Closing Escrow The Closing shall take place by means of a so called “New York style” escrow (the “Closing Escrow”), and, at or prior to the Closing, the Parties shall enter into a closing escrow agreement with the Escrow Agent with respect to the Closing Escrow in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Seller, Purchaser and the Escrow Agent (the “Closing Escrow Agreement”) pursuant to which (i) the Purchase Price to be paid by Purchaser pursuant to Section 3.3 shall be deposited with Escrow Agent, (ii) all of the documents required to be delivered by Seller and Purchaser at Closing pursuant to this Agreement shall be deposited with Escrow Agent, and (iii) at Closing, the Purchase Price (as adjusted pursuant to Section 3.1) and the Xxxxxxx Money shall be disbursed to Seller and the documents deposited into the Closing Escrow shall be delivered to Seller and Purchaser (as the case may be) pursuant to the Closing Escrow Agreement.
Escrow Amount (a) The Escrow Agent shall hold the Escrow Stock, Escrow Cash and USVI Tax Escrow in accordance with the terms and conditions of an escrow agreement, by and among the Parent, the Seller, and the Escrow Agent, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit 2.6 (the “Escrow Agreement”). The Escrow Stock and Escrow Cash shall remain in escrow following the Closing to cover any indemnification claims in accordance with the terms of the Escrow Agreement and Section 11.7 hereof. The USVI Tax Escrow shall remain in escrow following the Closing to cover any indemnification claim related to USVI Exposure.
(b) The Escrow Agreement shall provide that the Escrow Stock shall be released as follows (each date of escrow release, an “Escrow Release Date”) and the value of each share of Parent Common Stock for purposes of this Section 2.6(b) equal to the Issuance Price:
(i) twenty-five percent (25%) of the Escrow Stock then remaining in escrow less a number of shares of Parent Common Stock with a value equal to the amount of any outstanding claims will be released to Seller on the nine (9) month anniversary of the Closing Date (the “First Escrow Release Date”);
(ii) thirty-three and one-third percent (33.33%) of the Escrow Stock then remaining in escrow less a number of shares of Parent Common Stock with a value equal to the amount of any outstanding claims will be released to Seller on the twelve (12) month anniversary of the Closing Date;
(iii) fifty percent (50%) of the Escrow Stock then remaining in escrow less a number of shares of Parent Common Stock with a value equal to the amount of any outstanding claims will be released to Seller on the fifteen (15) month anniversary of the Closing Date; and
(iv) any Escrow Stock then remaining in escrow less a number of shares of Parent Common Stock with a value equal to the amount of any outstanding claims will be released to Seller on the eighteen (18) month anniversary of the Closing Date (the “Final Escrow Release Date”.
Initial Escrow Amount; Issuance of Escrow Receipts The Escrow Agent hereby directs the Underwriters to, and the Underwriters hereby acknowledge that on the date hereof they shall, irrevocably deliver to the Depositary on behalf of the Escrow Agent, an amount in U.S. dollars ("Dollars") and immediately available funds equal to $56,000,000 for deposit on behalf of the Escrow Agent with the Depositary in accordance with Section 2.1 of the Deposit Agreement. The Underwriters hereby instruct the Escrow Agent, upon receipt of such sum from the Underwriters, to confirm such receipt by executing (by manual or facsimile signature) and delivering to the Pass Through Trustee an Escrow Receipt in the form of Exhibit A hereto (an "Escrow Receipt"), (a) to be affixed by the Pass Through Trustee to each Certificate and (b) to evidence the same percentage interest ("Escrow Interest") in the Account Amounts (as defined below) as the Fractional Undivided Interest in the Pass Through Trust evidenced by the Certificate to which it is to be affixed. The Escrow Agent shall provide to the Pass Through Trustee for attachment to each Certificate newly issued under and in accordance with the Pass Through Trust Agreement an executed Escrow Receipt as the Pass Through Trustee may from time to time request of the Escrow Agent. Each Escrow Receipt shall be registered by the Escrow Agent in a register (the "Register") maintained by the Escrow Agent in the same name and same manner as the Certificate to which it is attached and may not thereafter be detached from such Certificate to which it is to be affixed prior to the distribution of the Final Withdrawal (the "Final Distribution"). After the Final Distribution, no additional Escrow Receipts shall be issued and the Pass Through Trustee shall request the return to the Escrow Agent for cancellation of all outstanding Escrow Receipts.
