Conduct of Operations The Board of Directors and the General Partner shall use commercially reasonable efforts to conduct the business of the Partnership and its Affiliates in a manner that does not require a holder of Common Units to file a tax return in any jurisdiction with which the holder has no contact other than through ownership of Common Units.
Interim Conduct of Business (a) Except (i) as contemplated by this Agreement or (ii) as set forth in Section 6.1(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter, at all times during the period commencing with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and continuing until the earlier to occur of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article X and the Effective Time, unless Parent otherwise provides its prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), the Company shall and shall cause its Subsidiaries to (A) carry on its business and conduct its operations in the usual, regular and ordinary course in substantially the same manner as heretofore conducted, and (B) use its commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with past practices and policies, to (I) keep available the services of the current officers, key employees and consultants of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries, (II) preserve the current relationships of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries with customers, suppliers and other Persons whom the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has significant business relations, (III) maintain all of its material operating assets in their current condition (normal wear and tear excepted) and (IV) maintain and preserve its business organization and its material rights and franchises. (b) Except (i) as contemplated or permitted by this Agreement or (ii) as set forth in Section 6.1(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, at all times during the period commencing with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and continuing until the earlier to occur of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Article X and the Effective Time, unless Parent otherwise provides its prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), the Company shall not do any of the following and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to do any of the following: (i) amend its certificate of incorporation or bylaws or comparable organizational documents or create any new Subsidiaries; (ii) issue, sell, deliver or agree or commit to issue, sell or deliver (whether through the issuance or granting of options, warrants, commitments, subscriptions, rights to purchase or otherwise) any Company Securities or any Subsidiary Securities, except for (A) the issuance, delivery and sale of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Restricted Stock Awards which are outstanding as of the date hereof upon the exercise or vesting thereof, as applicable, or pursuant to the Company ESPP in compliance with this Agreement or (B) grants to newly hired employees or directors of (x) Company RSUs and (y) Company Options, in each case, issued in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, in accordance with the limitations specified on Section 6.1(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter and with respect to Company Options, with a per share exercise price that is no less than the then-current market price of a share of Company Common Stock; (iii) directly or indirectly acquire, repurchase or redeem any Company Securities or Subsidiary Securities, except in connection with (A) Company RSUs in the ordinary course of business, (B) dissolution or reorganization of a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (C) Tax withholdings and exercise price settlements upon the exercise of Company Options or vesting of Company RSUs or Company Restricted Stock Awards or (D) the forfeiture to or repurchase by the Company of Company Common Stock in connection with the termination of service of a holder of a Company Restricted Stock Award; (iv) (A) split, combine, subdivide or reclassify any shares of capital stock, or (B) declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, shares or property or any combination thereof) in respect of any shares of capital stock, or make any other actual, constructive or deemed distribution in respect of the shares of capital stock, except for cash dividends made by any direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or one of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries; (v) propose or adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (vi) (A) redeem, repurchase, prepay, defease, cancel, incur, create, assume or otherwise acquire or modify in any material respect any long-term or short-term debt for borrowed monies or issue or sell any debt securities or calls, options, warrants or other rights to acquire any debt securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or enter into any agreement having the economic effect of any of the foregoing, except for (1) debt incurred in the ordinary course of business under letters of credit, lines of credit or other credit facilities or arrangements in effect on the date hereof, and (2) loans or advances between the Company and any direct or indirect Subsidiaries, or between any direct or indirect Subsidiaries of the Company, (B) assume, guarantee, endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any other Person, except with respect to obligations of direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company, (C) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to or investments in any other Person (other than the Company or any direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries), except for travel advances and business expenses in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice to employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (D) mortgage or pledge any of the Assets, or create or suffer to exist any Lien thereupon (other than Permitted Liens), except pursuant to the terms of any letters of credit, lines of credit or other credit facilities or arrangements in effect on the date hereof; (vii) except as may be required by applicable Law or the terms of any Employee Plan as in effect on the date hereof or as contemplated by this Agreement, (A) enter into, adopt, amend (including acceleration of vesting), modify or terminate any bonus, profit sharing, incentive, compensation, severance, retention, termination, option, appreciation right, performance unit, stock equivalent, share purchase agreement, pension, retirement, deferred compensation, employment, severance, change in control, pension, retirement, collective bargaining or other employee benefit agreement, trust, plan, fund or other arrangement for the compensation, benefit or welfare of any director, officer or employee in any manner, (B) increase the compensation payable or to become payable of any director, officer or employee, pay or agree to pay any special bonus or special remuneration to any director, officer or employee, or pay or agree to pay any benefit not required by any plan or arrangement as in effect as of the date hereof, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice with respect to any employee who is not a director or executive officer, except in any such case (1) in connection with the hiring of new employees who are not directors or executive officers in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, and (2) in connection with the promotion of employees who are not directors or executive officers (and who will not be directors or executive officers after such promotion) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (C) grant or pay any severance or termination pay to (or amend any such existing arrangement with) any current or former director, officer, employee or independent contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice with respect to any independent contractor or employee who is not a director or executive officer or (D) increase benefits payable under any existing severance or termination pay policies or employment agreements. (viii) settle any pending or threatened Legal Proceeding, except for the settlement of any Legal Proceeding (A) for solely money damages not in excess of $250,000.00 individually or $500,000.00 in the aggregate and (B) as would not be reasonably likely to have any adverse impact on any other Legal Proceedings; (ix) except as may be required as a result of a change in applicable Law or in GAAP, make any material change in any of the accounting methods, principles or practices used by it or change an annual accounting period; (x) (A) make or change any material Tax election, (B) settle or compromise any material federal, state, local or foreign income Tax liability, (C) consent to any extension or waiver of any limitation period with respect to any claim or assessment for material Taxes, (D) change any annual Tax accounting period or method of Tax accounting, (E) file any materially amended Tax Return, (F) enter into any closing agreement with respect to any Tax or (G) surrender any right to claim a material Tax refund; (xi) other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (A) acquire (by merger, consolidation or acquisition of stock or assets) any other Person or any material equity interest therein or (B) dispose of any properties or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries, which are material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; or (xii) make any capital expenditures other than capital expenditures provided for in the capital budget provided to Parent prior to the date of this Agreement and set forth on Section 6.1(b)(xii) of the Company Disclosure Letter; (xiii) make any changes or modifications to any investment or risk management policy or other similar policies (including with respect to hedging) or any cash management policy; (xiv) permit any insurance policy naming the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a beneficiary or a loss payable payee to lapse, be canceled or expire unless a new policy with substantially identical coverage is in effect as of the date of lapse, cancellation or expiration; (xv) other than in the ordinary course of business, enter into, amend in any material respect, terminate or fail to renew any Material Contract, or any other Contract that would have been a Material Contract had it not been amended, terminated or non-renewed prior to the date of this Agreement; or (xvi) enter into a Contract to or otherwise authorize, commit, resolve, propose or agree to take any of the actions prohibited by this Section 6.1(b). Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement is intended to give Parent, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the business or operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries at any time prior to the Appointment Time.
TRANSFER OF OPERATIONS Purchaser shall be entitled to immediate possession of, and to exercise all rights arising under, the Assets from and after the time that the Restaurants open for business on the Closing Date, and operation of the Restaurants shall transfer at such time (the "Effective Time"). Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, all profits, losses, liabilities, claims, or injuries arising before the Effective Time shall be solely to the benefit or the risk of Seller. All such occurrences after the Effective Time shall be solely to the benefit or the risk of Purchaser. The risk of loss or damage by fire, storm, flood, theft, or other casualty or cause shall be in all respects upon Seller prior to the Effective Time and upon the Purchaser thereafter.
