special Committee) may, in response to a Superior Proposal or an Intervening Event, effect a Change in Recommendation; provided that the Board of Directors of GFI (upon the recommendation of the Special Committee) determines in good faith (after consultation with its outside legal counsel and its independent financial advisor) that the failure to do so would reasonably be likely to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties to the stockholders of GFI under applicable Law; provided, further, that the Board of Directors of GFI may not effect such a Change in Recommendation unless (i) the Board of Directors of GFI (upon the recommendation of the Special Committee) shall have first provided prior written notice to Parent that it is prepared to effect a Change in Recommendation in response to a Superior Proposal or an Intervening Event, which notice shall, in the case of a Superior Proposal, attach the most current version of any written agreement relating to the transaction that constitutes such Superior Proposal, and, in the case of an Intervening Event, attach information specifying such Intervening Event in reasonable detail and any other information related thereto reasonably requested by Parent, it being understood and agreed that the delivery of such notice shall not, in and of itself, be deemed a Change in Recommendation, and (ii) Parent does not make, within four Business Days after receipt of such notice a proposal that the Board of Directors of GFI (upon the recommendation of the Special Committee) determines in good faith (after consultation with its outside legal counsel and its independent financial advisor) would cause the proposal previously constituting a Superior Proposal to no longer constitute a Superior Proposal or obviates the need for a Change in Recommendation as a result of the Intervening Event, as the case may be. GFI agrees that, during the four Business Day period prior to its effecting a Change in Recommendation, GFI and its Representatives shall, if requested by Parent, negotiate in good faith with Parent and its Representatives (so long as Parent and its Representatives are negotiating in good faith) regarding any revisions to the terms of the Transactions proposed by Parent intended to cause such Takeover Proposal to no longer constitute a Superior Proposal or to obviate the need for a Change in Recommendation as a result of an Intervening Event. Any material amendment to the terms of such Superior Proposal or material change to the facts and circumstances that are the basis for such Intervening Event occurring or arising prior to the making of a Change in Recommendation shall require GFI to provide to Parent a new notice and a new negotiation period of two Business Days (instead of four Business Days).
(d) Nothing contained in this Section 5.4 shall prohibit GFI or the Board of Directors of GFI (upon the recommendation of the Special Committee) from taking and disclosing any position contemplated by Rule 14e-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act or making any statement contemplated by Item 1012(a) of Regulation M-A or Rule 14d-9 promulgated under the Exchange Act in respect of any Takeover Proposal, providing any information to stockholders of GFI required by Section 220 of the DGCL or making any disclosure to the stockholders of GFI if the Board of Directors of GFI (upon the recommendation of the Special Committee) determines in good faith (after consultation with its outside legal counsel) that the failure to make such disclosure would reasonably be likely to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties to the stockholders of GFI under applicable Law; provided, however, that neither the Board of Directors of GFI nor any committee thereof (including the Special Committee) shall, except as expressly permitted by Section 5.4(c) (Change in Recommendation), effect a Change in Recommendation.