Indemnity Escrow (i) At or prior to the Closing, Pubco, the Seller Representative and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (or such other escrow agent mutually acceptable to Purchaser and the Company), as escrow agent (the “Escrow Agent”), shall enter into an Escrow Agreement, effective as of the Effective Time, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Purchaser and the Company (the “Escrow Agreement”), pursuant to which Pubco shall cause to be delivered to the Escrow Agent a number of Class B Exchange Shares (each valued at the Redemption Price) equal to (x) fifteen percent (15%) of the estimated Exchange Consideration, divided by (y) the Redemption Price otherwise issuable to the Sellers at the Closing based on the Estimated Closing Statement (such Class B Exchange Shares, together with any equity securities paid as dividends or distributions with respect to such shares or into which such shares are exchanged or converted, in each case, as long as they remain in the Indemnity Escrow Account, the “Indemnity Escrow Shares”) to be held, along with any other dividends, distributions or other income on the Indemnity Escrow Shares, in each case, as long as they remain in the Indemnity Escrow Account (together with the Indemnity Escrow Shares, the “Indemnity Escrow Property”), in a segregated escrow account (the “Indemnity Escrow Account”) and disbursed in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Escrow Agreement. The portion of the Class B Exchange Shares that shall be withheld at the Closing for deposit in the Indemnity Escrow Account, and any disbursement from the Indemnity Escrow Account to Pubco, shall be allocated between the Class B Sellers based on each such Seller’s relative Pro Rata Share (as between themselves). The Indemnity Escrow Shares shall serve as the sole and exclusive source of payment of the obligations of the Sellers under Section 2.5(d) and the obligations of the Indemnitors pursuant to Article IX (other than with respect to (A) Fraud Claims or (B) any indemnification claims for breach of any Company and Seller Fundamental Representations, for which the Main Seller shall be solely responsible). Unless otherwise required by Law, all distributions made from the Indemnity Escrow Account shall be treated by the Parties as an adjustment to the Exchange Consideration received by the Sellers pursuant to Article II hereof. Each Class B Seller shall be deemed to be the owner of such Seller’s relative Pro Rata Share (as between themselves) of the Indemnity Escrow Shares during the time such Indemnity Escrow Shares are held in the Indemnity Escrow Account, subject to the retention of any dividends, distributions and other earnings thereon in the Indemnity Escrow Account until disbursed therefrom in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Escrow Agreement. Each Class B Seller shall have the right to vote such Seller’s relative Pro Rata Share (as between themselves) of the Indemnity Escrow Shares (together with any equity securities paid as dividends or distributions with respect to such shares or into which such shares are exchanged or converted) during the time held in the Indemnity Escrow Account as Indemnity Escrow Shares.
(ii) (A) Within three (3) Business Days after the twelve (12) month anniversary of the Closing Date (such anniversary, the “First Escrow Release Date”), the Purchaser Representative and Seller Representatives shall give joint written instruction to the Escrow Agent directing the release of the First Released Escrow Property (if any) to the Class B Sellers; (B) within three (3) Business Days after the twenty-four (24) month anniversary (such anniversary, the “Expiration Date”), the Purchaser Representative and Seller Representatives shall give joint written instruction to the Escrow Agent directing the release of all remaining Indemnity Escrow Property (if any) to the Class B Sellers; and (C) the Indemnity Escrow Property shall not be subject to any indemnification claim to the extent such claim is made after the Expiration Date; provided, however, with respect to any indemnification claim made in accordance with Article IX hereof on or prior to the Expiration Date that remains unresolved at the time and are still contested by an Indemnitee in good faith as of the Expiration Date (any such claim, a “Pending Claim”), an amount of the Indemnity Escrow Property with a value (with respect to the Indemnity Escrow Shares, calculated based on the Pubco Share Price as of the Expiration Date) equal to the aggregate amount of the Pending Claims set forth in the Claim Notice provided by the Purchaser Representative in accordance with Section 9.4 (as adjusted in accordance with Section 9.4(b)) shall remain in the Indemnity Escrow Account until such time as such Pending Claim shall have been finally resolved and paid pursuant to the provisions of Article IX. After the Expiration Date, to the extent that the value of the remaining Indemnity Escrow Property (with respect to the Indemnity Escrow Shares, calculated based on the Pubco Share Price) exceeds the aggregate amount of (a) resolved but unpaid claims in favor of an Indemnitee and (b) the Pending Claims set forth in the Claim Notice (as adjusted in accordance with Section 9.4(b)) submitted prior to the Expiration Date, an amount of Indemnity Escrow Property having a value (with respect to the Indemnity Escrow Shares, calculated based on the Pubco Share Price) equal to such excess shall be promptly (and no later than three (3) Business Days) disbursed by the Escrow Agent to the Class B Sellers (and Purchaser Representative and Seller Representatives shall promptly give joint written instructions to the Escrow Agent directing such release), with respect to each release of the Indemnity Escrow Property to the Class B Sellers, each such Seller shall receive such Seller’s relative Pro Rata Share (as between themselves) of such Indemnity Escrow Property. Promptly after the final resolution of all Pending Claims and payment of all indemnification obligations in connection therewith, the Escrow Agent shall transfer any Indemnity Escrow Property remaining in the Indemnity Escrow Account to the Class B Sellers with each such Seller receiving such Seller’s relative Pro Rata Share (as between themselves) of such Indemnity Escrow Property.