Interim Operations Except as (x) required by applicable Law, (y) expressly contemplated or required by this Agreement or (z) set forth in Section 6.1 of the Company Disclosure Letter, the Company Parties covenant and agree that, from and after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, except with the prior written consent of Parent (which consent is not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), each of the Company Parties shall, and shall cause their Subsidiaries to, conduct their business in the ordinary course and shall, and shall cause their Subsidiaries to, use their respective commercially reasonable efforts to (1) preserve their business organizations intact and (2) maintain existing relations and goodwill with Governmental Entities and customers, suppliers, employees and business associates. (a) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and in furtherance thereof, from and after the execution and delivery of this Agreement until the Company Merger Effective Time, except as (x) required by applicable Law, (y) expressly contemplated or required by this Agreement, or (z) as set forth in the relevant subsection of Section 6.1 of the Company Disclosure Letter (it being understood and hereby agreed that if any action is expressly permitted by any of the following subsections such action shall be expressly permitted under the first sentence of Section 6.1), except with the prior written consent of Parent (which consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), none of the Company Parties will and the Company Parties will not permit any of their Subsidiaries to: (i) adopt any change in the Company's certificate of incorporation or bylaws or DPA's limited liability company agreement, or adopt any material change in the applicable governing instruments of any of their Subsidiaries; (ii) merge or consolidate with any other Person or restructure, reorganize or completely or partially liquidate, except for (A) the Mergers or (B) any such transaction between wholly owned Subsidiaries of the Company Parties, or between any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company Parties and the Company Parties, unless reasonably objected to by Parent following consultation; (iii) acquire (by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock or assets or otherwise) (x) any corporation, partnership or other business organization or (y) any assets from any other Person (excluding ordinary course purchases of goods, products and off-the-shelf Intellectual Property), except, following reasonable advanced consultation with Parent, where the consideration in such transaction is not in excess of $2,000,000 individually or $5,000,000 in the aggregate; (iv) issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant, transfer, encumber, or authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant, transfer, or encumbrance of, any shares of its capital stock or equity interests or the capital stock or equity interests of any of its Subsidiaries (other than (A) the issuance of Class A Shares upon the exercise of Company Options and settlement of Company RSAs and Director RSAs in accordance with the Stock Plan, in each case that are outstanding as of the date hereof or that are issued after the date hereof in compliance with this Agreement, (B) the issuance of Class A Shares pursuant to that certain Exchange Agreement dated as of October 3, 2007, as amended through the date hereof, by and among the Company Parties and certain unitholders of DPA (the “Exchange Agreement”), (C) between wholly owned Subsidiaries of the Company Parties or between a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company Parties and a Company Party), or securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for any shares of such capital stock, or any options, stock units, stock awards, warrants or other rights of any kind to acquire any shares of such capital stock, equity interests, convertible or exchangeable securities; (v) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to or investments in any Person (other than the Company Parties or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company Parties) other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice (including business expense advances to employees) in amounts not in excess of $750,000; (vi) declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution, payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise, with respect to any of its capital stock or equity interests (except for (A) regular quarterly cash dividends at a rate not in excess of $0.09 per Class A Share and $0.09 per New Class A Unit, with record dates and payment dates consistent with the prior year, (B) tax distributions not in excess of those provided for pursuant to Section 4.4 of the limited liability company agreement of DPA or (C) dividends paid by any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary to the Company Parties or to any other direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary) or enter into any agreement with respect to the voting of its capital stock; (vii) reclassify, split, combine, subdivide or redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of its capital stock or equity interests or securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for any shares of its capital stock or equity interests (other than the acquisition in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice of any Class A Shares tendered by current or former Service Providers in connection with the cashless exercise of Company Options or in order to pay Taxes in connection with the exercise of Company Options or the vesting of Company RSAs and Director RSAs or in connection with any obligation under the Exchange Agreement); (viii) incur any Indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee such Indebtedness of another Person (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company Parties), or issue or sell any debt securities or warrants or other rights to acquire any debt security of the Company Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, in each case other than (A) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice with a face value or principal amount not in excess of $2,500,000 in the aggregate, or (B) in the ordinary course under letters of credit, lines of credit or other credit facilities or arrangements in effect on the date hereof so long as the total Indebtedness incurred under all such letters of credit, lines of credit