(e) For purposes of this Agreement:
COOPERATION IN PREPARATION OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT The COMPANY and STOCKHOLDERS shall furnish or cause to be furnished to VPI and the Underwriters all of the information concerning the COMPANY and the STOCKHOLDERS required for inclusion in, and will cooperate with VPI and the Underwriters in the preparation of, the Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein (including audited and unaudited financial statements, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, in form suitable for inclusion in the Registration Statement). The COMPANY and the STOCKHOLDERS agree promptly to advise VPI if, at any time during the period in which a prospectus relating to the offering is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, any information contained in the prospectus concerning the COMPANY or the STOCKHOLDERS becomes incorrect or incomplete in any material respect, and to provide the information needed to correct such inaccuracy. VPI will give the COMPANY and the STOCKHOLDERS an opportunity and a reasonable amount of time to review and comment on a substantially final draft of the Registration Statement prior to filing, and with respect to all amendments thereto, VPI will give the COMPANY and STOCKHOLDERS an opportunity to review and comment on those portions of such amendments that relate to the COMPANY. Insofar as the information contained in the Registration Statement relates solely to the COMPANY or the STOCKHOLDERS, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement the COMPANY represents and warrants as to such information with respect to itself, and each STOCKHOLDER represents and warrants, as to such information with respect to the COMPANY and himself or herself, that the Registration Statement will not include 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 light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading and that the STOCKHOLDERS and the COMPANY have had the opportunity to review and approve such information. If, prior to the 25th day after the date of the final prospectus of VPI utilized in connection with the IPO, the COMPANY or the STOCKHOLDERS become aware of any fact or circumstance which would change (or, if after the Closing Date, would have changed) a representation or warranty of the COMPANY or the STOCKHOLDERS in this Agreement or would affect any document delivered pursuant hereto in any material respect, the COMPANY and the STOCKHOLDERS shall immediately give notice of such fact or circumstance to VPI. However, subject to the provisions of Section 7.8, such notification shall not relieve either the COMPANY or the STOCKHOLDERS of their respective obligations under this Agreement, and, subject to the provisions of Section 7.8, at the sole option of VPI, the truth and accuracy of any and all warranties and representations of the COMPANY, or on behalf of the COMPANY and of STOCKHOLDERS at the date of this Agreement and on the Pre-Closing Date and on the Closing Date, contained in this Agreement (including the Schedules and Annexes hereto) shall be a precondition to the consummation of this transaction.
Regulatory Filing In the event that this Interconnection Service Agreement contains any terms that deviate materially from the form included in Attachment O of the Tariff, Transmission Provider shall file the Interconnection Service Agreement on behalf of itself and the Interconnected Transmission Owner with FERC as a service schedule under the Tariff within thirty days after execution. Interconnection Customer may request that any information so provided be subject to the confidentiality provisions of Section 17 of this Appendix 2. An Interconnection Customer shall have the right, with respect to any Interconnection Service Agreement tendered to it, to request
(a) dispute resolution under Section 12 of the Tariff or, if concerning the Regional Transmission Expansion Plan, consistent with Schedule 5 of the Operating Agreement, or (b) that Transmission Provider file the agreement unexecuted with the Commission. With the filing of any unexecuted Interconnection Service Agreement, Transmission Provider may, in its discretion, propose to FERC a resolution of any or all of the issues in dispute between or among the Interconnection Parties.
Alternative Transaction In the event that, in lieu of the Arrangement, the Purchaser seeks to complete the acquisition of the Company Shares other than as contemplated by the Arrangement Agreement on a basis that (a) provides for economic terms which, in relation to the Shareholder, on an after-tax basis, are at least equivalent to or better than those contemplated by the Arrangement Agreement taking into account the Intended Tax Treatment, (b) would not likely result in a delay or time to completion beyond the Voting Support Outside Date, and (c) is otherwise on terms and conditions not materially more onerous on the Shareholder than the Arrangement (including any take-over bid) any such transaction, an “Alternative Transaction”), then during the term of this Agreement the Shareholder may, on its own accord, and shall, upon written request of the Purchaser, support the completion of such Alternative Transaction in the same manner as the Arrangement in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement mutatis mutandis, including by (A) depositing or causing the deposit of its Subject Shares (including any Company Shares issued or issuable upon the exercise, conversion or vesting, as applicable, of any Company Options, Company Compensation Options or Company RSUs) into an Alternative Transaction conducted by way of a take-over bid made by the Purchaser or an affiliate of Purchaser and not withdrawing them; and/or (B) voting or causing to be voted all of the Subject Shares (to the extent that they carry the right to vote) in favour of, and not dissenting from, such Alternative Transaction proposed by the Purchaser, provided however that the Shareholder shall not be required to exercise, convert or exchange any Subject Shares (other than Company Shares) in connection with an Alternative Transaction.