Additional Escrow Amounts On the date of any Purchase Withdrawal, the Pass Through Trustee may re-deposit with the Depositary some or all of the amounts so withdrawn in accordance with Section 2.4 of the Deposit Agreement.
Holdback Amount Escrow Agent shall hold back in escrow from Seller’s net proceeds at Closing an amount equal to Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) (the “Holdback Amount”). The sole purpose for which the Holdback Amount may be applied is as to any amounts which Seller owes to Purchaser for post-Closing claims to the extent allowed and subject to any limitations set forth in this Agreement. For clarity, the Holdback Amount is intended as a source of payment, but not as a limitation of damages that may be claimed by Purchaser. Except as to any amounts claimed to be owed by Seller to Purchaser which amounts are specifically reflected in a lawsuit commenced against Seller within twelve (12) months after the Closing for damages based upon the post-Closing claim, Escrow Agent shall disburse the balance of the Holdback Amount to Seller immediately following the expiration of the twelve (12) month period. Prior to institution of any such lawsuit, Purchaser shall provide at least ten (10) days prior written notice to Seller, specifying the exact amount and nature of any such claim asserted by Purchaser against the Holdback Amount. Any lawsuit commenced against Seller must specifically set forth the exact amount which is claimed to be owed by Seller to Purchaser, and absent such specific amount being identified, Escrow Agent is authorized to release the entire Holdback Amount to Seller immediately following the expiration of the twelve month (12) month period post-Closing. Any portion of the Holdback Amount which Escrow Agent is entitled to retain pursuant to this Section 3.10 after the passage of the twelve (12) month period, shall continue to be held in escrow pending final and unappealable dismissal or judgment in the action or actions timely commenced by Purchaser or settled pursuant to a written agreement between Seller and Purchaser. If Purchaser obtains a final and unappealable judgment in any such action, Escrow Agent is directed to make a disbursement to Purchaser from the Holdback Amount retained in escrow in the amount of the judgment plus any interest, attorney’s fees, and costs to which it is entitled thereon upon presentation to Escrow Agent and Seller of the court order or other evidence of such final and unappealable judgment. Once all such actions are either finally or unappealably dismissed or a final and unappealable judgment is entered therein or settled pursuant to a written agreement between Seller and Purchaser, and any amount of damages due to Purchaser is paid, whether from the Holdback Amount or otherwise, Escrow Agent is directed to disburse to Seller any remaining balance of the Holdback Amount. The parties shall execute any additional escrow instructions not inconsistent with the foregoing reasonably required by Escrow Agent or either party relating to the Holdback Amount. Escrow Agent’s fees and costs for holding and disbursing the Holdback Amount shall be shared equally by Seller and Purchaser.
Unused Escrow Funds In the event that a Closing does not occur when required under the Contract, or in the event that the Closing does occur but Escrow Funds remain in an account with Escrow Agent, the Escrow Agent shall notify OPWC in writing promptly thereafter. After receipt of such notice, OPWC shall deliver written instructions to Escrow Agent directing Escrow Agent’s release of the Escrow Funds. Immediately upon Escrow Agent’s receipt of such notice from OPWC, Escrow Agent shall release the Escrow Funds, or balance thereof, in accordance with OPWC’s written instructions.