or credit facilities does not exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate; (ix) make or authorize any capital expenditures in excess of $500,000 individually or $1,500,000 in the aggregate, other than any capital expenditure (or series of related capital expenditures) consistent in all material respects with the 2013 capital expenditure budget of the Company Parties and their Subsidiaries in effect on the date of this Agreement (a copy of which has been previously provided to Parent); (x) make any material changes with respect to any method of Tax or financial accounting policies or procedures, except as required by changes in GAAP or by a Governmental Entity; (xi) compromise, settle or agree to settle any claims (A) involving amounts in excess of $250,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate, except to the extent reflected or reserved against in the Company's consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2012 included in the Company Reports in respect of the claim being settled or (B) that would impose any material non-monetary obligations on the Company Parties or their Subsidiaries or Affiliates that would continue after the Company Merger Effective Time; (xii) make any material Tax election, file any material amended Tax Return, settle or compromise any material Tax liability, enter into any closing agreement with respect to any material Tax or surrender any right to claim a material Tax refund; (xiii) transfer, sell, lease, license, mortgage, pledge, surrender, encumber, divest, cancel, abandon or allow to lapse or expire, xxxxx x Xxxx (other than a Permitted Lien) on or otherwise dispose of any assets, properties or rights of the Company Parties or their Subsidiaries, including capital stock of any of their Subsidiaries that are material to the Company Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except (A) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or (B) Liens granted in connection with any indebtedness permitted under this Section 6.1; (xiv) except as required under applicable Law or the terms of any Benefit Plan in effect as of the date hereof (A) grant, provide or increase (or commit to grant, provide or increase) any severance or termination payments or benefits to any current or former Service Provider who is or was an executive officer, a director or other Service Provider earning annual compensation (base salary and incentive opportunities) in excess of $750,000 (any such Service Provider, a “Material Service Provider”), grant or provide for (or commit to grant or provide for) any severance or termination payments or benefits to any other current or former Service Provider other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or increase (or commit to increase) any severance or termination payments or benefits; (B) increase in any manner the compensation or benefits of any current or former Service Provider, except (x) for increases in base salary in the ordinary course where the aggregate increase does not exceed 4.5% percent of the aggregate annualized salaries in 2012 and (y) the payment of bonuses for the 2012 performance year in the ordinary course of business and, with respect to Material Service Providers consistent with past practice, and otherwise in the aggregate consistent with past practice, and not in excess of the amounts set forth in Section 6.1(a)(xiv) of the Company Disclosure Letter; (D) become a party to, establish, adopt, terminate, materially amend (or commit to become a party to, establish, adopt, terminate, or materially amend) any Benefit Plan or arrangement that would have been a Benefit Plan if in effect on the date hereof (other than routine changes to welfare plans) or accelerate the vesting of, or lapse of restrictions on, any compensation for the benefit of any current or former Material Service Provider; (E) cause the funding of any rabbi trust or similar arrangement or take any action to fund or in any other way secure the payment of compensation or benefits under any Benefit Plan; or (F) terminate the employment or services of any Material Service Provider other than for cause, or hire any Person that would reasonably be expected to be a Material Service Provider; (xv) abandon, convey title (in whole or in part), exclusively license or grant any right or other licenses to material Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed to the Company Parties or any of their Subsidiaries, or enter into licenses or agreements that impose material restrictions upon the Company Parties or any of their Subsidiaries with respect to its or their use of material Intellectual Property owned by any third party, in each case other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (A) except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (1) modify or amend, or voluntarily or prematurely terminate, any Material Contract (other than extensions at the end of term that do not materially modify or amend the terms of such Contract or modifications or amendments to reflect actual services performed), (2) enter into any successor agreement to an expiring Material Contract that materially modifies or amends the terms of such expiring Material Contract or (3) enter into any new agreement that would have been considered a Material Contract if it were entered into at or prior to the date hereof other than any such Contracts that may be cancelled, terminated or withdrawn without material liability to the Company Parties or their Subsidiaries upon notice of 90 days or less or (B) enter into any new agreement that would have been considered a Material Contract pursuant to clause (B), (I), (O) or (Q) of Section 5.1(q) if it were entered into at or prior to the date hereof; (xvii) fail to maintain in full force and effect material insurance policies covering the Company Parties and their Subsidiaries and their respective properties, assets and businesses in a form and amount consistent with past practice; or (xviii) agree, authorize or commit to do any of the foregoing. (b) Each of the Buyer Parties agrees that, from and after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and until the Company Merger Effective Time, it shall not consummate or agree to consummate any purchase or other acquisition of any assets, licenses, operations, rights or businesses (other than as expressly contemplated by this Agreement) that, individually or in the aggregate with any other such purchase or acquisition, is reasonably likely to (i) prevent or materially delay from