Filings, Registrations and Recordings Each document (including any Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) required by the Security Documents or under law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a perfected Lien on the Collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 7.3), shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation.
Filing of Current Report and Registration Statement The Company agrees that it shall, within the time required under the Exchange Act, file with the SEC a report on Form 8-K relating to the transactions contemplated by, and describing the material terms and conditions of, the Transaction Documents (the “Current Report”). The Company shall also file with the SEC, within twenty (20) Business Days from the date hereof, a new registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) covering only the resale of the Purchase Shares and all of the Commitment Shares, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement between the Company and the Investor, dated as of the date hereof (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). The Company shall permit the Investor to review and comment upon the final pre-filing draft version of the Current Report at least two (2) Business Days prior to its filing with the SEC, and the Company shall give due consideration to all such comments. The Investor shall use its reasonable best efforts to comment upon the final pre-filing draft version of the Current Report within one (1) Business Day from the date the Investor receives it from the Company.
Lien Searches and UCC Termination Statements Delivery to Administrative Agent of (a) the results of a recent search, by a Person satisfactory to Administrative Agent, of all effective UCC financing statements and fixture filings and all judgment and tax lien filings which may have been made with respect to any personal or mixed property of any Loan Party, together with copies of all such filings disclosed by such search, and (b) UCC termination statements duly executed by all applicable Persons for filing in all applicable jurisdictions as may be necessary to terminate any effective UCC financing statements or fixture filings disclosed in such search (other than any such financing statements or fixture filings in respect of Liens permitted to remain outstanding pursuant to the terms of this Agreement).
Regulatory Reports Since January 1, 2018, Company and its Subsidiaries have duly filed with the FRB, the FDIC, the OCC and any other applicable Governmental Authority, in correct form, the reports and other documents required to be filed under applicable Laws and regulations and have paid all fees and assessments due and payable in connection therewith, and such reports were, in all material respects, complete and accurate and in compliance with the requirements of applicable Laws and regulations. No report, including any report filed with the OCC, the FDIC, the Federal Reserve Board, the Securities Exchange Commission or any other federal or state regulatory agency, and no report, proxy statement, registration statement or offering materials made or given to shareholders of Company or the Bank, in each case, since December 31, 2017, as of the respective dates thereof, contained any 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The call reports of the Bank and accompanying schedules as filed with the OCC, for each calendar quarter beginning with the quarter ended December 31, 2017, through the Closing Date have been and will be prepared in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, including applicable regulatory accounting principles and practices through periods covered by such reports. Other than normal examinations conducted by a Governmental Authority in the Ordinary Course of Business of Company and its Subsidiaries, no Governmental Authority has notified Company or any of its Subsidiaries that it has initiated or has pending any proceeding or, to Company’s Knowledge, threatened an investigation into the business or operations of Company or any of its Subsidiaries since January 1, 2018 that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect on Company. There is no material unresolved violation, criticism, or exception by any Governmental Authority with respect to any report or statement relating to any examinations or inspections of Company or any of its Subsidiaries. There have been no formal or informal inquiries by, or disagreements or disputes with, any Governmental Authority with respect to the business, operations, policies or procedures of Company or any of its Subsidiaries since January 1, 2018. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 3.09 shall require Company or Bank to provide Buyer with any confidential regulatory supervisory information of Company or Bank.
COPIES OF REGULATORY REPORTS AND FILINGS Upon reasonable request, Competitive Supplier shall provide to the Town a copy of each public periodic or incident-related report or record relating to this ESA which it files with any Massachusetts or federal agency regulating rates, service, compliance with environmental laws, or compliance with affirmative action and equal opportunity requirements, unless the Competitive Supplier is required by law or regulation to keep such reports confidential. The Town shall treat any reports and/or filings received from Competitive Supplier as confidential information subject to the terms of Article 16. Competitive Supplier shall be reimbursed its reasonable costs of providing such copies.