Post-Closing Purchase Price Adjustment 1.9.1 Within ninety (90) days following the Closing Date, Seller shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, and deliver to Purchaser a statement (the “Closing Net Working Capital Statement”) which shall set forth the Net Working Capital of the Newsprint Business and of Apache as of the Closing Time (which shall be set forth separately for each of the Newsprint Business and Apache, but as aggregated shall be referred to as the “Closing Net Working Capital”) and shall be prepared in accordance with Seller’s past accounting methods, policies, practices and procedures and in the same manner, with consistent classification and estimation methodology, as the Financial Statements were prepared, except that the Excluded Assets and the Newsprint Retained Obligations shall be excluded. The Closing Net Working Capital Statement may not be amended by Seller after it is delivered to Purchaser.
1.9.2 Purchaser shall, within thirty (30) days after the delivery of the Closing Net Working Capital Statement to it, complete its review of the Closing Net Working Capital reflected on the Closing Net Working Capital Statement. If Purchaser wishes to dispute the Closing Net Working Capital, Purchaser shall notify Seller in writing in reasonable detail of such disagreement and any reason therefore (“Purchaser’s Objection”), setting forth a specific description of the basis of Purchaser’s Objection and the adjustments to the Closing Net Working Capital that Purchaser believes should be made, on or before the last day of such thirty (30) day period, which Purchaser’s Objection may not be amended by Purchaser after it is delivered to Seller (except to withdraw any such Purchaser’s Objection). Any items on the Closing Net Working Capital Statements not disputed in Purchaser’s Objection shall be irrevocably deemed to be accepted by Purchaser. Seller shall then have thirty (30) days to review and respond to Purchaser’s Objection. If Seller and Purchaser are unable to resolve all of their disagreements with respect to the determination of the foregoing items within thirty (30) days following Seller’s receipt of Purchaser’s Objection (the “Negotiation Period”), they shall refer their remaining differences to a mutually agreeable independent accounting firm of national recognition (other than an independent accounting firm utilized by any of Seller, Apache or Purchaser or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing within the past three (3) years) acceptable to both Seller and Purchaser or if Seller and Purchaser are unable to agree as to such third party accounting firm within ten (10) days after the conclusion of the Negotiation Period, either Seller or Purchaser may request that the Chairman of the American Arbitration Association (or the nominated representative of the Chairman) appoint a third party accounting firm meeting the aforementioned requirements to resolve the dispute (the accounting firm selected being referred to as the “CPA Firm”), who shall determine, only with respect to the remaining differences so submitted, whether and to what extent, if any, the Closing Net Working Capital requires adjustment. The procedure and schedule under which any dispute shall be submitted to the CPA Firm shall be as follows:
(a) Within ten (10) days after the later of (i) the end of the Negotiation Period and (ii) the selection of the CPA Firm, Purchaser shall submit any unresolved elements of the Purchaser’s Objection to the CPA Firm in writing (with a copy to Seller), supported by any documents and/or affidavits upon which it relies. Failure to timely do so shall constitute a withdrawal by Purchaser of the Purchaser’s Objection with respect to any unresolved element to which such failure relates.
(b) Within fifteen (15) days following Purchaser’s submission of the unresolved elements of the Purchaser’s Objection as specified in sub-clause (a) above, Seller shall submit its response to the CPA Firm in writing (with a copy to Purchaser), supported by any documents and/or affidavits upon which it relies. Failure to timely do so shall constitute an acceptance by Seller with respect to any unresolved elements to which such failure relates.
(c) The CPA Firm shall deliver its written determination to Purchaser and Seller no later than the thirtieth (30th) day after the remaining differences underlying Purchaser’s Objection are referred to the CPA Firm, or such longer period of time as the CPA Firm determines is necessary.