obtaining any consents, registrations, approvals, permits or authorizations required to be obtained from any Governmental Entity in connection with the consummation of the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) result in the imposition of a condition or conditions on any such consents, registrations, approvals, permits or authorizations, or (iii) otherwise prevent or materially delay any party hereto from performing its obligations hereunder or consummating the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated hereby. (c) Nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to give any Buyer Party, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the Company Parties' or their Subsidiaries' operations prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, and nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to give the Company Parties or their Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the Buyer Parties' operations. Prior to the Company Merger Effective Time, each of the Buyer Parties and the Company Parties shall exercise, consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, complete control and supervision over its and its Subsidiaries' respective operations. (d) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties hereto, following the date hereof and prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make available to Parent: (i) an estimate of the amounts potentially payable to each Service Provider under any Benefit Plan in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the adoption of this Agreement by holders of shares constituting the Company Requisite Vote or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (either alone or in conjunction with any other event, including as a result of a termination of employment or service), including the amount of any “excess parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and any excise tax gross-up that could become payable under any Benefit Plans; (ii) complete and correct copies of each Lease; and (iii) true and complete current copies of all material Benefit Plans and, where applicable, (A) the most recently prepared actuarial report or financial statement with respect thereto, (B) the most recent summary plan description, and all material modifications thereto with respect thereto, (C) the most recent annual report (Form 5500 Series) and accompanying schedule with respect thereto, (D) the most recent determination letter with respect thereto, (E) copies of any material written correspondence with a Governmental Entity with respect thereto and (F) any related funding arrangements with respect thereto.
Change of Operations Uniforms To: Members of Local Union 295 Dear Brothers and Sisters: As you know, we have a tentative agreement for the UPS Cartage Services, Inc. Supplemental Agreement. Article 2 of the re-negoti- ated CSI Supplement outlines the National Master UPS Agreement (NMA) Articles that may be applied to your Addendum. You will note that several NMA articles are not applicable. These are sub- jects that are either addressed in the CSI Supplement or are not op- erationally applicable to CSI. Where there are two provisions covering the same subject, one in the Local Addendum and one in the National Master UPS Agree- ment, the following provisions of the National Master UPS Agree- ment shall apply:
Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and has the requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus. Each of the Company and the subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or foreign partnership to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Except as described in the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of the subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or adverse claim. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year and other than (i) those subsidiaries not required to be listed on Exhibit 21.1 by Item 601 of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act and (ii) those subsidiaries formed or acquired since the last day of the most recently ended fiscal year.
Date of Operation 3.1 This Agreement remains in force until 2/7/2027. The agreement will continue to apply beyond its expiration date until it is replaced in accordance with the FW Act.
Conduct of Business of Parent Except as set forth in Section 6.2 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, during the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time (unless the Company shall otherwise agree in writing and except as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement), Parent will conduct its operations according to its ordinary and usual course of business consistent with past practice and shall use all reasonable efforts to preserve intact its current business organizations, keep available the service of its current officers and employees, maintain its material Permits and Contracts and preserve its relationships with customers, suppliers and others having business dealings with it. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and except as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth in Section 6.2 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, Parent will not, without the prior written consent of the Company (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld): (i) issue, sell, grant, dispose of, pledge or otherwise encumber, or authorize or propose the issuance, sale, disposition or pledge or other encumbrance of (A) any additional shares of capital stock of any class (including the shares of Parent Common Stock), or any securities or rights convertible into, exchangeable for, or evidencing the right to subscribe for any shares of capital stock, or any rights, warrants, options, calls, commitments or any other agreements of any character to purchase or acquire any shares of capital stock or any securities or rights convertible into, exchangeable for, or evidencing the right to subscribe for, any shares of capital stock or (B) any other securities in respect of, in lieu of, or in substitution for, shares of Parent Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof; (ii) redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, or propose to redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, any of its outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock; (iii) split, combine, subdivide or reclassify any shares of Parent Common Stock or declare, set aside for payment or pay any dividend, or make any other actual, constructive or deemed distribution in respect of any capital stock of Parent or otherwise make any payments to stockholders in their capacity as such, other than the declaration and payment of regular quarterly cash dividends on the Parent Common Stock in an amount no greater than $.72 per share per annum and in accordance with past dividend policy and other than the declaration and payment of dividends on Parent Preferred Stock pursuant to Parent's Certificate of Incorporation as in effect on the date hereof and except for dividends by a direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent; (iv) adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization of Parent or any of the Parent Subsidiaries (other than the Merger), except for Parent Subsidiaries which are not material to the assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations of Parent and the Parent Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (v) adopt any amendments to its Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws or alter through merger, liquidation, reorganization, restructuring or in any other fashion the corporate structure or ownership of any direct or indirect subsidiary of Parent, except for Parent Subsidiaries which are not material to the assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations of Parent and the Parent Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (vi) make, or permit any Parent Subsidiary to make, any material acquisition, by means of merger, consolidation or otherwise, or material disposition, of assets or securities; (vii) other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, incur, or permit any Parent Subsidiary to incur, any material indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such indebtedness or make any material loans, advances or capital contributions to, or material investments in, any other person other than Parent or any Parent Subsidiary; (viii) change any method of accounting or accounting practice by Parent or any Parent Subsidiary, except for any such required change in GAAP or applicable statutory accounting principles; (ix) permit any Parent Insurance Subsidiary to materially change its investment guidelines or policies and approved programs or transactions or conduct transactions in investments except in material compliance with the investment guidelines and policies of such Parent Insurance Subsidiary and all applicable insurance Laws; (x) enter, or permit any Parent Insurance Subsidiary to enter, into any material reinsurance, coinsurance or similar Contract, whether as reinsurer or reinsured, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (xi) (x) take, or agree or commit to take, or permit any Parent Subsidiary to take, or agree or commit to take, any action that would make any representation and warranty of Parent hereunder inaccurate in any material respect at the Effective Time (except for representations and warranties which speak as of a particular date, which need be accurate only as of such date), (y) omit, or agree or commit to omit, or permit any Parent Subsidiary to omit, or agree or commit to omit, to take any action necessary to prevent any such representation or warranty from being inaccurate in any material respect at the Effective Time (except for representations and warranties which speak as of a particular date, which need be accurate only as of such date), provided however that Parent shall be permitted to take or omit to take such action which can be cured, and in fact is cured, at or prior to the Effective Time or (z) take, or agree or commit to take, or permit any Parent Subsidiary to take, or agree or commit to take, any action that would result in, or is reasonably likely to result in, any of the conditions of the Merger set forth in Article VII not being satisfied; or (xii) authorize, recommend, propose or announce an intention to do any of the foregoing, or enter into any contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement to do any of the foregoing.
Organization; Subsidiaries (a) The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has the requisite corporate power and authority to carry on its business as it is now being conducted. The Company is duly qualified and licensed as a foreign corporation to do business, and is in good standing (and has paid all relevant franchise or analogous taxes), in each jurisdiction where the character of its assets owned or held under lease or the nature of its business makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to so qualify or be licensed, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. (b) Each Significant Subsidiary is a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership or other business entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and has the power and authority to carry on its business as it is now being conducted except where the failure to be in good standing or to have such power and authority, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth in Section 3.1(b) of the disclosure schedule delivered by the Company to the Investors on the date hereof (the "Company Disclosure Schedule"), (i) the Company owns, either directly or indirectly through one or more Subsidiaries, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of the Significant Subsidiaries free and clear of all liens, charges, claims, security interests, restrictions, options, proxies, voting trusts or other encumbrances ("Encumbrances") and (ii) there are no outstanding subscription rights, options, warrants, convertible or exchangeable securities or other rights of any character whatsoever relating to issued or unissued capital stock or other equity interests of any Significant Subsidiary, or any contract, agreement or other commitment of any character whatsoever relating to issued or unissued capital stock or other equity interests of any Significant Subsidiary or pursuant to which any Significant Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue or grant additional shares of its capital stock or other equity interests or related subscription rights, options, warrants, convertible or exchangeable securities or other rights, or to grant preemptive rights. Except for the Subsidiaries and except as set forth on Section 3.1(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any interest in any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, business association or other Person.
CONTINUITY OF OPERATION Section 1: No Strikes, Work Stoppages or Lockouts