Escrow Fund Prior to any amount being distributed to any Company Holder pursuant to Section 2.6, the Escrow Fund will be withheld from the Merger Consideration and deposited with the Escrow Agent. The Indemnity Portion of the Escrow Fund will be held for the purpose of securing the indemnification obligations of the Company set forth in this Agreement. The Adjustment Portion of the Escrow Fund will be held for the purpose of securing any obligation of the Company to make a payment to Purchaser pursuant to Section 2.13(d). The Escrow Fund will be withheld from the aggregate amount of Merger Consideration otherwise payable to each Company Holder pursuant to Section 2.6, with each Company Holder’s portion of the Escrow Fund equal to its Company Holder Percentage Interest. The Shareholders’ Agent Expense Portion of the Escrow Fund will be held for the purpose of funding any expenses of the Shareholders’ Agent arising in connection with the administration of the Shareholders’ Agent’s duties in this Agreement after the Effective Time. The Escrow Agreement will provide for (i) the release of the Adjustment Portion of the Escrow Fund remaining in the escrow account (in accordance with Company Holder Percentage Interests for any amounts payable to the Company Holders) within five (5) Business Days after the final determination of the Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 2.13(c) (but, for the avoidance of doubt, after any required payment to Purchaser pursuant to Section 2.13(d) has been made), (ii) the release, subject to a reserve in the aggregate amount of all pending claims, of the Indemnity Portion of the Escrow Fund remaining in the escrow account (in accordance with Company Holder Percentage Interests for any amounts payable to the Company Holders) within five (5) Business Days after the earlier of (A) the date Purchaser completes an audit of the Company for 2014 (such date to be confirmed in writing by Purchaser to the Shareholders’ Agent), or (B) April 1, 2015; and (iii) the release of the Shareholders’ Agent Expense Portion of the Escrow Fund upon receipt of written notice from the Shareholders’ Agent. Following payment of the last balance remaining in the Indemnity Portion of the Escrow Fund that was reserved for a claim made by any Indemnified Persons under Section 9 of this Agreement (or the definitive withdrawal or resolution of such claim), and after payment of any Shareholders’ Agent expenses from the Shareholders’ Agent Expense Portion of the Escrow Fund, Purchaser and the Shareholders’ Agent will direct the Escrow Agent to pay to the Company Holders (or with respect to the Company Holders that were holders of Vested Company Options that were cancelled under Section 2.6(c)(i), to the Surviving Corporation for payment to the Company Holders who are entitled to such Company Holders through the Surviving Corporation’s payroll) in accordance with their Company Holder Percentage Interests an aggregate amount that is equal to any remaining balance of the Escrow Fund.
Post-Closing Adjustments As soon as practicable after the Closing, but in no event later than one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter, Seller shall prepare and deliver to Purchaser a final settlement statement (the “Final Settlement Statement”) setting forth each adjustment or payment that was not finally determined as of the Closing and showing the calculation of such adjustments and the resulting Final Purchase Price. Seller shall make its workpapers and other information available to Purchaser to review in order to confirm the adjustments shown on Seller’s draft. As soon as practicable after receipt of the Final Settlement Statement, but in no event later than sixty (60) days thereafter, Purchaser shall deliver to Seller a written report containing any changes that Purchaser proposes to make to the Final Settlement Statement. Any failure by Purchaser to deliver to Seller the written report detailing Purchaser’s proposed changes to the Final Settlement Statement within sixty (60) days following Purchaser’s receipt of the Final Settlement Statement shall be deemed an acceptance by Purchaser of the Final Settlement Statement as submitted by Seller. The parties shall agree with respect to the changes proposed by Purchaser, if any, no later than sixty (60) days after Seller receives from Purchaser the written report described above containing Purchaser’s proposed changes. If the Purchaser and the Seller cannot then agree upon the Final Settlement Statement, the determination of the amount of the Final Settlement Statement shall be submitted to a mutually agreed firm of independent public accountants (the “Accounting Firm”). The determination by the Accounting Firm shall be conclusive and binding on the parties hereto and shall be enforceable against any party hereto in any court of competent jurisdiction. Any costs and expenses incurred by the Accounting Firm pursuant to this Section 12.1 shall be borne by the Seller and the Purchaser equally. The date upon which such agreement is reached or upon which the Final Purchase Price is established, shall be herein called the “Final Settlement Date.” In the event
(a) the Final Purchase Price is more than the Estimated Final Purchase Price, Purchaser shall pay to Seller the amount of such difference, or
(b) the Final Purchase Price is less than the Estimated Final Purchase Price, Seller shall pay to Purchaser the amount of such difference, in either event by wire transfer in immediately available funds. Payment by Purchaser or Seller, as the case may be, shall be within five (5) days of the Final Settlement Date.
